The United States is currently the most powerful country in the world. It is the second largest country by landmass (Penn State, 2016), and it is the third most populous country, with 324,909,129 people (Worldometers, n.d.). It has the largest economy and the biggest military budget (US News, 2016). So, is there any reason for the United States to be concerned with growing countries, namely China and India?

China and India are the two most populous countries in the world with 1.36 and 1.23 billion people respectively (Penn State, 2016), and represent approximately 37 percent of the world’s population (Rodriguez, n.d.) an estimated 7.4 billion people as of March 2016. They are the world’s fastest-growing economies; China is currently the largest, and India is currently the third-largest, economy in the world by purchasing power (Twining, 2015). Table 1.0 shows a comparison of each of Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture between the United States, China, and India.

Country	Power Distance	Uncertainty Avoidance	Individualism	Masculinity	Long-Term Orientation	Indulgence vs Restraint
United States	40	46	91	62	26	68
China	80	30	20	66	87	24
India	77	40	48	56	51	26
World	59.31	67.64	45.17	49.53	24.23	22.29

Table 1.0 (Penn State, 2016) (Hofstede, n.d.)

As you can see, China and India score very closely in power distance, meaning neither mind that there are inequalities between powers within their respectable culture, and display a lot more restraint, when compared to the United States. With regards to uncertainty avoidance and masculinity, all three countries score relatively close. Uncertainty avoidance is the “tolerance for things being unsettled and ambiguous” (Penn State, 2016). With that being said, all three countries are accepting of the unknown, and all three countries differentiate between male and female roles just a tad bit more than other countries around the world. While India scores 48 in individualism, which is just a tad over the world average, China’s score indicates more of a collectivism tendency, while the United States’ score indicates more of an individualism tendency. The last comparison, which is probably the most beneficial, is long-term orientation. China scores extremely high in this dimension, meaning they have a very extended view of time (Penn State, 2016).

It sure is a good thing India and the United States are unofficial allies because if China and India were to form an alliance, they would dominate mainland Eurasia and the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific because together they make up one-third of humanity (Twining, 2015). Especially since both countries have a desire to lead the way into a new Asian century. The United States, India, and other democratic counties all believe they can rise together in both coordination and competition. Fortunately for the United States, China and India continue to have great tension (Wicker, 2016).

Geert Hofstede. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://geert-hofstede.com/united-states.html on 30, October 2016.

Penn State University World Campus. (2016). Lesson 10: Focus on China and India. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/21179122.

Rodriguez, Peter. (n.d.). “China, India, and the United States: The Future of Economic Supremacy,” The Great Courses. Retrieved from: http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/china-india-and-the-united-states-the-future-of-economic-supremacy.html.

Twining, Daniel. (2015). “The U.S.-India-China Triangle in the 21^st Century,” Jewish Policy Center. Retrieved from: https://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/2015/05/31/us-india-china-triangle/.

US News. (2016). Best Countries. Retrieved from: http://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/power-rankings.

Wicker, McDaniel. (2016). “Only America Can Keep a China-India War from Erupting,” The National Interest. Retrieved from: http://nationalinterest.org/feature/only-america-can-stop-china-india-war-17036.

Worldometers. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/ on 30, October 2016.

Communication is one of the first things we learn as babies. As soon as we leave the womb, our internal instincts kick in and help us communicate with the world. In the first two years of our lives, we learn how to communicate. In fact, young mothers are encouraged to talk and read to their babies while still in utero. As babies, we would often cry when we were hungry, tired, sick, wet, or scared, and we would giggle or smile when we were happy, relaxed, or satisfied. By 6 months old, we begin to catch on to words we hear our parents, siblings, and others around us say, and by 18 months, we can even begin to formulate sentences. (Baby Center, 2015).

Communication is the “exchange of information between individuals” (Penn State, 2016). As we grow older, communication becomes so natural; we do so without even realizing it. In fact, according to Edward Hall, founder of the intercultural communications field, 80-90 percent of all communication is actually non-verbal cues, or communication involving no exchange of words (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 35, 43). Some examples of non-verbal cues include body language and facial expressions. As for verbal communication, the average person will speak approximately 1,200 sentences a day, and our brains can actually listen to up to 400 words per minute (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014). Now that’s a lot of communicating!

In global leadership, communication is even more important, as to ensure every employee receives the message as it was intended (Solomon, 1999). With more and more companies expanding internationally and advanced technology, most businesses rely heavily on written communication such as emails, instant messaging, and text messages. In fact, as of 2015, approximately 205 billion emails were sent on a daily basis world-wide. The average number of emails an office worker received on a daily basis was close to 120 emails (Smith, 2016). With that being said, it is extremely important we limit the amount of errors in communication, also known as noise or biases (Penn State, 2016). Bad internet connection, faulty phone service, a limitation of characters allowed for a text message or email, or a misunderstanding of the message received, are all examples of errors in communication. In today’s society, email messages play a huge role in miscommunication. Because non-verbal cues are missing in written correspondence, too often the receiver of the message may not fully understand it. What was meant to be sarcastic could potentially offend the reader because the email has no tone, and the reader cannot easily distinguish the sender’s intent (Penn State, 2016).

