the new social dynamics of a globalized brazil: a … · a foreign outlook on this multicultural...

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©Society for Business Research Promotion | 1

THE NEW SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF A GLOBALIZED BRAZIL: A Foreign Outlook on This Multicultural Environment

ALMEIDA, Neide Lúcia de Oliveira

Address: Rua Santo Eduardo s/n Cond. Green Park, 309 – Itaipu

City: Niterói – State: Rio de Janeiro – ZIP code: 24.355.240 – Country: Brazil

E-mail: [email protected]

KIRSCHNER, Ana Maria

Address: Rua Santo Eduardo s/n Cond. Green Park, 309 – Itaipu

City: Niterói – State: Rio de Janeiro – ZIP code: 24.355.240 – Country: Brazil

E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT Multiculturalism is a matter of crucial importance for internationalized corporate managers, among which, those with the purpose of expanding their markets, or those which keep a foreign market in their functional charts. The purpose of this article is to focus on the foreign outlook on the work environment, in a more globalized Brazil. With reference to a questionnaire given to foreigners who work in Brazil, specifically in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the authors present multiple perceptions of the expatriate in the new social relations, and analyse the intrinsic features of this cultural diversity among the agents of the corporate field. The conclusion obtained is that the contact between people of different cultures, holders of distinct representation systems, may result in a satisfactory and pleasant coexistence. The study intends to contribute through a manner in which the managers are able to promote interaction and assimilation of diversity, adopting new multicultural managing models.

Keywords: Multicultural Environment, Management Culture, Cultural

Diversity, Intercultural Education

1. INTRODUCTION

Globalization has favored not only the introduction of new manufacturing technologies and

restructuring management models, but it has also, according to Kirschner (1999),

grounded the value of internal social relations, starting from the interaction between the

agents and the culture of a company.

The term „agent‟ refers to the reality of “human groups born out of collective action, which

became necessary to the interdependency system” (KIRSCHNER, 1999, p. 282).

To Kirschner (1999), the social aspect of a company can be analyzed through two axes:

the one which gives privilege to the company/society relationship, studying the type of interaction established with the society dynamics; and the one that emphasizes what the

company actually does to ensure the cohesion and mobilization of its employees.

Promoting actions of working condition improvement grants visibility for the company and starts reflecting on society‟s image of it. With the growing value of motivation and

personal attributes which favor cooperation, solidarity and respect among the managers and their subordinates, the social system mapping of a company contributes to the

identification of ruptures that may exist and of change-crippling barriers.

For Veloso (2008), the “companies start, at least symbolically, sharing a common goal”,

when utilizing the concept of responsibility to “reflect on what would benefit the „good society‟ and what is their role in the construction of said society.” For the author,

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mailto:[email protected]


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This objective involves not only social development, inclusion and

citizenship, but, fundamentally, the idea of diversity. Acting as a

social and environmentally responsible company means, to a growing number of companies, to act while measured by the

respect to different concepts of diversity (VELOSO, 2008, p. 45)

Research about Interculturalism is relatively recent and is, in general, of an empirical

nature. It is in Europe that, by the strength of its tradition in crossing geographic and

linguistic borders, the theme has been an object of studies. In Brazil, the theme is practically unknown and the research data is practically ignored by Brazilian literature

(FREITAS, 2006, p. 290).

Sebben (2009, p. 84) mentions the Intercultural Psychology as an area of the „new sciences”,

whose purpose is to “remind us that people from different nationalities possess different mental programs and that that is what new forms of collaboration are built from.”

For the author, the divergences in the perspectives and in the ways of relating, although

resulting in sources of potential conflicts and understanding obstacles between the involved

parties, can be potential sources of creativity and efficiency never before conceived

(SEBBEN, 2009).

This study about the main differences in the cultural multiplicity in the corporate field

about the presence of the expatiate in national companies and their challenges in the

context of the impact suffered and made clear by the exposure to this diversity, clashes with

the interest of the agents involved.

The research contributes to, with countersigned funding, a more connected and responsible

management, for the Human Resource field and the Corporate Social Responsibility, and

also for the board of directors and the organization leaders.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Globalization, Brazil and Cultural Diversity

Nowadays, the Brazilian economy has gone international, and this has two movements:

the important presence of foreign companies which have moved themselves into Brazil,

through the acquisition of national companies or through affiliation and/or merging, and

also the more recent movement that consists of Brazilian companies that have expanded and started to operate in different countries.

