Business and Culture (Coursework Sample)

Business and Culture
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Business and Culture
Introduction
There are a number of things which usually affect the operation of any business in any given environment. One of the main factors is the culture of the people in thee given environment. By culture, we usually mean the way of doing things. Culture gas a great impact on the negotiation skills, the dress code, the kind of language how people observe time, just to mention a few (Martin & Rajnandini, 2013). This paper generally focuses on the influence of culture on business. Specifically, the main focus is giving a briefing on the business culture of my home country (Brazil) on business. This will help in equipping any foreign managers who are considering doing business with the Brazilian local compatriots. The paper will be based on the few questions given though not limited to them.
How does the country fit into the values dimension models of Hall, Hofstede and/or Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner?
Using the Hofstede’s Dimensions, we can rank Brazil as a country with high uncertainty avoidance. Brazil also has a high power distance which indicates a dispersion of power and wealth. It is also a country which has an average long-term orientation. In the case of individualism and collectivists, Brazil ranks slightly higher than other countries in the region though its score in this case is lower compared to other countries in the world. The level of indulgence of Brazil is also average (around 59) in Hofstede’s scale while masculinity and feminist can be said to be balanced. In dimensions of Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, Brazil has particularistic, communitarian culture, typical diffuse, typical emotional, neutral in terms of status and how they relate with the environment, and synchronous-time culture (Pedersen, 2013).
How do the values in your national culture translate into attitudes, beliefs and behaviors in the areas of:
* Communication at work?
Language is one of the cultural factors which greatly influence businesses. In Brazil, almost 100% of all the people speak Portuguese. Only a few immigrants speak a different language but they are quite few. However, the Portuguese spoken in Brazil differs quite much from that spoken in Portugal just as it is the case with English spoken in different countries (Kwintissential, 2015). Generally, Portuguese is the language at the workplace. This clearly means that any foreign manager from any country should try and learn this language in order to be able to effectively do business in Brazil. Shaking hands is allowed and is usually long.
* Work styles (i.e. decision-making, negotiating, meetings)?
Another thing worth noting in the Brazilian culture is the work styles. In the case of decision-making, the seniors have a high power in making any decision, as indicated by the high power distance the country has. The role of different people is thus clearly defined and thus each plays a specific role in making any decision.
In the case of negotiation, it is good to hire local lawyers and translators in case you do not understand Portuguese well (Wang, 2010). In addition, you should be cautious and always wait until they raise the subject in the negotiation table. Moreover, one should be aware that Brazilians sent lower people in authority to the negotiation table but the decision is usually made by the seniors.
Meetings in Brazil can be organized on short notice but should give a notice in advance. Meetings are also arranged in writing and should not be called off the last minute. One should also be patient and arrive for a meeting on time especially in such cities like Brasilia. Meetings also appear to be more informal and interruptions during the meeting or talking are a common thing (Tomalin & Nicks, 2007). However, at no time should one show any form of confrontation. Moreover, dressing well is a common practice with men being expected to big in a conservative suit.
* Leadership and team-working?
Brazil is a country with a high power distance and thus leaders are given great respect. Team-work is also appreciated with the leaders being accorded great respect and their decisions remaining superior.
* Relationship-building?
This is very important in Brazil and they usually need to know who they are dealing with in advance. They also value the business leaders they deal with more than the companies they repr...