American Business CultureAmerican Business Culture

The American Experience and The American Experience and Value SystemValue System

Personal QualitiesPersonal Qualities CommunicationCommunication ProtocolProtocol Mores and MoralityMores and Morality The Business ClimateThe Business Climate

American Business CultureAmerican Business Culture

Political CorrectnessPolitical Correctness Employer-Employee RelationsEmployer-Employee Relations Salary and BenefitsSalary and Benefits SocializingSocializing NegotiationsNegotiations

The American ExperienceThe American Experience

Searching for the American DreamSearching for the American Dream– Dislike of centralized systems which Dislike of centralized systems which

limited personal developmentlimited personal development– The importance of successThe importance of success

Material success as a measure of personal Material success as a measure of personal development: U.S. consumer debt: $14 trilliondevelopment: U.S. consumer debt: $14 trillion

Success is individual—individualism vs. Success is individual—individualism vs. feudalismfeudalism

The emphasis on initiative vs. govt The emphasis on initiative vs. govt interventionintervention

Indvidualism: Positives Indvidualism: Positives and Negativesand Negatives

Creates a need to perform because Creates a need to perform because people are evaluated & rewarded people are evaluated & rewarded on individual performance.on individual performance.– Make you customer a performer—”you Make you customer a performer—”you

will save your company X $ and will save your company X $ and increase its latteral communication.”increase its latteral communication.”

– Remember the strain and worry that Remember the strain and worry that Americans are under.Americans are under.

Indvidualism: Positives Indvidualism: Positives and Negativesand Negatives

Self-improvement mania—Self-improvement mania—Americans want to be better so Americans want to be better so show them how your product will show them how your product will make them seem better.make them seem better.

The negatives include the feeling The negatives include the feeling that failure is individual inspite of that failure is individual inspite of the fact that often it is the result of the fact that often it is the result of circumstances—especially today.circumstances—especially today.

Positive ThinkingPositive Thinking

Positive thoughts are rewarded and Positive thoughts are rewarded and negative thoughts often penalized.negative thoughts often penalized.– Americans can fail to see the situation in a Americans can fail to see the situation in a

critical light and over-estimate what they critical light and over-estimate what they are capable of—especially since individual are capable of—especially since individual performance is the basis of their survival.performance is the basis of their survival.

– Analysis/criticism can be viewed as Analysis/criticism can be viewed as negativism. Thus self-deception can negativism. Thus self-deception can result.result.

Positive ThinkingPositive Thinking

A contradiction given the present A contradiction given the present situationsituation– The American economy is in shanbles, The American economy is in shanbles,

7 million jobs have been lost and 7 million jobs have been lost and Americans are worried about losing Americans are worried about losing their job.their job.

– Yet they are expected to be positive, Yet they are expected to be positive, which may help them keep their jobs, which may help them keep their jobs, while their situation is the opposite.while their situation is the opposite.

Positive Aspects of Positive Aspects of American BusinessAmerican Business

Relatively limited government Relatively limited government regulation—pro business orientationregulation—pro business orientation

Favorable tax structureFavorable tax structure Access to venture capital—pro riskAccess to venture capital—pro risk Can-do spirit which encourages Can-do spirit which encourages

entrepreneurshipentrepreneurship Huge consumption-oriented marketHuge consumption-oriented market

The Mood in the U.S.

Main St.– Desparation: loss of jobs, homes,

homelessness– The greatest fear: loss of job, home

and health insurance– Rising anger against Wall St.– Nickle and Dimed– A state of denial

Negative Aspects of Negative Aspects of American Business CultureAmerican Business Culture

Tremendous pressureTremendous pressure Job insecurityJob insecurity Highly competitive—”Swim with the Highly competitive—”Swim with the

Sharks without being eaten alive”Sharks without being eaten alive” Short term thinkingShort term thinking HypeHype Wall St. mentality—quick profits, little Wall St. mentality—quick profits, little

responsibility, gambling, moral hazard.responsibility, gambling, moral hazard.

Personal QualitiesPersonal Qualities

AssertivenessAssertiveness Loyalty—in spite of job insecurity—Loyalty—in spite of job insecurity—

Corporate downsizers fire 1/3 of staffCorporate downsizers fire 1/3 of staff Team player--informativeTeam player--informative Outgoing—sociable & enthusiastic Outgoing—sociable & enthusiastic ConfidenceConfidence Toughness, drive & dedicationToughness, drive & dedication

Communication StyleCommunication Style

InformalInformal– First names and nick namesFirst names and nick names– Joking and bantering (one-upsmanship)Joking and bantering (one-upsmanship)– Extrovert behavior (highly respected)Extrovert behavior (highly respected)– Uncomfortable with silence—the Japanese Uncomfortable with silence—the Japanese

weaponweapon Time is money--be briefTime is money--be brief Conflict and confrontation acceptedConflict and confrontation accepted Exhibit confidence—hype?Exhibit confidence—hype?

ProtocolProtocol

Dress--formal in business, informal Dress--formal in business, informal sociallysocially

Time--punctual in business, 20 minute Time--punctual in business, 20 minute rule sociallyrule socially

Limited gift giving (Christmas)Limited gift giving (Christmas) Achievement based respect, not Achievement based respect, not

seniorityseniority Not as rigid rules as Asia and perhaps Not as rigid rules as Asia and perhaps

EuropeEurope

Mores and MoralityMores and Morality

The importance of religious affiliationThe importance of religious affiliation– 2/3 go to church regularly2/3 go to church regularly– Churches and civic organizations are Churches and civic organizations are

meeting places for making connectionsmeeting places for making connections Puritan tradition-- Sexual modesty (at Puritan tradition-- Sexual modesty (at

least publicly) is a mustleast publicly) is a must You must appear to be moral, but You must appear to be moral, but

morality does not always extend to morality does not always extend to business dealings--i.e. Enron, Tyco, etc. business dealings--i.e. Enron, Tyco, etc.

