Cultural Conflicts in Deronde International: Case Study

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Contemporary Management

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Executive Summary
The report reflects the case of Deronde International such that it highlights the issue of cultural
conflicts resounding around the selection of Jianguo as the global head of product development
of the firm. The cultural conflicts gained ground owing to Jianguo’s failure in understanding the
needs of the global consumer force associated to skin care and perfume products. Jianguo is also
observed to have failed to understand and honour the cultural differences between Chinese and
French communities which accounted for the growth of cultural tensions and conflicts within the
firm. The report thereby contributed in generating effective advices to Jianguo while also in
reflecting the level of management competencies that are required of leader-managers operating
in contemporary VUCA World base firms.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Evidence of elements of conflict.....................................................................................................4
Reasons for such conflicts...............................................................................................................5
Advice to Jianguo for way forward.................................................................................................8
Management competencies needed.................................................................................................9
Conclusions....................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

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Introduction
The paper focuses on understanding the manner of conflicts and the reasons for their outbreak in
Deronde International that potentially affected the performances of Jianguo promoted as the
global product head of the firm. It further focuses on rendering effective advices to Jianguo for
reducing the emergence and impact of conflicts in Deronde and in working towards holistic
productivity. Finally, the paper would focus on understanding the management competencies of
a leader-manager in a VUCA World in the contemporary period.
The case opens based on highlighting the issue where Yang Jianguo operating as the country
manager for Chinese operations of Deronde International was promoted as the global head
associated to product development of the company. The case thereby tends to evaluate the
manner in which Jianguo needs to win over his western colleagues that are bound to their
western traditions and thereby in redesigning the existing product line.
Evidence of elements of conflict
The evidence of conflict in the case can be best studied regards to Yang Jianguo’s attending of
the meeting with the executive committee members of Deronde International. The first evidence
of conflict is observed regards to Jianguo’s choosing of Liu Xiang as the brand ambassador for
the new product line of skin care products that are focused on being launched to meet the
cosmetic needs of the male customers. The choosing of Liu Xiang as the spokesperson for the
products was critiqued by his western colleagues like Yves in terms of inquiring about the
sportsman’s recognition outside the Chinese province (Nohria, 2009). The second evidence of