Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Due Thursday, 10/30 by 9:30PM BUS122NTTH 200810

For attendance Thursday please post here for class #4's assignment. Please read chapter 4, "Multinationals and the Global Environment of Business."
Write a one page paper, approximately 500 words on the challenges of taking a team abroad as an Expatriate Manaager or as a business owner to another area of the world in order to expand one's business. Please quote 1 source or official website. Utilize personal experience if appropriate within this paper. We will discuss various challenges and training needs tonight, in class, 10/28/08 as cited in chapter 4 of our textbook.
Certainly Japan and areas within ASEAN have interesting and diverse business practices, for example, so culture training would be imperative prior to a team entering that country to do business. So, let's go far, far away and discuss doing business in another country or other areas of world. You choose the country and you may work with a partner, if desired. Post your names at the top of your posts so we can all enjoy!
If anyone has any problems posting, please e-mail me at rmarcus@ecpi.edu and I can give you a temporary password, if necessary.

17 comments:

Troy said...

Making a Business Deal in Japan

Connections and relationships are golden in Japan. Keeping in touch at dinner or a karaoke night, holiday cards, depending on the type of relationship, can all be prerequisites to a successful long term partnership. Having a dual language business card is helpful, English on one side and Japanese on the other. When exchanging business cards in Japan, the upper level members will exchange cards first, followed by the others in order of senority. The card is presented with two hands, then let one hand receive the other person card, eventually grabing the card with two hands, while taking a good look at it. Do not stuff the card in your pocket at that moment, wait untill the meeting is finished. Be careful to store your cards at the end of the meeting, dropping your counterpart’s card is a sign of disrespect.

Introducing a new idea, could be a long process. Using Japanese technique, introduce the idea from different angles, but never force it upon your counterpart. You want to continue to bring it up in the right way to somehow allow the Japanese counterpart to start to internalize the idea as his own. This could take a week and it could take months. Many younger generation Japanese with some English skills, will be more open to new ideas.

The Business pace in Japan is very slow. When going there, be prepared for many rounds of visits to the business places. Do not assume anything is final in your business agreement until it is clearly written and signed in a contract by both parties. Saying yes in Japan can simply mean I understand.

The Japanese want everything analyzed as much as possible. This fustrates many Americans, about the long process of the business agreement.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to add a blog even though I'm posting my paper to you via email. Is there a place on here to add attachments or is this strictly text, I'm not really familiar with this whole blogging thing....

Thantoss said...

Michael Zink
Here is my Current Event Assignment.
U.S. Economy A Little Smaller
by Carl Gutierrez
10/30/2008
www.forbes.com
The U.S. economy is halfway down the road to recession, thanks largely to a drop in consumer spending. The US. Dept. of Commerce reported on Thursday, that the gross domestic product(GDP) fell 0.3% each month in the third quarter. The government says that the main drivers were less personal expendentures( 3.1% drop), the sharpest drop in 28 years, Residential fixed investment(dropped 19.1%), and equipement and software expenatures(dropped 5.5%). The only good news from this is that Wall Street was expecting a 0.5% drop. Since the GDP was better then expected helped the Dow, Nasdeq and the S&P to go up today.

rmarcus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rmarcus said...

Where does it say post a current event here? (Just curious)

Also, Matt get with the program. (lol) You can always copy and paste here.

Tiffanie Loefke said...

Moving Your Business to Italy

Italy is a relatively small country in size with a large population, 58,057,477 people to be exact. The predominant language is Italian with about 50% of the population speaking a regional dialect. People are mostly Roman Catholics with some Protestant and Jewish communities popping up along with a growing Muslim population.

One major thing in Italy is their desire to look good and fashionable. The term “bella figura,” or good image, is very important to them (“Italy,” n.d.). This term not only is about the way you dress, but the way you present yourself, i.e. with confidence or demeanor. When going into a business meeting, it is very important to look good because it can indicate your social status, family’s background, and education level.

It is best to know someone in the business before trying to make connections with others. Networking is key in Italy, and before the first meeting, you must send out a mandatory request form in Italian at least 2 to 3 weeks ahead of time and reconfirm the meeting by fax or telephone (in Italian too) (“Italy,” n.d.). Never try to schedule a meeting in August because most businesses are closed during that month or, if they are open, employees take vacation during August.

While in your first meeting, you must maintain eye contact throughout handshakes and while talking to others; it shows that you are sincere and honest. If you are giving a handshake to a woman, let the woman extend her hand first before you go in for it. During this time of formal introductions, business cards are passed out. Make sure you have your title in your company, your graduate degree (if you have one), and it translated into Italian on one side. Look over everyone’s business card carefully before putting it away so that people know that you are respectful. Also, all start conversations on a last names basis and if they have a title, use that as well. Do not use their first name until invited to do so.

During the meeting, you may notice people interrupting you or trying to speak over you loudly; don’t be discouraged, this is their culture. They can carry several conversations at one time and they aren’t being disrespectful to you or being angry.

If you are at a dinner meeting, you must know Italian etiquette. You hold your fork in your left hand and your knife in your right. If you have cheese on your plate, pick it up with your knife instead of your fingers. Let the host sit down first, eat first, toast first, and get up first. Do not put your hands in your lap or your elbows on the table. It is okay to leave a small amount of food on your plate, but don’t leave a lot for it is a sign that you didn’t like their food. If you are finished drinking wine, leave the glass as full as possible. And most importantly, if you are invited to a meeting/dinner, make sure you have a gift (either wine or chocolates) for the host.

