business busine

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VASILE ALECSANDRI NATIONAL COLLEGE

GRADUATION PAPER

COORDINATING TEACHER STUDENT

BALAN STEFANA BALAJ ALEXANDRA


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TABLE OF CONTENT

1.Foreword...3 2. Chapter I : Background to business in Great Britain.43. Chapter II : British business structure.5

1. British manager...5

2. British teams..7

2. 1. Stages of team life...8

4. Chapter III : Business meetings...9

1. International meetings......11

2. 10 Golden rules for International meetings.....14

3. Business and golf..15

5. Chapter IV : British Communication Styles..17

1. Basic etiquette tip..19

2. Women in business21

6. Chapter V : Working across culture..23

1. National business culture..25

7. Conclusions.26

8. Anexes29

9. Bibliography...35


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In the last few decades the intercultural communications field has increasingly gained

importance within politics, trade and commerce. Both international and national

companies are now realising that a clash of cultures can and does have an adverseaffect on business success. This clash takes place both on an international level, with

staff frequently being sent abroad to conduct business and on a domestic level, with

an increasingly diverse and multi-cultural UK workforce. The interdependent, global

and multi-cultural marketplace of the 21st century brings with it new challenges.

So, I believe that it is good to know how to communicate with people of other culture.

In this way it can be reduced the negative impact culture which can have on the

business transactions. With differences in areas such as values, beliefs, norms,

manners and etiquette there is plenty of room for misunderstandings and poor

communication.

If a foreigner were to come to work or conduct business in the UK what areas may

they find different? Let us consider punctuality. Most North American and European

countries are 'clock conscious'. Time is money, being late for an appointment is the

height of bad etiquette and coming in late to work is unprofessional. However, in

many other countries this is not so..

The British can be quite formal and sometimes prefer to work with people and

companies they know or who are known to their associates. The younger generation

however is very different; they do not need long-standing personal relationshipsbefore they do business with people and do not require an intermediary to make

business introductions. Nonetheless, networking and relationship building are often

key to long-term business success.


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I. BACKGROUND TO BUSINESS IN GREAT BRITAIN

As in many other industrialised countries, the last couple of decades have seen a major

restructuring of British industry away from the more traditional heavy engineering and

primary sectors towards the service and high-tech fields. This process has also coincided withradical shifts in approach to management and company structure. Many of the hierarchy and

class issues which were so much a feature of the British industrial landscape have been

replaced by more modern business models - often heavily influenced by US thinking.

Generalisation, rather than specialisation, tends to typify the British approach - with less merit

being placed on pure technical ability than in some other countries. Some commentators have

quoted this tendency as one of the reasons for the demise of manufacturing in the UK over the

last three decades.

Nowadays, business people are looking for long term plans for their future activities. They

have to anticipate the competitors activities as well as trends in the general social and

economic environment. They have to be ready to respond to changes in society and changes

in the economy, as a whole. At the same time, business people avoid to operate in politically

unstable countries. They may be accused of working with governments which people do not

approve of. They have to think about the impact of this terms of their reputation.

II. BRITISH BUSINESS STRUCTURE.

II. 1. BRITISH MANAGERS

II. 2. BRITISH TEAMS. II. 3. STAGES OF TEAM LIFE

The board of directors is the real power broker of a British company with all key decisions

being made at this level. All plc's (quoted companies) must have at least two directors

who are appointed by and accountable to the shareholders. The chairperson or the CEO

leads the board.

Many of the UK's larger companies have 'non-executive' directors who act as outside,

impartial experts, as well as often providing links with government and the civil service.

This usage of 'non-executive' directors has some parallels with the continental European

two-tier system of senior management but is not as all-pervasive and 'non-execs' can be

resented by the executive directors.

Although traditionally hierarchical in structure, many British firms have moved


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towards a flatter, less bureaucratic approach. This has also resulted in a certain

lack of shape, with boundaries and responsibilities being blurred. It can be difficult

to get a clear picture of the structure of a British company, with even employees

being unclear as to the exact remit of their jobs. As a result, job descriptions tend

to be somewhat vague and imprecise with little clear guidance on specific tasks to

be undertaken.

