The document discusses culture and work styles in Brazil. It notes that Brazil has a friendly, open culture that values relationships and hierarchy. The workplace in Brazil is changing, with more open floor plans, though hierarchy remains important. Offices have standardization to support mobility, and amenities like clinics and cafeterias are common in large buildings. Understanding these cultural norms is key for companies operating in Brazil.
Monika Domanska Are you ready to work in an international company 1Monika Domanska
The document provides information to help candidates prepare for working at an international company or organization. It discusses what globalization means and why someone may want to work for an international employer. It also covers what cultural adjustment may involve, such as dealing with culture shock, and tips for avoiding issues while living abroad. The document then addresses what is expected in the recruitment process, including knowing yourself and your skills, researching the company and market, and how to effectively present yourself in a CV, interview, and other application materials.
The document discusses culture and work styles in Brazil. It notes that Brazil has a friendly, open culture that values relationships and hierarchy. The workplace in Brazil is changing, with more open floor plans, though hierarchy remains important. Offices have standardization to support mobility, and amenities like clinics and cafeterias are common in large buildings. Understanding these cultural norms is key for companies operating in Brazil.
The document discusses two parts of the brain involved in memory - the amygdala and hippocampus. The amygdala is almond-shaped and part of the limbic system, playing a role in fear, pleasure, and conditions like anxiety. The hippocampus is also part of the limbic system and consists of gray matter, involved in forming memories.
A Content Management System provides simplicity, easy management and less maintenance by allowing users to easily create, edit and publish content on a website without advanced technical skills. It offers advantages like being less complex and simple to use while having very few disadvantages compared to the significant advantages it provides.
U vremenu u kome živimo sve više se piše i govori, a i sve više ljudi postaje svesno da tzv. „socijalna inteligencija“, odnosno određena sposobnost stvaranja kvalitetnih međuljudskih odnosa, veština pregovaranja, ophođenja i uveravanja drugih ljudi jeste zapravo najvažniji oblik inteligencije za kvalitetan, stabilan i srećan život.
Istraživanja govore da i do 90% ljudi ima manji ili veći problem da sebe, svoje znanje, ideje, proizvode... plasira okruženju, pa se iz tih razloga nameće realna potreba da većina njih poradi na pomenutim veštinama. Kada tome dodamo da se kod nas, a i svuda u svetu, pojavljuje sve veća „armija“ nezaposlenih ljudi, onda je očigledno da je potreba za edukacijom i treningom veštine lične prodaje sve izvesnija.
Uprkos tome što većina ljudi na veštinu uticaja („prodaje“) ne gleda sa puno simpatije jedno je sigurno - prodaja nije stvar izbora, prodaja je stvar egzistencije!
Knjiga koja Vam je u ruci, definitivno će Vam pomoći konkretnim polugama da postanete uticajnija osoba i samim tim da se bolje „prodate“.
Monika Domanska Are you ready to work in an international company 1Monika Domanska
The document provides information to help candidates prepare for working at an international company or organization. It discusses what globalization means and why someone may want to work for an international employer. It also covers what cultural adjustment may involve, such as dealing with culture shock, and tips for avoiding issues while living abroad. The document then addresses what is expected in the recruitment process, including knowing yourself and your skills, researching the company and market, and how to effectively present yourself in a CV, interview, and other application materials.
The document discusses culture and work styles in Brazil. It notes that Brazil has a friendly, open culture that values relationships and hierarchy. The workplace in Brazil is changing, with more open floor plans, though hierarchy remains important. Offices have standardization to support mobility, and amenities like clinics and cafeterias are common in large buildings. Understanding these cultural norms is key for companies operating in Brazil.
The document discusses two parts of the brain involved in memory - the amygdala and hippocampus. The amygdala is almond-shaped and part of the limbic system, playing a role in fear, pleasure, and conditions like anxiety. The hippocampus is also part of the limbic system and consists of gray matter, involved in forming memories.
A Content Management System provides simplicity, easy management and less maintenance by allowing users to easily create, edit and publish content on a website without advanced technical skills. It offers advantages like being less complex and simple to use while having very few disadvantages compared to the significant advantages it provides.
U vremenu u kome živimo sve više se piše i govori, a i sve više ljudi postaje svesno da tzv. „socijalna inteligencija“, odnosno određena sposobnost stvaranja kvalitetnih međuljudskih odnosa, veština pregovaranja, ophođenja i uveravanja drugih ljudi jeste zapravo najvažniji oblik inteligencije za kvalitetan, stabilan i srećan život.
Istraživanja govore da i do 90% ljudi ima manji ili veći problem da sebe, svoje znanje, ideje, proizvode... plasira okruženju, pa se iz tih razloga nameće realna potreba da većina njih poradi na pomenutim veštinama. Kada tome dodamo da se kod nas, a i svuda u svetu, pojavljuje sve veća „armija“ nezaposlenih ljudi, onda je očigledno da je potreba za edukacijom i treningom veštine lične prodaje sve izvesnija.
Uprkos tome što većina ljudi na veštinu uticaja („prodaje“) ne gleda sa puno simpatije jedno je sigurno - prodaja nije stvar izbora, prodaja je stvar egzistencije!
Knjiga koja Vam je u ruci, definitivno će Vam pomoći konkretnim polugama da postanete uticajnija osoba i samim tim da se bolje „prodate“.
The document discusses modern trends in human resource management at both the international and local levels in Pakistan. It outlines trends such as an emphasis on teamwork, improving work-life quality, flexible work hours, the impact of technology, and training and development. It also compares practices between developed countries, where trends like teleworking are common, and Pakistan, where practices are evolving but still lag in some areas like work flexibility. The document concludes that human resources will be a key factor for organizations to improve productivity and meet challenges in the rapidly changing business environment.
People management-hrmg-5064-assessment-2021-2022-pic-case-study-final-pdf (1)AdamsOdanji
This document provides an assignment brief for a 3,500-word reflective essay on an imaginary multinational corporation called Pyramid International Company (PIC). Students must address eight aspects of their role as HR manager or general manager at PIC, drawing on literature to discuss challenges of a multicultural workplace and propose strategies. The document outlines assessment criteria, submission details, and recommends referencing recent articles from specific ABS journals.
The document discusses how the concept of work is evolving due to changes in technology, demographics, and business models. Knowledge workers now demand flexible work arrangements and mobile access to tools and information enabled by cloud computing and virtual conferencing. Real estate developers must adapt office buildings to cater to collaborative work styles by integrating alternative workspaces and mixed-use communities. In the Philippines, the growth of the IT-BPO industry and rising middle class is driving demand for modern workspaces, while start-up incubators aim to support entrepreneurship among Filipino millennials.
The Culture Cure for Digital: How to Fix What’s Ailing BusinessCognizant
Work cultures that have developed over time can be too slow-moving and complacent for the digital age. Business leaders need to intentionally reshape the organizational culture to energize people for the work of the future.
Uday salunkhe managing work force diversityudaysalunkhe
This article talks about managing work force diversity within the organisation. It has been co- authored by Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Director of the prestigious Welingkar Institute of Management and Research.
