1. Cunningham 1
Danielle Cunningham
Dr. JC Blewitt
CORE 193
March 16, 2016
In recent news, Donald Trump has been frustrated with Ford (the automotive
manufacture). He thinks that Ford should have had their manufacturing plant in the United
States. Ford is a very big company and that would have given many Americans jobs. Trump is
concerned with the unemployment rate. For Ford, this is a good opportunity for because they can
go to Mexico and pay the employees a lower wage compared to the U.S. They would then be
able to sell the cars for the same price as if they were manufactured in the U.S. There are
downfalls with working in Mexico, because the economy is different than the U.S. Ford needs to
train their Mexican employees more than those in the U.S because people in Mexico are
impoverished. Doing business internationally is not easy at all. There are challenges and
complications everywhere. We can deal with these issues as a society very easily so everyone
can benefit. We want International Business to be a possible and positive thing. Some of the
primary challenges facing globalization are ethics, culture, and communication between
employees in different countries.
Ethics is an important issue in International Business. Most practices and regulations vary
from nation to nation. There are also issues with employment practices, human rights,
environment regulations, etc. An example of a regulation differences from one country to
another is how lead (metal) is not allowed in the U.S, but allowed in Mexico. Their employment
practices can vary compared to the U.S. In the U.S, we work long hours and we can accomplish

2. Cunningham 2
things in fast manner. In other countries they take long lunches and sometimes even an afternoon
nap. That is unheard of in the U.S, and there is a struggle among people doing business together
internationally because of these practices. It is unprofessional to just use the U.S culture customs.
People need to work together and come to an agreement on how long and how much they are
going to be working without taking away each person’s values. In Mexico, they support
collectivism and are a democracy. The crime is high in Mexico, but with their laws and codes
they use the civil law system.
Culture is something else that arises when business is done internationally. Not everyone
does things like the U.S. People do things differently everywhere, but more times than not,
people from the U.S go to different countries and feel out of place. A lot of people come to the
U.S and they have different values and norms. They adapt to how the U.S does things, but they
also are allowed to practice their own religion and do things how they please. The U.S has an
advantage over other countries because we accept people of all different cultures. It is not strange
to us. Some countries have their own beliefs on how things are done. For example, some
countries don’t believe women can take a leadership role. They blow women off and laugh at
them for being in a position of power because that is not what happens in their county. In the U.S
today, women working and the men staying home is becoming a norm. People in other countries
judge us for that. PwC (Pricewaterhousecooper) is working with many other countries so women
are not judged for having a job that a man is know to have. The campaign is called Aspire to
Lead. Another example of cultural differences is that in Mexico they take days to make a
business agreement. They get to know their business partner very well. In the U.S people do not
like being asked personal questions in interviews or business agreements. We just cut to the
chase in a few hours and we are on our way. In a recent movie called “The Intern” the CEO of

3. Cunningham 3
the company is a woman and she is looking for an experienced CEO to help her with her
company. She has a meeting with this person and with a few questions, she is convinced that he
is a perfect fit for her growing company. Companies working with other countries should also be
aware the new economy they are going into. Like the U.S, Mexico has a mixed economy, but the
government has more control over businesses.
Many people in the U.S do not respect that other people speak a different language.
Doing business with others in a foreign country is like going to school with someone that doesn’t
speak English. It is hard to talk to them and communicate. It is also hard for the person who does
not speak English to comprehend things, but teachers and the students work together to make the
new student feel comfortable. In business employees need to think of working with each other
like the first day of school for a foreign exchange student. Especially if there are employees that
have never worked internationally. Knowing how to speak in a different language can be very
positive thing for an individual and a business. It is especially hard for employees to talk to each
other via phone instead of face to face when there is a language barrier. People in foreign
countries and the U.S shouldn’t get upset, but respect the fact that their colleagues are trying to
learn their language so they can communicate. Communication with other employees in business
expanded internationally is a must. Each person should learn each other’s language so that
operations can run smoothly. A small task can turn into a huge disaster if one word isn’t
understood. Another form of communication is keeping in contact with each employee on a
regular basis. Keeping them updated on the current operations of the company and having them
understand why they are doing something is essential. There also needs to be a good sense of
communication so both parties have same and correct information. It is difficult to keep track of
what people are doing when one person is in one country and one in the other.

4. Cunningham 4
In the next ten years, globalization is going to be better than it is today. There are still a
lot of people expanding their companies internationally and in small countries they are in need of
certain things. For example, in Cuba the price of meat isn’t affordable for the people that live
there. This is because they do not have any cattle farms. With their government restrictions, they
are slowly allowing permits for people to expand. Ranch owners want to bring some of their
cattle from the U.S to Cuba so the citizens do not have to pay high prices for meat. I think that
the current ethic issues around the world with business are going to be improving. Younger
people are starting their careers internationally because they haven’t started families, and still do
not know exactly what they want to do with their life. Employers can depend on them to make a
difference in their company because they just got out of college. They are more likely to accept
the cultures each countries obtains. I think the older generations are more judgmental compared
to today’s generation of young adults. In 2016, learning a second language is more common
today then it was 10 years ago. There are a lot of programs on the market that make it easy for
anyone to learn a language. I think businesses should offer to pay for their employees to use the
new technology and learn from it. Knowing one or even two other languages besides English
makes someone stand out tremendously. It not only helps the U.S, but it helps the countries that
aren’t as developed as we are. I also think that some countries are going to be using some the
same laws and regulations the U.S uses when it comes to working conditions for employees. It is
never going to be perfect. Consumers are judging the company for how the manufacture
operates. Those companies are trying to make the working conditions better so they do not lose
their customers. An example of this is the working conditions of people assembling apple
products.

5. Cunningham 5
In the end, International Business can be challenging because of the various issues and
complications with ethics, culture, and communication with employees or partners. It can be
changed so both parties can run business smoothly, but everyone needs to work together on their
differences. Getting to know each other’s culture and explaining each other’s ethics can be very
helpful so there is not any confusion. Knowing the political economy of a business is also
important. It is not good to do business in a country that doesn’t have a democracy, good market
economy, and a poor legal system. I think that International Business is a good thing as long as
management knows what they are doing. There should be a positive relationship with people
doing International Business. Hopefully each employee will learn something from each other and
remember the experiences they obtained while working internationally.