II.1. BRITISH MANAGERS

Much more emphasis is placed on the man-management skills needed to produce the best

results from the team. A manager is expected to have the interpersonal skills to meld a team

together and it is this ability as a 'fixer' which is highly regarded. Modern managers often

want to appear as a primus inter pares, cultivating a close, often humorous and overtly soft

relationship with subordinates. This seeming closeness should not, however, be mistaken for

weakness on the part of the boss - when difficult decisions need to be taken, they will be

taken.

The British find it difficult to be direct and British managers often give instructions to

subordinates in a very indirect way, preferring to request assistance than to be explicit. This

use of language can be very confusing for the non-British .

British managers are looking for discovering new ways of improving their managerial skills.

Many of them read books about how to become a better manager. Business and professional

development are the most lucrative area of publishing after fiction.


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Traditionally, the model for leadership in business has been the army.Managers and

army officers give orders and their subordinates carry them out. Managers, like army

officers, may be sent on leadership courses to develop their leadership skills, their

ability to lead. But they still need a basic flair or talent for leadership. The greatest

leaders have charisma, an attractive quality that makes other people admire them. A

leader may be described as a visionary, someone with the power to see clearly how

things are going to be in the future. People often say leaders have drive, dynamismand energy.

II.2. BRITISH TEAMS

The British like decisions to be made in a team environment and a good manager will work

hard to ensure 'buy-in1 from his or her team. The team environment aspires to being friendly

and companionable with individuals within the team being seen to be supportive and helpfulof each other. If, however, something goes wrong, it is not uncommon for the team to look for

an individual within the team to blame. ('Blame culture' is something that seems to permeate

working life and many organisations work hard to try to change this type of mentality.)

Team members often bring with them into the team a certain level of specialisation, but are

expected to take a generalist view of the project and their role within the project team. Being

seen as a 'good all-rounder' is definitely positive.

There are some types of team members ot team player:

1A situation in which the managers buys some or all of the shares in a company that they do not work for it

(According to Macmillan Dictionary)


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a. The implementer, who converts the teams plan into something achievable

b. The co-ordinator,a confident member who sets objectives and defines team members

roles

c. The shaper, who defines issues, shapes ideas and leads the action

d. The plant, a creative and imaginator person

e. The resource investigator, who communicates with the outside world and explores

opportunitiesf. The monitor evaluator, who sees all the possibilities,evaluates situations, and sees

what is realistically, achievable

g. The teamworker, who builds the team, supports other and reduces conflict

h. The complementer, who meets deadlines, correct mistakes and makes sure nothing is

forgotten.

There are some aspects of team work which can give positive satisfaction to those who

worked in the team: achievement (the feeling that you have been successful in reachinh the

goals), recognition(the feeling that your employers understand and value what the emplyees

did by giving positive feedback), the work itself (the nature and interest of the job),

responsability (when you are in charge of something and its success or failure), advancement

(how far an employee will be promoted in the organisation; how far an employee will go upthe career ladder), personal grow (how you develop personality in the emplyees work, and

his opportunities to do this).

III. BUSINESS MEETINGS

III. 1. INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS. 2. 10 GLODEN RULES

III. 3. BUSINESS AND GOLF


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III. BUSINESS MEETINGS

One thing that can be said of meetings in the UK is that they are frequent. They are often also

inconclusive, with the decision of the meeting being that another meeting should be held. The

British themselves often complain about the frequency and length of meetings they must

attend.

In comparison with many other cultures, relatively little preparation is done for meetings

(with the exception of client-facing meetings). This is because meetings are often viewed as

the forum for the open debate of an issue and that, during that open debate, a route forward

will be found. When the route forward is agreed, then the detailed work schedule will be

implemented. Being 'over-prepared' for meetings in the UK can result in certain negative

feelings towards those who have prepared in advance. "There is no point having a meeting

with the Germans (for example) because they have already decided the outcome prior to the

meeting."

The British consider themselves to be punctual, but when pressed will admit to rarely arriving

on time. It is now fairly common for people to arrive five to ten minutes late for meetings.


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How meetings are conducted is often determined by the composition of people attending: If

everyone is at the same level, there is generally a free flow of ideas and opinions. If there is a

senior ranking person in the room, that person will do most of the speaking. If you make a

presentation, avoid making exaggerated claims.Make certain your presentation and any

materials provided appear professional and well thought out. Maintain eye contact and a few

feet of personal space. After a meeting, send a letter summarizing what was decided and the

next steps to be taken.