IMPLEMENTATION OF A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS WITHIN THE BRAZILIAN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT: THE ONS (NATIONAL OPERATOR OF THE
INTERCONNECTED POWER SYSTEM) EXPERIENCE - Rivadávia Alvarenga Neto et al., 2009.
2 Cross-Cultural Business
Learning Objectives
Helsinki, Finland—Nokia Corporation (www.nokia.com) is the world’s number one manufacturer of mobile handsets. The company’s 112,000 employees in more than 150 countries generate $79 billion in sales annually. Nokia uses its knowledge of cultures to control 40 percent of the global handset market.
Nokia is especially talented at detecting consumer needs in emerging markets. China and India represent Nokia’s first and second largest markets ahead of third-place United States. Nokia knows that in India a buyer selects a handset that has the right look and style and projects the right image. But for a consumer in China, a handset needs to be the right bargain. And Nokia recently finished a year-long study of the handset needs of people who live in Accra, capital city of the African nation Ghana.
Source: Jeffrey Barbee.
Nokia spends around $8 billion a year on research and development. Anthropologists and psychologists first travel the globe for Nokia to learn how people behave and communicate. Personnel at Nokia’s headquarters in Finland then blend these unique insights with emerging global trends to design new handsets. Finally, the company develops phones suitable for a variety of markets but localizes each one with colors, surface textures, services, and ring-tones.
Nokia maintains its competitive edge through careful cultural research. For example, company anthropologists learned that people in rural areas of emerging markets need a phone that can be shared among many users. So Nokia added the capability to save each person’s contacts separately and installed a call tracker that imposes a time or cost limit on each call. Handsets designed for emerging markets also feature menus in local languages, a one-touch flashlight in case of power outages, and a demo program for those who have never used a mobile phone. As you read this chapter, consider how culture influences international business and how company actions affect cultures.1
This chapter is the first of three that describe the links between international business activity and a nation’s business environment. We introduce these topics early because of their strong influence on how commerce is conducted in different countries. In fact, success in international business can often be traced directly to a deep understanding of some aspect of a people’s commercial environment. This chapter explores the influence of culture on international business activity. Chapter 3 presents the roles of political and legal systems, and Chapter 4 examines the impact of economic systems and emerging markets on international business.
An assessment of any nation’s overall business climate is typically the first step in analyzing its potential as a host for international commercial activity. This means addressing some important questions, such as the following: What language(s) do the people speak? What is the climate like? Are the local people open to new ideas a.
Workplace - Winning The War for Talent - SEP 2016Peter Andrew
This document discusses how companies can create people-centric workplaces to attract and retain talent. It outlines four approaches to work (hub, home, club, and roam) that provide employees flexibility in where and how they work. The relationship between landlords and tenants is also changing to focus more on creating rewarding workplace experiences for employees. Finally, the document notes that while Asia Pacific is lagging other regions, companies are beginning to adopt flexible work strategies and create workplaces where employees are happy and engaged.
The document discusses international organizational behavior from a cultural perspective. It notes that culture determines behaviors and there are both similarities and differences across cultures. While behaviors vary across countries due to factors like remuneration, leave policies, and performance appraisals, there are also cultural clusters where countries show similarities. Managing diversity and communicating across cultures are important for organizations operating globally.
This document discusses corporate culture and cross-border human resource management. It begins by introducing how globalization has increased diversity in workforces and created challenges for HR managers in dealing with different cultural beliefs and practices. It then defines corporate culture as the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company's employees and management interact and handle business. The document provides examples of different corporate cultures at companies like Google, Apple, and Netflix that foster creativity and flexibility compared to the former aggressive culture of Enron. It discusses challenges of applying different employment standards across countries.
As people engage in more international travel and become more famili.pdfferoz544
As people engage in more international travel and become more familiar with other countries,
will cultural difference decline as a roadblock to international understanding or will the continue
to be a major barrier? Defend your answer. Why are multinational enterprises getting involved in
corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices? Are they displaying a sense of
social responsibility or it is merely a matter of good business, or both?
Solution
Multinational and cross-cultural teams are likewise becoming ever more common, meaning
businesses can benefit from an increasingly diverse knowledge base and new, insightful
approaches to business problems. However, along with the benefits of insight and expertise,
global organizations also face potential stumbling blocks when it comes to culture and
international business.
While there are a number of ways to define culture, put simply it is a set of common and
accepted norms shared by a society. But in an international business context, what is common
and accepted for a professional from one country, could be very different for a colleague from
overseas. Recognizing and understanding how culture affectsinternational business in three core
areas: communication, etiquette, and organizational hierarchy can help you to avoid
misunderstandings with colleagues and clients from abroad and excel in a globalized business
environment.
1. Communication
Effective communication is essential to the success of any business venture, but it is particularly
critical when there is a real risk of your message getting “lost in translation.” In many
international companies, English is the de facto language of business. But more than just the
language you speak, it’s how you convey your message that’s important. For instance, while the
Finns may value directness and brevity, professionals from India can be more indirect and
nuanced in their communication. Moreover, while fluent English might give you a professional
boost globally, understanding the importance of subtle non-verbal communication between
cultures can be equally crucial in international business.
What might be commonplace in your culture — be it a firm handshake, making direct eye
contact, or kiss on the cheek — could be unusual or even offensive to a foreign colleague or
client. Where possible, do your research in advance of professional interactions with individuals
from a different culture. Remember to be perceptive to body language, and when in doubt, ask.
While navigating cross-cultural communication can be a challenge, approaching cultural
differences with sensitivity, openness, and curiosity can help to put everyone at ease.
2. Workplace etiquette
Different approaches to professional communication are just one of the innumerable differences
in workplace norms from around the world. CT Business Travel has put together a useful
infographic for a quick reference of cultural differences in business etiquette globally.
For instance, the.
Globalization has increased workforce diversity and cultural sensitivities for organizations globally, leading to the development of global human resource management. HR must now consider the effects of diversity, legal restrictions, and training across cultures on the organization. The five main functions of global HR management are vital to a business's strategic operations. One function is creating local appeal while maintaining a global identity through cultural awareness training and cross-border hiring.
Porous Organisations
Here is our latest 2030 foresight.
This time we focus on the challenges for the future of work. Increasing competition for talent forces organisations to open their doors to a growing number of independent workers. This makes it difficult to maintain corporate knowledge and becomes a challenge for business big and small. In a highly volatile and increasingly complex landscape, many must learn how to manage a seamless flow of knowledge and ideas so they can adapt to changing customer demands, ensure capabilities are maintained and keep the doors to innovation open. Looking ahead, it seems that only the wealthiest and most attractive organisations (in the main technology companies) will be able to retain the loyalty of their employees. For everyone else, building and preserving corporate know-how within increasingly porous organisational boundaries will become a priority. As ever your thoughts and provocations are very welcome.
To access via website https://www.futureagenda.org/foresights/porous-organisations/
This document discusses cross-cultural configuration in international business organizations. It begins by defining culture and explaining how culture affects institutions including business institutions. Culture includes both conscious and unconscious values, ideas and symbols that are transmitted between generations and shape human behavior. The document then discusses how culture affects the political, economic and legal environments in countries using Saudi Arabia as an example. Culture influences policies, customs and traditions in Saudi Arabia that international businesses must understand and adapt to. Finally, the document outlines issues to consider for intercultural management, including team management, leadership styles, organizational structure, core values, communications and conflict resolution in multinational corporations.
