Cross cultural management report

     

 

Midterm  Project  :  French  VS  USA   Comparative  profiles  

M A   4 0 7   S P R I N G   2 0 1 4   S E C T I O N   1   R E M Y   I Z A M B E R T  

                                                           

   

Introduction     Drawing on my own experience, I decided logically to choose the culture I’ve been exposed to the most recently. In fact I’ve been living and studying during the previous semester in the dear country of Uncle Sam. I learned so much on their cultures, ways of living and behaviors among the different states I had the luck to visit. I was a student in the North Carolina State University, based in Raleigh (NC) for 6 months. I cannot imagine my professional and private life elsewhere than in the U.S. now, according to my feelings, intuitions and especially desires. Therefore, with full knowledge of the facts add to several articles on the matter, I will analyze how to develop a cross-cultural effectiveness in order to do business in this country.

Self-­‐Awareness       In order to study how to operate effectively among American culture of business and management, it’s logical to first identify my own cultural values and profile. “The first thing you have to know is yourself. A man who knows himself can step outside himself and watch his own reactions like an observer.”1 In order to realize this analysis, we will refer to “A model of culture”2 containing eight parameters scaled between two features. The number 1 is the extreme value meaning that you are more likely to one characteristic, when the number 5 is the other extreme value meaning that you correspond more to the other characteristic. A Model of Culture

 

                                                                                                                                  1 -Adam Smith, The Money Game  

2 Understanding cross-cultural management 2th Edition, Browaeys and Price. Chapter 6 p.117, Concept 6.1.  

   

Cross  cultural  understanding   Since I choose the U.S., let’s repeat the same exercise to identify the average profile of Americans according to “the Model of Culture”. However this time, the model cannot be meaningful without any justifications, proofs, on how Americans behave. Coming from witnesses, articles, and analysis we will adapt our model to reflect their behavior at the truthful way. What are the major’s orientations of American people in business according to the model of culture? John Gaynard wrote an article on his website based on a famous book from an HEC (famous French business school) professor. This book, "Conquering The American Market - A la conquête du marché américain", deal with many French and American companies acquisitions between each other, more or less successful. He has collected a lot of anecdotes during those acquisitions that tell us several relevant information on American style of management confronted to the French one. First of all Americans appears to be very “low context” in their communication. John Gaynard explains how French HR department of some company we’re surprised and amazed when their Americans colleagues declined many important job offers due to a description not enough explicit. They weren’t tightly written and described enough. Americans are usually more clear and explicit. It has hard to describe whether Americans are public or private in the professional sector. They are public in the way that most of them, even at work, are not uncomfortable to share a lot of information about their private life. For example speaking of money, wage, and familial situation is definitely not a taboo in America. However it appears that in professional way, Americans are also private. Martin, J. R., W. K. Schelb, R. C. Snyder, and J. C. Sparling. in “Comparing the practices of U.S. and Japanese companies” are clear on the fact that for example “U.S. managers, above the supervisory level, are generally inaccessible to workers and are perceived by workers as aloof. American managers work in air conditioned offices separated from the factory by long infrequently used corridors”. Speaking of direction so, managers and employees do not share the same office. Add to that, relying on what we say before, in “staffing domain” task US managers are more likely to spread an explicit information on how this staff will be employed: it’s private feature. American society and culture appears to be widely individualistic. Based on the “McGregor’s theory X and Y”, are closer to X: their principal enthusiasm to work is economically based. In a certain extent, the harmony of the group in an U.S. company, or the collective good is not as much important as in other country. Managers are more task, result, and time oriented. Allocated a budget for diverse worker’s needs could appear wasteful and a non-friendly to profit.