The capacity to comprehend the fundamentals of cultural interactions, the development of

a concerned stance regarding these interactions, and the ability of adapting to the

traces and intercultural situations would be, according to Saraiva (2008), signs of cultural

intelligence.

Therefore, if, on one hand, the foreignisms have a strong role in segregation (MOTTA;

ALCADIPANI and BRESLER, 2006), the understanding of a foreigner being an agent who

needs to feel integrated and adapted to the new local cultural reality, as soon as possible,

it is vital to avoid the dissolving of work groups, and to promote the adaptation to differences and the complementarity of contributions and exchanges, making the

collective dimension of the corporate social environment a much more creative, rich and

universal relationship.

The experience lived by the expatriates (who, in the present study, for all intents and

purposes, are considered to be all foreign workers who conduct any service for a company, regardless of the nature of their contracts) is much more than a professional

experience, in a distant country.

It mobilizes other expertise beyond the professional ones,

transcending the objective universe of the individual and its

family. To bear the expatriation is to admit the possibility of


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living another life, breaking emotional bonds, certainties and

customs, and participating in an adventure defined by the

everyday life. (FREITAS, 2006, p. 290).

In this manner, an experience played by the foreigner, being a productive force in the

societies of different cultures, especially in the condition of interrelationship agent

between the cultures of the First World and Developing countries (or emergent

countries), may highlight dilemmas or present an endless source of challenges, both in the

personal aspect, as in the familiar and social one.

The impact provoked by these experiences in the foreign professionals is, among other

things, “the undergoing of various phase types of cultural shock, mood swings and

physical or emotional sickness” (GIBSON, 2002, p. 15).

Ashley (2005) references the controversial discussion regarding Anglo-Saxon‟s

attachment to work and to companies as opposed to a supposedly uninterested attitude

from the Brazilian employees, resulting in less productivity for the national companies,

alluding to a significant trait about what is understood as cultural diversity.

In the light of the understanding that cultural traits that are deeply rooted in the Brazilian society justify this fact, Ashley affirms that:

...the Brazilian management culture would give preference to

matters such as a good relationship between workmates and long

time jobs, and we would have a rigid hierarchical culture and a negative look on individual competition. Meanwhile, in the US

and in many other cultures of advanced capitalism, values like

great ambition, individual success and high performance

motivation, as well as the value of individual competition, would

be the predominant cultural values (ASHLEY, 2005, p. 12).

Adissi asserts that

... Brazilians with „business oriented’ and ‘open mind’ profiles,

fruits of the global age, have less reluctance and manage the family

dynamic so that it becomes easier. I also notice that, while these

are moved to remote localities, or to emergent countries, the

adapting is much easier, especially if they have family and children... (ADISSI, in SEBBEN, 2009, p. 23)

In the words of Raplh Peter Henderson, chief of the Brazil‟s Foreign Relations Ministry‟s

Immigration Divison (SEBBEN, 2009), the insertion in different cultures and environments

is not a mere “living abroad”. To him, for the good and full development of their functions, the professional

...requires adapting, comprehension and understanding their new

environment and all its aspects, not only those referring strictly

to their new professional activities, but all aspects of the new

culture, which is always, in a smaller or larger degree, distinct to

their own. (SEBBEN, 2009, p.11) Differently from the tourist, this new character can‟t accept being a mere voyeur in the

new social scheme they are in: they have the duty of observing the rules of good

behavior, and attend to what may be considered inappropriate, bizarre or offensive

(FREITAS, 2006).

It is important to take in account that expatriates, may times, are responsible for the

installation of a new business. According to Almeida,

aside from transferring their knowledge to the Brazilian, these

professionals contribute to the production of national work force


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for the new industries and economical activities which they help

implement. Many of these foreign professionals also come to Brazil

to be part of the initial board of these new foreign companies recently-installed in Brazil

(http://portal.mte.gov.br/portal-

mte/, 2011).