When everything is said and done, Italians may take a while to come down to final negotiations; they like to get to know you personally first. Do not use sales pitches that we use in America; they won’t buy it! As long as you made a great first impression, your business will soar.

Reference

"Italy - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette." Kwintessential Cross Culture Solutions. (n.d.) Retrieved October 30, 2008, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/italy-country-profile.html.

Archie said...

Posting for attendance. Emailing assignment.

Ben is Francisco said...

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/dbc/DoingBusinessWithCanada-en.aspx

I've been to Canada a couple of times and the only difference between America and Canada is that Canadians are nicer, way nicer. But business is still business, they are serious with it but a little more trusting except for the seasoned businessman.

There a lot of programs in Canada that helps people start their own business like grants, low-interest loans and even local government funding/assistance. Canadians are very open to outside business partners but they are more structured and that is why very few Canadian businesses physically penetrate the US like Aldo. Labor is cheaper in Canada compared to the US but not as cheap as in Asian countries like China, Vietnam and such which is the reason it tends to get overlooked. One thing to remember about Canada is that the French-Canadian side of it usually likes to do stuffs their own way. In the French-Canadian side all businesses names, for example KFC, has to be in French first but other than that they do welcome and even support local and outside businesses.

Because of the fact that it is relatively cheaper in Canada, big American companies like Tyson, Best Buy, Target and, of course, Walmart bought local stores and set up shop. American dollars are accepted in most places in Canada. They enjoy shopping a lot and their tax-free days like Boxer Day is truly one of a kind. One thing that i did observe over there is even though there is a Walmart, small businesses still manage to stay afloat and clothing stores will even hem or tailor clothes or pants for you if you if the pants are too long and other things. Discrimination is something that I never experienced the whole time i was there. Even in borders towns or cities, people will treat you as best as they can.

So unlike the US.

katy kloeppel said...

So I decided to write about doing business in brazil and I must say, I was quite surprised by some of their practices and very intrigued. I knew there was a reason why I was always attracted to that country. My paper was well over 500 words so I definitely didn't post it here but I did post here to get my attendence. Win. Thank you, good night and I wish everyone a happy Halloween. Brazil owns.

HptRdsRealtor said...

Hello. I am emailing my assignment. :)

KevinGhameshlouy$ said...

Current event
http://www.wavy.com/


Spending drops in September while incomes slow


This article speaks about how the statistics show that the economy is shrinking. People are not spending as much due to the fall of the economy. Also business are not making asmuch money due to less leasing and lack of business the article said the economy me has never been this bad in 28 years

tmr263 said...

I guess I'll be random and do my business in Germany. In Germany business is usually discussed over lunch. They prefer fashions that are casual, the traditional suit and tie is only required in certain circles of business and government. Gifts are generally not given or expected at business meetings. Grand gestures of generosity make them uncomfortable. They take being punctual very seriously, you should always call in saying why you're going to be late if you're going to be late. Cooperation and trust are valued over performance. Business is profit oriented, but they don't like one man calling all the shots they like everyone to talk it out until they all agree then decisions are implemented fast and efficient. They believe a spoken agreement to hold the same value as a written document.

-Travis Ramsey

Brian Parsons said...

Deciding to take a business abroad is a big step for any company. Certainly, there is much introspection and planning associated with such a move. There are several steps to consider when deciding if globalization to any degree is an intelligent risk.
First and foremost, a business owner or owners must be certain that the home base is well established and solidified. If this is the case, then developing a new international business plan, one that will be integrated into the current plan, should begin. Of course, devising a budget to make the move is an essential step. This will ensure that the company is financially capable enough to even consider expansion.
The next step to healthy expansion would be to consider the new country as an equation of sorts. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis will help determine what areas are suitable for the company to develop into. It is also helpful to make a personal visit to the country you are interested in. There is no substitute for “hands-on”; arguably, there is no greater impact on decision making than inter-personal communications. An extended stay in the country can provide useful information with regards to cultural differences as well as help to identify appropriate business practices.
The next step is ensuring that all legal requirements of the country to be entered are being met accordingly. There may be costs charged by the government, labor requirements, etc. Having a “man on the ground” is also helpful. Having someone sort of run the show abroad can be advantageous, as this person can develop and network business connections. This person can also get in tune with the local culture and government, ensuring that fair ethics are being practiced and that all rules and regulations are adhered to.
If I were to open a brewery, I can’t think of a country more suitable to move to other than Ireland. What better place, as a maker of beer, to turn heads than in Ireland. Ireland has a rich cultural history and is home of some of the world’s finest beer.
While there are pages and pages of policies I found, I’ll list the most notable ones I found.
Before a non-EEA national can be granted a business permission to start a business in Ireland, there are certain strict criteria that must be met. There are also some exceptions to these rules – see ‘Exceptions’ below. The criteria are that the business:
• Must create employment for at least 2 Irish or EEA/Swiss nationals or at least maintain employment in an existing business
• Must add to the commercial activity and competitiveness of the State
• Must result in capital exceeding €300,000 being transferred to the State
• Must be a viable trading concern and provide the applicant with sufficient income to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants without resorting to social assistance or paid employment for which a work permit would be required (www.citizensinformation.ie, ¶ 7)

J-Flow said...

posting for attendance emailing assignment

rmarcus said...

How is J-flow? I have no idea.

HptRdsRealtor said...

Posting for attendance

HptRdsRealtor said...

Here I am again blogging for attendance, I meant to Tuesday as well, but fell asleep extremely early due to a cold.