   

From these three variables (Private space, Low context Communication and Individualist structure) it comes out the power in company to be undeniably hierarchic oriented. This is definitely proved from all the observations made before, in analyzing the previous variables. The

article

“French-American

cultural

differences

in

business”

from

the

website

“etiquetteoutreach.com”, notify us that in U.S.A. the famous “time is money” take sense more than anywhere else. U.S. managers are distinctly addicted to speed and in this way, monochronic. It appears to be from the Anglo-Saxon and Americans cultures, that people are dedicated to one specific task at the same time, and want to execute it quickly: save as much time as possible. Logically, from this state of mind people are more willing to actions quickly (Act more, think less) than in other cultures. Actions in America are more significant and common than ideas (“Just Do It”Nike) to such a point that managers can go too quickly in a project, without forecasting any changes, neglecting mishaps, ignoring relationship with subsidiaries... This undoubtedly a doing cultures rather than a being one Finally it remains logical in a way that Americans managers also fit the “Competitive” and “Past time focused” characteristics. According to John Gaynard is his article mentioned below, the American tendency to favor the bottom line by neglecting R&D has been very usual. He tells us that because Americans managers are judged on quarterly profit results, they prefer to implement costs cut strategy and not allocate their budget on long term strategy that could be beneficial in few years. They’re more concerned with short term financial performance, and try to reach the “best practice” approach which means “focus on the ability of a method or process to consistently show superior results” according to bestpracticehub.com website. This analysis, off course, should not be taken as “standard” because all this characteristics are subject to evolution over the years, and do not concern every American companies. IT technologies company like Google, Microsoft, Apple tend to show something very different and differ in a certain extent from what we leaned here. However we still can draw a “model of culture” graph. A Model of culture - USA

   

What are the similarities and differences between my profile and the American one?

U.S.A. Profile

My Profile

We can say that my profile and the American one are quiet similar in a way, in spite of my French culture. Indeed it appears that I’m more “doing” and “low context” oriented as much as I am “past time or present” oriented, likely to American profile. However it appears that I can be less competitive in order to be more polychronic, collectivist and able to cooperate with my team. It related to the fact that I’m more receptive to equality structure rather than hierarchic one. In my opinion, when representatives of France and the U.S.A. has to work together, most critical issues appears to be the difference of monochronic American style of management and the polychromic one of French people, as well as the competitive (USA) and the cooperation (French) side. This leads to some generals’ issues. French managers would find inefficient to be task focused and doing it as quick as possible, forgetting a lot of parameters that could influence on the success of this project. French give a lot of importance in long-term strategy and issues who could come out, as well as they are not insanely focus on short-term performance. It’s a shock between Results vs. Process. Also French people are more able to separate work and life, and work shouldn’t disturb and interfere with some daily pleasures like lunch break or the social links with their colleagues. In the other hand, it also means that French people are less able to work under pressure, like deadlines; “urgency” is a word that has not the same impact between the two cultures. Also French people has this (bad?) habit to always trying to discuss about the orders, and asking to much question, challenging the legitimacy and the coherence of any commands; where Americans are more direct and don’t try to overlook the rules, which can be a token of efficiency in a certain extent.

   

Adapt  your  professional  skills   Let’s study the impact of the main differences between my profile and the American one, related to 5 management tasks: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling. Moreover how could I adapt myself to operate in those differences as a future manager? Based of on the model of culture, it appears that my main relevant differences are: Competitive – Cooperative Management Tasks

• •

Planning:

•

Define goals and objectives

Impact of those differences Way to operate as a manager

The competitive profile will try to execute the task in a short-term performance the fastest possible, whatever the context. The cooperative will pay more attention on the relationship among the stakeholders involved in those objectives and goals.

As far as I’m more cooperative, I will have to be more focus on the result than the process, and accept the fact that not all the roads lead to Rome; there is some shortcut • Competitive profile will rely on, and encourage more individual’s achievements during the elaboration of a plan. Cooperative profiles are more focused on teamwork to achieve task.

• Organizing: Defining tasks and relationship cultures

• Staffing

•

Acquire appropriate human resources •

Directing (leading):

•

Leading the employees towards the goals of the organization

•

Controlling:

•

Monitoring performance and giving feedback on achievements

   

•

Encourage individuals in my work plan would be more understood by employees, and also more efficient are they’re used to work like this. Hiring criteria are more centered on individual capacity of achieving goals in competition culture while in cooperation your ability to work in a team is way more valuable. I should be ready to do not rely that much on the teamwork and allocate maybe less person to a same project, as far as they’re less willing to work together, it could be higher cost for the same result Noticing good performances in order to distribute individuals incentives are more motivating for employees in U.S.A. Cohesion, harmony in the group are less important. I’ll have to keep a close eye on my employee’s performances in order to reward them; otherwise they could be under motivated and less efficient. Cooperative culture have some evaluating process focalized on much more variables (team effectiveness, Social impact, environment impact) than in competitive ones, which are necessarily performance based Superiors as well as employees are more receptive to

quantifiable, explicit, and relevant performance data while giving a report on feedback and achievements. Equality - Hierarchic

