Reading review 2

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multinational company adapting its management methods to the local culture in each country in which it operates3. People of influence or im

READING 4: MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES

PRE-READING TASKS

Section 1: Discussion

1 What is a multinational company? Can you tell the names of some multinational companies?

2 What is culture? What are the elements of culture?

3 Can you give some examples of differences in business cultures?

4 Why should managers take cross-cultural management into consideration?

5 What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multinational company adapting its management methods to the local culture in each country in which it operates?

6 In Vietnam, what gains respect within an organization, long service or achievements?

7 Can a young, dynamic aggressive manager with an MBA rise quickly in the hierarchy?

Section 2: Vocabulary Preparation

 Match the words in the box with the definitions below

Collectivist compromise confrontation connections eye contact glocalization Improvise interrupt intuition logic lose face status

1 An invented word combining worldwide and regional concerns

2 Thought based on reason and judgement rather than feelings and emotions

3 A face-to-face disagreement or argument

4 Reducing demands or changing opinions in order to agree

5 Understanding or knowing without consciously using reason

6 People of influence or importance with whom you are associated

7 To do something when necessary without having already planned it

8 Respect, prestige or importance given to someone

9 Believing that the group is more important than the individual

10 To be humiliated or disrespected in public

11 To cut into someone else’s turn to speak

12 Looking directly at the people you are talking or listening to

 Fill in each gap with a suitable preposition

1 The conflict _ globalization and localization has led to the invention of the word “glocalization”

2 Were you successful persuading him to change his mind?

3 Children need to be aware the danger of taking drugs

4 A good manager is one who always makes plans advance

5 Businesspeople in Britain, the USA and Germany believe _ respecting rules, regulations and contracts

6 Multi-active cultures in Southern Europe, Latin America and Africa attach more importance emotions, intuition, and relationships

7 People in multi-active cultures are good changing plans

8 According to universalists, rules should be applied _ everybody

9 People in linear-cultures are not afraid _ confrontation

10 People in multi-active cultures often like to do many things once

PART 3: WHILE-READING TASKS

 Comprehension Questions

1 Why is it important for companies to be aware of local cultures?

………

………

2 What are the differences between individualists and collectivists?

………

………

3 Who is more likely to think: “I’ll let them speak first.”?

………

………

4 Who is more likely to say, about other people: “They can’t be trusted because they will always help their friends or family” – universalists or particularists?

………

………

5 Who is more likely to say: “Oh, you can’t trust them, they wouldn’t even help a friend?

………

………

6 Look at the Lewis Model What are the implications of each color (blue, red, yellow)?

 Check your understanding

Which type of culture do these people belong to - linear- active (L), multi-active (M) or reactive (R)?

1 They are punctual

2 They are emotional

3 They are unemotional

4 They often change plans

5 They plan ahead step by step

6 They are flexible

7 They are people- oriented

8 They are task-oriented

9 They like to do only one thing at a time

10 They like to do several things at once

11 They are impatient

12 They are patient, but sometimes impatient

13 They react to partner’s actions

14 They do not talk too much

15 They avoid offending and upsetting people

16 They often interrupt speakers

17 They do not interrupt speakers

18 They consider relationships as important issues

19 They give great value to face

20 They always take rules/ regulations into account

21 They do not like to look at each other in communication

22 They listen rather than speak

 What does each of the underlined parts refer to?

1 “ if it required only one set of corporate objectives, goals, policies “ (Para 2)

2 “They are essentially individualist” (Para 3)

 Find words & expressions with the following meanings:

1 Based on reasons rather than emotions

2 Take priority

3 Create or devise a plan/ a strategy

4 Reach an agreement with mutual concession

PART 4: POST-READING TASKS

 Speaking Practice

1 Among the three types of culture, which one do you think Vietnamese people belong to?

2 Which type are you typical of? Why?

 Vocabulary Review - New Context.

Fill in each blank with a suitable word given in the box

Rational – confronted – principles – belief – precedence – inventions – formulate –

eye contact - improvise - compromise – globalization – behavior - emotionally –

aware - intuitions - regulations - represents - reacts – in advance

1 is the process of making something such as a business operate in a lot of different countries all around the world

2 The _ of Management are the essential, underlying factors that form the foundations of successful management

3 He was highly motivated by his own in the value of hard work

4 There is no doubt that our lives would be very different without the of

Thomas Alva Edison

5 Students are required to give _ explanations in their assignments

6 Can you explain what the bar chart ……… ?

7 Nursing is an _ and physically demanding job

8 To _ is to make a deal between different parties where each party gives up part of their demand

9 Have you ever been by a hostile, angry person?

10 What do you think about a society where money takes over everything?