Striving toward capacitation and professional updating grants enthusiasm and greater

endurance to the foreigner who, once expatriated, consider themselves to be in a special mission. To managers, falls the responsibility of foreseeing risks, caring for the proper

training of their teams to receive the new worker, and of creating harmony in the new

environment in which they will coexist.

2.2. The Basis of Cultural Differences To understand the cultural differences, a deeper knowledge of the roots of a nation‟s history

is required.

The Brazilian geography and colonization has had an important influence in the

formation of the national cultural values.

Author of a paper on management culture, Hofstede conducted over 116 thousand surveys,

with over 100 items, to professionals of 38 different positions/occupations, who spoke over 20 different languages, in IMB companies, in 72 countries all over the world, in the 70‟s.

In it, among the specific features and peculiarities of the nations, the researcher was able to classify the countries according to 5 (five) cultural dimensions which have been identified

as being common to all people. These cultural dimensions will be detailed ahead, in this

chapter.

In Brazil‟s case, some inherent and/or historical characteristics mark these cultural

dimensions with a practically constant balance between the bipolarities surveyed by Hofstede.

The conclusions of the mentioned research point out that the warm way of life and

“laziness” of the Brazilian people can be justified through studies that prove that, in tropical countries, nature is more abundant and man‟s intervention is, historically, of little

necessity.

The survival of the species and of the population happen naturally – “everything

grows”, apart from what happens in cold weather countries, in the north hemisphere – in them, nature, aside from being less abundant, it is “man‟s first enemy” (Hofstede, 2005, p.

69). This data justifies the existing differences between countries with more or less power distance, one of the five national cultural dimensions, considered to be the most

important one for the understanding of the different dimensions of management cultures.

Freyre (2006) mentions the physical conditions of Brazil, “which may have taken the country to extremes and to regional divergence”, as essential items to the uniformity of

the Brazilian society, since the beginning of its formation. He says that said

considerations occurred so that...

...the colonies that were able to conserve themselves inside their

kinship, of the assured solidarity by the tendencies and processes of Portuguese colonization: regionalist, and not separatist;

unifying, in the best sense of the word, which definitely coincided

with the interests of the catholic mission... The mood, not

varying from north to south, nor from high to low altitudes, has

won in the sense of unifying. Although harming the amazing

http://portal.mte.gov.br/portal-mte/

http://portal.mte.gov.br/portal-mte/


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mobility of the bandeirantes and missionaries, its influence had

been felt since the first century of settlement and territorial

expansion. (FREIRE, 2006, p. 92)

Another feature that justifies the large power distance in Brazil, an indication that it is a

“highly hierarchical society, autocratic, where the powerful have privileges and the power is

obtained through tradition, charisma or force” (FREYRE, 2006) is the fact that it is a

nation where “the original native language is Romance – a language that gave birth to

French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish” (Hofstede, 2005 – p.66).

As opposed to other countries where the original language is Germanic, from the

barbaric remnants of the Roman Empire, the romantic languages were adopted in the Empire‟s own countries or in those colonized by either Spain of Portugal, which was

Brazil‟s case.

Studies reveal that the historical differences deriving from the adoption of these languages

reside in the fact that the Roman Empire was regulated by a single central power, and the

population was forced to follow the central orders – a cultural feature absorbed and

transferred by generations throughout the centuries.

A third piece of data, referring to the great power distance in Brazil, is a feature belonging

to countries that have been colonized. That is due to the countries being forced to

...consider the elements of the colonial metropolis as superior to

their own. This lead to the imitation of alien values, to uncertainty

toward the cultural values opposite to their own, to self-contempt and to the positive value of, in all cases, the external groups

(SARAIVA, 2008, p. 34)

Motta (2006, p. 269) asserts that the colonizer is “the one who came to impose their maternal language in a new land.” In Brazil‟s specific case, the formation and

structuring of its society was marked by the maximum exploration of their natural

resources, which were sold off to the European market.

If in the past the work force consisted in slavery, nowadays, for the author, the work

force is cheap, which highlights that,

..throughout out historical formation, in a general sense, the political initiatives that were taken didn‟t have the local

development necessities as a concern, but they had the clear

objective of facilitating the maximization of the extraction of our

natural resources, unmindful of the necessity of the implementation of factorship, agricultural estates and

concessions to the extraction....The creation of local

infrastructure in a large scale contributed to the extraction of

our natural resources (MOTTA, 2006, p. 268).