Meetings come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some types:

a. Chat (informal discussion) with colleagues at the coffee machine

b. Brainstorming2 among colleagues: where as many ideas as possible are

produced quickly, to be evaluated later

c. Project meeting\ team meeting of employees involved in a particular activity

d. Department meeting

e. Meeting with suppliers, for example to negociate prices for an order

f. Meeting with a customer, for example to discuss a contract

g. Board meeting: an official, formal meeting of a companys directors

h. Anual General Meeting (AGM) where shareholders discuss the companys

annual report

i. EGM: extraordinary general meeting: a shareholders meeting to discuss an

important issue such as a proposed merger.

2A way of developing new ideas, through a discussion in which several people make lots of suggestions and the

best ones are chosen


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III.1. INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

One of the key tasks of any leader working with an international team is to ensure that

meetings are viewed as effective, clear and must attend sessions.However, many virtual

team meetings can all too often be seen as unproductive, confusing and a waste of time.There

is a need to focus on each of the core elements of the meeting and plan each element with care

and attention: pre-meeting planning, use of agenda, the role of chairperson, ensure a total

team environment, following-up after the meeting.

An international meeting must be held by a good chairperson and a good organizer. What they

do before the meeting is as important as the meeting itself.They should make sure the agenda

is complete by asking those involved what should be on it and then circulating (distribuing) it

to everyone concerned. They should check the venue, making sure the room will be free,

without interruption, until the end of the meeting.

The chairperson shoul be a good timekeper. They should start the meeting on time, without

waiting for latecomers. They should appoint a minute-taker to take the minutes, making sure

that opinions and action points (where participants agree to do something) are noted. They

must make sure each point on the agenda is allocated the time it deserves and should keep to

the timetable. When the time is allocated to one point is up, the chair should make sure that

discussion moves on to the next point, even if the issue has not been completely covered or

resolved (decided).The chairperson must ensure that each participant has the chance to make

their point, and shoul deal tactfully with disagreements, making sure that each side feels their


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point of view has been noted. They shoul also try to avoid digressions, where people get off

the point. Finally, they should ensure the meeting finishes on time, or early.

After some meetings, it is necessary for the minutes to be circulated, especially if there are

action points that particular people are responsible for. At the next meeting, the chair should

ask for the minutes to be read out and see if all agree: that it is an accurate record of what

happen, and see if there are any matters arising (any points from the last meeting that need to

be discussed). And they should check what progress has been made on the action points from

the previous meeting.

IV. BRITISH COMMUNICATION STYLES. 1. BASIC ETIQUETTETIP

IV. 2 . WOMEN IN BUSINESS

IV. BRITISH COMMUNICATION STYLES

The British are very reserved and private people. Privacy is extremely important. The British

will not necessarily give you a tour of their home and, in fact, may keep most doors closed.

They expect others to respect their privacy. This extends to not asking personal questions. The

question, Where are you from? may be viewed as an attempt to place the person on the

social or class scale. Even close friends do not ask pointedly personal questions, particularly

pertaining to ones financial situation or relationships. Shaking hands is considered the polite

way to greet someone you have just been introduced to and you will often hear people say

How do you do, to which an appropriate reply is also How do you do. A less formal

greeting is How are you? and the usual answer is Im fine, thank you. And you?


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There is a proper way to act in most situations and the British are sticklers for adherence to

protocol. The British are a bit more contained in their body language and hand gestures while

speaking. They are generally more distant and reserved than North and South Americans and

Southern Europeans, and may not initially appear to be as open or friendly. Friendships take

longer to build; however, once established they tend to be deep and may last over time and

distance.

The British have an interesting mix of communication styles encompassing both

understatement and direct communication. Many older businesspeople or those from the

'upper class' rely heavily upon formal use of established protocol. Most British are masters of

understatement and do not use effusive language. If anything, they have a marked tendency to

qualify their statements with such as 'perhaps' or 'it could be'. When communicating with

people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If

communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although

they will still be reserved.

1.BASIC ETIQUETTE3 TIP

3A set of rules for behaviour correctly in a particular profession


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Business Dress

Business attire is conservative.

Men should wear a dark coloured, conservative business suit.

Women should wear either a business suit or a conservative dress.