Here are four discussion questions about the HR structure and challenges at Rallis India:
1. How does having HR business partners (HRBPs) aligned to different business functions help Rallis India meet its HR objectives? What are the advantages of this structure?
2. What are some of the key HR challenges Mr. Madan Tripathy mentions Rallis India is facing? How can the HR team help address these challenges?
3. Given Rallis India's large scale of operations across multiple locations and business functions, what additional considerations might they have in structuring their HR department?
4. What strategies or initiatives could the HR team at Rallis India implement to help energize and motivate employees
The document discusses various challenges that organizations may face in managing business in the 21st century, such as the impact of globalization, managing across borders with international workforces, increased use of information technology, and the need for knowledge workers. Human resources policies and programs will need to adapt to changing workforce demographics, embrace diversity, and balance the demands of work and life. Organizations will also need to address issues like sustainability and ethics while navigating a fast-paced environment of new technologies, global competition, and shifting customer demands.
The document summarizes the key findings from IBM's 2010 Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) Study. The study interviewed over 700 HR leaders from 61 countries. It identified three main themes that were challenges for HR leaders: 1) Cultivating creative leaders, 2) Mobilizing for speed and flexibility, and 3) Capitalizing on collective intelligence. These challenges require HR leaders to facilitate development of energized leaders, provide a fast and adaptive workforce, and tap into institutional knowledge. The study helps IBM align its offerings to address the needs identified by HR executives.
1) Coworking spaces have grown exponentially over the last decade from 160 spaces worldwide in 2008 to over 18,700 spaces in 2018. Asia currently has the most coworking spaces while North America and Europe are second and third.
2) Coworking provides benefits like a better work-life balance, reducing isolation, and improving networking opportunities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the coworking industry and new health and safety measures must be implemented.
3) As coworking spaces reopen, adaptations like frequent cleaning, hand sanitizer stations, plexiglass shields between desks, and reduced capacity in shared spaces will help make employees feel safe while maintaining the benefits of coworking.
The history of human resource management (HRM) dates back to prehistoric times when tribes organized and selected leaders. Formal HRM practices emerged in the 18th century and grew with the rise of large corporations in the 20th century. Today, HRM faces new challenges like globalization, talent shortages, and changing workforce demographics. Emerging trends include the need for HR professionals to act as strategic partners, the use of technology in talent acquisition and employee engagement, and ensuring diversity and work-life balance. The future of HRM involves cultivating an organizational culture that embraces these trends and positions HR as a change agent focused on people development.
Northern Engraving | Nameplate Manufacturing Process - 2024Northern Engraving
Manufacturing custom quality metal nameplates and badges involves several standard operations. Processes include sheet prep, lithography, screening, coating, punch press and inspection. All decoration is completed in the flat sheet with adhesive and tooling operations following. The possibilities for creating unique durable nameplates are endless. How will you create your brand identity? We can help!
What is an RPA CoE? Session 1 – CoE VisionDianaGray10
In the first session, we will review the organization's vision and how this has an impact on the COE Structure.
Topics covered:
• The role of a steering committee
• How do the organization’s priorities determine CoE Structure?
Speaker:
Chris Bolin, Senior Intelligent Automation Architect Anika Systems
The document discusses modern trends in human resource management at both the international and local levels in Pakistan. It outlines trends such as an emphasis on teamwork, improving work-life quality, flexible work hours, the impact of technology, and training and development. It also compares practices between developed countries, where trends like teleworking are common, and Pakistan, where practices are evolving but still lag in some areas like work flexibility. The document concludes that human resources will be a key factor for organizations to improve productivity and meet challenges in the rapidly changing business environment.
People management-hrmg-5064-assessment-2021-2022-pic-case-study-final-pdf (1)AdamsOdanji
This document provides an assignment brief for a 3,500-word reflective essay on an imaginary multinational corporation called Pyramid International Company (PIC). Students must address eight aspects of their role as HR manager or general manager at PIC, drawing on literature to discuss challenges of a multicultural workplace and propose strategies. The document outlines assessment criteria, submission details, and recommends referencing recent articles from specific ABS journals.
The document discusses how the concept of work is evolving due to changes in technology, demographics, and business models. Knowledge workers now demand flexible work arrangements and mobile access to tools and information enabled by cloud computing and virtual conferencing. Real estate developers must adapt office buildings to cater to collaborative work styles by integrating alternative workspaces and mixed-use communities. In the Philippines, the growth of the IT-BPO industry and rising middle class is driving demand for modern workspaces, while start-up incubators aim to support entrepreneurship among Filipino millennials.
The Culture Cure for Digital: How to Fix What’s Ailing BusinessCognizant
Work cultures that have developed over time can be too slow-moving and complacent for the digital age. Business leaders need to intentionally reshape the organizational culture to energize people for the work of the future.
Uday salunkhe managing work force diversityudaysalunkhe
This article talks about managing work force diversity within the organisation. It has been co- authored by Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Director of the prestigious Welingkar Institute of Management and Research.
IMPLEMENTATION OF A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS WITHIN THE BRAZILIAN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT: THE ONS (NATIONAL OPERATOR OF THE
INTERCONNECTED POWER SYSTEM) EXPERIENCE - Rivadávia Alvarenga Neto et al., 2009.
2 Cross-Cultural Business
Learning Objectives
Helsinki, Finland—Nokia Corporation (www.nokia.com) is the world’s number one manufacturer of mobile handsets. The company’s 112,000 employees in more than 150 countries generate $79 billion in sales annually. Nokia uses its knowledge of cultures to control 40 percent of the global handset market.
Nokia is especially talented at detecting consumer needs in emerging markets. China and India represent Nokia’s first and second largest markets ahead of third-place United States. Nokia knows that in India a buyer selects a handset that has the right look and style and projects the right image. But for a consumer in China, a handset needs to be the right bargain. And Nokia recently finished a year-long study of the handset needs of people who live in Accra, capital city of the African nation Ghana.
Source: Jeffrey Barbee.
Nokia spends around $8 billion a year on research and development. Anthropologists and psychologists first travel the globe for Nokia to learn how people behave and communicate. Personnel at Nokia’s headquarters in Finland then blend these unique insights with emerging global trends to design new handsets. Finally, the company develops phones suitable for a variety of markets but localizes each one with colors, surface textures, services, and ring-tones.
Nokia maintains its competitive edge through careful cultural research. For example, company anthropologists learned that people in rural areas of emerging markets need a phone that can be shared among many users. So Nokia added the capability to save each person’s contacts separately and installed a call tracker that imposes a time or cost limit on each call. Handsets designed for emerging markets also feature menus in local languages, a one-touch flashlight in case of power outages, and a demo program for those who have never used a mobile phone. As you read this chapter, consider how culture influences international business and how company actions affect cultures.1
This chapter is the first of three that describe the links between international business activity and a nation’s business environment. We introduce these topics early because of their strong influence on how commerce is conducted in different countries. In fact, success in international business can often be traced directly to a deep understanding of some aspect of a people’s commercial environment. This chapter explores the influence of culture on international business activity. Chapter 3 presents the roles of political and legal systems, and Chapter 4 examines the impact of economic systems and emerging markets on international business.
