Cultural Orientation of the U.S.

The customs and traditions of the United States are included in American culture.
"Religion, cuisine, what we wear and how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we
feel is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we act with loved ones,
and a million other things" are all part of culture.
According to the US government, there is no official language of the United States.
While virtually every language spoken in the world is spoken in the United States, Spanish,
Chinese, French, and German are the most commonly spoken non-English languages. Ninety
percent of the population of the United States speaks and understands some English, and the
majority of official business is transacted in English.
In the United States, which
US Religion was founded on the principle of
religious freedom, nearly every
known religion is practiced.
According to data compiled by the
Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan
research organization, about 71
percent of Americans identify as
Christians. According to the study,
Christians No Religious Affiliations roughly 23% of the population has
Non-Christian
no religious affiliation at all, and
about 6% of the population is non-
Christian.
In its early history, Europeans and Native
Americans affected American cuisine. Burgers, hot dogs,
potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf are
among the dishes that are generally classified as American
today. The phrase "as American as apple pie" has evolved
to describe something authentically American. The
majority of Americans are always on the move. They
appear to be constantly rushing from one appointment to
the next, commuting to and from work, picking up
children, running errands, and attending business
Figure 1. Typical American Food meetings and social events. Because Americans are
constantly on the move, they rarely have time to sit
down for a traditional dinner. “There aren't enough hours in the day!” is a typical phrase you'll
hear.
The United States is a sports-mad nation, with millions of fans following sports such as
football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, among others. Baseball, which originated in colonial
America and became an organized sport in the mid-1800s, is considered America's favorite
pastime, albeit, according to the
Harris Poll, football has
surpassed it in popularity for the
past three decades.

Figure 2. Football

Figure 3. Baseball
 Figure 4. Basketball
Because its citizens come from so many diverse backgrounds and cultures, and there are
so many varied views, values, and customs, the United States is sometimes referred to as a
melting pot. There is no such thing as a typical American, which is part of what makes the
country so fascinating. Customs differ from one location to the next and from one family to the
next.
In American culture, individuality is greatly appreciated. Before identifying with their
family, a community, or the country, Americans frequently identify as individuals. Children in
the United States are usually taught that understanding and relying on oneself is critical to adult
success. This isn't to say that Americans don't create strong social networks or relationships with
their families. Taking an interest in bettering oneself, on the other hand, is regarded to benefit the
majority. People from more communal cultures may perceive this individualism as rude, but this
is not the aim. 
Americans are known for being quite informal, which is partly owing to their feeling of
egalitarianism. Dress can be fairly casual, especially in an educational atmosphere. This
informality lends itself to friendship as well. Americans greet friends and strangers alike with a
friendly greeting. As a greeting, Americans frequently ask, "How's it going?" If you're not used
to it, this informality can be off-putting, but Americans intended it as a warm and kind gesture.
Americans have a reputation for being always in a hurry. Americans can appear
impatient, and efficiency is a highly valued trait. They place a high importance on time in
general. In both commercial and social situations, punctuality is essential, and coming late might
appear unpleasant and unprofessional. If you are going to be late for an appointment by more
than ten minutes, contact ahead to let them know you will be late or will be unable to arrive.
Friendship gatherings can be more casual, but it's always a good idea to keep people informed
about your arrival status. Although not all Americans are punctual, and everyone is late at times,
it is a good idea to remember punctuality while in the US.
Americans feel that direct communication is the best and, in many cases, the only way to
be heard. This may appear harsh or disrespectful to persons of other backgrounds. The
significance of individuality in American culture has fostered a spirit of competition, which has
resulted in a need to be heard. Americans are not afraid to express their viewpoints. Being direct
is generally considered as a way to settle disagreements and misunderstandings, and honesty and
openness are respected. By being straightforward and direct, Americans may believe they are
assisting in the resolution of a crisis, yet someone from a different background may perceive this
as aggressive.
In the United States, introduce
yourself with a firm, not flimsy handshake.
American managers are expected to lead in
a way that generates overall team
confidence, and leaders who generate good
results are particularly admired. Workers
don't like autocratic leadership styles. Instead, inspirational styles win followers. People in the
East generally dress more formally and Westerners more casually. Dress codes can vary widely
across companies, from business suits to more casual wear. Even so, executives usually dress
formally, meaning business suits for both men and women. For initial meetings, conservative
dress is always in good taste.
Apple
Global Production - Apple Inc., formerly Apple Computer, Inc., American manufacturer
of personal computers, smartphones, tablet computers, computer peripherals, and computer
software. It was the first successful personal computer company and the popularizer of the
graphical user interface. Headquarters are located in Cupertino, California. Many of their
upstream components and subassemblies are manufactured in China and Southeast Asia.
Outsourcing - Speaking of Apple’s manufacturing being outsourced, it’s clear that they
get parts and resources that are challenging to access and assemble the products for a lower cost.
It’s no secret that Apple has been outsourcing its manufacturing to China for years now. The tech
giant outsources hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs to countries like Mongolia, China,
Korea and Taiwan. But Apple apparently doesn't outsource these jobs to save money. Instead, it
does so to save time. Other than China, Mongolia, Korea and Taiwan, Apple has over 200
suppliers that it relies on for procuring components for assembly.
Logistics - Inbound logistics primary activity refers to receiving and storing of raw
materials for their consecutive use in manufacturing. Apple works with hundreds of suppliers
around the globe and maintains a highly sophisticated supply-chain management as illustrated in
the figure below.
 Apple outbound logistics involve warehousing and distribution of ready iPhones, iPads,
Mac computers and other products produced by the company. The company ships finished
products to Apple Stores that are typically located at high-traffic locations in quality shopping
malls and urban shopping districts. Apple outbound logistics also facilitates deliveries to the
warehouses of wholesalers and retailers.

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