Alignment within a Global Corporate
Culture
M. PONZI KAY
07/03/09 1

Culture-just words
S e n s e o f Urg e n c y Lean & Mean
Quality Driven
Entitlement Fun! Up or Out
Star Driven Hierarchal
P a t e r n a lis t ic Collaborative Cut
Throat
Entrepreneurial Conservative
Risk Taking Cost D i ven
r
Innovative
Consensus Building Process Driven
07/03/09 2

Corporate and National Cultures

Why is culture so important?
 First impressions count!
◦ People carry the memory of those
impressions throughout your career.
 You need to ‘hit the ground running’- to
be effective from the very start!
07/03/09 4

Cultural Relevance
 “67% of…respondents point to
‘cultural integration’ as the most
important people issue and the most
critical success factor in an M&A
transaction-more than, for example,
business process integration”.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (white paper)
07/03/09 5

07/03/09 6

How do they intersect?
 Domestic Diversity  Internationalization
◦ Multicultural ◦ Multicultural
Sensitivity Sensitivity
◦ Dealing with “isms” ◦ Exposure/learning
◦ Supporting ◦ Dealing w/
“inclusively” Globalization
◦ Serving the  Economy
underserved  People/cultures
 Environment
 Security
◦ Interdependence

Internationalism
 Global vision/identity
 Unity and diversity of human kind
 Universal rights
 Globalization/interdependence
 International cooperation
 Development of world-mindedness
 Intergenerational Responsibility
 Processes of development

Multiculturalism
 Theory and practice that promotes the
peaceful coexistence of multiple races,
ethnicities, and cultures in a given society,
celebrating and sustaining language
diversity, religious diversity, and social
equity.

What is Multiculturalism, or
interculturalism?
 Understanding one’s  Impact of culture on
culture social issues
 Understanding one’s  Recognizing
self stereotypes and biases
 Oppressive behaviors  Valuing differences
 Cultural differences  Understanding one’s
 Becoming comfortable place in the world or
with alternative how others see you
cultures  Pluralistic life
 Diversity
 Civil rights/EEO

Behavioral Drivers to Achieve
Outcomes
• Achievement: individual or collective?
• Environment: process or outcome
focus?
• Perspective: tradition or innovation?
• Power: shared or retained?
• Risk: risk taking or risk avoiding?

Workplace Norms
 Attitude towards uncertainty-how does
the culture feel about change?
 Attitude towards work-what motivates
people to work?
 Key to productivity-what behaviors
valued in workplace?
 Source of Status – how do people come
by rank?

The 4 building blocks:
1. Concept of self: individual or collective
2. Personal vs. societal responsibility:
universalistic or particularistic
3. Concept of time: monochronic or
polychronic
4. Locus of control: internal or external

Stages of Awareness
1. Unconscious incompetence (blissful
ignorance)
2. Conscious incompetence (troubling
ignorance)
3. Conscious competence (deliberate
sensitivity)
4. Unconscious competence (spontaneous
sensitivity)

Perception of Time
Monochronic Polychronic
 Time is a commodity  Time is limitless
 Time is quantifiable  Time is tool of
 Time is the given, people
people are variable  Schedules and
 Interruptions are a deadlines change
nuisance  Circumstances are
taken into account
 There are no
interruptions

Societal Responsibility
Universalist Particularist
 Absolutes apply  Circumstances apply
 Treat everyone alike  Each situation
is fair different
 Put personal feelings  Family/ ‘ingroup’
aside treated best
 Objective outlook  Exceptions are
always made for
certain people

Cause and Effect
 Behavior is the direct result of what people
assume, value or believe in
 A person from different values and beliefs will
behave differently from you
 Behavior means what we decide it means
 We cannot be quick to judge someone’s
behavior, at least not from our own point of
view…

Communication Tips
Safer to describe behavior rather than
interpret it
Avoid interpreting behavior – counter to
instinct

Global Culture
“Over the last six years, the volume of
world trade has risen by 50%, which has
enormous consequences for many
corporations. All of the companies I have
worked with in the last 10 years, whether
large or small, whether in the fields of
engineering, IT, or pharmaceuticals, have
greatly increased their international
contact.”
Gwyneth Olofsson
When in Rome or Rio or Riyadh…
07/03/09 19