An assessment of any nation’s overall business climate is typically the first step in analyzing its potential as a host for international commercial activity. This means addressing some important questions, such as the following: What language(s) do the people speak? What is the climate like? Are the local people open to new ideas a.
Workplace - Winning The War for Talent - SEP 2016Peter Andrew
This document discusses how companies can create people-centric workplaces to attract and retain talent. It outlines four approaches to work (hub, home, club, and roam) that provide employees flexibility in where and how they work. The relationship between landlords and tenants is also changing to focus more on creating rewarding workplace experiences for employees. Finally, the document notes that while Asia Pacific is lagging other regions, companies are beginning to adopt flexible work strategies and create workplaces where employees are happy and engaged.
The document discusses international organizational behavior from a cultural perspective. It notes that culture determines behaviors and there are both similarities and differences across cultures. While behaviors vary across countries due to factors like remuneration, leave policies, and performance appraisals, there are also cultural clusters where countries show similarities. Managing diversity and communicating across cultures are important for organizations operating globally.
This document discusses corporate culture and cross-border human resource management. It begins by introducing how globalization has increased diversity in workforces and created challenges for HR managers in dealing with different cultural beliefs and practices. It then defines corporate culture as the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company's employees and management interact and handle business. The document provides examples of different corporate cultures at companies like Google, Apple, and Netflix that foster creativity and flexibility compared to the former aggressive culture of Enron. It discusses challenges of applying different employment standards across countries.
As people engage in more international travel and become more famili.pdfferoz544
As people engage in more international travel and become more familiar with other countries,
will cultural difference decline as a roadblock to international understanding or will the continue
to be a major barrier? Defend your answer. Why are multinational enterprises getting involved in
corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices? Are they displaying a sense of
social responsibility or it is merely a matter of good business, or both?
Solution
Multinational and cross-cultural teams are likewise becoming ever more common, meaning
businesses can benefit from an increasingly diverse knowledge base and new, insightful
approaches to business problems. However, along with the benefits of insight and expertise,
global organizations also face potential stumbling blocks when it comes to culture and
international business.
While there are a number of ways to define culture, put simply it is a set of common and
accepted norms shared by a society. But in an international business context, what is common
and accepted for a professional from one country, could be very different for a colleague from
overseas. Recognizing and understanding how culture affectsinternational business in three core
areas: communication, etiquette, and organizational hierarchy can help you to avoid
misunderstandings with colleagues and clients from abroad and excel in a globalized business
environment.
1. Communication
Effective communication is essential to the success of any business venture, but it is particularly
critical when there is a real risk of your message getting “lost in translation.” In many
international companies, English is the de facto language of business. But more than just the
language you speak, it’s how you convey your message that’s important. For instance, while the
Finns may value directness and brevity, professionals from India can be more indirect and
nuanced in their communication. Moreover, while fluent English might give you a professional
boost globally, understanding the importance of subtle non-verbal communication between
cultures can be equally crucial in international business.
What might be commonplace in your culture — be it a firm handshake, making direct eye
contact, or kiss on the cheek — could be unusual or even offensive to a foreign colleague or
client. Where possible, do your research in advance of professional interactions with individuals
from a different culture. Remember to be perceptive to body language, and when in doubt, ask.
While navigating cross-cultural communication can be a challenge, approaching cultural
differences with sensitivity, openness, and curiosity can help to put everyone at ease.
2. Workplace etiquette
Different approaches to professional communication are just one of the innumerable differences
in workplace norms from around the world. CT Business Travel has put together a useful
infographic for a quick reference of cultural differences in business etiquette globally.
For instance, the.
Globalization has increased workforce diversity and cultural sensitivities for organizations globally, leading to the development of global human resource management. HR must now consider the effects of diversity, legal restrictions, and training across cultures on the organization. The five main functions of global HR management are vital to a business's strategic operations. One function is creating local appeal while maintaining a global identity through cultural awareness training and cross-border hiring.
Porous Organisations
Here is our latest 2030 foresight.
This time we focus on the challenges for the future of work. Increasing competition for talent forces organisations to open their doors to a growing number of independent workers. This makes it difficult to maintain corporate knowledge and becomes a challenge for business big and small. In a highly volatile and increasingly complex landscape, many must learn how to manage a seamless flow of knowledge and ideas so they can adapt to changing customer demands, ensure capabilities are maintained and keep the doors to innovation open. Looking ahead, it seems that only the wealthiest and most attractive organisations (in the main technology companies) will be able to retain the loyalty of their employees. For everyone else, building and preserving corporate know-how within increasingly porous organisational boundaries will become a priority. As ever your thoughts and provocations are very welcome.
To access via website https://www.futureagenda.org/foresights/porous-organisations/
This document discusses cross-cultural configuration in international business organizations. It begins by defining culture and explaining how culture affects institutions including business institutions. Culture includes both conscious and unconscious values, ideas and symbols that are transmitted between generations and shape human behavior. The document then discusses how culture affects the political, economic and legal environments in countries using Saudi Arabia as an example. Culture influences policies, customs and traditions in Saudi Arabia that international businesses must understand and adapt to. Finally, the document outlines issues to consider for intercultural management, including team management, leadership styles, organizational structure, core values, communications and conflict resolution in multinational corporations.
Here are four discussion questions about the HR structure and challenges at Rallis India:
1. How does having HR business partners (HRBPs) aligned to different business functions help Rallis India meet its HR objectives? What are the advantages of this structure?
2. What are some of the key HR challenges Mr. Madan Tripathy mentions Rallis India is facing? How can the HR team help address these challenges?
3. Given Rallis India's large scale of operations across multiple locations and business functions, what additional considerations might they have in structuring their HR department?
4. What strategies or initiatives could the HR team at Rallis India implement to help energize and motivate employees
The document discusses various challenges that organizations may face in managing business in the 21st century, such as the impact of globalization, managing across borders with international workforces, increased use of information technology, and the need for knowledge workers. Human resources policies and programs will need to adapt to changing workforce demographics, embrace diversity, and balance the demands of work and life. Organizations will also need to address issues like sustainability and ethics while navigating a fast-paced environment of new technologies, global competition, and shifting customer demands.
The document summarizes the key findings from IBM's 2010 Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) Study. The study interviewed over 700 HR leaders from 61 countries. It identified three main themes that were challenges for HR leaders: 1) Cultivating creative leaders, 2) Mobilizing for speed and flexibility, and 3) Capitalizing on collective intelligence. These challenges require HR leaders to facilitate development of energized leaders, provide a fast and adaptive workforce, and tap into institutional knowledge. The study helps IBM align its offerings to address the needs identified by HR executives.
1) Coworking spaces have grown exponentially over the last decade from 160 spaces worldwide in 2008 to over 18,700 spaces in 2018. Asia currently has the most coworking spaces while North America and Europe are second and third.