To Ashley (2005), a remarkable feature present in Brazilian society is that of, consequently, it being a “cultural hybrid”. While for north-Americans, cultural traits are deeply rooted in

the “capitalist dream”, in values such as individualism and private initiative, Brazil favors

greatly the social relations.

Such features can be attributed to the profile of our past colonizers. According to Freyre (2006), in its attempt to describe Brazil‟s Portuguese colonizer, he affirms that this

character is

...a vague figure, missing its outline and color which could

separate it from the modern imperialist. He is similar in a few

spots to the English one; and in others, to the Spanish. A

spanishman without his warrior flame or the dramatic orthodoxy


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of the Mexico or Peru conquerors; an englishman without his

hard puritan outlines. The temporizing type. Neither absolute

ideals, nor inflexible prejudice (FREYRE, 2006, p. 265)

The identity of the Brazilian has been built “more through personal relationships, like

family and friends” (ASHLEY, 2005, P. 13). In Brazil, the companies to which the individuals work for don‟t represent a determinant factor in the construction of their

identity. It‟s only a place that provides “a job and subsistence.”

The management matters of the Brazilian culture favors factors such as a good

relationship between coworkers and a long permanence time in the same job. In Brazil,

there is a strict hierarchical structure, as well as a negative stance toward individual

competition.

As a consequence of this, according to Ashley, it can be observed that, in Brazil, there is a

“conflict between two cultural values – the one of integrity and the one of opportunism.”

Said values result from two cultural traits very deeply rooted in the society, which are the importance of aptitude in social relationships in one side, and in the other, the “‟way-

around‟ logic, through which the ones who impose their interests are the ones who get

what they want, even if through inappropriate means, as well as the ones who possess the better personal relationship network.”

Some discrepancies are observed in the Brazilian way of acting and reacting. In a survey

about sexual harassment, conducted by Hofstede (2005, p. 134) in four countries, in the 90‟s, Brazilian students of both genders differ from their German, American and

Australian counterparts, in the understanding that sexual harassment is not a manner of

discrimination of a manifestation of power abuse. Curiously, they relate to this form of

harassment more like a “relatively harmful past-time.”

The reading of the classic book, Casa Grande e Senzala (FREYRE, 2006), allows us to

conclude that this feature of the Brazilian derives from historical factors. The influence of imperialism over the life and sexual morals of the Hispanic people was due to, among other

facts, the extreme social mobility, the cosmopolitan contact through sea-travel, to the

companionship of polygamous Muslims, aside from the disparity of the clothing and

domestic hygiene practices demanded by the Christian sexual morals. According to this

author,

... in the Brazilian case, ever since a young boy, hankering for a woman, social character influences contrary to continence, to

asceticism, and monogamy have acted more predominantly.

Among us, the tropical climate has indirectly contributed to the

sexual over-excitement of boys and teenagers; resulting in the

many times morbid anticipation of the exercising of their sexual and marital functions. (FREYRE, 2006, p. 334).

The Brazilian, recognized by their warm and friendly way of being, is stigmatized by the

informality in their relationships and by the lack of objectiveness in their decision-making.

While they can acquire new work mates and maintain long-lasting relationships easily,

they can frighten and cause a negative impact on the foreigner, who observes more strictly the rules of corporate etiquette.

Motta (2006, p. 270) highlights that what makes the Brazilians so courteous is also what

makes them arrogant. He calls attention to the fact that they often tell Portuguese-

themed jokes, where “they normally speak of a pretentious inferior intelligence of those who are similar.” What makes this habit curious is the fact that most Brazilians are

descendants from the Portuguese, inferring in a denial of their origins.

The author highlights that researchers defend that, in Brazil, the discrimination between people “doesn‟t make itself remarkable through the ethnic differences, as in the United

States, but through differences of money and power, e.g. social position.”


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2.3 The new social corporate dynamic in a multicultural environment

To Ashley (2005, p. 3), there is an “acknowledgement that ethics, culture and moral values are inseparable from any notion of business responsibility.” Therefore, it‟s necessary the

companies are attentive not only to their legal and economic responsibilities, but also to

their ethical, moral and social responsibilities.

