...professional growth as plant manager in a joint venture in Mexico facilitating the opening of SterMexicana. His counterpart, Manuel Angel Menendez Mata, a native Mexican, helps Ted settle in to this new workplace and town. The warm welcome is rather short lived due to social and cultural differences between Ted and Manuel. This case study demonstrates a lack of proper communication, sensitivity, and cultural understanding. Ted is a business-minded individual raised in a no nonsense, get to the point mentality which is prevalent among most Americans. The economic culture Ted has been immersed in is quite different in Mexico and he is oblivious to the need to adapt to his surroundings. While ignorance is not an excuse, it is a flaw that can serve as a learning tool to improve and correct behavior or mentalities that are not suitable in other parts of the world. As a result of these conflicts, a strained relationship develops between the two managers yet impacts more than just these two men. A ripple effect occurs causing stress in business relations with prospective clients, affects daily operations at the plant among workers, and ultimately stretches to affect the lives of wives and families. Countries across the globe accuse Americans of having a stubborn mentality and further criticize them of an unwilling to adapt to other cultures. This criticism is evident in the case study and Ted's lack of success in management is due in large to a number of mistakes from his...
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...Canada Timber Case Analysis GRINGO STYLE Core Problems In reviewing the case analysis two core problems are quite evident along with smaller related problems. First the obvious lack of research into Japanese culture and customs by the entire team of Canada Timber and how this directly affected the trip. Subsets of related issues include the way the exchanging of business cards was handled*1, as well as the presentation of gifts*2. Second the bullish way the Canadians made their presentation and expected an immediate response*3, as well as how rather than wait and let the offer be considered the Canadians immediate response was to reduce price undercutting their own value to the Japanese. Analysis Collectivism Canada Timber was on a very promising tract to complete the transaction with the Japanese manufacturer Bonsai. The CEO of Canada Timber committed many business communication errors with the leaders of the corporation. The Japanese culture is a collectivist – oriented culture. According to Ferraro & Briody (2013), it is important to “emphasize your own sense of loyalty other that of your company,” (p. 36). The culture of Japan is one for honoring your obligations and being loyal to your company. The CEO Tim did not demonstrate loyalty to his company by trying to negotiate a discount to gain the business of Bonsai. In the eyes of the Japanese leader, this was a negative sign for business relations The actions o...
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...that entrances multitudes of consumers. Quite conceivably, it is a combination of these factors that has propelled Nike to the top of its industry. However, not all of Nike’s story is ideal. In recent years, the company has faced criticism in connection with its use of contract labor in developing nations. The purpose of this case is to provide an understanding of the company’s background, its general business strategy, and its use of contract labor. The Athletic Apparel and Footwear Industry The athletic apparel and footwear industry experienced steady growth for more than two decades, beginning in the early 1980’s. For example, in the U.S.A. alone, consumer spending on athletic footwear increased by 10 percent during the first six months of 2005 (Quinn, 2006). Consumers were not just professional athletes, but ordinary men, women, and children who wore athletic apparel for both sports and leisure. The industry became more fashion-oriented, resulting in higher levels of innovation and cutting-edge technology. As a result of the emphasis on style and fashion and customers’ demands for improving performance and comfort, the industry experienced short life-cycles for individual products (Quinn, 2006). The industry was...
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...Starnes-Brenner Machine Tool Company – To Bribe or Not to Bribe The Starnes-Brenner Machine Tool Company of Iowa City, Iowa, has a small one-man sales office headed by Frank Rothe in Latino, a major Latin-American country. Frank has been in Latino for about 10 years and is retiring this year, his replacement is Bill Hunsaker, one of Starnes-Brenner’s top salesmen. Both will be in Latino for about eight months, during which time Frank will show Bill the ropes, introduce him to their principal customers, and, in general, prepare him to take over. Frank has been very successful as a foreign representative in spite of his unique style and, at times, complete refusal to follow company policy when it doesn’t suit him. The company hasn’t really done much about his method of operation, although from time to time he has angered some top company men. As President McCaughey, who retired a couple of years ago, once remarked to a vice-president who was complaining about Frank, “If he’s making money—and he is (more than any of the other foreign offices)—then leave the guy alone.” When McCaughey retired, the new chief immediately instituted organizational changes that gave more emphasis to the overseas operations, moving the company toward a truly worldwide operation into which a loner like Frank would probably not fit. In fact, one of the key reasons for selecting Bill as Frank’s replacement, besides Bill’s record as a top salesman, is Bill’s capacity as an organization man. He understands...
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...VIDEO CASE – CHAPTER 1 MUCHO BURRITO 1ST ANNUAL GHOST PEPPER BURRITO EATING CONTEST Mucho Burrito, created in 2006 by Canadian entrepreneurs Mark Rechichi, Alex Rechichi, and Sean Black, was a fast-food opportunity that capitalized on healthier and tastier food trends. “Mexican food was underdeveloped at that time and what most Canadians experienced as ‘Mexican’ was not delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine,” states Norm Pickering, director of marketing, North America, for Mucho Burrito. He explains that in 2006, other than Taco Bell and a few independent restaurants, Canadian consumers had little choice when it came to Mexican food. Mucho Burrito gave Canadians a new alternative: reasonably priced, good-quality Mexican food in a fast-casual restaurant. Its mission from inception was to provide customers with unmatched Mexican flavour with the freshest and best-quality burritos—made right in front of their eyes. By 2015, Mucho Burrito had grown to over 115 franchise locations in Canada with additional locations in the U.S. The fast-food market is fiercely competitive, and today, Mexican food is one of the hottest food trends in Canada. Taco Bell is a mainstay with its inexpensive, lower-quality “Tex-Mex” food, but there are new U.S. competitors in Canada, such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qboda, focusing on higher-quality, fast-casual Mexican fare. Various popular, local, independent establishments also exist, such as Big Fat Burrito, Burrito Boyz, and Fat Bastards. Quick-service...
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...Chele Lyn, Wong (1770152) Tutorial day/time : Thursday/ 1:30pm Q) Identify the five (5) cultural dimensions stemming from Hofstede’s study. Using examples, explain how two (2) of these dimensions can impact upon international business. Hofstede used extensive data collected by IBM (International Business Machine) to develop four universal dimensions that can be applied across all nationalities. A fifth dimension was added later. 1) Power Distance: “Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.” How readily society expects and accepts inequalities, for example in terms of power, wealth. Besides, how easily do less-powerful members in an organisation accept and expect power to be distributed unequally among individuals. Hofstede found that countries with a low PDI have consultative domestic politics. Conversely, countries with a high PDI index correlates positively with corruption and bribery. PDI describes the way people perceive power differences and acknowledge distance from power and decision making. For example, Brazil have a high score on the PDI index (69 out of 100). 2) Uncertainty Avoidance: “A society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity”. It is a extent of formal rules and patterns of life for security. In more emotional cultures, there is a tendency to create rules so that people have a good predictive validity...
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...Good Guys Last of the Good Guys Last of the Mark Irwin Copyright 2008 by Mark Irwin All rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author or publisher. There is one exception. Brief passages may be quoted in articles or reviews. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Irwin, Mark, 1944Last of the good guys / Mark Irwin. ISBN 978-1-926582-04-7 I. Title. PS8617.R87L37 2008 C813'.6 C2008-907141-7 Dedication LCDR WB IRWIN MMM CD CHAPTER ONE Shipside A Bayou In Southeast Louisiana Early Monday Evening Bobby identified the second shot from the here and now, the first staying webbed into his dream. He knew without pleasure what the gunshots meant. Though he hadn’t known Howie more than a couple of days, he had become predictable. The lunacy of the disconnected. He pushed the tarp from his head and realized it was still daylight, with the sun backing decisively into evening. Uncomfortably covered with two days of sweat and grime he headed astern without thinking about it. Slowly, getting his legs under him, he moved in favor of the aches in his body. He hoped that everything would take care of itself by the time he got there. When he got to the aft quarterdeck he found Gomez sitting where he’d slept. Their eyes met and Bobby saw without speaking that Gomez didn’t want to...
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...Good Guys Last of the Good Guys Last of the Mark Irwin Copyright 2008 by Mark Irwin All rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author or publisher. There is one exception. Brief passages may be quoted in articles or reviews. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Irwin, Mark, 1944Last of the good guys / Mark Irwin. ISBN 978-1-926582-04-7 I. Title. PS8617.R87L37 2008 C813'.6 C2008-907141-7 Dedication LCDR WB IRWIN MMM CD CHAPTER ONE Shipside A Bayou In Southeast Louisiana Early Monday Evening Bobby identified the second shot from the here and now, the first staying webbed into his dream. He knew without pleasure what the gunshots meant. Though he hadn’t known Howie more than a couple of days, he had become predictable. The lunacy of the disconnected. He pushed the tarp from his head and realized it was still daylight, with the sun backing decisively into evening. Uncomfortably covered with two days of sweat and grime he headed astern without thinking about it. Slowly, getting his legs under him, he moved in favor of the aches in his body. He hoped that everything would take care of itself by the time he got there. When he got to the aft quarterdeck he found Gomez sitting where he’d slept. Their eyes met and Bobby saw without speaking that Gomez didn’t want to...
