the us is not the center of the world charles lindholm - boston university rensia melles - fgi...
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The US is not the center of the World
Charles Lindholm - Boston University
Rensia Melles - FGI
Philip Berry - Colgate Palmolive
The American Culture
Charles LindholmUniversity Professor of Anthropology
Boston University
American Culture
• Does American culture exist? • Americans say no because everyone is an individual.
– Individualism is characteristic of America.
• Taken-for-granted Assumptions• Individualism.
– Americans unaware of historical, cultural and institutional frameworks for their society.
• Egalitarianism.
• Self-reliance and free choice.
American Culture
• Sources of assumptions.• Absence of aristocracy.
– Egalitarianism.
• Revolutionary history.– Constitution and Bill of Rights as sacred.
– Citizen comes first.
– Opposition to government and emphasis on voluntarism.
• Protestantism.– Spiritual equality.
– Personal responsibility.
» Progress toward salvation.
– Church as voluntary community.
» Multiplicity of sects.
» Flexibility of interpersonal ties.
American Culture
• Sources of assumptions.• Fluidity (social and spatial)
– Frontier and immigrant experience.
» Ideal of the self-made man.
• Capitalism – Autonomous individual pursuing own best interests.
» Collective is secondary.
» Progress toward wealth
American Culture
• Manners and Mores arising from assumptions.
• Absence of deference.
• Informality and "niceness."– Value of "getting along well with others."
• Hatred of snobs and "phoneys".
• Generalized social trust.
• Moral minimalism - culture of avoidance.– Toleration, but within limits.
American Culture
• Historical conditions for assumptions.• Revolution.
– Legal equality of citizens insured.
» Elite power undercut by armed militia.
– Laws seen as reflecting will of majority.
» Sacredness of constitution.
» Dislike of politics.
• Immigration and Assimilation.– Ethnicity as option, not essence.
» "Multiculturalism" is only of food and dress.
– Basic American values universalized.
» No ethnic separatism.
• Religious freedom.– Belief as personal choice.
» No religious separatism.
• Predominance of middle class.– Caution, fear of change.
– Desire to succeed.
» Absence of class warfare.
• Homogeneity.– Regional, ethnic, religious, racial differences are minimal.
– Hispanic exception.
» Integration occurring.
– African-American exception.
» Values remain those of mainstream.
» Increasingly entering middle class.
American Culture
• Implications.• Homogeneity.
– No recognition of real difference.
– Disagreements can be reasoned out.
• Sacred values.– Assume everyone wants to be American.
– American way is the natural and correct way.
American Culture
Americans at Home and AbroadHow cultural stereotypes
alter how others view us, act toward us and do business with us
Rensia MellesDirector of Clinical Products,
Global Services DivisionFGI
Assumptions Set the Framework
“They watch
Baywatch…
don’t they?”
Global Stereotypes
– Popularity and pervasiveness of stereotypes:• Deeply rooted
• Not related to education level of exposure education
• Everybody has them
Stereotypes aren’t personal
Who are Americans?
How are you defined by other cultures?:-economic power-political power-cultural power
Personal Judgments
The trait is in the eye of the beholder
(There is no one picture of Americans.)
Creating Framework for Judgments
Country Value Stereotype
Japan Politeness, respect, rituals Rude, disrespectful I.e inrelation to seniority orbusiness introductions
Netherlands,France,Germany
Being well informed,having well informedopinions, ability forinformed debate
Isolationist, uninterested anduninformed regarding non USworld matters
Norway Commitment to family,Importance of work lifebalance
Workaholic not committed tothe family
Germany Importance of formalityand procedure, respect forhierarchy and policyi.e. formal dress code
Too familiar, sloppy, breakingthe rules
Creating Framework for Judgments
Country Value Stereotype
Western Europe(I.e. Netherlands,France)
Seeking equality, buildingrelationship, co-operativemanagement style
Autocratic, dictatorial
Latin America,Asia Pac
Relationships come beforetasks
Americans are disrespectful,and always in a rush –potentially seen as bully’s
Asia Pac, Turkey,Egypt
Importance of harmonyand team work
Unable to work in a team,uncaring of establishingrelationships, confrontational
“If the shoe fits……”
Living up to the stereotype:
Your own attitude/ behavior can
perpetuate stereotypes
Need to educate self about values/beliefs of
culture you are entering
Implications for Business
Pay attention to:• Work Relations• Work Effectiveness• Social/societal integration• Safety issues
Need to assist your expats and business travelers via training/develop heightened awareness.
Business Impact
Challenge Impact
Need to motivate People will wait out; L/T focusNeed to get commitments Incomplete negotiations,
Unclear agreementsMotivating, praising staff Embarrassing individual in collective
environment, offending seniority (informal authority)
Dispensing tasks,meeting Too autocratic, not co-operative withobjectives staff
Dispensing tasks,meeting Not fulfilling role of authority andobjectives manager, not providing appropriate
guidance/direction
Belie the stereotype
- Educate yourself
- Get familiar with local cultural history, experiences, triumphs, tragedies
- Understand how ‘they’ relate to your country on the global political/economic stage
- Acquaint self with core values
They watch Baywatch…
but who do they see?
The American Transferee Experience
Philip BerryVice President, Global HR
Colgate-Palmolive Companies
The menu
• My Experience
• Common Myths & Issues
• We Shall Overcome -Strategies for Success
• What do Bridge Makers Do?
• My Learnings
My Experience:Where have I been?
• US
• Central Europe, Africa/Middle East
• Latin America
• Europe
• Now I am Global
My Job
• Hiring, firing, paying, promoting,training, counseling and succession Colgate people
What I have Discovered
Key to business success is people
Key to people is how they relate and how they interact
Interactions break down in the connect points
The dimension of culture adds to complexity to the connect points
Mastering this dimension is critical to success and therefore to business effectiveness….the bottom linethe bottom line
An expatriate assignment will not be successful unless the expat
understands what is the same and what is different
There are some common myths and issues that have faced all
expatriates…..including myself
The issues that one faces are of a business and personal
nature
On the Business side!
Common Myths & Issues
• All negotiations are not the same: closing the deal
• Time is not the same.. Inshallah • Adjustment and Awareness of one’s
Mgmt style is critical• All American policies do not fit
Common Myths & Issues
• Developing a team orientation provides a key to success
• Interpersonal skills are more important overseas..doing the basics
• High touch must be maintained along with High tech
On the Personal side!
Common Myths & Issues
• Pinch me I am in Paris: you will go through culture shock
• Critical not to ignore stages of adjustment, especially for the family
• Support services are critical to expat success
Common Myths & Issues
• The suburbs of Paris are not the same as the suburbs of New York
• I should have rented all my furniture and equipment
• Keep your networks intact
We Shall Overcome: Strategies for Success
• Learn the Language…Learn the Culture
• Don’t hang out with Les Americains
• Cross-cultural training is a must
• Women & children first…or it all fails!
What do the Bridge Makers do?
• Listening to Verbal & Non-Verbal Cues
• Seek Feedback
• Learn Continuously
• Become a part of the Culture
• Best place to live…Compared to what?
My Biggest Learnings:
To develop policies thinking of the global impact, not just
the US impact
My Biggest Learnings:
To consider the cultural impact of a strategies
execution
My Biggest Learnings:
To consider that what is in it for one country may be different from another
My Biggest Learnings:
To continue my learning about being a Global Citizen
The US is not the Center of the World,neither is France, China or
Mexico,but we all play a part in making this world a better place to live and work
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