Greetings

Shake hands with everyone at a meeting upon arrival.

Maintain eye contact during the greeting.

Titles

Only medical doctors and the clergy use their professional or academic titles in Business.

Most people use the courtesy titles or Mr, Mrs or Miss and their surname. (Mr and Mrs are

words in the United Kingdom and do not require a period after them as they are not

abbreviations.) .

Wait until invited before moving to a first-name basis. People under the age of 35 may make

this move more rapidly than older British.

Business Cards

Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual.

The business card may be put away with only a cursory glance.

Business Gifts

Business gift giving is not part of the business culture. If you choose to give a gift, make certain it is small and tasteful.

Good gifts include desk accessories, a paperweight with your company logo, or a book

about your home country.


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IV.2. WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Women make up a large percentage of the workforce - almost 50% - but are often found in

low paid and part-time jobs. Statistics show that women are, on the whole, still paid less for

performing the same tasks as male colleagues.

On the other hand, women are more frequently found in managerial positions than in most

other European countries and more and more women are reaching the very highest echelonsof British business life. More female managers will be found in service and hi-tech industries 4

than in the more traditional engineering sectors - this is largely due to the small number of

women in the UK who graduate with technical degrees.

4The industry uses the technology that invloves the most modern or advanced methods, especially electronic

equipment and computers


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Women still face too many barriers to realising their full potential.Angela Merkel, the German

chancellor, has pointed to womens under-representation in top jobs, arguing that this must be

corrected to help Europe become the worlds most dynamic economy. In the UK, a

government-appointed commission on women and work has reported that the country could

gain 23bnor 2% of gross domestic product (GDP)5by better harnessing womens skills.

Many women are working, day-in, day-out, far below their abilities and this waste oftalent is a national outrage at a time when the UK is facing some of its strongestcompetition from around the globe, said Baroness Margaret Prosser, who chairedthe commision.

Why Women Mean Business takes these powerful economic arguments for changeto the heart of the corporate world. We analyse the opportunities open to companieswhich really understand what motivates women in the workplace and themarketplace. We explain the impact of national cultures on womens participation inthe labour force. We show how corporate policies that make women welcome willhelp business respond to the challenge of an ageing workforce and the demands ofthe next generation of knowledge workers. We examine why many of the currentapproaches to gender have not worked and why we need a new perspective: onethat sees women not as a problem but as a solution and that treats them not as a

2the total value of the goods and services that a country produces every year, not including income received

from money invested in other countries


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mythical minority but as full partners in leadership. With the new perspective, we offercompanies and managers a step-by-step guide on how to integrate womensuccessfully into their growth strategies.

Gender is a business issue, not a womens issue. The underuse of womens talent has an

impact on the bottom line6. Taking action to address this will require sustained courage and

conviction from todays corporate leadership. This is an oppotunity that must not be missed.

V. WORKING ACROSS CULTURE

1. NATIONAL BUSINESS CULTURE

V. WORKING ACROSS CULTURE

Culture is the way how things are in done in a place. Place may be a country, an area, a

social class or an organization such as a company or a school.

The single most unique challenge of globalization is managing the myriad work andmanagement styles companies face across geographies, businesses, functions and projects.

When global work styles clash, organizations can become dysfunctional and productivity can

suffer. These clashes can cause social distance, which results in lower performance and lostrevenues. Managers who are attuned to global work style differences can develop effective

strategies to minimize the risks and maximize the opportunities present in the global

marketplace.

A global leader is one who can effectively lead and manage organizations and teams across

multiple geographies and cultures. This course focuses on the mindset and the competencies

required to leverage cultural and geographical diversity to create global competitive

advantage.

There are some issues that you must take into consideration when you are workingacross culture. You need to pay attention to each point, unless you wan to clinch thedeal!

Develop an awareness of the cultural differences between your own culture andtarget cultures

Understand cultures influence on behaviors and expectations and how culturaldifferences impact your business

6The amount of money that a business makes or loses


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Understand why cultural differences cannot be ignored and why cultural training isa MUST HAVE not just nice to have

Gain practical skills in cross cultural communication and teamwork

Understand global communication styles and why companies site communicationbreakdown and misunderstanding as a major problem

Learn how to develop communication strategies and how to communicateeffectively through technology

Working with people from other cultures brings both massive challenges and massive

rewards. You will find below some of the key issues to bear in mind when working in a

culturally diverse environment. Above all remember to keep an open mind at all times

Cultural programming:

The place of birth and childhood influences can have a major impact on your

approach to work and business later in life.

