M. Bond

BG Group, Reading, UK

ABSTRACT: Culture and Business Interactions: There's More to It Than Meets the Eye

Multicultural awareness is essential when conducting business internationally. A simple idea, but not necessarily straightforward in practice!

But why is culture so important to the success of a multicultural business assignment? Simply put, culture forms the fundamental framework on which a whole society is built, and molds the way one views the world. It affects the way we perceive and judge events, how we respond to and interpret them, and how we communicate to one another in both spoken and unspoken language.

Further complicating matters, we subconsciously believe that our own behavioral norms are the same for everyone. We tend to attribute our perspectives to others because we have always done so, and it usually works. In one's own culture this is imperative. If one could not predict how people behave in particular situations, it would be very difficult to function in daily life.

Problems arise when we come into contact with another culture. Here we learn that much of what we assumed was universal human behaviour only applies to one's own culture. Culture therefore, with all its implications, differs in every society. It is important to remember, though, that there is nothing inherently "good" nor "bad" about these differences.

Business, therefore, cannot be separated from people and their cultural background. More than any other aspect of international business, ones sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of culture will affect the outcome of business ventures. Without insight into the ways of others, one cannot effectively develop credibility, nurture goodwill, motivate and manage individuals, or build effective teams.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado