Understanding the different cultural environments and the challenges of conducting business - Essay by Jope Ratu
...ckson, O’Brian, 2001). A way to combat this problem would be become more aware of one’s own communication style, to speak slowly in one senses incomprehension or confusion, to practise active listening skills, and to paraphrase in necessary. Singaporeans also tend to be formal and less outgoing, and may not divulge personal information to people they do not know very well. They are also noted for being less direct than Australians or Westerners and may communicate their opposition to a proposal in a roundabout way. Instead of saying ‘no’ a Singaporean may indicate that he/she will ‘think about it’, or ‘get back to you’. A fellow Singaporean may know that he/she is denying the request, but an Australian or Westerner might think that the issue is being considered. This indirect way of saying ‘no’ is so that there is no loss of face and therefore embarrassment to the other party. When it comes to social occasions, events, or appointments notions of time can be somewhat stretched. This does not apply when it comes work. Workers get to work on time and meetings starts on time, particularly when they are chaired or attended by superior officers and bosses. Deadlines to work are taken seriously and met. According to Patrickson and O’Brian (2001), Singaporean managers are expected to be very familiar with the nature of subordinate’s work, and to provide a sense of direction with regard to both desired outcome of work and methods to carry out tasks. This could be a challenge for managers who come from small power distance countries and prefer a more consultative and participative style. Some Singaporeans may be resistant to participating in decision-making, and may perceive that a participative manager is indecisive or lacks technical expertise. Managers are hired to tell other people what to do and are expected to act the part – in terms of how they dress, carry themselves, and interact with others. This depends, however, on the organisational culture, the nature of the industry, and the hierarchical level of the employee. Religion also plays an important role in the Singapore workplace because of it’s a multiracial country. People are tolerant of, and sensitive to, each other’s religious beliefs at workplaces, for example Chinese staff do not use the microwave in the office to heat up their food because Muslims staff use it to heat up their meals, and the Chinese food may contain pork or lard which is taboo for Muslims. Also, during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar where followers are enjoined to fast from dawn till sunset) Muslims fast on a daily basis, and so apart from offering food and snacks to Muslim colleagues, Singaporeans do not hold office lunches during that period, they may even try to avoid assigning demanding tasks to their Muslim colleagues during this period. In some offices, where their may be more Muslim staff, a room may be set aside for Muslims to pray, and Muslims may take prayer breaks during the workday. But Management policy on this can vary. Some companies especially those in the manufacturing sector, do not allow such prayer breaks, as this would disrupt the production flow. Some of the general lessons about effective cross-cultural management apply here – first, the need to be aware of one’s cultural baggage, realising when one is being ethnocentric, and second the need to rid oneself of parochialism and ignorance by genuinely wanting to learn about the host country. It is best to keep ones eyes and ears open and to refrain from making judgements and conclusions too rapidly. Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is to assume that Singapore is more Western than Asian. While the country may appear to be more ‘Westernized’ on the surface, considerable differences do exist behind the façade, and it takes time and effort to uncover and understand these differences. Thailand is a country rich in terms of its human resource potential, and its labour market can be viewed as diverse in terms of ethnic diversity and the forms of employment enterprise in the economy. One finds diversity in the workplace setting with respect to the ethnic and national origins, comprising of people from China, India and the bordering nations of Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Cambodia. The proper form of greeting for Thais is to wai to each other than shake hands, which is becoming more common in international business. They hold their hands as though in prayer and bow their heads when greeting one another. Bowing lower than the other person signifies lower social status, and bowing at the same level signifies equality in social class standings (Gannon, 2001). Thais believe in keeping emotions and body movements under control. They even believe that anger and even emotionality leads to more anger and more emotionality, which restricts freedom because individuals engage in activities that would otherwise avoid. Thais tend to be sophisticated diplomats and negotiators because of these beliefs. Furthermore, as might be expected in face saving cultures, Thais hate to say ‘no’ directly and similar to the Singaporeans they say “We’ll need to think it over”. Many westerners spend months negotiating a particular issue only to realize belatedly that a slight movement of the shoulder is equivalent to saying no. No matter what happens, Thais will keep smiling. Thus, a smile should not be interpreted as deep friendship but as a mechanism for making life pleasant and avoiding difficulties that might lead to the dreaded expression of negative emotions. Thais genuinely dislike complainers and will try to avoid it. Education in Thailand, as in other authority ranking cultures as Japan, has stressed memorization and the taking of copious notes in lectures. Discussion is not emphasised. If a student asks a professor a question and the professor does not know the answer, he or she may well give an incorrect answer that the student will record dutifully, even though the student is aware that the answer is incorrect. In this way, face is saved for both people. A similar pattern of behaviour involving managers and employees can be found in some traditional Thai firms. In relationships with families, vertical ranking prevails. Many Chinese Thai families for example live in a compound with several homes, one for the father and mother, and one each for each married family members and there is one common area in the centre where they meet at night and other times for large family gatherings and dinner. The oldest son is usually the decision maker in the family business if the father is retired, and the younger sons serve as vice presidents. If one son is not very effective, he will retain the title but be assisted by either an in-law or an outsider who will be the real decision maker in that part of the business. Similarly, although the royal family is important, it is the king who dominates. In relationship between superiors and subordinates, there are obligations on both sides, and the Thai subordinates expect to be treated with respect. The Thais, as Buddhists, believe in karma, or the concept that one’s behaviour leads to consequences. Thus, Thais believe that behaviour in this life determines the life form an individual will assume in the next life, and that there will ...