Global Business Conditions and Implications for the Management of
Organizations and People
Context of Business: Trends
More competition More complexity More uncertainty More interdependence
Effects of the Contextual Trends on Business Strategy
More emphasis on speed More emphasis on customer service More emphasis on entrepreneurial activity More emphasis on cost reduction More emphasis on technology integration More emphasis on global awareness/learning
Expected Effects of the New Strategies for Organizational Behavior and Structure
More flexibility and decentralization More global sourcing for lower costs More motivation to understand foreign
customers and foreign economies Better management practices for global
human resources More techno-savvy employees
Actual Trends
More promotion of empowerment and equality (horizontal management)
More promotion of diversity More flexible work practices More emphasis on customer service More rewards for innovation More emphasis on team performance
What would you predict about High Context cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
What would you predict about Low Context cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
What would you predict about Individualistic cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
What would you predict about Collectivist cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
What would you predict about Uncertainty Avoidant cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
What would you predict about Uncertainty Tolerant cultures?
Empowerment Diversity Flexible work practices Customer service Innovation Team performance
Preferences by Cultural Groups or Countries
US/Anglo France Japan Korea Brazil/South America
US/Anglo
More emphasis (than others) on empowerment, diversity, equality, flexible work practices, customer service and team-orientation
Increased emphasis in all those areas Less emphasis (than others) on
centralization
France
More emphasis (than others) on centralization
Increased emphasis on customer service Less emphasis (than others) on diversity,
equality, flexible work practices
Japan
More emphasis (than others) on customer service, team-orientation and centralization
Less emphasis (than others) on diversity and equality, flexible work practices
Korea
More emphasis (than others) on centralization and IT
Increased emphasis on customer service
Brazil/South America
More emphasis (than others) on centralization
Increased emphasis on empowerment, using IT and some team orientation
Less emphasis on flexible work practices