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...Mexico and the United States The rise of Mexico In this special report • • • • • • • • • From darkness, dawn »Señores, start your engines Bureaucrats and backhanders A glimmer of hope The gain before the pain Stretching the safety net The ebbing Mexican wave The other American dream The 31 banana republics Sources & acknowledgements Reprints America needs to look again at its increasingly important neighbour Nov 24th 2012 | from the print edition NEXT week the leaders of North America’s two most populous countries are due to meet for a neighbourly chat in Washington, DC. The re-elected Barack Obama and Mexico’s president-elect, Enrique Peña Nieto, have plenty to talk about: Mexico is changing in ways that will profoundly affect its big northern neighbour, and unless America rethinks its outdated picture of life across the border, both countries risk forgoing the benefits promised by Mexico’s rise. The White House does not spend much time looking south. During six hours of televised campaign debates this year, neither Mr Obama nor his vice-president mentioned Mexico directly. That is extraordinary. One in ten Mexican citizens lives in the United States. Include their American-born descendants and you have about 33m people (or around a tenth of America’s population). And Mexico itself is more than the bloody appendix of American imaginations. In terms of GDP it ranks just ahead of South Korea. In 2011 the Mexican economy grew faster...
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...Global Business Environment Management in Focus: A Small Company, A Global Approach Regional Trading Blocks Comparative Management in Focus: Opening Economy Revitalizes India Information Technology The Globalization of Human Capital The Global Manager’s Role The Political and Economic Environment The Legal Environment The Technological Environment Chapter Discussion Questions Application Exercises Experiential Exercise End-of-Chapter Case Study: Under Pressure, Dubai Company Drops Port Deal Additional Cases: India: The Employment Black Hole? Mecca Cola Student Stimulation Questions and Exercises Opening Profile: India Becoming a Crucial Cog in Machine at I.B.M. The opening profile reports on the growing importance of India as a source of low-cost services in the IT market. The Indian labor market is attractive not only due to its low wages, but also because of the scientific and managerial talent found in the country. IBM’s Indian facility in Bangalore is now the company’s second largest worldwide operation. While IBM has laid off thousands of workers in the United States, its Indian operation has greatly increased employment. Some of IBM’s competitors have also begun to move their operations to India. The opening profile raises the question of the strategic importance of India to IBM and other companies. Country Information: India. Interesting information on Indian business and culture can be seen at: http://www.stylusinc.com/business/india/business_india...
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...Complex Systems in Education CSE ESSAYS COURSE Complex Course on Writing English and American Essays for Advanced Students English Language Programs Division Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Writing 2 United States Information Agency, Washington, D. C. 1999 2 3 How to Use this Complex Course Частные уроки Английского Языка 387-1231 MIND Speaks to MIND – Selected American Essays 4 Preface Some years ago, a visitor to our office, a professor of English at a large foreign university, asked if the English Language Programs Division had published a book of American essays for foreign students – especially students at the advanced level. Having to respond in the negative, I was, nonetheless, “intrigued” by the idea of a collection of essays that would form a source of stimulating ideas or thoughts that could be thoroughly examined in the EFL classroom, discussed and debated in free conversation, and perhaps, ultimately, lead to a significant growth in the exchange of information between cultures – via the printed page. From this rationale, then, there issues an explanation for the title, Mind Speaks to Mind, which itself is an “exchange of information” between the editor and Edward Hoagland in his essay, “On Essays”! And, readers are encouraged to study this essay first as a type of guideline concerning the nature/purpose of the essay. It is found on page 26. For ease of reference, the essays are presented in alphabetical order according...