2) Coworking provides benefits like a better work-life balance, reducing isolation, and improving networking opportunities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the coworking industry and new health and safety measures must be implemented.
3) As coworking spaces reopen, adaptations like frequent cleaning, hand sanitizer stations, plexiglass shields between desks, and reduced capacity in shared spaces will help make employees feel safe while maintaining the benefits of coworking.
The history of human resource management (HRM) dates back to prehistoric times when tribes organized and selected leaders. Formal HRM practices emerged in the 18th century and grew with the rise of large corporations in the 20th century. Today, HRM faces new challenges like globalization, talent shortages, and changing workforce demographics. Emerging trends include the need for HR professionals to act as strategic partners, the use of technology in talent acquisition and employee engagement, and ensuring diversity and work-life balance. The future of HRM involves cultivating an organizational culture that embraces these trends and positions HR as a change agent focused on people development.
Northern Engraving | Nameplate Manufacturing Process - 2024Northern Engraving
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Topics covered:
• The role of a steering committee
• How do the organization’s priorities determine CoE Structure?
Speaker:
Chris Bolin, Senior Intelligent Automation Architect Anika Systems
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📕 Detailed agenda:
Variables and Datatypes
Workflow Layouts
Arguments
Control Flows and Loops
Conditional Statements
💻 Extra training through UiPath Academy:
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Control Flow in Studio
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Session 1 - Intro to Robotic Process Automation.pdfUiPathCommunity
👉 Check out our full 'Africa Series - Automation Student Developers (EN)' page to register for the full program:
https://bit.ly/Automation_Student_Kickstart
In this session, we shall introduce you to the world of automation, the UiPath Platform, and guide you on how to install and setup UiPath Studio on your Windows PC.
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What is RPA? Benefits of RPA?
RPA Applications
The UiPath End-to-End Automation Platform
UiPath Studio CE Installation and Setup
💻 Extra training through UiPath Academy:
Introduction to Automation
UiPath Business Automation Platform
Explore automation development with UiPath Studio
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Event Link: https://meine.doag.org/events/cloudland/2024/agenda/#agendaId.4211
Northern Engraving | Modern Metal Trim, Nameplates and Appliance PanelsNorthern Engraving
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Bric countries
1. Culture and work styles in the
BRIC countries. Brazil, Russia, India,
and China (BRIC) are the fastest
growing economies in the world.
Companies who want to establish a
presence in these countries will have
to understand cultural norms and
work styles and how they shape the
work environment. A good work
environment addresses the culture
of the group and the humanity of the
individual. It also acknowledges that
some habitat needs are universal.
z Research Summary / 2010
2. Today’s companies have a world of opportunities. The challenge lies in accessing them.
Technology has made it possible for companies to expand into international markets.
But doing so is complex. Companies must consider the impact of local politics and/or
geopolitical issues on the business; cultural issues, e.g., how to overcome differences
in attitude about cost, quality, service, and process; and the integration of local culture
and work styles with corporate standards, e.g., social norms and attitudes about
information sharing.
The combination of the way a company answers the questions raised by the issues
above and the culture (the shared set of conventions, symbols, behaviors, beliefs, and
values) of the country has implications for a company’s workplace. For example, in a
country that values community effort over individual effort, offices might be open (to
ease the exchange of information) and uniform (to reinforce that no person is more
important than another).
Whether these areas are more formal or casual may depend on other cultural aspects,
including the importance of status and whether status is earned or ascribed. How color
and graphic displays are used may relate to whether a culture is neutral and objective
or the expression of emotion is acceptable.
The cultural attitude toward time may also have implications for the facility. If a culture
The cultural attitude feels the past is significant and relevant to the present, the artifacts and graphics will
likely suggest a strong tie to history. The artifacts and graphics of an organization
toward time may focused more on the future might be more provocative and technologically advanced.
These are all things companies need to take into consideration for their facilities outside
also have implications the organization’s home country.
for the facility. Of course, being a global company involves more than just having offices in multiple
countries. Sam Palmisano, president, chairman, and CEO of IBM, has said, “To be truly
global today, a company has to do more than set up sales offices or research facilities
in multiple markets, or send its people on international assignments. You have to engage
at the level of culture, as well as process.” Before a company can engage at the level of
culture, it must first understand the culture of the country in which it’s conducting business.
Given that they are on the cusp of becoming economic contenders, Brazil, Russia,
India, and China (BRIC) and the four cultures they represent (Latin, Eastern European,
Indian, and Asian) are well worth understanding. These countries account for more than
a quarter of the world's land area and more than 40 percent of the world’s population.
They have changed their political systems to embrace global capitalism1, and, as the
fastest growing economies in the world, they are on track to be wealthier than most of
today’s economic powers by 2050.
This paper examines several aspects of the BRIC countries’ culture and economics
and their influence on work styles. The goal of the narrative is to provide insights on
how to engage with the people of these countries as well as on how to design effective
workplaces for them.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 2
3. Brazil
Brazil’s culture is a friendly, open one that easily accommodates many ethnicities. Titles and
the hierarchy they reflect are important in business situations, even though work processes
are often carried out laterally, rather than along a top-down continuum. Relationships
are key.2 Conversations can be lively and are sometimes interspersed with heated
debate, disagreements, and interruption, but it’s all a normal part of cultural expression.3
The Work Environment
The workplace in Brazil is changing. Modern companies are using lower height walls
to promote interaction and increase everyone’s access to daylight. This is true even of
executive areas.
Office life, however, remains hierarchical. How comfortable employees are in communicating
with their supervisors may depend on their education level4 as well as an employee’s
level of security in his position.5 There are certain policies that are set by the government
including work hours from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. While work hours might be adjusted by
mutual agreement between employee and supervisor6, there is still a mandated hour-long
break for employees for lunch.7 Overtime work necessitates overtime pay. Employees
must leave the secured work areas for their lunch break, and their building security
badge tracks their entry and exit. This is important to the corporation given the strict
labor laws; if an employee were to be dismissed and the case brought before the labor
tribunal, the building entry and exit records of the former employee would be evaluated
to study their actual hours worked.
Organizations are expected to provide transportation and meal vouchers8, and this
necessitates building in staging areas for the buses that bring employees from Metro
stations to office buildings as well as restaurants at larger buildings.
Brazil’s largest office building, the recently constructed 1.5 million-square-foot Torre
Santander in Sao Paulo, was purchased by the Banco Santander in 2007 as its
headquarters. It is considered to be the most expensive real estate transaction made in
Brazil to-date at a cost of US $650 million dollars.9 The building has no private offices
and the executives are in an open area separated from one another by glass partitions.
The leadership at the Torre Santander facility begins their day spending a few hours
together at a group table, doing individual and shared work before separating to do
Office standardization their departmental work.10 Medical clinics are required at larger office buildings, and a
full-service office tower such as Torre Santander may have additional services such as
has become more a gym, travel agency, bookstore, hair salon, laundry, movie rental, and retail bank.
Largely, organizations are investing in creating a “great place to work” and also helping
important as offices employees to productively fill their hour-long lunch break.
become modernized. Office standardization has become more important as offices become modernized.
