Industry specific cultures and reasons for differences

CONSIDER THIS . . .

Why is it important to understand other cultures when doing

business in a global marketplace?

What are some things that you would do when planning to

conduct business in another country?
MARKETING ABROAD

 To market products successfully in another country, companies must

research the country’s languages, customs, and tastes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qECCCaPdw0
 MARKETING ABROAD

Coca-Cola changes the amount of

carbonation and sugar in its
products to suit the tastes
of different countries
DOING BUSINESS ABROAD
 Companies doing business in other countries must be aware of cultural differences
that affect the workplace.

Problems for EuroDisney

- Fear of cultural imperialism

- Resistance to strict dress codes
- Mandatory use of English in
meetings
- 3,000 French workers quit
 BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

 In the USA receiving a gift from a potential business partner

could be seen as a bribe. But in Japan it is customary to give
gifts, and there are many rituals involved.

 In India, before doing business it is customary to

have tea.

 In Mexico, throwing documents on a table during a meeting is

considered an insult
 BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Strategies to avoid cultural problems

 Hire local managers “THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL”

 Train employees
LAWS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

 Discrimination is unfair treatment of a person or group, usually because of prejudiced

attitudes about race, ethnicity, age, religion, or gender.

 Many laws have been passed to prevent discrimination.

 In the past, workers over the age of 40 were often fired or denied jobs in favor of
younger workers. This form of discrimination is called ageism.
LAWS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

o Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits discrimination against

workers based on their age.

o Equal Employment Opportunity Act- protects against discrimination against

age (ageism), gender, ethnicity, etc

o Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – prohibits discrimination against

qualifies people who have disabilities. Employers must make reasonable
accommodation for qualified person with a disability.
DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

 Companies offer diversity training programs to promote tolerance among workers

that helps to reduce conflicts among workers.

 They must create a corporate culture that values diversity

10 EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES WITH FANTASTIC CULTURES

Zappos
 It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight
 New employees are offered $2,000 to quit after the first week of training if they
decide the job isn’t for them
 Ten core values are instilled in every team member.
 Great benefits and a workplace that is fun
WARBY PARKER

 Warby Parker has been making and selling prescription glasses online since 2010
 It designs its own glasses, and sells directly to customers, cutting out the middleman
and keeping prices low.
 Company culture at Warby Parker instigates “culture crushes,” and one reason for that
level of success is a team dedicated to culture.
 That team means that a positive culture is on the forefront, setting up fun lunches,
events and programs
TWITTER

 Employees of Twitter can’t stop raving about the company’s culture

 Rooftop meetings, friendly co-workers and a team-oriented environment in which
each person is motivated by the company’s goals have inspired that praise.
 Employees of Twitter can also expect free meals at the San Francisco headquarters,
along with yoga classes and unlimited vacations for some.
 Employees can’t stop talking about how they love working with other smart people.
Workers rave about being part of a company that is doing something that matters in
the world, and there is a sense that no one leaves until the work gets done.
CHEVRON

 While oil and gas companies are prime targets for a lot of negative PR and public ire,
Chevron employees responded favourably towards the company’s culture.
 Chevron shows it cares about employees by providing health and fitness centers
on site or through health-club memberships.
 Chevron insists employees take regular breaks.
GOOGLE

 Free meals, employee trips and parties, financial bonuses, open presentations by high-
level executives, gyms, a dog-friendly environment and so on.
 As Google has grown and the organization has expanded and spread out, keeping a
uniform culture has proven difficult between headquarters and satellite offices, as
well as among the different departments within the company. The larger a company
becomes, the more that culture has to reinvent itself to accommodate more employees
and the need for management.
FACEBOOK

 Facebook offers, as do many similar companies, lots of food, stock options, open
office space, on-site laundry, a focus on teamwork and open communication, a
competitive atmosphere that fosters personal growth and learning and great benefits.
 Facebook has created conference rooms, has separate buildings, lots of outdoor
roaming space for breaks and has management (even CEO Mark Zuckerberg)
working in the open office space alongside other employees. It’s an attempt at a flat
organizational culture using the buildings and space itself to promote a sense of
equality among the competition.