With titles like Yes, I Can With Obama: 40 Magical English Phrases From Presidential E-mails and Learn English Grammar From Obama, Japanese publishers have found a niche to sell instructional books for learning the English language. According to the New York Times, President Obama’s easy to understand voice, accent and vocabulary in his speeches and addresses have made him a natural target for English-learners in Japan, where he is already very famous.

Alluding to Japan’s highly indirect norms of communication, a Canadian speech writer living near Tokyo tells the New York Times that “Japan has not been serious about communication…In a Japanese company or political party or anyplace where Japanese come together as a group, the process is consensus-forming, and the outcome has to be consensus, and the consensus is internal. In that, the audience often gets forgotten.”

This is an extremely insightful view into Japanese culture. Loyalty to the community-at-large is a hallmark of Japanese society, where decision-making is up to the group, rather than the individual.

Click here to jump to the article.

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In an effort to recapture the revenue growth the Indian offshore industry experienced before the world economic crisis, many are expanding their service offerings, according to the Wall Street Journal. Companies like InfoSys Technologies and Wipro are competing with big competitors like HP to expand their contracts with “end-to-end outsourcing packages.” Indian executives have expressed that there is a lot of learning involved in the expansion of their organizations, and a lot of it is done on the fly.

How will the persistent issue of client and vendor cultures, and their abundant variations, affect the quality of even larger contracts with companies around the world? Will Indian vendors be able to cope with their increased demands?

Click here to read the full article online.

Paul

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An article on short-term assignments in October’s Chief Learning Officer magazine proves how important it is to understand cultural differences in business today.

“To get an idea of the importance of cultural understanding for short-term employees, consider the following scenario.

“In July 1995, House Intelligence Committee member Bill Richardson was scheduled to meet with Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. The meeting was almost called off after Richardson unwittingly insulted the president by crossing his legs and thereby showing the soles of his shoes — a great affront in the Middle East. A similar scenario played out more recently when some Israelis were insulted by a press photo that depicted President Barack Obama speaking on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — with his feet up on his desk.

“Cultural differences exist everywhere — from Europe to Asia, from Africa to Australia. In Japan, there is a protocol to give and accept business cards, and not doing it properly insults the host. In Germany, it is common to serve fruit at the end of the meal. When Microsoft came out with Windows 95, the package jacket in India outlined eight areas of Kashmiri in green, indicating land under question of sovereignty. The Indian government was incensed, and Microsoft removed 200,000 copies of Windows 95 from the shelves.

“These types of situations occur routinely in today’s international business world, and without proper training around cultural protocol, professional relationships could be seriously — even irreparably — damaged.”

The writer’s central message is that “it’s vitally important that a short-term manager or executive not only comprehend these cultural differences, but adjust his or her management style to work with diverse people and develop specific training programs as needed. It’s a fundamental principal for success in a multinational world.”

Click here to read the rest of the article online.

Valerie

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Watch this humorous, but true-to-life publicity for HSBC that depicts a Chinese post-business dinner.

Sean

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“Are You Hard-Wired for a Global Career? (If so, you are in demand.)” is the title of a blog post on Paula Caligiuri’s professional career counseling website.

She has found that having an international career is one of the current population of college graduate’s top goals. Caligiuri describes the personality traits that make individuals successful in such a career, which include emotional stability and openness to different cultural modes of behavior.

Click here to see if your personality traits mirror those of the internationally and multiculturally predisposed on Caligiuri’s blog.

Sean

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The World Clock Meeting Planner is probably one of the easiest ways to coordinate a global virtual meeting. This should come in handy for anyone working globally.

Here’s its description: “Need to make a call to someone far away? Need to arrange a videoconference, telephone- or net-based meeting with several people spread around the globe? This utility should help you find a convenient time, so that no one has to be up during the middle of the night.”

Paul

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In a Science Daily article, Professor Mark Dressman of the College of Education at the University of Illinois says that recent college graduates will enter their careers needing to be prepared for “significant contact with the rest of the world.” In other words, the environment will be multicultural, as Dressman points out that the world’s economies are inevitably connected and highly interdependent.

