Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges between

Swedish Managers and Burmese and Vietnamese

Employees
How are those Communication Challenges related to GLOBE’s Cultural
Dimensions?
By Kyaw Zin Latt, Thu Trang Ta Thi

This study investigates the cross-cultural communication challenges between the Swedish
managers and their local employees from the perspectives of Swedish managers in Burmese
and Vietnamese organisations. The deductive study was conducted to derive the Swedish
managers’ perceptions of the cultural dimensions of the local organisations using the
GLOBE’s instrument. The GLOBE survey was used to get the quantitative data for which the
questions are categorised in the nine cultural dimensions on a scale from 1 to 7. For example,
one question could be whether the people in the organisation are generally tough (1) or tender
(7), (4) is neither tough nor tender. Furthermore, the nine dimensions are distinguished in:
“practices [within the organisation or society] or “as is” [score] and values [that should be
within the organisation or society] or “should be” [score]”

The following presents the quantitative findings in Vietnam (Full article can be found on
Moodle)
4.1.2 Quantitative findings in Vietnam

For the quantitative data collection, we have received in total answers from six Swedish
managers for Vietnam. Five of those managers are currently living and working in Vietnam.
Only one of the six managers is not living and working in Vietnam anymore. However, he
has been working in Vietnam for three years as a Country Manager and due to that could
provide valuable inputs and experiences as well. The managers do all have a Swedish
background, but work or have worked in different industries such as E-Commerce, IT,
Education, Home Improvement, Dairy Industry and Sales and Marketing.
Figure 10 shows the average result of all six managers of the GLOBE survey, that we have
used for our research.
Uncertainty Avoidance
Based on the result of the survey, the Should-Be state of this dimension is slightly higher than
the As-Is state with a gap of 0.68. With our qualitative data collection and analysis, we will
elaborate further in the next chapter. We discovered that the Vietnamese employees did not
enjoy being in a state of uncertainty. Therefore, tasks and roles needed to be allocated in a
clearer way. House et al. (2014) explain it in the following way: “The greater the desire to
avoid uncertainty, the more people seek orderliness, consistency, structure […] in their daily
lives” (House et al. 2014, p. 13).

Future Orientation
The Future Orientation shows that according to the Swedish managers the Vietnamese
workforce could work more future-oriented, in order to gain a “long-term success” (Grove,
n.d.2, p. 10).

Power Distance
When we look at the dimension of Power Distance, one can clearly see that the difference
between the As-Is and Should-Be state has the highest score difference. This can be
explained by the fact that the Swedish organisational structure and the way of managing and
leading are very flat in comparison to the Vietnamese one. The Swedish managers who work
in Vietnam, therefore, wanted to have an organisational structure that is even flatter.

Institutional Collectivism
The results for the dimension of Institutional Collectivism are high in Vietnam, similar to
Sweden (GLOBE, 2016b). Thus, this result means that members in an organisation are in
general independent and that “the society’s economic system tends to maximise the interests
of collectives” (Grove, n.d.2, p. 9).

Humane Orientation
The score difference of Humane Orientation dimension is the lowest with 0.2. The practice
score for Vietnam was at 5.38, while the value score was at 5.58, which points out that “the
interest of others are important” (Grove, n.d.2, p. 8). Further, it indicates that the Swedish
managers, as well as the employees in the organisations in Vietnam, feel a responsibility for
the well-being of each other (Grove, n.d.2).
Performance Orientation
The dimension of Performance Orientation was ranked at the third place in the score
differences between the As-Is and Should-Be practices with a gap of 1.12. Societies with a
high Performance Orientation value development, improvement and materialism (Grove,
n.d.2). Thus, the Swedish managers prefer an environment that encourages and fosters
development, where everyone has the opportunity for great performance.

In-Group Collectivism
Similar to the dimension of Humane Orientation with a difference of 0.2, the dimension of
In-Group Collectivism was at 0.25, which is very low. The results show that the Swedish
manager's perceptions on this dimension are also very much in line with the situation in
Vietnam, where people feel a great “relatedness with groups” (Grove, n.d.2).
Gender Egalitarianism
The dimension of Gender Egalitarianism shows the second highest difference between the
As-Is and Should-Be state in Vietnam. It shows that according to the survey participants more
women should be working in the organisation. Depending on which industry the Swedish
manager works in, some industries in general not only in Vietnam have a lack of women in
the workforce, for example in the IT or the Dairy Industry. However, according to the survey
results, it can be said that the majority of Swedish managers wanted to employ more women
at the workplace. This insight is in line with the qualitative data collection which will be
elaborated further on, in the next chapter.

