International Business: Cultural Analysis and Recommendations Report

This report delves into the critical role of culture in international business, examining its impact on multinational operations and cross-cultural interactions. It begins by highlighting the significance of culture in the context of a global consulting company and then proceeds to analyze cultural dimensions using Hofstede's model for France, China, and South Africa. The report evaluates these cultural dimensions and contrasts them with the United States, exploring the differences between national and organizational cultures. It further provides strategic recommendations for conducting business in these regions, focusing on approaches like promoting feminism in France, encouraging team culture in China, and leveraging individualistic work ethics in South Africa. The report concludes by emphasizing the challenges of managing organizational culture across different regions and advocating for team-based strategies to ensure effective international business functioning, supported by a comprehensive list of references.

INTERNATIONAL
MANAGEMENT
TASK - 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Role of culture in international business
• Evolution of Hofstede's cultural dimension of France, China and south Africa
• Evaluation of Hofstede's cultural dimension of USA
• Differences in national and organizational culture
• Recommendations on conducting business when encountering regional cultures
• Conclusion
• References

INTRODUCTION
 International business deals with the transactions and trade at the international level,
however it comes across with different cultural implications when operating in different
nations.
 The current presentation focuses on understanding the role of culture in the international
business.

ROLE OF CULTURE IN INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
 Culture is very essential in case of international business as impacts the manner in which
multinational as well as cross-cultural teams cooperate and interrelate
 The global consulting company is having its operations in different nations and thus,
working and operations of the business will be affected by regional culture

EVOLUTION OF HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL DIMENSION
OF FRANCE, CHINA AND SOUTH AFRICA

EVALUATION OF HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL
DIMENSION OF USA

DIFFERENCES IN NATIONAL AND
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
 US is an individualistic society and centralized power system is being followed at
the head office.
 Other offices at France, China and South Africa follows a mix of individual and
collective approach according to the regional cultural requirement
 The organizational culture at the head office, South Africa and China is masculine
wherein female workers are little bit neglected
 Female employer is given preferences in France

RECOMMENDATIONS ON CONDUCTING BUSINESS
WHEN ENCOUNTERING REGIONAL CULTURES
Strategies for France
Feminism in
working
environment
It is important that global consulting company should involve diversity and offer equal value to
both males and females
Strategies for China
Team culture Team working culture should be followed for having successful international business
Strategies for South Africa
Individualistic
working culture
The company can rely on individual efforts for achieving the success of the business

CONTINUED
• Strategies for France
• The more focus on growing feminism will be providing a better growth opportunity for companies in France.
This is pertaining to the fact that when the culture promotes feminism and company also complies with it then it
improves the working efficiency of the company.

CONCLUSION
 Thus, it can be said that the company can face severe challenges in
managing the organizational culture of different regions
 A team work strategy needs to be followed for effective functioning.

REFERENCES
• Adler, N., 2018. International dimensions of organizational behaviour. 5thed. Cincinnati, Ohio: South-Western
• Albrecht, M.H., 2016. International HRM: managing diversity in the workplace. USA: Wiley Blackwell.
• Guang, T. and Trotter, D., 2018. Key Issues in Cross-Cultural Business Communication: Anthropological Approaches to
International Business. African Journal of Business Management, 6(22), pp.6456 – 6464.
• Harris, P.R. and Moran, R.T., 2019. Managing Cultural Differences. 5thed. Gulf Publishing Company.
• Hofstede, G. and Hofstede, G., 2014. Cultures and Organisations: Software of the Mind. 2nded. New York: McGraw-Hill U.S.A.
• Piekkari, R., Welch, D. and Welch, L.S., 2016. Language in International Business: The Multilingual Reality of Global
Business Expansion. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing,
• Beugelsdijk, S. and Welzel, C., 2018. Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: Synthesizing Hofstede with
Inglehart. Journal of cross-cultural psychology, 49(10), pp.1469-1505.

Thank you