Africa covers a vast 30 million square miles of land and that is the home to a vast and diverse population of people that are culturally diverse not only between countries but within as well.  The culture is diverse and dynamic (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014) and the country is rich in natural resources which are largely untapped.  The richness of the land can best be explained by economic experts who indicated that once developed the Congo alone could feed and provide electricity for the whole of Africa (Ravindran, n.d.).

The sub-Sahara states within Africa focus on family and kinship which includes the nuclear family and the extended family, or tribe (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014) which is in some ways its own nation.  These tribes are centered around villages where food is gathered and grown and laws, norms, and guidelines are developed and followed.  The tribes are further broken down into kinship lines which has an important social significance in African societies.  It is no surprise that conducting business in Africa is closely tied to the family and kinship unit and ensuring that everyone is taken care of and supported.

In Africa, “social and business culture reflects the past colonial history to a very large extent, with the African identity playing in the background” (Ravindran, n.d.).  Doing business among the same ethnic African groups is more like ‘networking’ and the tribal orientation encourages the need to belong to a group and readiness to help each other within that group.   When conducting business in Africa, you will need to build friendships and relationships outside of the business and that you will need to develop more of a personal relationship with those that you are working with.  Expect to get to know and become friends with those that you are having business dealings with.  You may be invited to a party or a family event.  For many it may be difficult to differentiate when it is a social situation or a business situation because the lines will be blurred.  Just know that in Africa, doing business is more of a social transaction and that friendship comes before business (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2013).

 

Work Cited:

Moran, R., Abramson, N., and Moran, S. (2014). Managing cultural differences. (9th ed.). New         York, NY: Routledge.

Ravindran, N. (n.d.). The Role of Culture in Doing Business in Africa. Retrieved April 23, 2017,          from https://www.ntusbfcas.com/african-business-insights/content/the-role-of-culture-       in-doing-business-in-africa

 

 

 

 

When the EU was formed back in 1951, there was a desire by the founding members to create a shared economy, a lasting peace, and stability in the region (The History of the European Union, 2017).  Along with the desires to unite a region, it was also born out of the realization that there are common values that unites European nations which are its culture and heritage.

In February 2017, the EU declared that 2018 would be the European Year of Cultural Heritage – “celebrating the diversity and richness of the European heritage” (European et al, 2017).   The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness of European history and values and to strengthen a sense of European identity and also reinforces their commitment to cultural diversity.  The EU, while has a shared cultural heritage, also has a wide range of diverse cultures within the member countries.  These diverse cultures allow for a dynamic and constantly evolving cultural landscape which has caused some growing pains in many of the EU countries.

A question that is being asked is “how is the growing cultural diversity affecting the business climate in the evolving European Union” and “how are business managing and leveraging this cultural diversity”.  The globalization that is happening today is opening up new opportunities for individuals and businesses.  It affects organizational learning, organizational change, knowledge management, internal and external communications, and growth and strategic organizational plans.

Managing cultural diversity should be on the radar of any organization.  We are an increasingly globalized world and in order for companies to continue to thrive, they must be up for the challenge of effectively managing cultural diversity (Overview of Diversity Management, 2014).  The EU has set a strong example for embracing cultural diversity and differences and has continued to be a strong model of inclusion.

 

Work cited:

The history of the European Union. (2017, March 09). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from               https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/history_en

European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018: Celebrating the diversity and richness of our              European heritage. (2017, February 9). Retrieved April 9, 2017, from               http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/02/09-cultural-    heritage/

Overview of Diversity Management. (2014). doi:10.3726/978-3-653-03554-4/5

 

 

 

I arrived in Tokyo a few days before a business summit I was to attend in September of last year.  I wanted to take some time to take in the sights before the three day, intense, try to get it all in meeting that I knew would not allow me much time for sightseeing.  I could not wait to do some shopping, go to some of the amazing parks, visit the Imperial Palace, and of course, eat some of the best sushi in the world.

From the moment I got off the airplane at the beautiful Haneda airport, I was overwhelmed by the level of kindness and out of the ordinary politeness of every one I encountered.  Polite, and as I later learned, “teinei” (polite in Japanese) is an understatement.  From the restroom attendants, the people that helped me find baggage claim and retrieve my luggage, to my driver, to the bellman, concierge, hotel workers, and restaurant workers I encountered during my first day in Tokyo, everyone was so incredibly polite.  It was almost a little uncomfortable at times but after the second day, I really started to enjoy being around people that were so genuinely nice and polite.  I even upped my level of politeness and not out of feeling obligated but because it felt good to go out of my way to be ever-so-polite.

Prior to my trip to Japan, I had done a little research on business etiquette and culture as every country is different and you certainly do not want to offend anyone while trying to conduct business in their country.  I found that it is important to accept a business card from your Japanese colleague with both hands and read it before you put it away (never in your back pocket), that they are a collectivist culture and value the team over the individual contribution, and that they are very gracious and “teinei”.   To the Japanese, being polite is a way of showing respect and it is in ones’ best interest to honor their business culture by understanding and following their lead.

Understanding the cultural differences of those that you work with or come into contact with is important as we attempt to navigate the global marketplace.  Having cross-cultural awareness is essential and may save you from the repercussions of cultural blunders (Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness, 2016).   In other words, let’s learn from the Japanese and try to be a lot more polite as we conduct ourselves out in this globalized world.

Work Cited:

Moran, R., Abramson, N., and Moran, S. (2014). Managing cultural differences. (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness. (2016, April 19). Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://www.commisceo-global.com/blog/results-of-poor-cross-cultural-awareness

Hello! My name is Kristin Johnson and I am majoring in Organizational Leadership and am currently 5th semester standing. I live in Los Angeles and am a born and raised Californian. I am currently the COO of a company that has over 150 employees. During my professional career, I have lead teams in various types of organizations and of various sizes. In the Fall of 2015, I returned to college after a lengthy break due to a family situation. I was fortunate to have much professional success without my degree but have always wanted to fulfill my dream of completing my education and continuing on to complete an advanced degree. One of my favorite leadership quotes is “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others” which is a quote by the great Jack Welch. This quote is meaningful to me because it speaks to the importance of inspiring and growing your followers which I believe is the duty of any leader.

I am married and have twelve-year-old twin girls that keep me very busy and on my toes. I am an avid reader and love listening to podcasts which I mostly do in the car during my endless battles with Los Angeles traffic. I love cooking, food, music, traveling, and am a theater nut. I also volunteer in my girl’s leadership class at their middle school and have put together curriculum and brought in speakers to help supplement the curriculum already in place.

I am looking forward to this course and learning more about everyone.

Kristin Johnson