Global organizations may develop or implement standards they have used in other
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 3
4. countries. Given the cost of technology and the expense of moving cabling, emphasis is
placed on creating universal workstation types to support box moves.11 Individual employee
spaces are getting smaller so personalization within the workplace is typically kept to a
minimum. Before moving to the Torre Santander building, employees were disappointed
that their personal items (which included large plants, small refrigerators, etc.) would not
be welcome in the new space. The facilities team allowed employees to bring in small
plants (African violet-size) which solved the employees’ issue, yet kept the environment
neat. They also kept employees informed of the building’s quest for LEED certification,
which gave employees a sense of ownership and responsibility for the building.
With 95.21 million people in the workforce12, Brazilian corporations are concerned about
the attraction and retention of employees. So much that many Brazilian corporations try
to secure a position on the Great Places to Work Institute’s “Best Companies to Work For”
list and use it as a recruiting and retention tool as well as an expression of their positive
corporate culture. The tool evaluates an organization’s communication, quality of management,
and personal development opportunities, among other areas. Most of the large companies
in Brazil participate in the evaluation in hopes of being named to the list.13
Technology use is pervasive in modern Brazilian offices. Throughout the Torre Santander
Technology use is building there are back-to-back standing-height peninsula tables separated by low
walls that have flat-panel monitors and multiple outlets for laptops. These are used for
pervasive in modern small meetings and conference calls; the panel monitors are used for viewing group work.
WiFi is accessible throughout the space to facilitate work anywhere in the building.
Brazilian offices. Managers carry company-paid PDAs, but soon everyone will have access to PDAs or
phones with data, as costs continue to come down.14
· Open office environment: Panel-based evolving toward benching/desking
· Typical workstation size: 5' x 5' to 6' x 6'.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 4
5. · Typical bench size: 5' or 6' x 2.5'
· Panel screen height: 4'
· Private office for middle and senior management
· Increasing ergonomic standards
Russia
Russia has undergone significant changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union,
moving from a globally isolated, centrally planned economy to a more market-based
and globally integrated economy.
Unlike during the Communist rule, when the decisions were in the hands of the party,
business leaders are now making their own decisions and accepting responsibility.
Being too independent, however, is still considered a negative in Russia, where the
community takes precedence over the individual. Historically, many Russians have
practiced communal living and they know how to work and live closely together in small
spaces. They value clever space-savers, such as a narrow buffet that opens up to a
table large enough to seat 12 people.15
Managers prefer to sit in
The Work Environment
private offices that have
Russian business is still largely hierarchical; senior management often makes important
been furnished with business decisions large and small without the involvement of staff. While many senior
managers may not like to give up responsibility, many subordinates fear taking it. Paper
higher quality furniture trails are important, so offices have space to accommodate large quantities of paper
documents and archives. Managers also expect to be able to lock things up, or “seal
rather than sit with the the door” at work.16
general workforce. Managers prefer to sit in private offices that have been furnished with higher quality
furniture rather than sit with the general workforce. In keeping with their hierarchical
work culture, status is important to Russians. Space signifies power and authority, and
many state offices tend to be extravagantly large and ornate.
First impressions and image are also important in Russia.17 “One greets (people)
according to their clothes and says farewell according to their mind” states a Russian
proverb. People enjoy dressing up and tend to be more formal about it. Shoes are
important and workers keep a good pair of shoes in the workplace to wear after they
take their boots off. Russians protect themselves from the elements by dressing in
layers. Consequently, all workplaces have an area where workers can take off and hang
up their outerwear and remove and store boots.18
Russians consider the workplace to be their second home, and just as they would be in
their homes, they are mindful of the comfort of others. Workers feel awkward, for example,
if one colleague is sitting while the other stands. In addition, tea drinking rituals are
conducted in the workplace at certain times. Colleagues leave their desk area to have
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 5
6. tea and chat in a designated space, e.g., a kitchen or café. Finally, many make the work
environment more homey and cheerful with decorative touches and personal artifacts.
There is some technology in the office, but Russia, constrained by its lack of political
There is some and economic liberalization in the early 1990s, was late to embrace the Internet.
Usage is expanding as the middle class grows and stabilizes. Technology is becoming
technology in the more of a home fixture rather than for schools and work. Personal communication and
e-commerce are taking precedence over research and business use. There is some
office, but Russia, indication that new laws will define “extremism” and the government will control what
can be viewed on the Internet. This would be similar to the tightened controls on print
was late to embrace and broadcast media.19
the Internet.
· Local companies prefer desking system solution
· Foreign companies’ workplaces are driven by European work styles
· Hierarchy important
· Paper document and archival storage remain important
· Increased influence by Europe/US A&D firms
India
The old and new collide in India. The 3000-year-old caste system still exists, consisting
of four traditional castes with thousands of subsets that determine one’s social,
historical, and economic fate. Discrimination based on caste is outlawed but caste
remains significant in politics, business, and marriage. In fact, 95 percent of the
population engages in arranged marriages.
Building relationships over time through conversation, hospitality, and loyalty is important
in India. Friendship and kinships have been more important than expertise20, but that
may be changing. Material success and creativity are highly valued. Indian organizations
tend to be more people-driven than process-driven.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 6
7. The Indian culture views time as moving in a circle with the past and present together
with future possibilities. In office settings, this understanding of time translates into
meetings that start roughly, rather than precisely, on time.
The Work Environment
According to T. Surendar writing in Forbes India, by international standards, the Indian
workplace still has a long way to go before the workplace is completely modernized.21
The smaller, more traditional local Indian offices are uncomfortable, poorly designed,
outdated, and not ergonomic.22 They tend to be managed from the top down.
Large, public companies, however, are a different story. With those, the parent company
determines the culture of the company and newer companies in India (IT, telecom,
banking) are much more flexible in their approach to management.23
Some Indian organizations are facing the same workplace struggles as companies in
Some Indian organizations Western countries, namely workspace size and designation and worker mobility. Not all
work happens at a desk, not all meetings take place in meeting rooms, and knowledge
are facing the same workers need a greater variety of settings than those provided by traditional design
solutions. They are realizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that different
workplace struggles types of spaces are needed for different types of workers and activities.
as companies in The typical workstation in India generally consists of a desk/work surface, a storage unit,
and partitions. Lately, several organizations have cut down the personal “me” space by
Western countries, up to 50 percent in an effort to cut costs and boost productivity.24 Other initiatives include
reducing the height of cubicle partitions, opting for more open plans, and eliminating
namely workspace size assigned workspaces altogether. In addition to cutting costs, these strategies encourage
collaboration. Some companies observed that by reducing the height of the panels there
and designation and was an increase in mentoring activities. Lower panel heights allow workers to have
more one-on-one interaction and companies have seen an increase in productivity. Some
worker mobility. companies are using a combination of open and closed areas. The closed areas give
workers some acoustical privacy, as well as the quiet needed for thinking or reading.25
Seeing an opportunity to increase productivity through increased communication,
collaboration, performance and workflow, companies in India are beginning to plan
space according to work patterns rather than hierarchy. Offices are becoming “flat,”
transparent, and open. These changes in workspace can further change the culture.