Effective communication is what makes or breaks an organization, especially one that spans across the world. The process of intercultural communication is becoming a more standard procedure for companies. To first step to doing this effectively, is to understand cultural diversity. Accepting that what may not offend you, could potentially offend someone from another culture is the key to effective communication. In addition, egocentrism should be avoided at all costs. If we cannot see another person’s perspective, it can nearly be impossible to send a message the receiver will understand (Penn State, 2016).

As a business owner, I communicate with clients, wholesalers, and workers on a daily basis. Ninety percent of my communication is via email. The level of education of each person I communicate with varies from person to person. Most of my workers are young guys who chose not to continue their education, or could possibly have dropped out of high school. Some of my workers are even immigrants trying their hardest to support their family and live the American Dream. I have to ensure my workers understand what is being asked by my client, and I also have to ensure my clients understand the jargon my team and I use when installing their fence. My clients pay a decent amount of money for the work my company does for them, so communicating effectively is something I must do on a daily basis.

References:

Baby Center. (2015). “Baby Milestone: Talking.” Retrieved from: http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-milestone-talking_6573.bc.

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). New York, New York: Routledge.

Penn State University. (2016). Lesson 4: Global Communication. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/21179073.

Smith, Craig. (2016). “By the Numbers: 73 Incredible Email Statistics.” DMR. Retrieved from: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/email-statistics/.

Solomon, Charlene. (1999). “Communicating in a Global Environment,” Workforce. Retrieved from: http://www.workforce.com/1999/11/01/communicating-in-a-global-environment/.

Black Lives Matter. War on Terrorism. Protests. Baltimore and Ferguson Riots. Target’s Trans-Inclusive Bathroom Policy. What do all of these events have in common? If you guessed diversity, you are correct! As I am sitting here writing this blog today, on the 15^th anniversary of 9/11, I am reflecting how on this day 15 years ago, we were never more united as a country than we were that day. And now, now we are more divided than ever. How do we expect other countries to like and respect us, when we, as Americans, hate each other? We have issues with Blacks and other minorities, we have issues with women, with have issues with gays, we have issues with law enforcement, we have issues with Muslims. Did we all forget America is the Melting Pot? Did we forget what our Forefathers fought so hard to give us? Maybe society has, but in business, being diverse is the way to go these days.

The word diversity can have many different meanings, but in terms of global leadership, “diversity is the range of differences among people within an organization.” (Penn State, 2016). These differences can be between groups or within groups. A group of people usually share some commonalities, but the disparity between each member is considered the differences within the group. When two or more groups are compared to one another, the differences between each group can be used to predict the outcomes of how people within one particular group will behave. (Penn State, 2016). In global leadership, it is important to understand the differences within and between groups to successfully incorporate these differences to make a Multinational Enterprise (MNE) inclusive. Not only does inclusion create equal opportunities for all employees, it is just good for business and great for society.

Having diversity work organically within an organization is the only way a company can participate appropriately in today’s society and become successful long-term in a global market place. A diverse workplace drives economic growth, captures a greater share of the consumer market, allows for a more qualified staff, avoids high turnover in employment, fosters a more creative and innovative workforce, creates a competitive economy in a globalized world, and leverages a company’s full potential (Kerby and Burns, 2012).

As people tend to enter into the workforce earlier, and continue working until much later in life, many companies have a workforce of different generations, ranging from Baby-Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. With Millennials, who range from 18-34, becoming the largest generation, with 75.4 million people (Fry, 2016), it is important to understand their perception and belief on diversity and inclusion. A new study from Deloitte shows Millennials define diversity as combining people’s backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to overcome challenges within a company and meet performance targets. While Baby-Boomer and Generation Xers believe diversity and inclusion in business is an equal opportunity for all, Millennials view diversity and inclusion as a necessity, which has a positive impact on business. Since Millennials will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025, companies will have no choice but to accept diversity and inclusion. (Dishman, 2015).

It is evident that companies that refuse to embrace inclusion, and shield their workforce from diversity, will only end up becoming irrelevant in the future as companies continue to expand, not just internationally, but also at a domestic level. The younger workforce is armed with different ideals and philosophies about how to manage a work-life balance, so domestic companies that fail to recognize the needs of all groups within their workforce will find themselves antiquated.

References:

Dishman, Lydia. (2015). “Millennials Have a Different Definition of Diversity and Inclusion,” The New Rules of Work. Retrieved from: https://www.fastcompany.com/3046358/the-new-rules-of-work/millennials-have-a-different-definition-of-diversity-and-inclusion.

Fry, Richard. (2016). “Millennials Overtake Baby Boomers as American’s Largest Generation,” Pew Research Center. Retrieved from: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/25/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers/.

Kerby, Sophia and Burns, Crosby. (2012). “The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace,” Center for American Progress. Retrieved from: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/labor/news/2012/07/12/11900/the-top-10-economic-facts-of-diversity-in-the-workplace/.

