Cross Cultural Management in Brazil: Identifying Key Challenges

This essay explores cross-cultural management within Brazil, focusing on the nation's background and three key issues: culture and working in international teams, business communication and negotiation across cultures. Brazil's history, political systems, and cultural traditions are outlined, highlighting the importance of understanding cultural nuances in a business context. The essay discusses challenges such as integrating diverse teams with varying cultural backgrounds, managing communication styles across different languages, and navigating cross-cultural negotiations. It references Handy's model of organizational culture and Hofstede's cultural dimensions to analyze potential conflicts and strategies for effective management, emphasizing the need for fair practices, clear communication, and collaborative work environments. The document is available on Desklib, a platform providing study tools and resources for students.

CROSS CULTURAL
MANAGEMENT.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Background of nation...................................................................................................................3
Determining three key issues in cross cultural management within Brazil.................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
A culture is defined as the way of living or life that a group of people live according to
their behaviour, preference, nature, values, beliefs and culture as well as symbols that they accept
properly. They usually accept beliefs and other things without thinking too much about them and
that are passes along by effective communication and imitation from specific generation to the
next. Any culture is transmitted effectively and systematically by passing through knowledge on
from one individual person to another who belongs to different nation and even across
generations, which makes people unique among others. Cultural transmission considered as
procedure through which cultural components in term of key values, principles, attitudes and
nature scripts are passes onto as well as taught to groups & individual people.
Globalization refer to process of expansion of financial matters just beyond particular
geographical limitations of countries. The current study will explain background information
about Brazil as chosen nation and issues in the context of cross-cultural management within it.
MAIN BODY
Background of nation
Brazil is one of the most popular nations in the world, where people prefer to visit for
several reasons such as employment, study, tourism, etc (Rostain and et.al., 2021). It was
officially discovered in 1500s, when a fleet bidding by Portuguese diplomat Pedro Alvares
Cabral on its path to another nation and that is India. It first colonizers were appropriately met by
Tupinamba Indians that vast array of continent's native population. From 1900 to 1980, this
nation may had become one of the biggest and fastest growing economies in the world. As
compare to US, income per capita rose is faster, which is quite beneficial for continuous
development and growth of country.
Brazil was converted from a rural, agricultural economy to producing sugar, coffee,
cheese and other goods for export into an urban, industrial powerhouse. It knocks at door of
well- developed world for some time and has been dubbed nation of the future, till Stefan Zweig
coined stage in the tag of his 1941 novel. It was the only nation in which South America that
speaks Portuguese.
Brazil encompasses varied political systems and these are presidential, federal and
constitutional republic. The politics of nation take place in a strategic framework of a federal
presidential representative democratic republic, where president is head of governments as well

as state and of a multiparty program (Almeida, Barros and Macedo, 2021). While Brazil is
egalitarian when it comes to cater health and education rights for both, women and men as well,
it may continue to had wide gender gaps within government representation and workforce.
Despite having same educational extent, still Brazilian women may earn only 25 % that is less
than male candidates.
Catholicism is the main religion in Brazil since beginning of 16th century, which was
founded among Native Brazilians by Jesuits missionaries and also discovered by all Portuguese
(Segatto, Alves and Pineda, 2021). It can be said that much of this nation global reputation is
centred around celebrations such as capoeira, festivities of carnival, national sport as well as
local traditions. From cult of soccer to catholic vacation to rituals of local religion, Brazil's
religious traditions are considered as sacred and secular.
In regard to interaction, people in chosen nation may less take interest to communicate
with other individuals whom they do not know or belong to other country.
Determining three key issues in cross cultural management within Brazil
Cross-cultural management is considered as administration of people and groups of
individuals that include in varied cultural background (Brannen, 2020). It also refers to process
of managing activities and performance level of individual candidates at workplace that covers
an alternative culture backdrop. It is one of those procedures that provide a lot of benefits to a
company, whether it is small or large, public or private, in term of managing cultural diversity at
work area, while operating business activities into home nation or within new country. While
conducting this process, management may face several issues and these are;
Culture and working in international teams-
It is one of those issues that management within companies may face and effort to deal
with that, as it may put direct impact on productivity and performance of existing workforce as
well as organizational working environment. People who work within a company may belong to
different culture and religion, which create conflict at workplace when they do not collaborate
and coordinate with existing one (Bullough and et.al., 2021). Cultural differences between
current and new workforce or organizational environment may create issues which may put
negative impact on performance of individual people. In the world of business, there are several
theories, models and concepts accessible that has been mostly utilized in order to determine
different cultural environments within organizations and cultural differences among management