For example, instead of sitting with his peers on the luxurious directors’ floor, the chief
financial officer of one of India’s largest manufacturing companies preferred to be
seated with the finance department to facilitate decision-making. There is a realization
that good workplace design makes an organization more effective.
As the middle class grows in India and homes become nicer, workers’ expectations of
a nicer workplace are also rising. Companies are starting to think about how they can
use their offices for attraction and retention. Indications are that India is about to see a
wave of property innovations that will bring workplace architecture to global standards.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 7
8. Over the last decade development has been taking place in areas that were once
considered undesirable. This promises to change the office landscape.
India’s technology India’s technology infrastructure is behind other BRIC countries and the Internet penetration
of the population of the country is only 1.7 percent.26 India is forging ahead, however,
infrastructure is behind with software and technology development. It is one of only three countries that make
its own supercomputers and it has the second largest group of software developers
after the U.S.27 Still, some Indian citizens have been left behind. It has been suggested
other BRIC countries that the way in which to address some of India’s biggest societal challenges, including
and the Internet healthcare problems, the shortage of doctors, poverty and the lack of urban jobs for the
uneducated, is through the inward use of low-cost technological innovations.28
penetration of the
population of the country
is only 1.7 percent.
· Evolving toward a more open environment using a blend of panel-based systems
and benching
· Typical sizes: 5' x 5' or 6' x 6' workstations and 5' to 5'4" w x 30" to 32" deep
benching surfaces
· 1 storage pedestal per person
· Some private offices
· Becoming less hierarchical
China
The teachings of the scholar Confucius (551 – 479 BC) have had great influence on
Chinese society. Confucius was particularly interested in the application of morality in
real life. He believed that society is based on a number of (unequal) relationships:
those between a ruler and his subject, a father and his son, an older brother and his
younger brother, a husband and his wife, and, lastly, between friends.29
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 8
9. When these relationships function as they should, there is stability and harmony within
society. Those in superior positions have authority over those below them, and while
their authority should not be questioned, they have the obligation to show kindness and
provide protection to those who pledge their obedience and loyalty to them.
The word in Mandarin for “relationship” is guanxi, the networking, or linking, of two people
in a relationship of mutual dependence. Each party within that relationship can expect
to ask for and receive guidance, help, and favors from the other party. Reciprocity is
integral to the relationship and expected.
While these relationships are helpful in the support they offer, they can also be a
source of great stress. Every decision, action, and communication has to be made
within the context of the relationship, which takes precedence over practically
everything else. In its worst form, guanxi is a source of corruption and misuse of power.
The group is much more important than the individual in China. A person is part of a
number of societal groups: work, family, school, community. Within each group, he or
she has a number of obligations and expected behaviors. The extended family is
considered the cornerstone of society. The Chinese language provides a clue to the
importance of the family as there is a term to describe every single individual relationship
within the entire extended family.30
The Work Environment
Understanding the importance of extended family in China helps one understand
Understanding the dynamics in the traditional Chinese office. The Chinese work environment is like a
family of sorts, with the boss being the patriarch of the company. Employees expect
importance of extended and respect a strong leader and want a very clear structure in the company. They need
to know who is responsible for what, what their personal responsibility is and the exact
family in China helps hierarchical structure of the company. The boss, not the worker, is responsible and
accountable for big decisions. With age comes seniority in the workplace and there is
one understand a certain level of formality within the work environment.
dynamics in the As with all cultures, social relations and trust are important in the workplace. Questions
about age, marital status, children, and salary level are all normal and seen as a part of
traditional Chinese office. getting to know each other. Once they are established, relationships in China are for
life. In fact, developing a friendship and trust is more important than signing the deal.31
The modern Chinese work environment is planned and developed around hierarchy.
Only executives get private offices. The use of American-style panel systems is common
in the Chinese work environment. Because real estate in the major cities is expensive,
the size of the individual workstation is small—5' by 5'. A typical workstation for the
average office worker consists of a main surface with a smaller return and a pedestal
for storage. Lateral files are usually placed in banks alongside workstation clusters and
create corridors and space delineation between departments.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 9
10. There is little privacy. Panel heights are very low so that every one can see each other
Panel heights are very and communicate with others from a seated position. Depending on the company,
supervisors and first level managers will typically get the same type of workstation as
low so that every one the people that report to them and will sit in immediate proximity to them. As people
move up in the hierarchy they will get slightly larger personal spaces with additional
can see each other and privacy and storage options. Below desk privacy and modesty is very important, as
many women wear skirts to work.
communicate with others Many organizations have found that workers don’t often use the return surface provided
from a seated position. in a traditional cubicle-style workstation. That may be one of the reasons behind a recent
trend towards benching in the office. Benching increases density, thus offering lower
real estate costs. Its linear set-up also allows for easier cabling.
Feng shui, or “wind water,” an ancient system developed over 300 years ago in China,
is a way of balancing the energies of any space to assure the health and good fortune
for people inhabiting it. While not everyone embraces it, feng shui is still used in the
placement of, as well as the exterior and interior design of, buildings and office spaces.
When it comes to the interior, the areas where feng shui principles are used most often
are the reception area and the finance department.32
Telecommunications have gone through a real revolution and phenomenal growth in China,
and that, in turn, has been a big impetus for the economic development of the country. The
government fully supports and encourages high-tech innovation to spur further economic
growth and social development in the 21st century. Yet the government continues to
tightly censor the information that is shared with the Chinese public, especially online.
· Open office environment
· Panel based or benching/desking
· Typical workstation size: 5' x 5' to 6' x 6'
· Typical bench size: 5' or 6' by 2.5'
· Panel screen height: 4'
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 10
11. · 1 pedestal per person for storage
· Private office for senior management only
Phylogenetic Design™: Elements that Resonate with All Cultures
While focusing on the unique aspects of the BRIC countries and the differences in their
cultures is useful for the purposes of doing business there, it’s important to remember
that we, as humans, have much in common.
Phylogenetic design recognizes the fact that we are all linked to our human evolutionary
history through our genetic memory. An environment designed phylogenetically
incorporates attributes of natural settings we gravitate towards. Thanks to our ancestors
in the African Savannah, we experience natural landscapes in strategic territorial terms
inherited from those hunter/gatherers. “Prospect territory” offers wide, distant views with
light in the distance and meandering paths. “Refuge territory” refers to small, secure
places that offer visual protection through tree canopies or other coverings—hideaways.
An office that incorporates these attributes of open vistas and protective spaces could
An office that incorporates very well appeal to any worker, regardless of culture. We all feel the need to see what’s
coming, as well as the need to escape. Furthermore, we all enjoy the diversity in nature,
these attributes of open and nature’s invitation to explore and discover. Workspaces that are diverse and invite
discovery also speak to people of all cultures.
vistas and protective
Those attributes relate to our human core. Layered over that core is the culture in which
spaces could very well we live, and to at least some extent, the office reflects the culture. The result is that
while people the world over go to an office, the office doesn’t look or operate the same.
appeal to any worker, Herman Miller did a study of floor plans from around the world. The research showed:
· 36 percent of the international building geometries are curvilinear or angular compared
regardless of culture. to 19 percent of the North American plans.
