Chapter 5 Culture, Management Style, and Business Systems 133 of the country, (8) liking for others, (9) ability to command respect, and (10) ability to integrate oneself into the environment. In short, add the quality of adaptability to the qualities of a good executive for a composite of the successful international marketer. It is difficult to argue with these 10 items. As one critic commented, “They border on the 12 points of the Boy Scout Law.” However, as you read this chapter, you will see that it is the obvious that we sometimes overlook. Adaptation does not require business executives to forsake their ways and change to local customs; rather, executives must be aware of local customs and be willing to accommodate those differences that can cause misunderstandings. Essential to effective adaptation is awareness of one’s own culture and the recognition that differences in others can cause anxiety, frustration, and misunderstanding of the host’s intentions. The self-reference crite-rion (SRC) is especially operative in business customs. If we do not understand our foreign counterpart’s customs, we are more likely to evaluate that person’s behavior in terms of what is familiar to us. For example, from an American perspective, a Brazilian executive interrupting frequently during a business meeting may seem quite rude, even though such behavior simply reflects a cultural difference in conversational coordination. The key to adaptation is to remain American but to develop an understanding of and willingness to accommodate the differences that exist. Studies show that remaining open to new ideas, although more difficult in the face of operating in a country other than one’s own, is extremely beneficial for managing in multinational situations.4 A successful marketer knows that in China it is important to make points without winning arguments; criticism, even if asked for, can cause a host to lose face. In Germany, it is considered dis-courteous to use first names unless specifically invited to do so. Instead, address a person as Herr, Frau, or Fraulein with the last name. In Brazil, do not be offended by the Brazilian inclination to touch during conversation. Such a custom is not a violation of your personal space but rather the Brazilian way of greeting, emphasizing a point, or making a gesture of goodwill and friendship. A Chinese, German, or Brazilian does not expect you to act like one of them. After all, you are American, not Chinese, German, or Brazilian. Further it would be foolish for an American to give up the ways that have contributed so notably to American success. It would be equally foolish for others to give up their ways. When different cultures meet, open tolerance and a willingness to accommodate each other’s differences are necessary. Once a marketer is aware of cultural differences and the prob-able consequences of failure to adapt or accommodate, the seemingly endless variety of customs must be assessed. Where does one begin? Which customs should be absolutely adhered to? Which others can be ignored? Fortunately, among the many obvious differ-ences that exist between cultures, only a few are troubling. Business customs can be grouped into imperatives, customs that must be recognized and accommodated; electives, customs to which adaptation is helpful but not necessary; and exclusives, customs in which an outsider must not participate. An international marketer must appreciate the nuances of cultural imperatives, cultural electives, and cultural exclusives. Cultural Imperatives. Cultural imperatives are the business customs and expecta-tions that must be met and conformed to or avoided if relationships are to be successful. Successful businesspeople know the Chinese word guanxi,5 the Japanese ningen kankei, or the Latin American compadre. All refer to friendship, human relations, or attaining a level of trust.6 They also know there is no substitute for establishing friendship in some cultures before effective business negotiations can begin. Degree of Adaptation Imperatives, Electives, and Exclusives 4Christian Troster and Daan van Knippenberg, “Leader Openness, National Dissimilarity, and Voice in Multinational Teams,” Journal of International Business Studies 43 (2012), pp. 591– 613. 5Alaka N. Rao, Jone L. Pearce, and Katherine Xin, “Governments, Reciprocal Exchange, and Trust Among Business Associates,” Journal of International Business Studies 36 (2005), pp. 104 –18; Kam-hon Lee, Gong-ming Qian, Julie H. Yu, and Ying Ho, “Trading Favors for Marketing Advantage: Evidence from Hong Kong, China, and the United States,” Journal of International Marketing 13 (2005), pp. 1–35. 6Srilata Zaheer and Akbar Zaheer, “Trust across Borders,” Journal of International Business Studies 37 (2006), pp. 21–29.
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