Common Information for Each Country
Overview
Doing business in a foreign country can be fraught with pitfalls, from culturally inappropriate hugging to accidental obscene hand gestures. By researching and understanding the culture of a foreign country, you can better prepare yourself and your team to avoid mistakes and leverage cultural protocols to your advantage.
In this assignment, you will compare the culture of the United States against the culture of the country you chose in Milestone One to show how doing business can be very different from one country to another.
Prompt
Use the Module Two Assignment template located in the Guidelines for Submission section to create a cultural comparison guide between the country you selected for your course project and the United States. In Part One of the template, you will identify common information about both countries, including their cultural backgrounds and business etiquettes. In Part Two of the template, you will identify the six dimensions in the Hofstede model of national culture for both countries. In Part Three of the template, you will draw conclusions on how doing business in the country you selected will differ from doing business in the United States and tips for individuals doing business in your selected country.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Basic Country Facts: Identify government types, languages, and religions for both countries.
Business Etiquette: Identify common business etiquette in both countries (e.g., common greetings, differences in communication toward men and women, negotiating styles, and acceptable business attire).
Tips for Doing Business: Identify three tips you would give to individuals doing business in the non-U.S. country you selected. Tips could be about behaviors to avoid (e.g., items as innocent as posture or body language or attitudes regarding punctuality or approaches to business).
Cultural Dimensions: Identify and examine the six dimensions in the Hofstede model of national culture for both countries.
Conclusions: Conclude how doing business in your new country will differ from doing business in the United States.
Guidelines for Submission
Submit your completed Module Two Assignment Template as a Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information.
Part One: Common Information for Each Country
Information
United States
Canada
Government Type
Federal government
Parliamentary government
Commonly Spoken Languages
English, Spanish, and Chinese
English and French
Commonly Practiced Religions
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism
Christianity, Muslim, and Hinduism
How to Greet Men and Women
Shaking hands
Shaking hands and nods of acknowledgment
General Negotiating Styles
Forceful, Results-oriented, and Urgent
Cooperative
Accept Business Attire
A suit for men. Dresses and suits for women
Suits for both men and women. Dresses for women as well
* Identify three tips for doing business in the non-U.S. country you selected for your project.
The first tip is to translate all materials into English and French. Canada has two official languages, and using one language could end up limiting a business’s reach. It is thus key to use both French and English.
Honesty is a key ingredient if a business is to succeed in Canada. According to McNish (2014), the Canadian Supreme Court made honesty a law for business. So, any business that seeks entry into the Canadian market has to ensure that it shares information that is truthful.
Embrace and add a touch of Canadian identity to the products. Like citizens of other countries, Canadians value their identity. Therefore, it is crucial for a business to factor in the Canadian identity before entering the market. A business should not try to introduce a new culture or identity but enhance Canada’s.
Part Two: Hofstede Model of National Culture
For each of the six cultural dimensions in Hofstede’s model of national culture, list the score for both countries and then draw conclusions based on the differences in scores between the two countries. To find the scores, use this tool: Hofstede Insights: Compare Countries. When you select both countries, the tool will give you the scores. You should also select the option to read more about your selected countries to learn about the implications of those scores.
Cultural Dimension
United States
Canada
Power Distance Index (PDI)
40
39
Individualism Versus Collectivism (IDV)
91
80
Masculinity Versus Femininity (MAS)
62
52
Uncertainty Avoidan...
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