Dressman points out that the “traditional rite-of-passage trip to western Europe” is not enough to push college students outside the bounds of their comfort. He emphasizes that a profound, visceral experience with foreign cultures is required to develop the cultural skills necessary to enter any profession. Since learning in the classroom and through textbooks is limiting, study abroad is the best way to acquire these skills. He’s started a course that focuses on transcultural learning and takes a group of students to Morocco where they learn with Moroccan students, rather than about them.

Furthermore, he encourages the use of Web 2.0 tools like Facebook and YouTube to facilitate learning. “Online tools really can make the world smaller,” Dressman said. “If you take a few students somewhere and they take photos and videos of their experiences, they can share it with their peers and inform a broader range of students.” How else can cultural learning be transmitted through the internet? Do you have any powerful transcultural learning experiences you’d like to share?

Click here to read the full article.

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Trends are flying at new speeds when cupcakes, an American miniature cake, become coveted treats in places like Amman, Beirut, Dubai and Tel Aviv.

A New York Times journalist notes that “cupcake shops have become as ubiquitous as hot dog stands in some American cities, and have spread to Rome; Istanbul; Berlin; Seoul, South Korea; and Sydney, Australia. Now…even the Arab world is not immune to such a Western frivolity.”

Why? The article mentions the historic sweet tooth of the region. Their popularity stems from a Middle Eastern penchant for spending money on items that reflect high social standing, and some journalists have noted cupcakes as a “symbol of prestige,” according to the article.

A culture of the globe continues to evolve.

Click here to read the article.

The New York Times reports that a hospital in Merced, California, where many ethnic Hmongs reside, created a new policy to allow patients to receive treatment from Hmong Shamans.

Jim Wilson/The New York Times

The article states that “because many Hmong rely on their spiritual beliefs to get them through illnesses, the hospital’s new Hmong shaman policy, the country’s first, formally recognizes the cultural role of traditional healers like Mr. Lee, inviting them to perform nine approved ceremonies in the hospital, including ‘soul calling’ and chanting in a soft voice.”

According to the New York Times, A recent survey of US hospitals by the Joint Commission, the largest US hospital accrediting group, concludes that many are considering and utilizing non-US culture to treat their diverse patient populations. How is cultural knowledge disseminated to people in the medical and health care fields? It’s very astute of hospitals to be aware of the way patients perceive disease and treatment across cultures. Is this the norm or an exception? Does anyone have other experiences with this type of cultural sensitivity?

Click here to read the full article.

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IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN BANKS, MONEY AND CULTURE?
by Mafalda Arias

Above: the HSBC building in Hong Kong. HSBC takes a culturally sensitive approach to banking around the world.

When I was growing up, I remember hearing my father’s business conversations about banking stories and experiences. It seems that in those days, banks used to work closely with their clients and therefore understood their needs. Since then, the interaction and dynamics are different, a bank transaction seems distant, quick and impersonal; a cookie cutter service that fits all. What is the reason for this detachment? How can we have business isolation in a globalized world? How could businesses exist without understanding the client’s needs? Is this a perception or is this a sign of a cultural gap?

Lately I have been gladly surprised by various newspaper articles across Canada about the ways banks are connecting with new clients, specifically immigrants. In addition, not too many weeks ago, walking through an airport I passed an advertisement that impacted me. Its images and message made me stop and reflect on the meaning behind this bank’s poster. Let me explain. “Multicultural Banking” or “New Canadian Markets” are some examples of the new marketing language used by local banks when they refer to connecting with the needs of a multicultural group, a new market niche. This new market niche has its own needs, is culture specific and has unique behaviours. Regardless of the term used, the important and refreshing message behind, is that banks have realized the importance of cultural differences and the power of understanding those differences in order to connect with their clients and assist them with their unique banking needs. I believe this is a milestone, a sign of social change and transformation. In today’s globalized world, intercultural awareness is the way to remain effective and stay competitive.

Canadian examples

Banks are using an intercultural approach to doing business; they recognized the needs of their immigrant clientele, have adapted and created additional products and services to offer. For instance, banks are changing loan approval standards for new comers who do not have Canadian credit history, they are targeting potential immigrants by advertising their services in other countries and adding languages, not only on their ATM machines but also at their branches, some branches have staff members with skills for over 30 languages. In addition, they offer arrival orientation, such as education about banking and neighbourhood, realtor, doctor and school recommendations.