Ethics is more systematic and it corresponds to a very strictly

established action theory. The morals, on the other hand, are

conceived less strictly, being able to vary according to country, social group, and organization or even to the individual in

question (ASHLEY, 2005 – p. 5).

Therefore, it can be derived from that statement, the understanding of now, more than

ever, the social corporate responsibility being so important. Once “the ethics have an effect that go all the way from the profits and credibility of the organizations to the very

survival of the global economy”, the companies will have to make their profit-necessary

equations, while following the laws and getting involved with the communities in which

they are set in.

The international corporations, or those which intend to expand their businesses on a global scale, need to be more and more attentive to the cultural diversity ruling among

different populations.

If the statement in which the intercultural communication

between different countries tends to homogenize all cultures (presumably in favor of the dominant or richest culture...) seems

true, we can also perceive the inverse movement: contact between

cultures with different perceptions and patterns regarding human

rights, for example, have been raising expectations from the

populations of several countries, which start demanding from the

companies a socially responsible behavior that respects the international notions of human rights, freedom and democratic

participation. (ASHLEY, 2005 – p. 6).

It is in this sense that can be inferred the understanding of one of the effects of the global

economy being that of the necessity of adoption of management models and of corporate action that value the good image of the companies in the public light.

Such interpretation of the image and social responsibility of the companies will be

conditioned to the culture of the country in which the activity is carried out in its specific

value and world-view system, the behavior and thoughts of its citizens, consciously or

unconsciously.

Sebben (2009) asserts that Brazil has come up as an important pole of expatriation,

accompanying a world trend. In 2008, a study by the Job and Labor Ministry

evidenced a rise in temporary and permanent working authorizations of foreigners in

Brazil: “the number of temporary work authorizations granted to foreigners went from 18.878 in 2004 to 26.873... The permanent authorizations rose from 1.284 to 2.615”

(SEBBEN, 2009, p.77).

To the author, it is therefore surprising the reduced number of scientific research in the

country with the intention of understanding the expatriates. The topic of “Intercultural

Training” seems to be, in the same way, “big news to be discovered as an efficient support tool” to the corporate management process.

To quote Hofstede, Sebben (2009) reminds us that, “while the growing market

globalization and the acculturation of people is making contact between people easier, the

regional and national differences are not disappearing.”


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These are the differences that can impact the management that most, becoming crucial

problems, specifically for the multicultural organization leaderships.

The development of intercultural abilities, through an intercultural education process,

assumes a change and the overcoming of ethnocentrism, intolerance, strictness and

arrogance as natural ways of “self-defense” with dialogue views, developing the

necessary competence for avoiding misunderstandings and wrong perceptions that

individuals normally have while inserted in environments with disparate cultures.

2.4 Intercultural Education and Diversity Assimilation

Sebben (2009) claims that there aren‟t any more doubts as to the great challenge of

Human Resources today being the one of placing people with different cultures, even

virtually, collaborating, working and producing results in large teams. Investment in

Intercultural Education is therefore, necessary.

Surprisingly, he affirms that in an advanced research conducted by Google between the

years of 2000 and 2009, in academic articles on the subject, almost nothing was found

under the title of intercultural Training, Cultural Training, Intercultural Sensitiveness,

and Cultural Sensitiveness for expatriate executives (SEBBEN, 2009 – p. 78-79).

In defense of Brazilians being able to enter the global scene as protagonists and not just as

supporting roles, this culturist psychologist reinforces the thesis that there is a growing

need of the companies to (re)think up Expatriation Politics, creating a new mentality

among managements and incrementing the new Human Resources, hereafter referred to as

Intercultural Human Resources (IHR). For being crucial areas for the global success of organizations, the IHR‟s have the

mission of, among other things, caring for the expatriate, the training, career development,

managing people and the management development of global communication.

The author reminds us that “intercultural abilities are necessary, but not always desirable” by the involved agents. She calls attention therefore to a new way of thinking

and feeling about the interpersonal relationships.

Being an expatriate is not needed in order to interculturalize –

what is needed is a daily exercise of tolerance and cognitive transformation in order to deal with the diversity in marriage, in

the relationship with the children, with your next-door neighbor,

with your fellow worker, and with those who impose themselves

before us with their different way of thinking and feeling (SEBBEN,

2009, p. 32).

Considered by Sebben (2009, p.82) as the “harbinger of Intercultural Psychology”, Geert

Hofstede was the one who brought, as has been seen, satisfactory answers about the

comprehension of intercultural behavior, allowing the dawning of two scientific branches

dedicated to the study of the themes: Intercultural Education and Intercultural

Psychology.

Intercultural Education is “a social pedagogy of relationships and communication which

has as its central belief the diversity as a source of learning and enrichment” (SEBBEN,

2009 – p. 82). This is what the author refers to as a “progressive approximation which goes

from our self-centered enclosure to the intercultural dialogue.”

Since Intercultural Psychology is an area that is involved with anthropology in a

multidisciplinary way and that studies human behavior throughout the world in its

universality, at the same time calling attention to the individual behavior in the cultural

environment wherever it might occur (SEBBEN, 2009, p. 84).

As Intercultural Psychology is a “new science”, which has as function the “knowledge of


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what happens in relationships of culturally diverse individuals” (SEBBEN, 2009, p. 84), it

must be highlighted that the intercultural experience is comparable to an experience of

deconstruction and, at the same time, reconstruction of personality (JOLY, 1996).

Both branches (Intercultural Education and Psychology) are bound to study the cause and

effect rates between culture-behavior and interaction-behavior.

3. THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The primary sources were utilized with the objective of producing enough material for analysis and conclusion about the effects of the contact between Brazilians and

individuals of distinct cultures, while in multicultural environments, in companies that

work with expatriates, in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The primary data collected, of the quantitative sort, indicating quantification or numerical quantity, were obtained through the application of a questionnaire developed and applied

virtually, through the sending of e- mails.

Questions from 1 to 15 of the questionnaire were the ones mapping the demographic

profile of the interviewee, as well as their condition as an immigrant (type of visa obtained).

Questions from 16 to 24 helped to identify the corporate structure and business

environment of the organization where the individual works.

Questions from 25 to 49, according to the answers presented, are the ones that made clear

the foreign outlook on the reality they are facing among their coworkers, subordinates our superiors, in the organization.

For the answers to these questions, a scale format of five Likert points was given, varying

from 1 to 5 points, 1 being “always”, 2 being “almost always”, 3 being “sometimes”, 4 being

“almost never” and 5 being “never”.

The two last questions, 50 and 51, were the ones that helped to contribute to stating

that the transforming transferring process has solidified between the interviewee and the

company for which he works.

Although the referenced questionnaire presents demographic questions (nationality, age, sex, race, beliefs, schooling, civil state and job), it didn‟t include questions related to the

family and social life conditions of the interviewee, as well as the level of adapting and

acculturation of their partners and/or spouse. The author dealt with personal matters

solely when they had strict relation to the corporate and/or professional environment.

3.1 Population and Sampling

A simple random sample research was conducted, with a population of 27 foreigners who

work in Brazil, in a regulatory manner, even if temporarily, in national of multinational

companies, residing, exclusively in the cities of Niterói and/or Rio de Janeiro, between the

months of September of 2010 and May of 2011.

Through phone, in-person or person-to-person contacting, the author had access to

foreigners of African, European, Latin and North American origins.

The fact that the city of Rio de Janeiro is considered as a main Brazilian destination for

tourists and expatriates working in the country, reaching a sample of only 27 interviewees

was not an easy task. The systematical barriers imposed by some Human Resource managers from the contacted companies made clear, under the author‟s point of view, the lack of preparation

and/or interest of the business sector to contribute with the Academy.

From over 60 formulated requests for forwarding of the questionnaire, only 20 company

collaborators were facilitating agents of this research, contributing effectively for the


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conducting of the 27 interviews presented in this study.

Another limiting factor of the interviewed foreigners sample was the fact that the questionnaire was composed in Portuguese, the official language of the country in which

all of the interviewed expatriates are located. The intention was of detecting the role of

the dominant local language in the adaptability and integration of the individuals.

This decision revealed to be, in contrast with Hofstede (2005), regarding the necessity of

conquering the local idiom, an inhibiting factor in the participation of foreigners in this research.

