Reference no: EM132280974 , Length: 3000 Words

Cross Cultural Relations Management Assignment - Report and Presentation

Task and Objective: Develop a global expansion advancement plan.

Due to your success in the UAE, the organization is selling widgets and plans to begin global distribution. Based on an analysis from the Marketing Department, your company is planning on expanding the business outside the UAE (expansion on a non-Arab country). Your aim is to provide a comprehensive report to the CEO that fully details the steps to enter the markets listed above. Unfortunately, your CEO has no knowledge of the business culture in the new country and its respective cities. Overall, the report to the CEO requires focus on your understanding of culture in the countries targeted for this step and your guidance can mean the difference between success and failure. You need to inform the CEO of the capabilities of the managers and workers. Are they compatible with the aggressive expansion goals of Widgets Incorporated?

Part One - Opening:

Present an opening statement that emphasizes the benefits of this expansion (the need for this expansion) and why you feel your chosen countries are deserving of further analysis.

Carry out a cultural comparison among the countries using Hofstede's OR Trompenaar's research from Chapter 4 to justify your findings.

Part Two - Challenges:

Provide the CEO with a detailed list of two challenges that are you expecting to face during the expansion into this country. As this is the first time your company ventures into a foreign market, make sure that you explain in details these challenges and why you are expecting to face them.

Part Three - Communications:

Communication is an essential and a critical component in the success of the operations. Communication styles vary from one culture to another and hence could create misunderstanding and a lot of conflicts.

Start by explaining to the CEO, the different style of communications as he is only used to the communication style in the UAE. Do not just explain these style; however, you need to emphasize the elements of effective cross cultural communication styles.

Furthermore, explain two barriers that could hinder communication.

The CEO is also expecting you to include two critical recommendations for effective communication in your report to help in reducing failures.

Part Four - Negotiations:

As the CEO and his team of managers are used to negotiating in the UAE, he has asked you to prepare a report on the cultural differences present in the country of expansion that could affect negotiations. In this essential part of the report on the country of choice, he would like you to provide him with the following:

A. The most important point that should be taken into consideration when negotiating to avoid any failure.

B. Two (2) vital tactics recommendations when negotiating in the international markets. Ensure that you don't only list these recommendations, but to explain these as those who will be carrying out the negotiations might be new to this role.

C. To complete this part of the report, attach a document with the steps that lead to efficient and effective international business negotiations that is based on the chosen countries.

Part Five - Motivation:

Provide your detailed analysis of the motivation levels of managers and workers in the country of expansion. Is their motivation intrinsic, extrinsic or a combination? Your team needs to determine an accurate assessment of each representative of the country of expansion.

Maslow's Hierarchy- Of course, no study about culture is complete without the world famous Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. In your response, your team will need to provide a breakdown of basic needs in each of the country of expansion. What can Widgets Incorporated specifically do to support managers and workers in each of the country of expansion to satisfy the needs of Maslow's model? Each of the five stages needs to be broken down into equal parts before a summary can be completed for your CEO.

OR

Herzberg's Two Factor Theory- Your team will need to provide a chart which describes your breakdown and analysis the motivators and hygiene factors within this theory. According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are "separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction." Therefore, if you set about eliminating dissatisfying job factors you may create peace, but not necessarily enhance performance. In your response, include this theory in your report to the CEO as well as a bar graph which details your findings.

Part Six - Leadership:

Understanding the fundamentals of leadership is important to the expansion efforts of Widgets Incorporated. Your team is responsible for the breakdown, analysis and recommendations to the CEO. It is important to relate the theories to each set of managers in the country of expansion. Otherwise, the CEO will not adequately understand if the management team in the UAE has the ability to have a respectful, productive and ultimately, profitable working relationship with the managers representing the country. Overall, you are expected to describe the basic philosophic foundation and styles of managerial leadership, examine the attitudes of the UAE and the country's managers toward leadership practices and to compare and contrast leadership styles.

Theories X, Y and Z-Douglas McGregor's theory is famous and looks at how a manager's perceptions of what motivates his or her team members affects the way he or she behaves. By understanding how your assumptions about employees' motivation can influence your management style, you can adapt your approach appropriately, and so manage people more effectively. Your management style is strongly influenced by your beliefs and assumptions about what motivates members of your team: If you believe that team members dislike work, you will tend towards an authoritarian style of management; On the other hand, if you assume that employees take pride in doing a good job, you will tend to adopt a more participative style.

Your team will need to provide evidence to prove the internal managers in the UAE as well as the managers in the country of expansion compatible based on McGregor's Theory X, Y and Z.

Part Seven - Findings and Recommendations:

The personal commitment of executive and managerial teams is a must. Through your research, inform the CEO of challenges or other issues that may limit the success of Widgets expansion. In your response, remember to include possible solutions to any problems discovered by your team. Provide a path for the CEO to understand how to manage and navigate through the encounters with the foreign partners so the best decisions can be made for overall success.