Morality?Morality?

Stock options and huge salariesStock options and huge salaries– 300 times the average worker-$12 300 times the average worker-$12

million is the average for C.E.O.s in million is the average for C.E.O.s in Fortune 500Fortune 500

– In order to justify these, C.E.O.’s are In order to justify these, C.E.O.’s are tempted to cook the books.tempted to cook the books.

– 1970-2000 over 700 companies were 1970-2000 over 700 companies were caught doing this aided by auditors.caught doing this aided by auditors.

– Billions of $ have been stolen from the Billions of $ have been stolen from the public—employees and stockholderspublic—employees and stockholders

The New ReligionThe New Religion

Positive thinking and attactionsPositive thinking and attactions– Mass churches where the congregation is Mass churches where the congregation is

motivated rather than preached the motivated rather than preached the gospel.gospel.

– The message is thinking positively and The message is thinking positively and God will reward you.God will reward you.

””I believe God wants to give us nice things.”I believe God wants to give us nice things.” ””Think like God. Think big. Think increase. Think like God. Think big. Think increase.

Think abundance. Think more than enough.”Think abundance. Think more than enough.” Corporate religion, religious corporations.Corporate religion, religious corporations.

Political CorrectnessPolitical Correctness

Conservative and distrust of social Conservative and distrust of social democracydemocracy– Life is a jungle, creates initiativeLife is a jungle, creates initiative– Best not to tout the value of social Best not to tout the value of social

democracydemocracy Harassment is the kiss of deathHarassment is the kiss of death Avoid discussing politicsAvoid discussing politics Labor relations--union membership is Labor relations--union membership is

frowned upon: Walmartfrowned upon: Walmart

Salaries and BenefitsSalaries and Benefits

Paid vacations--2-3 weeksPaid vacations--2-3 weeks 50 hour week not uncommon50 hour week not uncommon Unpaid overtime for managersUnpaid overtime for managers Meritocracy, not seniorityMeritocracy, not seniority

– Never ask about one’s salaryNever ask about one’s salary Health insurance--must be negotiatedHealth insurance--must be negotiated Most benefits must be negotiated--no Most benefits must be negotiated--no

free lunchfree lunch

SocializingSocializing

Voluntary organizations are often Voluntary organizations are often meeting placesmeeting places

Americans are joiners--Rotary Club, etc.Americans are joiners--Rotary Club, etc. Gentleman sports--tennis, squash, golf, Gentleman sports--tennis, squash, golf,

hunting, alpine skiing are meeting hunting, alpine skiing are meeting placesplaces

Smoking is frowned uponSmoking is frowned upon Expected to adapt to American valuesExpected to adapt to American values

Topics of ConversationTopics of Conversation

Sports—know the situation of the local Sports—know the situation of the local teams. TV programsteams. TV programs

American accomplishmentsAmerican accomplishments– Both as a nation and the accomplishments Both as a nation and the accomplishments

of the company with which you’re dealingof the company with which you’re dealing Find common interests—hobbiesFind common interests—hobbies

– Get them talking about what they are in toGet them talking about what they are in to Taxes in Norway—they’ll love itTaxes in Norway—they’ll love it

Topics of ConversationTopics of Conversation

Avoid mentioning the Norwegian Avoid mentioning the Norwegian social welfare system and that Norway social welfare system and that Norway is #1 on the UN human development is #1 on the UN human development index and that the U.S. is #13.index and that the U.S. is #13.

Avoid mentioning health care reform Avoid mentioning health care reform and how popular Obama is in Europeand how popular Obama is in Europe– In fact just avoid political issues, In fact just avoid political issues,

regulationregulation& collective governmental responsibility.& collective governmental responsibility.

NegotiatingNegotiating

Tough negotiatorsTough negotiators High/Low balling is commonHigh/Low balling is common Keep your bottom line a secretKeep your bottom line a secret

– Your opponent will be looking for itYour opponent will be looking for it Americans may promise more than Americans may promise more than

they can deliverthey can deliver– A result of high expectationsA result of high expectations– Hype is commonHype is common

Employer--Employee Employer--Employee RelationsRelations

Short-term thinkingShort-term thinking– The quarterly reportThe quarterly report– The basis of fat bonuses for execsThe basis of fat bonuses for execs

Layoffs and firingsLayoffs and firings– Increases stock valueIncreases stock value– Creates a loyalty dilemmaCreates a loyalty dilemma

No job security, no loyaltyNo job security, no loyalty It’s a jungle out thereIt’s a jungle out there

Informality does not mean concernInformality does not mean concern

E-E Relations ContinuedE-E Relations Continued

Teamworking is importantTeamworking is important– Requires good communication skills and Requires good communication skills and

information sharinginformation sharing Bosses can be tough and demanding, Bosses can be tough and demanding,

but performance is rewardedbut performance is rewarded– You must showcase yourself to be You must showcase yourself to be

promotedpromoted Teamworking and competition for Teamworking and competition for

promotion--a contradiction?promotion--a contradiction?

Norwegians’ (Europeans’?) Norwegians’ (Europeans’?) Perception of AmericansPerception of Americans

LoudLoud Naïve—Optimism vs. skepticism?Naïve—Optimism vs. skepticism? Assertive/boastfulAssertive/boastful OpenOpen FriendlyFriendly Superficial/uniformedSuperficial/uniformed