Model of Global Cross-Cultural Entry

Lynne Forbes-Zeller

Pepperdine University

MSOD 618 – Organization Development and Large Scale Change

Dr. Gary Mangifico

 Model of Global Cross-Cultural Entry

I have been conditioned to see the world from my personal and national cultural

contexts. To improve our cross-cultural entry and build cross-cultural relationships, I can start

by looking at the overall history of a country including landscape, current events, time zone,

language/s, currency, business customs and financial markets, religion/s, and artistic

expression. Additionally, identifying what is typical in our cultures and for our international

partners, what is similar and what is different between our cultures. I must be aware of my own

biases and not make assumptions about other cultures. I can use tools such as Hofstede’s

Country Insights framework and refer to a list of websites with cross-cultural information that

Lynne and her team created earlier in the program. Additionally, author Erin Meyer (2014)

offers a tool to assist with this process and recommends individuals study eight categories of

cultural context including communication, evaluating persuading, leading, deciding, trusting,

disagreeing, and scheduling. If I combine both tools (Hofstede and Meyer) to analyze the

cultures at play when interacting, I will have a broader frame of reference to understand each

other and intervene as OD practitioners. Please see appendix 1 for the “Cultural Awareness

Tool for OD Interventions.”

Communicating

To broaden my cross-cultural understanding, I can look at one’s cultural communication

style and compare their style to the American style of communication. Americans are the most

explicit or low-context culture, meaning our statements require little intuitive understanding.

Evaluating
 Americans are in the middle of the spectrum when it comes to giving negative feedback.

It will be helpful to understand where the culture falls in the spectrum of direct versus indirect

negative feedback.

Persuading

Some cultures tend toward deductive arguments, focusing on theories and complex

concepts before presenting a fact, statement, or opinion. Anglo-Saxon cultures tend toward

inductive arguments, starting with focusing first on the practical application before moving to

theory. This trait shows up in everything from how people give presentations or lead meetings

to how they write emails.

Leading

Depending on the culture, there are varying views about how one views leaders. Some

countries are egalitarian, and others are hierarchical. Americans fall in the middle of the

spectrum.

Deciding

Understanding how each culture views leadership and organizational structure is

helpful. For example, Japan has a very hierarchical leadership system; it has a very

consensual decision-making system. They use the ringi system, which involves building

consensus at a lower level before bringing a proposal to a higher level, thus enabling broad

corporate consensus.

Trusting

According to Erin Meyer (2014), Americans do not worry about trusting each other

because they trust their legal system to enforce contracts, and so business negotiations focus

on what is practical. In many emerging market economies, to a lesser extent Western Europe,
personal relationships are much more critical, in part because people do not trust their legal

system to enforce contracts.

Disagreeing

It will be helpful to understand how the culture embraces confrontation and disagreeing,

additionally their view on cultural norms such as “losing or saving-face.”

Scheduling

I have found understanding views about time and deadlines to be very helpful. Different

cultures treat time with more structure or view time as flexible. A structured view would be on

time, less structured would be more flexible with timelines.

References

Hofstede, G. (n.d.) The six dimensions of national culture. Retrieved from

https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/

Lubin, G. (2015). These 8 scales reveal everything you should know about different cultures.

Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-culture-map-8-scales-for-work-

2015-1

Meyer, E. (2014). The culture map: breaking through the invisible boundaries of global

business. First Edition. New York. Public Affairs.

 Appendix 1

The following tool connects Hofstede's 6 Dimensions of National Culture with the eight

categories of Meyer's Country Mapping Tool. When working on interventions or interacting with

a different culture, it will be helpful to look at each of Hofstede's dimensions and how they

relate to Meyer's categories — thus providing a profound perspective and a comprehensive

cultural appreciation during the interaction.

Cultural Awareness Tool

For OD Interventions
• Communicating
• Evaluating
• Leading
• Deciding

+
Power Distance
• Communicating • Evaluating
• Evaluating • Leading
•
•
Trusting
Scheduling
+ + • Deciding
• Trusting
• Persuading • Disagreeing
• Persuading
Country Country
A B

• Evaluating
• Evaluating • Deciding
•
•
Deciding
Disagreeing + + •
•
Disagreeing
Scheduling
• Scheduling • Persuading

Uncertainty Avoidance
+
• Communicating
• Disagreeing
• Trusting
• Scheduling