CULTURAL DIFFERENCES: IS IT A CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESS WORLD?
First and foremost, what are cultural differences? I wrote about it in one of my posts, but I hope that the following joke can help you understand this notion better:
Last month, a world survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was: “Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world.” The survey was a huge failure…
In Africa they didn’t know what “food” meant.
In Eastern Europe they didn’t know what “honest” meant.
In Western Europe they didn’t know what “shortage” meant.
In China they didn’t know what “opinion” meant.
In the Middle East they didn’t know what “solution” meant.
In South America they didn’t know what “please” meant.
And In the US they didn’t know what “the rest of the world” meant.
:) 
Our world faces new challenges in the 21st century. It is becoming increasingly connected and global and the role of international business is increasing. That is why cultural differences will affect us all more and more.
Up to 30% of companies have already admitted that the success of their international activities was deteriorated by cultural differences.
Nevertheless misunderstandings do occur. The following example can be given. This happened to the sales representative who was calling on a client in China. Hoping to make a good impression, the salesperson brought a gift to break the ice, an expensive grandfather clock. Unfortunately, the Chinese client was deeply offended because, in China, giving clocks as gifts is considered bad luck for the recipient.
Such problems arise because we ignore the fact that people from other cultures differ from us in many ways. They are religion and values, ideas of role and status, decision-making customs, attitude toward time, language and manners…
<:3 )~~~
to be continued …