American Business Culture

The American Experience and Value System Personal Qualities Communication Protocol Mores and Morality The Business Climate

American Business Culture

Political Correctness Employer-Employee Relations Salary and Benefits Socializing Negotiations

The American Experience

Searching for the American Dream

Dislike of centralized systems which limited personal development The importance of success

Material success as a measure of personal development: U.S. consumer debt: $14 trillion Success is individualindividualism vs. feudalism The emphasis on initiative vs. govt intervention

Indvidualism: Positives and Negatives

Creates a need to perform because people are evaluated & rewarded on individual performance.
Make you customer a performeryou will save your company X $ and increase its latteral communication. Remember the strain and worry that Americans are under.

Indvidualism: Positives and Negatives

Self-improvement maniaAmericans want to be better so show them how your product will make them seem better. The negatives include the feeling that failure is individual inspite of the fact that often it is the result of circumstancesespecially today.

Positive Thinking

Positive thoughts are rewarded and negative thoughts often penalized.

Americans can fail to see the situation in a critical light and over-estimate what they are capable ofespecially since individual performance is the basis of their survival. Analysis/criticism can be viewed as negativism. Thus self-deception can result.

Positive Thinking

A contradiction given the present situation

The American economy is in shanbles, 7 million jobs have been lost and Americans are worried about losing their job. Yet they are expected to be positive, which may help them keep their jobs, while their situation is the opposite.

Positive Aspects of American Business

Relatively limited government regulationpro business orientation Favorable tax structure Access to venture capitalpro risk Can-do spirit which encourages entrepreneurship Huge consumption-oriented market

The Mood in the U.S.

Main St.
Desparation: loss of jobs, homes, homelessness The greatest fear: loss of job, home and health insurance Rising anger against Wall St. Nickle and Dimed A state of denial

Negative Aspects of American Business Culture

Tremendous pressure Job insecurity Highly competitiveSwim with the Sharks without being eaten alive Short term thinking Hype Wall St. mentalityquick profits, little responsibility, gambling, moral hazard.

Personal Qualities
Assertiveness Loyaltyin spite of job insecurity Corporate downsizers fire 1/3 of staff Team player--informative Outgoingsociable & enthusiastic Confidence Toughness, drive & dedication

Communication Style

Informal
First names and nick names Joking and bantering (one-upsmanship) Extrovert behavior (highly respected) Uncomfortable with silencethe Japanese weapon

Time is money--be brief Conflict and confrontation accepted Exhibit confidencehype?

Protocol
Dress--formal in business, informal socially Time--punctual in business, 20 minute rule socially Limited gift giving (Christmas) Achievement based respect, not seniority Not as rigid rules as Asia and perhaps Europe

Mores and Morality

The importance of religious affiliation

2/3 go to church regularly Churches and civic organizations are meeting places for making connections

Puritan tradition-- Sexual modesty (at least publicly) is a must You must appear to be moral, but morality does not always extend to business dealings--i.e. Enron, Tyco, etc.

Morality?

Stock options and huge salaries

300 times the average worker-$12 million is the average for C.E.O.s in Fortune 500 In order to justify these, C.E.O.s are tempted to cook the books. 1970-2000 over 700 companies were caught doing this aided by auditors. Billions of $ have been stolen from the publicemployees and stockholders

The New Religion

Positive thinking and attactions

Mass churches where the congregation is motivated rather than preached the gospel. The message is thinking positively and God will reward you.

I believe God wants to give us nice things. Think like God. Think big. Think increase. Think abundance. Think more than enough. Corporate religion, religious corporations.

Political Correctness

Conservative and distrust of social democracy

Life is a jungle, creates initiative Best not to tout the value of social democracy

Harassment is the kiss of death Avoid discussing politics Labor relations--union membership is frowned upon: Walmart

Salaries and Benefits

Paid vacations--2-3 weeks 50 hour week not uncommon Unpaid overtime for managers Meritocracy, not seniority

Never ask about ones salary

Health insurance--must be negotiated Most benefits must be negotiated--no free lunch

Socializing
Voluntary organizations are often meeting places Americans are joiners--Rotary Club, etc. Gentleman sports--tennis, squash, golf, hunting, alpine skiing are meeting places Smoking is frowned upon Expected to adapt to American values

Topics of Conversation
Sportsknow the situation of the local teams. TV programs American accomplishments

Both as a nation and the accomplishments of the company with which youre dealing

Find common interestshobbies

Get them talking about what they are in to

Taxes in Norwaytheyll love it

Topics of Conversation
Avoid mentioning the Norwegian social welfare system and that Norway is #1 on the UN human development index and that the U.S. is #13. Avoid mentioning health care reform and how popular Obama is in Europe

In fact just avoid political issues, regulation & collective governmental responsibility.

Negotiating
Tough negotiators High/Low balling is common Keep your bottom line a secret

Your opponent will be looking for it

Americans may promise more than they can deliver

A result of high expectations Hype is common

Employer--Employee Relations

Short-term thinking
The quarterly report The basis of fat bonuses for execs

Layoffs and firings

Increases stock value Creates a loyalty dilemma

No job security, no loyalty Its a jungle out there

Informality does not mean concern

E-E Relations Continued

Teamworking is important
Requires good communication skills and information sharing

Bosses can be tough and demanding, but performance is rewarded

You must showcase yourself to be promoted

Teamworking and competition for promotion--a contradiction?

Norwegians (Europeans?) Perception of Americans

Loud NaveOptimism vs. skepticism? Assertive/boastful Open Friendly Superficial/uniformed