Scotiabank offers to their immigrant clientele a program called StarRight; free day to day banking for one year, a no fee Scotia Moneyback Visa card to built credit history and the use of a free safety deposit box. HSBC Bank of Canada establishes accounts and credit facilities to immigrant customers before they land. BMO Bank of Montreal offers for the Portuguese-Canadian community the BMO Luso Mosaik MasterCard to collect Air Miles Reward Miles, as well as remittances to Portugal via telephone or online banking. RBC offers twelve $3,500 scholarships to support new Canadians graduating from Canadian high schools moving into post-secondary institutions. Furthermore, in order to attend to this new market niche, most banks now have positions responsible for this new market niche, such as director of cultural markets, director of specialty markets, vice-president of multicultural banking or vice-president global branding.

The intercultural transformation and understanding is now coming from within the bank. This inward shift in attitude, the realization that we are not the same, that we all have different experiences with banks, that our needs, perceptions and cultural imprints with respect to the meaning of money, investment, savings, credit card, cheques and spending are unique; this is pivotal to a bank success. This insight will capture the essence of culture and will transform banks to become agents of change, the corporate social responsible way in banking.

The cultural connection

So, is there a connection between banks, money and culture? Of course there is! Culture is a group of learned and shared values, beliefs and behaviour in a community of interactive people. Culture is the way we organize our perception, and that is in every aspect of human behaviour: verbal and non-verbal behaviour, our communication style, the way we process things and our values. Perception is everything, according to our perception, each of us will have a different experience; our experiences are powerful and frame our minds. Interculturally speaking, understanding this is vital.

People choose a bank and define money differently. The differences are based on our own individual cultural identity. Our attitudes, believes, values and ideas about money will reflect our cultural money imprint. For example, people from India most likely will make a decision with respect to an investment in a collective way, as family unit; while Canadians will decide individually. In individualistic societies, like Canada, every person is supposed to take care of oneself; in collective societies, like India, who are born into extended families, the group -the family- protects its members.

Another example of this could be in the way we choose a bank. People from Philippines would most likely choose a bank based on the bank portfolio and the size of its assets. In contrast, somebody from Austria may look for small and intimate bank. Cultures view power distance differently and will put either more emphasis in social status like Philippines or less like the Austrians. Another example for choosing a bank could be somebody from Hong Kong, who may decide based on the advice of a group (family, family, friends), once the selection is made, this person or group will not switch bank easily. Hong Kong is a highly collective society that values loyalty in exchange of protection of their investments.

Intercultural as strategy

Understanding the value of culture is strategically important. Intercultural competency provides the ability to tap into a market segment that could have been otherwise not perceived. It will also allow you to understand and satisfy your client needs. This awareness is the base to engage and build client relationships as it fosters trust.

Cultural sensitivity and awareness must come accompanied by strong leadership, a great deal of flexibility for continuous culture evolution and training. Otherwise, there is a risk for cultural misunderstandings, language barriers and translation problems, different expectations, different styles to make decisions and manage conflicts; would be imminent. Investment in education, development of intercultural skills and cross cultural training is paramount for banks.

Conclusion

Competition urges banks to think outside the box, to shift their codes, try new tools and look at the value of culture to get to know their clients, adapt their product, expand their portfolio, identify opportunities and serve customers in a different way. I see intercultural, cross cultural or multicultural–choose your preferred term- as a powerful customer focus tool to create social change and evolution, make a difference, allow growth, generate success and prosperity; the latest innovation in a competitive business world to understand and serve multicultural clients and markets.

Mafalda Arias is an Intercultural Consultant, with experience in mining and mineral exploration. You can contact her at info@mafaldaarias.com.

We’re familiar with this kind of story. This one is in the Wall Street Journal.

“For a long time, Kraft Foods Inc., the second-largest international food company by revenue, struggled to make headway in Asia-Pacific, the world’s most populous region,” and a culturally puzzling region for an American company. An understanding of local cultural preferences made all the difference.