practices, which may lead to create challenges and workplace conflicts (Charles Handy Model of
Organization Culture, 2021). Here, Handy's model of organizational culture in the context of
managerial practices within companies that established within Brazil may apply. According to
this concept, when manager and leader at working area may use their power in appropriate
manner, without making differences between employees, they may contribute to overcome issue
that is working in global teams.
It can be said that when people who belong to different nation may switch to work within
Brazil, they may face challenge performing with those individuals whom they never know and
unable to get proper information about their behaviour, values and religion. It is one of the
biggest task for every one, to do their job with other candidates at international level. While
conducting, cross cultural management practices, managers and administration may face this
kind of problem, which drive their attention towards develop new approaches and accepting each
that help to deal with current situation. This problem may get worse when management may
conduct those activities which create complications. For example, usage of power within firms
must be fair, especially when it may use in the context of workers. The way administration
within organizations take decision and act, it creates an environment where many people work at
same place. A culture within a firm is created from people who work under it in term of how
they behave and act regarding employees, customers and other stakeholders. Positive behaviour
of management towards each employee may contribute to create a pleasant environment for all,
where they work effectively and productively as well as coordinate with other team members.
The chosen culture differences theory may implement in regard to management practices
within firms, where they work and act to grow venture and get unexpected success for that.
According to model, power culture may create at workplace when manager develop rules and
policies and implement for everyone, instead of specific group of candidates, which may create
negativity at workplace and demotivate staff continually. Furthermore, they may also take
initiative to develop role culture in firms appropriately according to which management may
distinguish roles and accountabilities among people by considering their capabilities, skills and
abilities as it help to build positive and productive cultural environment where individual
candidate may prefer to work for long.
It is quite important for international administration within Brazil to consider the needs of
people instead of just placing order which each worker may forcefully accomplish, that leads to

decrease organizational productivity and performance level. Handy's organizational cultural
model is the most appropriate cultural differences theory which apply within regard to
management practices. It defines types of styles that a manager and leader may adopt and then
work accordingly. Each style put impact on employee's performance as it depend on how varied
managerial styles may implement and use (Indiyati, Ghina and Romadhona, 2021). For instance,
by making differences among workers while dividing tasks and allotting responsibilities,
manager may create unpleasant working environment where people may do not prefer to work
for long. It may lead to decrease their efficiency and capability, they may feel demotivated.
Furthermore, just like this one, when individual prefer to work alone instead of taking part in
group activities, they may create environment where each worker focus on completing own task
instead of helping other team members which may also lead to decrease their productivity as
well as organization, for which they perform and effort to achieve strategic goals and objectives.
This kind of culture within a firm may create team working activity challenging for employees
that may direct impact on consumer service practices.
Business communication and negotiation across cultures-
Venture communication considered as process of sharing and transferring key
information between individuals within and outside an organization (Kalogiannidis, 2020).
Effective and excellent business interaction is also defined as how workers and management
communicate with each other, in order to reach organizational aims.
While cross-cultural negotiation refer to procedure of interaction usually in businesses
that occur between several cultures. It implies that a culture may not only has to share by
people's who belong to a specific group, but also that it may be preserved in duration and
transmit from one generation to the next. Negotiation is a form of approach by which individuals
settle differences on the basis of culture, religion, point of views and other things.
During process of cross-cultural management within companies that operate under Brazil,
managers may face challenge to understand communication style of several cultures, from which
individual candidate belong too. People who take decision to work within profitable and
productive firms within a particular industry within chosen nation came to different cultures
interaction, which unable them to interact or communicate with each other effectively. Due to
language differences, business communication process become challenge for management to
conduct within effective way (Tietze and Piekkari, 2020). As it may lead to develop

miscommunication between two parties that accountable to interact with each other on the basis
of sharing useful and essential data regarding venture success and growth. Within Brazil, some
people may belong to Australia, United states and UK, and use different languages to
communicate with each other. It creates issue in the context of cross-cultural management, which
may put negative impact on staff productivity and performance, in term not understanding what
they seek to do and effort to complete task. Effective communication is important, open, precise
and more emotional as well as beneficial for organizational success within any market.
Due to having diverse workforce at workplace, it is quite tough for the management to
understand and conduct business interaction practices as they may face challenge to understand
communication style of each person (Cross Cultural Negotiations, 2021). Challenges or issues in
cross-cultural management may increase as a firm enters into new market, which means that
manager may have to manage teams from varied cultures who may do not understand all the
languages and respond to their supervision the same way Brazilian employees might. When a
firm that operate under US market may face challenge communicating with new business
partners in appropriate way as it bring many issues for them to understand what individual
worker in Unites State expect from them and how they deal with each.
Negotiation across cultures is challenging task for management, because of this issue
they may deal with critical situations in term of decreasing productivity and profitability of
ventures. Most of the people in Brazil may prefer to work collaboratively instead of individually.
By referring to Hofstede cultural model, individuals in US may prefer to work alone as it gets
high scores in individualism dimension, which means they are unable to communicate with those
who came from Brazil. It may develop challenge for management and put negative impact on
their practices in term of driving attention towards solving this issue that may consume a lot of
time and efforts as well. Cross cultural negotiation also may affect due to this reason as people
are unable to comprehend the expectation and requirements of employer. It may lead to create
negative environment at workplace where people take stress to achieve strategic aim as they do
not understand each other perspectives while working in and with new people. Workers from US
and Brazil may are unable to interact and communicate with each other, which decrease
operational efficiency of brand in which they perform individually not to gather, as their
priorities, language, culture, beliefs and behaviour are quite different from each other. Along
with this one, this problem may create more challenges that also impact negatively upon

