Cross cultural mistakes? It happens even to the biggest companies!
TESCO the largest supermarket in the UK had to pull out of the US market due to “disappointing” performance levels. From 2007 to 2013 TESCO had operated under the brand name of Fresh & Easy. They decided to close some 199 stores across the US. This was also the case for Wal-Mart, whose attempts to penetrate the German market ended woefully back in 2006. No matter the size of the firm, or profit levels, a concise and accurate understanding of the cultural differences of the market one wishes to enter is fundamental when conducting global business.
The examples above clearly show that that poor cross-cultural awareness can result in consequences, some of them comical, whilst others have far more serious implications.
As more companies enter the global market place and employ international teams, the awareness of cultural difference is vital for success. Cultural Competence helps you to understand how and why people think, act and do business in the way they do and also what they think of you. Cultural differences can result in a variety of approaches to business, even when English is used as the common language. Cultural Competence training can help you succeed, by raising awareness of:
How people from other cultures think, behave, and approach business.
How they see you.
Potential problems and equipping you with strategies to resolve them.
How to improve your working relationships across cultures.
How to use cultural diversity to advantage by harnessing different approaches and competencies.
What are the aims of Cultural Competence Training?
To raise awareness of cultural factors, the values and attitudes which affect business.
To provide participants with knowledge of potential problem areas.
To develop effective strategies to minimize misunderstanding.
Think you have cultural challenges? not sure how to deal with them?
Contact us, and we will examine how to help you and your teams.