Global Corporate Culture?
• Because we live in a global economy, with
companies and countries interdependent
on one another for raw materials,
finished goods, food products, services…
if you are going to work for an
international company, you need to
understand their culture.
07/03/09 20

Let’s understand the basics…
 Culture is a dynamic process of solving
human problems in the areas of:
◦ Human Nature
◦ Time
◦ Nature
07/03/09 21

What is culture?
 An organization’s culture is defined as the
aggregation of individual behaviors which
make up how work gets done.*
*”The Impact of Culture in M&A”, Mercer HR Consulting
07/03/09 22

Food
Physical
Architecture
Contact
Work ethic Dress
Culture
Music Literature
Pace of Life Language
07/03/09 23

Trans Cultural Competence*
 Whereas Managers make decisions on
issues
 High Performing International Managers
reconcile dilemmas
 The ability to reconcile these cultural
dilemmas is known as Trans Cultural
Competence*
*“The propensity to reconcile seemingly opposing values”
(Fons Trompenaars)
07/03/09 24

A Three Step Process…
 Recognition-increase awareness of one’s
own cultural perspective
 Respect-appreciate cultural differences
 Reconciliation-resolve cultural differences
07/03/09 25

Non-verbal Communications
 Personal Space
 Touching
 Eye contact
 Holding hands in public
 Male/female displays of affection
 Use of left hand
 Loudness of speaking voice
 Shaking hands
 Pointing soles of feet at others
 The ‘yes’ gesture with the head

Non-Verbal Communications
 Behaviors that exist in both cultures-have
same meaning
 Behaviors that exist in both cultures-but
have different meanings
 Nonverbal behavior:
◦ With no meaning for both
◦ With no meaning for sender, but meaning for
receiver

The individual vs. the team
 Do we reward individual performance
through incentives or bonuses?
 Or do we stimulate team cooperation
through a team award?
RESULT: “Co-opetition”
 Reward the team for individual creativity
 Reward individuals for teamwork
07/03/09 28

Cultural Integration
 The process of integrating two or more
cultures into a cohesive whole
 What are the steps to achieve this?
07/03/09 29

Cultural Integration Process
1. Build context and rationale
2. Assess organizational behavior
3. Develop integration hypothesis
4. Determine behavioral drivers
5. Measure and reinforce message
07/03/09 30

Employee Engagement Cycle
Company Vision My Work
My Deal
07/03/09 31

Effective Alignment
1. Context
Assessment 2. Strategy
3. Implementation
4. Reinforcement
e Look at the big picture: understand what the company
wants to accomplish
2. a.-ID audience/company needs, communications issues
b.-Set communications objectives for yourself
t Develop key messages, targeted communication plan
a Evaluate, obtain feedback: it’s ok to ask someone how
you might be coming across…
07/03/09 32

How do you align yourself ? By doing your
global homework…
• Understand the employment philosophy
• Master the desired ‘behaviors’ in that culture
• ‘Unique Selling Proposition’ - what makes you
special within that culture?
• Are there differences between geographies?
• What is the history of the organization?
• Understand the customer’s needs
• Understand the products
• Always demonstrate respect for individuals and
their culture
07/03/09 33

Living the Brand: your personal brand
Informe Engage
Passive Active Advocate
d d
“I understand
“I “I “I “I how to
understand understand understan understand impact the
Understand the brand” how I can d I need to my role to brand and
contribute” contribute” deliver the the company”
brand”
“I believe “I believe I “I am “I am
“I believe in
there are make a accountable passionate
Believe trying to
about the
deliver the tools to difference for
help me when I delivering brand, and
brand”
deliver the contribute” the brand” the company”
brand”
“I know “I take
Deliver what “I know proactive “I deliver the
“I am the
it takes to how to use steps to brand … and
tools from make a make a Brand”
deliver the
brand” the difference difference …
company to when I every day,
deliver the deliver the every
brand” brand” customer”

Learnings and Take-Aways
 You realize that you may see the world differently than
your colleagues
 You know your ‘truths’ are not the same for all
 You have ‘curiosity’ about the behaviors of others
 You realize they may see you differently from those of
your own culture
 You accept that you may not always be receiving the
message that is being sent and vice versa
 You are able to be comfortable with this multicultural
world

So how does it come together?
 You need to know yourself and your
culture
 You need to know the company/country
culture you’re looking to enter
 You must do your research
 You must show respect, but most of all…
 Be yourself! Your personal brand is your
most important asset
07/03/09 36