  Management Tasks

• •

Planning:

In hierarchic cultures, employees don’t have any legitimacy to participate in the elaborations of theses plans or goals. This is less participative

•

It could be bad interpreted to ask too many opinions to employees, from the superiors’ side as well as the employees’ side. I should put a certain distance to appear always legitimate and not “weak” at my post, because that could be interpreted as a lack of knowledge and insurance Authority and power are centralized on higher lever for hierarchy while equality provides a decentralized power.

•

Defining tasks and relationship cultures

•

Staffing

•

Acquire appropriate human resources

• Directing (leading):

•

Leading the employees towards the goals of the organization • Controlling:

•

Monitoring performance and giving feedback on achievements

 

   

Way to operate as a manager

•

Define goals and objectives

Organizing:

Impact of those differences

•

As in “planning” task, a manager should always refers to the higher levels of the pyramid to ask for advices and establish his authority to lower levels. Employees are more assisted in their training and development in hierarchy’s to meet the standards expected. However in equality system, standards are subjective in a certain extent. They’re no appropriate or inappropriate, less norms. I would be expected to take care of the development and trainings of my subordinates to make them meet the standards required. More paternalist system Like in staffing task, employees like a boss who closely follow and supervised them. His authority, knowledge and performance will create his importance on subordinate’s eyes. In equality bosses are more accessible, consultable and open to critics by employees. I should adopt a strict supervision of my employees, being clear, able to be listened and understood quickly. In hierarchy’s employees are more receptive to commands as well as feedbacks from a close superior that they know. In equality, subordinates work with bosses to monitor performance and objectives Preferred the direct contact with my employees in order to monitor them with more impact and take the best of their performances. Do not forget to encourages them when they’re good feedbacks on their achievements

Polichronic Monochronic

  Management Tasks

• •

Planning:

Way to operate as a manager

•

Like in competitive – cooperative, here the monochronic will be definitely focus on the task, and will schedule very close (in time) objective. Always focus on short term. Polychronic, pay more attention on relationship among stakeholders

•

Better to define short term objectives, shorten the schedule, and don’t “waste” time on other things not related to the task itself

•

Very standard and structured approach with very clear goals for monochronic, polychronic have a more holistic structure and people focused

•

Being very explicit, with clear tasks and goals, and adopt the “best-pratice” to reach them quickly. People might not be prior to the realization of the task. As far as monochronic are short-term focus, the staff turnover rate is high compare to polychronic. People are hired sometimes for immediate needs in a project. Polychronic have a tendency to hire for long-term.

Define goals and objectives

Organizing:

Impact of those differences

Defining tasks and relationship cultures

Staffing:

•

Acquire appropriate human resources • Directing (leading):

•

Leading the employees towards the goals of the organization

Controlling:

•

•

Monitoring performance and giving feedback on achievements

   

•

Don’t hesitate to hire people for short-term perspectives and let them leave after. Americans are used to that. Monochronic pay attention the elaborations of plans and make sure that people follow them. Polychronic are way more flexible, and constantly adapt plan among changes, circumstances, context and people… Provide strict supervision, always reframe people on the task and goals, and don’t let them ramble, in order to achieve goals quickly. Tendency to use controls system with very simple, relevant and straight information on performance and strict deadlines for monochronic. Polychronic involve people as well as information in their controls system. Organizing a lot of meetings to talk about performances and progress on objectives with very relevant information. Being very straight with employees: congratulating them when they are efficient, as well a reprimanding them when they’re not. They just want to perceive a clear attitude in the mind of the manager.

References     Article “Differences between American and Japanese Management Systems” – Website www.insidebusiness360 Article “Working Successfully with French Business People” by John Gaynard – Website http://syre1.weebly.com Article “Comparing the practices of U.S. and Japanese companies” by Martin, J. R., W. K. Schelb, R. C. Snyder, and J. C. Sparling. – Website http://maaw.info Article

“French-American

http://www.etiquetteoutreach.com

 

   

Cultural

Differences

in

Business”

–

Website