Adissi (2009) asserts that, under the point of view of the foreigner that‟s coming to Brazil,

they land “completely carelessly: underprepared and full of expectations which are, many

times, immature.” These being difficulties to be faced, she mentions:

... the language, the understanding of our culture, the way we

work, which is many times shocking even for ourselves, the

climate, the safety issues, the education for children, anyway, an

infinity of matters... (ADISSI, 2009, p. 23).

The conclusion of Chapman and others (2008, p. 222), of “not operating in the mother

language of the interviewee may potentially hinder the moment of answering of the

participants” has showed equally applicable in the Brazilian case.

Several companies, when contacted, denied the participation of their expatriate collaborators, claiming not being willing to contribute due to their absolute incapacity of

communicating in Portuguese.

All people invited to actively participate of this research were encouraged to answer the

questionnaire in a sincere manner, being assured that there are no right or wrong

answers as well as absolute secrecy in the collection, tabulation and analysis of the information.

4. COLLECTING AND DATA TREATMENT TOOLS An Excel table, an Office-Windows Vista program, from Microsoft, was utilized for the

compilation and tabulation of answers obtained through the applied questionnaire.

For the collected data treatment, the statistic method was utilized and the graphical

representations of the answers given to the formulated questions were done through pie

and bar charts.

Through the answers, it was possible to evaluate the profile of the interviewees as well as their perception regarding the intrinsic features of cultural diversity in the corporate

environment. It was possible to identify if their presence has caused change in the

organization culture and if it has generated acculturation stress levels in those involved in

that environment.

For the result analysis, the quality method was utilized in view of the comparisons between the literary and perceived evidence references.

It was expected to, in this manner, identify if the coexistence with Brazilian workers

has frightened and/or harassed those stricter in the observing of the rules of corporate

etiquette. Lastly, it hoped to identify if the Brazilian, recognized by their warm and friendly way of

being, stigmatized by the informality in their relationships and by the lack of objectiveness

in their decision making, has negatively influenced the outlook of the foreigner who works

with them on the national culture.


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5. CONCLUSION

The matters attached to the social corporate dynamics in multicultural environments were investigated, and the expatriate‟s profiles were mapped, as well as their perceptions

regarding the diversity in the corporate environment and the level of interacting among

professionals.

The analysis of the Sample Characterization has allowed the conclusion that, while 96% of

the ones interviewed work legally in the country, with work or permanent resident visas,

4% are working in an irregular situation, as their obtained visa is that of tourism.

This type of visa (Tourism) does not permit the foreigner to practice any labor activity in

Brazil. According to the Foreigner Statute, in its title C, article 97, which covers the Foreigner‟s Rights and Duties, to them and to their dependents, with temporary visas, the

practice of paid activity for a Brazilian source is prohibited (http://www.oas.org/juridico/, access in June 2011).

Although not having prepared in advance for “establishing a fundamental intercultural

understanding” (HOFSTEDE, 2005), the coexistence time seems to have contributed to the

foreigners in respect to the learning of the host language and to the assimilation of the

Brazilian reference model.

82% of the interviewees affirmed not having studied or that, when they did, they dedicated

less than 6 months to the studies, indicating that the level of fluency in Portuguese they

have is intrinsically linked to the permanence time of the interviewed people (44% have

lived in the country for over 5 years), and not to the time dedicated to the study of the “host language”.

The fact that 52% of the interviewees have affirmed to have arrived in Brazil alone when

compared to the fact that now, only 26% of them live alone, is an indicator that there has

been a rise in married foreigners that, today, live under a stable union regime.

About the obtained conclusions in the section that analyzed the foreigner‟s perception

on the structure and organization environment in which they are, it can be highlighted

that the comparative result between the social use of the local language (70.5% for “always” and “almost always”) and the individual‟s original one (29.5 for “always and “almost

always”) demonstrated that it is outside of the corporate environment that the communication compels the foreigner to a larger effort in the use of Portuguese, a

facilitating factor in coexistence and interaction.

To express oneself in the “host language”, in the new social environment, makes the

foreigners less different to the Brazilians who receive them. It is proof that they are willing to establish the “intercultural understanding” and to adopt the “other‟s reference model”

defended by Hofstede (2005).

Comparatively analyzing the questions 29 (value of cultural diversity in the company) and

30 (talks that promote Intercultural Education), it can be concluded that Cultural Diversity

is not a theme that is treated in a systematic and formal way inside the organizations.