Penn State University World Campus. (2016). Lesson 3: Diversity. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/21179060.

The word culture may seem to be quite simple, but in actuality it is very convoluted. So what exactly is culture? According to Hofstede, “culture is a mental program” (2001), and can also be defined as a “system of ideas, values, and behavior” (PSU, 2016). It’s very clear to understand that people from the United States will act very similarly to one another, but may act differently than those people living in England, Mexico, China, or Russia. In America, we often shake hands to introduce ourselves to a stranger, or when we are greeting a friendly face. In Europe, people are greeted by kissing one another on the cheek. However, culture can vary within a country, region, state, city, and even a neighborhood. For example, there are vast differences in the culture between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, the two biggest cities in Pennsylvania. Philadelphians choose to eat cheesesteaks and drink “soda”, while people who live in Pittsburgh enjoy sandwiches with French fries in the middle and drink “pop” (Christi, 2015).

Culture may have many different definitions, but the common theme of each definition is that a group of individuals share the same ideas or values, which may differ from another group of individuals (PSU, 2016). When people share a commonality, they tend to feel more comfortable around each other, and usually build relationships with one another. For instance, if two people share the same religious belief, they tend to share the same values and understand each other. They usually have the same interests and enjoy spending time together. As young children, between the ages of zero and seven, we are molded by our parents and caregivers. We learn what is right and wrong, such as sharing our toys with other children, telling the truth, respecting our elders, etc. This is known as the imprint period. Between the ages of eight and thirteen, we begin to explore and adapt to fit in with a certain crowd. We make friends with the people who look, think, feel, and act the same way we do. And finally, between 13 and 21, we tend to be guided by our peers, friends, and colleagues, as opposed to the authority figures we once looked up to so much. During this final phase of formation, the media plays a huge role, as people tend to gravitate towards the people who share the same values as them (PSU, 2016).

While there are many different cultures within the United States, as Americans we share many commonalities, which differ from the cultures in other countries. It is important when learning about other cultures, that we avoid ethnocentrism, which is the “exaggerated tendency to think the characteristics of one’s own group or race is superior to those of other groups or races” (Drever, 1952, p. 86). Unfortunately, America’s greatest weakness is ethnocentrism (Hamod, 2008). As a country, we believe our way is the right way, and we oftentimes force our beliefs onto others when we invade countries to “save the citizens from powerful, evil leaders.” We spend so much money on other countries we fail to take care of our own Veterans, who were the ones fighting to save these countries in the first place (Hamod, 2008).

Understanding culture is extremely important with global leadership because, as a world, we are more global than ever. Technology has opened the door to allow companies to go international, and gives the illusion that the world is not so small after all. A great way to really understand culture is by studying Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture. The original four dimensions included power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and masculinity/femininity (PSU, 2016). The United States ranks 15^th on power distance, 9^th on uncertainty avoidance, 40^th on individualism, and 28^th on masculinity (Moran, 2014). Understanding where other countries rank on these scales, especially those you wish to do business with, will come in handy should you find yourself as a global leader in a different country.

In conclusion, understanding the definition of culture is important in today’s society. There are so many companies that have expanded into other countries, and have satellite offices all around the world. Tom Madine, CEO and president of Worldwide Express, has said “Leadership styles differ, but at the core, good leaders make the people they are leading accomplish more than they otherwise would. The most effective leaders do this not through fear, intimidation or title, but rather by building consensus around a common goal.” (Helmrich, 2016). Without understanding culture, the effectiveness of your leadership role may be called into question, especially if you inadvertently offend an employee, colleague, client, or customer.

References:

Christi. (2015). Eastern and Western Pennsylvania are Vastly Different – And Here’s 10 Pieces of Proof. Only in Your State. Retrieved from http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/pennsylvania/pa-regional-differences/.

Drever, H. E. (1952). A dictionary of psychology. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin.

Hamod, S. (2008). Overcoming Ethnocentrism in America. Retrieved from http://palestinechronicle.com/old/view_article_details.php?id=13491.

Helmrich, B. (2016). 33 Ways to Define Leadership. Business News Daily. Retrieved from http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3647-leadership-definition.html.

Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge.

Penn State University World Campus. (2016). Lesson 2: Introduction to Culture. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/21179050.

Hi, I am Kevin Brenen.  I live in Norristown PA, which is a suburb of Philadelphia.  I am currently in my senior year and hope to have my Bachelor’s degree in Labor and Employment Relations in the spring.

I own a fencing and landscaping company, and we are in currently in the process of expanding to include security gates.  I have always been my own boss.  At the age of 20, I bought my first pizza shop, and since then have owned a plethora of companies.  My long-term goal is to sell my company in about ten years and work for a business doing Labor and Relations, hence my desire to earn my degree at the age of 42.

My favorite leadership quote is “limits, like fear, is often an illusion.”  I really like this quote because it’s just a good, basic quote.  People oftentimes find a quote with profound meaning, and sometimes the message is lost in translation.  With the aforementioned quote, the average person can related to it and understand it.