RESEARCH FOCUS  -  INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT

Culture

Every nation has its own culture and traditions, based on a combination of factors, including:

	History
	Geography
	Politics
	Religion

The results from the combination of factors will be different for each geographical area, nation and its people. This mix is what makes every nation unique. 

The originating nationality and culture of the organisation also influences the way it manages and conducts its business. This leads to preferred ways of working, with regard to:

	Chains of command
	Levels of empowerment
	Organisation structures
	Procedures
	Working methods

The cultural factors can have a significant influence on the organisation and the people that work for the organisation. International participants need to be aware and understand the reasons for these differences. These differences can be used for the benefit of the work, including:

	Introducing new attitudes and approaches to work
	Knowledge of national issues and environments
	Providing a dynamic mixture of new ideas

Likewise, care must be taken to ensure that the different organisations and nations can work together, in harmony. Otherwise cultural and personality clashes may occur, which will have a detrimental effect on the success of the work. Some of the cultural problems encountered when working with other nations include:

	Management styles may appear too dominant, or too remote
	The need to respect national traditions may extend timescales
	Unexpected legal, political, or religious problems can be encountered
	Working methods may appear to be too prescriptive, or to slack

Techniques, such as Spectral Analysis can be used to identify the extent of any differences. They can also be used to help resolve issues that arise from the differences. Click the link to see an overview of Spectra Analysis. 

Related areas within this Research Focus topic,  include:

Language    Resources    Skills     

Additional information is also available on this Research Focus topic, these areas include:

Assessment      Communications      Coordination      Meetings    

Return to the  Introduction  page of this Research Focus topic.