Business Week 2011 - Georgiadou

Go Mobile, go globalUniversity of Piraeus

13/05/2011

www.pwc.gr

Global MobilityPwC 2

Content

International experienceCultural factors

PwC Global Mobility programme

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What do we mean with international experience?

International Experience

Study

Training

Meetings

Work

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What are the drivers of global mobility

Companies go global Generation Y

Talent development

Technology & transportation

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What are the benefits for the organizations?

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Resourcing

Talent development

Retention of key talent

Meet business critical

objectives

Understanding of the global

role


What are the benefits for you?

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Life enriching

Exciting experience

Developing your skills

Challenging your beliefs

Providing broader

perspective


Who is the right candidate for an international assignment?

Three important personality traits:

•Flexibility

•Judgment

•Maturity

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Content

International experience

Cultural factors PwC Global Mobility programme

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What is culture

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• Culture is a set of beliefs and values about what is desirable and undesirable in a community of people and a set of formal or informal practices to support the values.

• An individual is not just a member of one cultural group, but of many groups.

Nationality

Gender

Ethnicity

ProfessionEducation

Social Back-groundCompany

Religion


Cultural misinterpretations

We are looking through the lens of our own cultural

expectations. Unconsciously we expect other people to

think, feel and act the way we do. When they don‘t conform to

our expectations, we put our own interpretations on their

behavior. But when you are working across cultures,

interpretation often becomes misinterpretation.

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Cultural misinterpretations

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• Unconsciously, you bring your own cultural frame of interpretation to any situation. Postpone interpretation until you know enough about the other culture.

• Around 50-60% of behavior is influenced by national culture

“To know one’s self is wisdomBut to know one’s neighbor is genius.”

Global MobilityPwC

The culture shock curve

PwC

Positive mood

Negative mood

Honey-moon

Adjustment

Recovery

Hostility

The Culture Shock Curve

Disorientation

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Global MobilityPwC

Visual reality, behavior

Norms & rules

Values

We don‘t see things as they are. We see things as we are.

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Global MobilityPwC

Power Distance

Small Power Distance

•Hierarchy means inequality of roles, established for convenience

•Superiors consider subordinates to be „people like me“ and vice versa

•Superiors are accessible

•All should have equal rights

•Those in power should try to look less powerful than they are

PwC

Large Power Distance

•Hierarchy means essential inequality

•Superiors consider subordinates to be a different kind of people and vice versa

•Superiors are inaccessible

•Power-holders are entitled to privileges

•Those in power should try to look as powerful as possible

Source: Motivation, Leadership and Organization, Hofstede, Organizational Dynamics

Low Power Distance Medium Power Distance High Power Distance

Austria, Scandinavia,

Switzerland, Germany, UK,

Ireland, Netherlands, Israel,

New Zealand, Australia, Canada

USA, Italy, Japan, Hungary,

Argentina, South Africa,

Pakistan, Estonia, Latvia,

Jamaica, Mauritius

Eastern/South-Eastern Europe,

Spain, Asia, Russia, Turkey,

France, South America, Central

America, Africa

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Global MobilityPwC

Individualism

Low Individualism

•Everyone is born as part of an extended family and group

•Identity is based in the social system

•The emphasis is on belonging to organisations, membership is the ideal

•There should be as few rules as possible

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High Individualism

•Everybody is born alone

•Identity is based in the individual

•The emphasis is on individual initiative and achievement, leadership is the ideal

•There is a need for written rules and regulations


Low Individualism Medium Individualism High Individualism

Central America, Pakistan,

South-East Asia, Peru, Chile,

Africa, Portugal, Romania

South-Eastern Europe, Turkey,

Brazil, Uruguay, Arabic

Countries, Argentina, Japan,

India, Russia, Spain, Israel,

Austria, Hungary

South Africa, Germany,

Switzerland, Western Europe,

Italy, New Zealand, Australia,

Canada, USA

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Global MobilityPwC

Femininity vs. Masculinity

Femininity

•Gender roles in society are more fluid

•Quality of life is important

•You work in order to live

•People and environment are important

•One sympathises with the unfortunate

•Men can also assume nurturing roles

PwC

Masculinity

•Gender roles in society are clearly differentiated

•Performance is what counts

•You live in order to work

•Money and things are important

•One admires the successful achiever

•Men should be assertive. Women should be nurturing


Low Masculinity (Femininity) Medium Masculinity High Masculinity

Scandinavia, Netherlands, Costa

Rica, Chile, Romania, Portugal,

Thailand

Central America, South Korea,

Taiwan, Russia, Africa, Peru,

Spain, Arabic Countries,

France, Turkey, Israel, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Singapore, Malaysia

Argentina, Canada, Belgium,

India, HongKong, Greece, Poland,

New Zealand, Australia, USA,

South Africa, China, Germany,

Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland,

Italy, Austria, Japan

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Global MobilityPwC

Uncertainty avoidance

Low Uncertainty Avoidance

•The uncertainty inherent in life is more easily accepted

•Deviation is not considered threatening, tolerance is shown

•There is more willingness to take risks in life

•There should be as few rules as possible

•The authorities are there to serve the citizens

PwC

High Uncertainty Avoidance

•The uncertainty inherent in life is felt as a continuous threat that must be fought