· 25 percent of the international space planning incorporated organic layouts, in which
furniture is not arranged in rigid rows or clusters, while only 3 percent of the North
American floor plans did.
· Both international (90 percent) and North American (86 percent) plans incorporated
storage outside the workstation.
· The majority of offices outside of North America are traditional private office layouts,
located primarily along the perimeter of the building (54 percent) and having a
freestanding desk in the middle of the room and guest chairs facing the desk. Private
office layouts in North America were primarily u-shaped (52 percent), with systems
furniture along the wall and a return.
· 97 percent of all international floor plans used standardized workstations.
· 70 percent of community space is dedicated to conferencing.
There are many factors that impact how a global workplace is implemented: Cost-value
relationships, government policy and control, technology usage, increased mobility, cost of
real estate, architecture and design influences, as well as cultural realities. Some global
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 11
12. organizations might make decisions about their offices based on corporate culture,
brand, and standards. Other companies may allow local culture to take precedence.
World culture consists of a myriad of ways that life and business can be conducted.
There are no universal answers but there are universal questions, challenges, and
dilemmas. And that is where we need to start.
Brazil Russia India China
Population 196,739,269 (#5) 140,041,247 (#9) 1,156,897,766 (#2) 1,338,612,968 (#1)
Age Structure 0 - 14 yrs: 27% 0 - 14 yrs: 15% 0 - 14 yrs: 31% 0 - 14 yrs: 20%
15 - 64 yrs: 67% 15 - 64 yrs: 72% 15 - 64 yrs: 64% 15 - 64 yrs: 72%
65 yrs and over: 6% 65 yrs and over: 14% 65 yrs and over: 5% 65 yrs and over: 8%
Labor Force Agriculture: 7% Agriculture: 10% Agriculture: 18% Agriculture: 40%
Occupation Industry: 26% Industry: 32% Industry: 20% Industry: 27%
Services: 68% Services: 58% Services: 62% Services: 33%
Median Population Age Total: 29 yrs Total: 38.4 yrs Total: 25.3 yrs Total: 34 yrs
Male: 28 yrs Male: 35 yrs Male: 25 yrs Male: 34 yrs
Female: 29 yrs Female: 42 yrs Female: 26 yrs Female: 35 yrs
GDP Purchasing Power $2.024 trillion (#10) $2.103 trillion (#9) $3.548 trillion (#5) $8.767 trillion (#3)
GDP Per Capita $10,200(#103) $15,200 (#73) $3,100 (#165) $6,500 (#127)
Primary Languages Portugese; also Russian Hindi 41%, Bengali, Telugu, Standard Chinese or
Spoken Spanish, German, Italian, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Mandarin (Putonghua,
Japanese, English Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, based on the Beijing
Punjabi, Assamese, Maithili; dialect), Yue (Cantonese),
English for national, political Wu (Shanghainese),
and commercial conversation Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang,
Gan, Hakka dialects
Internet Users (2008) 65 million (#5) 45.25 million (#8) 81 million (#4) 298 million (#1)
Cell Phone Users (2008) 151 million (#5) 188 million (#4) 427.3 million (#2) 634 million (#1)
Source: CIA World Factbook. 2009 estimates unless noted, percentages rounded. World comparison (#).
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 12
13. Notes
1
Goldman Sachs Global Research. 2003. Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050. Global
Economics Paper No. 99.
2
Social Overview. 2008. Brazil Country Review: 119. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost
(accessed December 23, 2009).
3
Social Overview. 2008. Brazil Country Review: 119. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost
(accessed December 23, 2009).
4
P. Kingstone and T. Power, Democratic Brazil Revisited (Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh
Press, 2008)
5
Interview, Mario Westphalen, Global Facilities, Banco Santander, February 11, 2010.
6
Interview; Roberta deAraujo, January 2010.
7
Interview, Mario Westphalen, Global Facilities, Banco Santander, February 11, 2010.
8
The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited, Country Commerce, 2009.
9
SkyScraperLife. Available at http://www.skyscraperlife.com/projetos/18556-sao-paulo-sp-
torre-sao-paulo-sede-do-santander.html.
10
Interview, Mario Westphalen, Global Facilities, Banco Santander, February 11, 2010.
11
Interview, Mario Westphalen, Global Facilities, Banco Santander, February 11, 2010.
12
CIA World Factbook. Available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
geos/br.html
13
Great Place to Work Institute, Inc. www.greatplacetowork.com
14
Interview, Mario Westphalen, Global Facilities, Banco Santander, February 11, 2010.
15
Email exchange, worker experience in Russia, January 19, 2010
16
Email exchange, worker experienced in Russia, January 19, 2010
17
A. King. Russia—Culture Smart: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture, Kuperard, London, 2008
18
Email exchange, worker experienced in Russia, January, 19, 2010
19
Social Technologies, Global Lifestyles, Russia Online Update, 2008
20
Cultural Dimensions of India http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:G0kS4HgBxjMJ:wehner.tamu.
edu/mgmt.www/B-Bachoo/India.ppt+are+Indians+neutral+or+emotionalpercent3F& cd=1&hl
= en&ct=clnk&gl=us
21
T. Surendar. 2009. Forbes India: Modern India Workplace 2.0. Available at
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/forbes-india-modern-indian-workplace-20/106194-7.html
22
INB Live A Network 18 Venture Forbes India: Modern Indian Workplace 2.0
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/forbes-india-modern-indian-workplace-20/106194-7.html
23
Chilly Breeze Indian Talent, Global Content Work Culture in India
http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/work-culture-India.asp
24
“Workplace design and organizational effectiveness,” IT People Evolve, 2003. Available at
http://www.itpeopleindia.com/20040119/management3.shtml
25
“Does your office workspace allow creative thinking?” The Hindu Online Edition of India’s
National Newspaper, 2009. Available at
http://www.hinduonnet.com/jobs/0912/2009123050010100.htm
26
N. Grihault. Culture Smart India: A Quick Guide to Customs & Etiquette, Graphic Arts Books,
Portland, Oregon, 2006.
27
Buy USA. Gov A US Commercial Service Doing Business in India http://www.buyusa.gov/india/
en/motm.html#_top
28
M. Srivastava. 2010. Bill Gates' Fix for India's Ills: Technology. Business Week.
29
W.S. Morton and C.M. Lewis, “China, its History and Culture,” McGraw-Hill, Inc., Columbus, OH, 2004.
30
R.D. Lewis. “When Cultures Collide, Leading across cultures.” 3rd Edition, Nicholas Brealey
Publishing, London, 2005.
31
I. Abraham and M. Yang, Minyan. Entrepreneurial Success in Shanghai, Twenty Conversations with
Foreign Commercial Entrepreneurs in Shanghai.1st Edition, Foreign Language Press, 2008.
32
R.D. Lewis. “When Cultures Collide, Leading across cultures.” 3rd Edition, Nicholas Brealey
Publishing, London, 2005.
z Culture and Work Styles in the BRIC Countries Research Summary / 13