Assertiveness
The results in the dimension of Assertiveness show that Vietnamese employees could be a bit
more assertive in their way of communication. This indicates that they rather avoid
confrontations “in their relationship with others” (House et al. 2014, p. 12), which can be
linked to the fear of losing face (Pham, 2014).

Discussion questions:
1. In your opinion, to what extent do you agree with the results of this study about
Vietnam culture dimension score?
2. Based on the perspective of the Vietnamese Values System (in the webinar), explain
the connections between Vietnamese values (Vietnam traditional values/
Confucianism values/ Taoism values/ Buddhism values/ Western values/ Socialist
values) and the GLOBE dimensions of Vietnam

1.

The study "Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges between Swedish Managers and

Burmese and Vietnamese Employees" conducted by Kyaw Zin Latt and Thu Trang Ta Thi is
a valuable resource for understanding the cultural differences between Sweden, Burma, and
Vietnam. The study provides several insights into the unique cultural dimensions of Vietnam,
which can be helpful for anyone seeking to engage with Vietnamese individuals or
organizations. I found some interesting key findings from this study.

One of the study’s key findings is that Vietnam ranks high in the power distance index (PDI).
This suggests that there is a significant power distance between people of different social
statuses in Vietnam, and that hierarchy and authority are highly respected. This finding is
consistent with other research that has examined the cultural dimensions of Vietnam and
highlights the importance of understanding this aspect of Vietnamese culture when
communicating with Vietnamese individuals or organizations.

Another important study finding is that Vietnamese employees prioritize group identity and
interdependence over individual needs. This is reflected in the low individualism (IDV) score
in Vietnam, which suggests that people in Vietnam tend to identify strongly with their
groups, such as family, workplace, or community. I think understanding this aspect of
Vietnamese culture is essential for building successful cross-cultural relationships and
collaborations with Vietnamese individuals or organizations.

Overall, I agree with the fascinating key findings and Swedish managers’ thoughts about
Vietnamese. The study suggests that understanding the cultural dimensions of Vietnam is
essential for building successful cross-cultural relationships and collaborations with
Vietnamese individuals or organizations. The study provides valuable insights into the unique
cultural dimensions of Vietnam. By understanding these dimensions, individuals, and
organizations can better navigate the complexities of cross-cultural communication and
collaboration in Vietnam.

2.
Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Western, and Socialist ideals influence Vietnamese
values. Each of these value systems has a significant effect on the cultural dimensions of
Vietnam, as detailed below:
- The values of Confucianism emphasize power, hierarchy, and collectivism. People in
Vietnamese society generally defer to those in positions of power, and there is a strong
emphasis on social harmony and conformity. This is directly related to Vietnam's high PDI
number. A high PDI number suggests that there is a significant power gap between
individuals of various socioeconomic statuses, and that hierarchy and authority are highly
respected. This is compatible with Confucianism values deeply rooted in Vietnamese society.
- Taoist principles strongly emphasize simplicity, humility, and inaction. There is a strong
focus on group identification and dependency in Vietnamese society, and people tend to favor
the group’s requirements over their individual needs. This is directly related to Vietnam's
poor IDV score. A low IDV score shows that collectivism is highly emphasized and that
individuals firmly associate with their groups, such as family, job, or neighborhood. This is in
accordance with Taoist values deeply rooted in Vietnamese society.
- Western values emphasize individualism, achievement, and self-expression. These values
are entirely opposed to the Vietnamese value system, which places an emphasis on unity and
societal harmony. As a result, Vietnam's low IDV and high PDI scores can be attributed to
the impact of traditional Vietnamese values rather than Western values.
- Socialist values emphasize equality, social justice, and community. In Vietnamese culture,
there is a strong emphasis on the collective good and social responsibility, and people tend to
prioritize the community’s needs over their individual needs. This is consistent with the
Socialist values that have influenced Vietnamese culture in recent decades.
These differences in values and beliefs affect how Vietnamese people communicate and
engage with others, especially in a cross-cultural setting. In Vietnamese society, for example,
it is essential to honor authority and order, as well as to keep societal peace and avoid
conflict. Therefore, it is essential for non-Vietnamese people to understand and respect these
values when communicating with Vietnamese people.
Understanding the cultural aspects of Vietnam is also crucial for businesses and organizations
operating in the country since it may assist them in going through the obstacles of cross-
cultural communication and collaboration. For example, businesses that want to succeed in
Vietnam should be aware of the high PDI score and the emphasis on hierarchy and authority
and should take this into consideration when developing their organizational structure and
management practices.
Vietnam's cultural characteristics are inseparably connected to the Vietnamese value system,
which is influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Western, and Socialist values.
Understanding these values and Vietnam's cultural characteristics is critical for successful
cross-cultural communication and engagement with Vietnamese people.