We are all programmed to behave in a certain way and to respond to issues

differently.

Very few people are ever able to shake off this early programming and it is vital thatyou acknowledge and recognize that you have a certain culturalstyle which may

seem alien to other nationalities.

It is as important that you understand your own cultural approach as it is to

understand the approach of others.

Deference and distance may be shown in language. Some languages have many

forms of address that you use to indicate how familiar you are with someone. English

only has one form, you, but distance may be shown in other ways, for exaple, in

whether first names or surnames are used.

In English-speaking business world, people use first names, even with people they

do not know very well. Butif you are not sure, use Mr and the family name for men,

and Mrs or Miss and the family name for women, depending on whether they are

married or not. Ms often replaces Mrs or Mss.


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CONCLUSIONS

These are some brief examples of business culture that a foreigner may need to

understand before working with the British. If a person came to the UK and was

unaware of such issues they may very well be misunderstood if they were constantly

late, never contributed in meetings or did not join in with office banter. We need to be

able to minimise the negative impact of intercultural differences.

Far from wanting to stereotype nationalities and offer definitive, concrete definitions

of their culture and society, intercultural awareness training offers a framework that

can act as a safety net for those dealing with different cultures by offering guidelines

and boundaries in order to minimise the negative impact of intercultural differences.

Culture is the residue of past group success (in that the group has proven durable)

stored in the form of collective assumptions, or mental models that are

unquestionably accepted as representing reality. Groups tend to hold onto those

things that have worked for them in the past, and over time, we come to pass those

on to new generations as part of their heritage, a gift of our representation of how

things work. This representation gains status with repetition, until it is so tightly held it

is not something we question.

The business setting can be seen as a microcosm of the broader community withrespect to culture. Each business develops its own unique culture with the passageof time. One of the things I would like to accomplish is to have adaptableorganizations, but often the organizational culture stands in opposition to the changenecessary in adapting to the rapidly-changing business environment. When this is thecase, managers generally would like to change the organizational culture. However,such change is difficult, because cultures are generally very stable. A culture is hardto alter, and particularly so in groups that have long standing, because a culturerepresents the accumulated learning about how to think, feel and perceive the worldthat has contributed to the durability of the group.

How many of us really understand why we think in certain ways, or perhaps evenwhat we think? What are the roots of your feelings? Do you walk through daily lifeanalyzing the origins of your perceptions of other people and the environment? Ingeneral, most of us spend relatively little time in such pursuits. We simply acceptwhat we learned long ago as proper and proceed.

It is the very nature of our tacit acceptance of our cultural heritage that the important parts of

culture that drive our behavior, be the culture national, ethnic or organizational, are not easily

discerned. The shared mental models that rest at the fundament of our cultural immersion are

taken for granted, leading to behavior that may appear aberrant if viewed by someone from

outside our culture.


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It is only through awareness, an awareness that may come about only as individualsand groups learn to spend time in deep reflective exploration of how they think, thatwe can begin.


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ANEXES

BILL GATES- 58.0 $ BILLION


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CARLOS SLIM HELU- 60.6 $ BILLION


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LI KA SHING- 26.5 $BILLONS


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WARREN BUFFET- 62.0 $ BILLIONS


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MARTHA STEWART- 16.6 $ BILLIONS


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1. Champy James, Engineeringthe Corporation: A manifesto forbusiness,

Brealy Nicholas, 2001

2. Emerson Paul, BusinessEnglish. The whole of business in onebook,Macmillan, 2007.

3. Mascull Bill, Business vocabulary in use, Cambridge University Press,

2002

4. Mascull Bill, Business vocabulary in use, Advanced, Cambridge

Univeristy Press, 2002

5. http://www.carol.co.uk

6. http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=CASE%20

STUDIES&itemId=1075070236

7. http://www.businesslink.gov.uk
http://www.carol.co.uk/http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=CASE%20STUDIES&itemId=1075070236http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=CASE%20STUDIES&itemId=1075070236http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=CASE%20STUDIES&itemId=1075070236http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=CASE%20STUDIES&itemId=1075070236http://www.carol.co.uk/


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