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...Contents Preface Prologue: We have it Made Part I: The Mission Chapter 1: A Consumer Goes Global Chapter 2: Tattoo’s Tropical Paradise Chapter 3: Fake Blood, Sweat, and Tears Part II: My Underwear: Made in Bangladesh Chapter 4: Jingle these Chapter 5: Undercover in the Underwear Biz Chapter 6: Bangladesh Amusement Park Chapter 7: Inside My First Sweatshop Chapter 8: Child Labor in Action Chapter 9: Arifa, the Garment Worker Chapter 10: Hope Chapter 11: No Black and White, Only Green Update for Revised Edition: Hungry for Choices Part III: My Pants: Made in Cambodia Chapter 12: Labor Day Chapter 13: Year Zero Chapter 14: Those Who Wear Levi’s Chapter 15: Those Who Make Levi’s Chapter 16: Blue Jean Machine Chapter 17: Progress Chapter 18: Treasure and Trash Update for Revised Edition: The Faces of Crisis Part IV: My Flip-Flops: Made in China Chapter 19: PO’ed VP Chapter 20: Life at the Bottom Chapter 21: Growing Pains Chapter 22: The Real China Chapter 23: On a Budget Chapter 24: An All-American Chinese Walmart Chapter 25: The Chinese Fantasy Update for Revised Edition: Migration Part V: Made in America Chapter 26: For Richer, for Poorer Update for Revised Edition: Restarting, Again Chapter 27: Return to Fantasy Island Chapter 28: Amilcar’s Journey Chapter 29: An American Dream Chapter 30: Touron Goes Glocal Appendix A: Discussion Questions Appendix B: Note to Freshman Me Appendix C: Where Are You Teaching? Acknowledgments Copyright © 2012 by Kelsey Timmerman...
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...chapter 10 the international context There never were, since the creation of the world, two cases exactly parallel. Philip Dormer Stanhope (1694–1773); English Secretary of State INTRODUCTION firms move out of their domestic market on to the Aswith differinglanguage, arenas.system, technologicalinternational stage, they aretofaced business The nations they expand to can vary with regard consumer behavior, legal infrastructure, business culture, educational system, labor relations, political ideology, distribution structures and fiscal regime, to name just a few. At face value, the plurality of the international context can seem daunting. Yet, the question is how important the international differences are for firms operating across borders. Do firms need to adapt to the international diversity encountered, or can they find ways of overcoming the constraints imposed by distinct national systems, structures and behaviors? This matter of understanding and dealing with international variety is one of the key topics for managers operating across borders. A second question with regard to the international context is that of international linkages – to what extent do events in one country have an impact on what happens in other countries? When a number of nations are tightly linked to one another in a particular area, this is referred to as a case of international integration. If, on the other hand, there are very weak links between developments in one country and developments...
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...MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES SIXTHEDITION MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES SERIES Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for the 21 st Century, Sixth Edition Philip R. Harris, Ph.D., Robert T. Moran, Ph.D., Sarah V. Moran, M.A. Managing Cultural Diversity in Technical Professions Lionel Laroche, Ph.D Uniting North American Business—NAFTA Best Practices Jeffrey D. Abbot and Robert T. Moran, Ph.D. Eurodiversity: A Business Guide to Managing Differences George Simons, D.M. Global Strategic Planning: Cultural Perspectives for Profit and Non-Profit Organizations Marios I. Katsioulodes Ph.D. Competing Globally: Mastering Cross-Cultural Management and Negotiations Farid Elashmawi, Ph.D. Succeeding in Business in Eastern and Central Europe—A Guide to Cultures, Markets, and Practices Woodrow H. Sears, Ed.D. and Audrone Tamulionyte-Lentz, M.S. Intercultural Services: A Worldwide Buyer’s Guide and Sourcebook Gary M. Wederspahn, M.A. SIXTH EDITION MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES ST FOR THE 21 CENTURY 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION PHILIP R. HARRIS, PH.D. ROBERT T. MORAN, PH.D. SARAH V. MORAN, M.A. JUDITH SOCCORSY Editorial Coordinator Elsevier Butterworth–Heinemann 200 Wheeler Road, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2004, Philip R. Harris, Robert T. Moran, Sarah V. Moran. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a...
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...JUNOT DÍAZ RIVERHEAD BOOKS a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. New York 2012 RIVERHEAD BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA • Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) • Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi–110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) • Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Copyright © 2012 by Junot Díaz All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. Grateful acknowledgment is made to reprint an excerpt from My Wicked Wicked Ways. Copyright © 1987 by Sandra Cisneros. Published by Third Woman Press and in hardcover...
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