international administration practices. As they feel more pressure to manage diverse workforce at
work area and engage everyone to accomplish common task and achieve common goal. These
kinds of differences between people may lead to increase work pressure and stress level that is
not good for anyone, especially high authority as they deal with this situation along with
focusing on gaining competitive edge.
Leadership and motivation across cultures-
Leadership refer to procedure of motivating individuals or team of effective and
productive players to perform in excellent manner, which enable them to achieve strategic goals
and business objectives (Webber, 2021). It is an art of encouraging candidates to develop
innovative ideas and then take initiative implement each at workplace, without making any
mistake.
While motivation is considered as key element that contribute to grow and get a firm
successful within specific sector where it may operate and conduct organizational practices into
systematic manner.
Leading a team of diverse employees at same workplace is another problem in cross
culture management that may put negative impact on global management practices. For example,
it is quite important for a leader to provide appropriate directions to employees without making
differences between US and Brazilian workers. The difference between each candidate may
create negative environment at workplace which affect negatively upon organizational progress
and success. It is quite tough to keep current leadership style across culture, because US
employee's may prefer to work independently, they do not need a direction and guidance from
others. Their perspective and attitude is different from Brazilian people's that bring clashes
between them when they both work together at similar work area (Olcott, 2020). Due to
language, culture and perspective differences, leader may face challenge to use their leadership
style across cultures. It may lead to drive their attention towards solving problem, which is not so
easy as it takes time and require more strategic plans and their implementations.
By referring and using, Hofstede's cultural model it has been analysed that Brazil has a
low score in regard to individualism and US get high score, which means that people in both
nations may had different perspectives. Brazilian prefer to work in a group as they had high
extent in collectivism, on the other hand US employees may seek to perform independently as
they may high score in individualism, which means both are different from each other. It bring

challenge within for leader who belong to Brazil and may switch to work within new working
environment within US companies. They may face issue to lead a team and motivate each person
due to lack of understanding about them and their perspectives.
Just because of having different behaviour workers in US may take less interest in what a
leader that came from Brazil firm teach to each and direct. Not only this, but a US candidate may
switch to new brand in another country like chosen one and effort to work with exiting employee
may unable to perform effectively (Boyle and et.al., 2020). Due to this reason, leader face
challenge to conduct cross-cultural management activities in term of dealing with issue to
motivate new employees how belong to different culture and nation and prefer to work alone
without taking and giving help from anyone.
It develops issue in regard to motivate employees across culture and bring challenges
working in productive way. Leadership issue in cross-cultural management may put negative
impact on current activities, efforts and practices of international administration as it put a lot of
pressure upon leaders to handle complex situation where they attempt to motivate and influence
those candidates who may do not prefer to work under any leader. Expectations, gender,
language, process and authority are the forms of problems that related to cross-cultural
management. When the expectations of each employee towards leaders may differ and a leader
work by not considering these things may lack collaborative practice between them, which
means they do not perform at same place. It challenges leaders to motivate individuals across
their culture. Without understanding each other people from different culture may do not work
together in appropriate ways. The differences between them on the basis of culture, beliefs,
values and way to act regarding particular situation may develop issues in cross-cultural
management. It is essential for manager and high authority to focus on each aspect or area that
help in the future to manage everything from staff performance to organizational productivity.
CONCLUSION
From above study it has been concluded that cross cultural management has brought
several challenges within nation that has been managed by developing effective plans and taking
varied suitable approaches into consideration of management, which they have implemented into
practical manner to overcome each issue in effective way. By applying Handy's cultural model,
differences between nations had determined that made stakeholders capable to take strategic
action and enabled them to obtain desire outcomes, excellently. Within organizations, by

understanding needs, expectations, developing cultural comprehending and respecting people
opinions according to their norms and values that they follow and accept, managers and leaders
has builds diverse workforce that they had easily managed. Furthermore, on the basis of above
analysis, it has been summarized that by conducting group work and taking initiative to perform
in teams, individual candidate has overcome the negative impact of business communication
issue as well as negotiation across different culture.
With this approach they have changed cross-cultural management in the future. It can be
said that cross-cultural management within organizations in chosen nation may change further by
conducting collaborative practices and taking initiative to perform task more in group instead of
individually that help to provide better understanding among people about each other.

REFERENCES
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