Therefore, the foreigners claim to feel welcomed and respected in their work environments.

The fact that 74% of the interviewed affirming to have “never” of “almost never” been

victims of prejudice/stereotypes in the Companies they work in and that 81.5%

affirming that the cultural differences noticed in the work environment “never” or “almost never” cause them discomfort, are important indicators for the conclusion of the specific objectives defined for this paper‟s research.

From this statement, it can be asserted that, while being able to captivate new colleagues and establishing long- lasting relationships, the Brazilian workers don‟t intimidate and/or

harass the foreigners in the observing of the rules of corporate etiquette.

http://www.oas.org/juridico/

http://www.oas.org/juridico/


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Having 63% of subjects pointing out their intentions of remaining for more than 2 years

working in the same company that they do now, allows us to conclude that foreigners don‟t feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, they seem well adapted to the corporate

environment and to the local reality.

Although recognized by their warm and friendly way of being, and stigmatized by the

informality in their relationships and lack of objectiveness in their decision making, it can be said that Brazilians don‟t negatively influence the outlook of the foreigner on the

national culture.

While the objectives of the research have been achieved, the present study indicates the

necessity of improvement in the management systems and showcases new research

proposals.

It shows, for example, that the companies are not aware of the fact that, to meet the

global demands, quick changes in well-defined strategic play, multicultural teams with

high levels of interaction and capacity of adapting, can converge into an important

organization propulsion.

The acknowledgement of oneself through the eyes of another, starting from the encounter of people with distinct cultures, will allow it, in the light of actions that promote

Intercultural Education, to be a motive of comfort and satisfaction, while leading the

citizen to feeling productive and integrated socially.

Since the transferring transforming process claims to convert subjects from the same environment to adopting new practices in the light of a distinct culture exchange, it‟s

expected that the coexistence and relationship between foreigners inside an organization are the main competitive advantage in the organization‟s management model.

A competitive advantage that confirms the words of SAINSAULIEU and KIRSCHNER

(2006), ensuring to all that, definitely, the company is not an obstacle for change in society, but one of the decisive mediators of the invention of societies in the future.

The conclusion ratifies, therefore, the importance of the adoption of actions that work

for the elimination of diversity and intra-organizational barriers, validating the image of

the manager, of the company and of the nation before the countless communities of the globalized world‟s international market. It also ratifies the importance of Intercultural

Education as a management tool, fit for a socially responsible corporate environment.

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About Authors

Neide Lúcia de Oliveira Almeida Master in Management Systems, focusing on the Corporate Social Responsibility, through

Universidade Federal Fluminense (2011). She has concluded an MBA in Management

Through Full Quality at Latec-UFF, in 2007, and a Post-Graduate in Marketing through ESPM-RJ (1994). She is a graduate in Social Communications, has a bachelor‟s degree in

Public Relations, and owner of a degree of the Faculdades Integradas Helio Alonso (1983). She

acts through a scholarship as a Long Distance Educational Tutor of the Entrepreneurship

and Innovation Course of Universidade Federal Fluminense. Also at UFF, she is part of the

Post-Graduate Management and Entrepreneurship Program, acting as a Management

Entrepreneur MBA, with her focus being on Education, since 2011. She is a partner-

principal of an English school, with great experience in the areas of Social Communications,

Marketing and Management, with emphasis on Leadership, Company and People

Management.

Ana Maria Kirschner Graduate in Socialogy at the Universite de Paris V (Rene Descartes) (1975), Master in Sociology

– Universite de paris V (Rene Descartes) (1977), and Doctor in Sociology – Universite de Paris III

(Sorbonne Nouvelle (1994). She has done her post doctorate at the Institut d‟Etudes Politiques/CNRS, Paris, in 2001/2002, doing sociological research for the company. She has

experience in the area of Sociology, with emphasis in Company Sociology, acting mainly in the

following themes: company sociology, business strategy, a company as a social building block,

family businesses and company and societies. She has publications about these themes in

national and international magazines. She was invited by the Institut de hautes Eduted en

Amérique Latine (Paris III) on the Cátedra Simon Bolivar, in 2001.

the new social dynamics of a globalized brazil: a … · a foreign outlook on this multicultural...

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