In 2008, Kraft was finally seeing profit in the region, and it continues to grow. Why is this? Pradeep Pant, Asia-Pacific President at Kraft, says that one reason for the shift was giving “people close to the point of action” more decision-making authority. Based on their input, products were modified to appeal to local tastes. “For instance, when Kraft’s research showed that Chinese consumers found Oreo cookies too sweet, ‘we toned down the sugar, whereas the Indonesian version is definitely sweeter than the Chinese product.’ As a result, Pant says, Oreo is now the best-selling packaged cookie in China.”

A little culture went a long way.

Click here to read the full article.

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KPCC’s AirTalk radio host Larry Mantle focused on recent instances in the US where public figures, e.g. Congressman Joe Wilson and performer Kanye West, have brazenly expressed their opinions in public forums, dismissing protocol and the rights of others. Many have referred to these people as having a lack of decorum, while some have suggested it signals a change in US culture.

Above: President Obama, Vice President Biden and Speaker Pelosi are distracted by Joe Wilson’s outburst.

Mantle uses words like “narcissism,” “imperiousness” and “self-importance” to describe the acts. He says that these very self-righteous individuals think their opinion is either fact, or that it matters the most, which leads to a lack of control.

With the impact of social networking phenomena like Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere, we’re wondering if these public outbursts herald a cultural shift towards extreme individualism. Now, anyone can express their opinion on the internet. Historically, societal value systems change very slowly, but we’ve witnessed this change over the last five years as networking technologies have been introduced on a global scale.

How is this impacting your life? What kinds of behavioral changes have you noticed? How far can individualism go in a country like the US, where the society’s interest is served through a delicate balance of individual expression with a respect for others and the group-as-a-whole.

Click here to listen to Mantle’s show, “Outbursts and consequences,” which aired on September 16th.

Sean

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Click here to read and see a beautiful, artful essay on what makes the US, and specifically New York, so attractive to immigrants.

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As I’ve watched the American health care debate become more and more inflamed over the past couple of months, I’ve been amazed by the increasingly passionate reactions Americans have had. Clearly, the very fact that so many of us are paying attention, and almost acquiring a Masters degree in health care systems in the process, illustrates how important we believe this to be. But why has there been such intense emotion around the debate? Why is there screaming and tears at meetings? Obviously, it’s personal. Obviously, the discussion is centered on a potentially massive change. However, American culture tends to embrace change. So, an aversion to risk is probably not the reason for such intensity.

Setting aside cost issues (which are substantial, but not cited when the rhetoric gets overheated), I believe the debate is emotionally charged because our cultural values of individualism and egalitarianism are in conflict. How much individual choice must I relinquish to get a “fair” system? Will my individual rights be taken away, including my right to make foolish choices? What will the individual have to sacrifice for the well-being of the group, and will it be for the group’s benefit? It seems to me that the societies that have embraced universal health care coverage are more group- and community-focused. What do you think?

I’d like your opinion about the passion. I’d also like to share a recent, globally-focused interview with T.R. Reid on NPR’s Fresh Air (August 24, 2009). Reid is a foreign correspondent for the Washington Post and wrote The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care. He spent three years studying health care systems around the world, and while his bias is clear, his insights about British, French, German, Canadian, Japanese, Indian, Swiss and Taiwanese health care systems are fascinating.

Let me know what you think.

Charlene

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CNNMoney.com featured the Alibaba Group, what many have called “China’s eBay,” in an article about the B2B e-commerce company’s growth in the American market. Alibaba.cn, the original Chinese site, is where small- to mid-size businesses can buy products from suppliers and manufacturers. The fact that many small-business owners in China are not internet-savvy has made Alibaba.cn extremely successful, as it eliminates the need for entrepreneurs to have their own online operations, which is much harder to have in China.

The article questions whether Alibaba.com (the English version) will prosper in a market where e-commerce websties, e.g. eBay and PayPal, and the internet is commonplace. You don’t actually buy things through Alibaba, you only find suppliers and then arrange payment and delivery outside of the website. Alibaba’s lack of contractual regulation may be less attractive to a North American audience, where transactions are considered secure when prices are fixed and easily viewed online. Alibaba is somewhat relationship-oriented, not unlike Chinese culture, since buyers and vendors are required to initiate contact with each other to move forward and finalize a deal or to establish a working relationship.

Can anyone offer an experience they’ve had on Alibaba.com?

Click here to read the full article.

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