•There is a drive to conform

•Risks are managed or avoided

•There is a need for written rules and regulations

•Deference/respect is automatically given to authorities


Low Uncertainty Avoidance Medium Uncertainty

Avoidance

High Uncertainty Avoidance

Singapore, Jamaica, Denmark,

Sweden, HongKong, UK, Ireland

Malaysia, China, India,

Philippines, USA, Indonesia,

Canada, New Zealand, South

Africa, Norway, Australia,

Africa, Netherlands,

Switzerland, Finland

Thailand, Germany, Eastern /

South-Eastern Europe, Southern

Europe, Austria, South Africa,

Russia, Japan, Belgium, France

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Global MobilityPwC

Polychronic - Monochronic

Polychronic

•Do many things at once, are subject to interruptions

•Consider time commitments an objective to be achieved, if possible

•Change plans often and easily

•Interpersonal relations coordinate activity, appointment times are flexible

PwC

Monochronic

•Do one thing at a time & concentrate on the job

•Take time commitments (deadlines, schedules) seriously

•Adhere religiously to plans

•Schedule coordinates activity, appointment times are rigid


Monochronic Moderately monochronic Polychronic

Nordic and Germanic Europe,

North America, Japan

Australia/New Zealand, Russia

and most of East/Central and

Southern Europe, Singapore,

Hong Kong, Taiwan, China,

South Korea, South Africa

The Arab World, most of Africa,

Latin America, South

and Southeast Asia

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Global MobilityPwC

High vs. low context cultures

High-Context

•Establish social trust first

•Value personal relations and goodwill

•Negotiations slow and ritualistic

•Agreement by general trust

•Less verbally explicit communication, less written/formal information

•More knowledge is below the waterline - implicit, patterns that are not fully conscious, hard to explain even if you are a member of that culture

PwC

Low-Context

• Get down to business first

• Value expertise and performance

• Negotiations as efficient as possible

• Agreement by specific, legalistic contract

• Rule oriented, people play by external rules

• Written/formal information, direct language

• More knowledge is above the waterline - explicit, consciously organized

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Global MobilityPwC

High vs. low context cultures

High Context Cultures Low Context Cultures

• Asia

• Arab Countries

• Southern Europe

• South-East Europe

• Latin America

• Northern, Western and Central

Europe

• North America

• Australia

• New Zealand

• South Africa

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Global MobilityPwC

Data and dialogue orientation

Dialogue-oriented

Latin Americans

Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mediterranean

Arabs, Africans

Indians, Pakistanis

Chileans

Eastern Europeans

Slavs

Chinese, Japanese, Koreans

British, Australians, Benelux

Scandinavians

North Americans, New Zealanders, South Africans

Germans, Swiss, Finns

Data-oriented

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Global MobilityPwC

Communication styles

Sequential communication: One person speaks, while the others wait for him/her to finish before they speak. This leads to a task-oriented, direct and focussed discussion style

Intermittent communication: One person speaks, which is followed by a pause, allowing time for the group to reflect. Then another person speaks and there may be more silence before another person comments.

PwC

SEQUENTIAL COMMUNICATIONExamples: Germany, USA, Sweden

Speaker 1: ****** ****** ******

Speaker 2: ******* ***

Speaker 3: *********

INTERMITTENT COMMUNICATIONExamples: Japan and Britain

Speaker 1: ****** *

Speaker 2: * ***

Speaker 3: * ********

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Global MobilityPwC

Communication styles

Simultaneous communication:

People frequently go from one subject to another and think nothing of interrupting each other. This style is considered to be creative and relationship-enhancing. Interruption is not considered rude but rather a sign of emotional interest in the conversation.

PwC

SIMULTANEOUS COMMUNICATIONExamples: France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Greece

Speaker 1: ************* ****** ****** *********

Speaker 2: ***** ******** ********* ********

Speaker 3: ******** ********* ********* **********

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Content

International experience

Cultural factors


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•2500 PwC people on international assignments around the

globe

•Four types of International assignments for staff: a) Strategic

Deployed, b) Development Deployed, c) Short term

assignments and d) International Transfers.

•Level of PwC investment differs by assignment type

•Basic elements of our mobility programme: Business case

and Repatriation plan.

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EPIC programme

•EPIC is Early PwC International Challenge

•It has been started on 1st July 2008 and has over 450

assignees deployed to 40 countries.

•All high performing employees below the level of Manager

are eligible for a two year international assignment.

•Employees would generally participate in an EPIC

assignment in their 3rd, 4th , or 5th year with the firm.

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Global Mobility in Greece

•It is a talent development tool for our high performing

employees.

•Global Mobility programme is re - launched on 1/7/2010 in

Greece

•Current size: Five PwC people at Los Angeles, New York and

Washington D.C. for two years. Eight were sent to New York

from January – April 2010. Three will start their assignments

on Luxemburg and Rotterdam on September 2011.

•Leadership is supporting the programme and our goal is to

increase the number of assignees the next two years.

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Thank you!

© 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers SA and PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Solutions SA. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers SA and PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Solutions SA, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

Documents

Business Week 2011 - Georgiadou