Sociocultural Aspects in the United States that Affect Verizon-MCI

International marketing or business is uniquely different from the local market because the product price, place and promotion is vastly different from what is been offered to local customers (Johansson, 2000) With the emergence of the information technology, cross border marketing has never been a distant dream. However, it has never been easier even for giant multinational companies to face challenges that come in international business. The biggest challenge comes from the culture which varies from country to country.

On the contrary, collectivist societies value conformity, and are more concerned with the success of the group as a whole (Goncalo & Staw, 2006). One of the key differences between the two is the structure of the family unit and the significance placed on maintaining close family ties. Collectivist societies follow a hierarchical system with the patriarchal figure given ultimate power and respect. The importance of family is not valued as highly in individualist societies. For example, while it would be typical for a family living under one roof to consist of many generations and extended relations in China, it would seem highly unusual if the same was to occur in a country such as the United States of America (USA) (Jyh-Shen Chiou, 2001). This is due to the heavy emphasis placed on collectivism in China. Western countries, including the USA, are traditionally viewed as individualist societies (Cai, Wilson, & Drake, 2000). As there is no clear distinction between the family unit and the individual in collectivist cultures, the reputation of the family name is closely tied to the behaviour of every person. Embarrassing one’s self would be to bring shame to the

Although both cultures place high value on educational and financial achievement, which fosters a high level of competition, a distinct variance can be seen. (Ellingwood) From an early age, Chinese youth are taught to think of their nation and people as a whole, with the common good of their society being a driving force for their education and behaviors. In contrast, the youth of the United States are driven more by individual achievement and personal growth, especially from a financial standpoint. Conflict and harmony are central in the educational system of China, while the US accepts or even openly embraces conflict. Youth in the United States are not dedicated to friends the way they are in China, and they will make sacrifices in their interpersonal relationships in order to benefit themselves, as opposed to making a personal sacrifice in order to help their peers. However there is a very clear cultural universal between the two countries in the fact that educational achievement is promoted and highly valued by the older members of society, along with their governing bodies. (Buzzle) A lack of material success is frowned upon in both nations, although what defines "success" can be widely varied in terms of monetary

So far as international business is concerned, the four dimensions of culture form an important facet. Knowledge of the manner in which different features of a business are viewed in different cultures, can help a manager in understanding and sailing successfully across the international business market.

Individualism is often viewed as a positive trait in America, suggesting a certain level of personal confidence. American society tends to reward independent thinkers and those who decide autonomously. To this end, individuality has become a value in many American homes. Although individualism is widely received and respected in American culture, it is not as well respected in other cultures. One culture in particular which frowns on individualism is the Asian culture.

Every country differs in culture which has been there for centuries. The international market is growing rapidly, with more and more multinational organisations entering new markets each day. In this assignment I will evaluate how the difference in cultures affects the performance of international businesses.

American culture, despite the beauty of such diversity, has some draw backs. As nation, we are amongst the least healthy in the world with an alarmingly high percentage of obesity. This could very well be a byproduct of our culture. As for other aspects of our culture, American’s tend to be very motivated in life with goals that are often success and wealth oriented. These goals are focused on the individual person; however, Chinese people tend to be focused on the community and family. They look to each other for support throughout their lives and this is where the achievements that Chinese people strive for is oriented around (Lu and Gilmour).

Task 2c: Evaluate the impact of cultural differences on international business performance in the international market D2

International business meshes across multiple domains most notably market entry strategies and sociocultural variances. Factoring in those two critical aspects and giving them the right amount of attention is the separating line between success and failure. Terralumen, Blue Ridge, and Delta are all successful companies; However, by not observing the basic requirements of

Using the competing values framework as a guide, Verizon is a market culture. A market culture is goal oriented, competitive, and driven by results. These are all attributes that the Verizon culture possesses.

The United States scores very high on independent, individualistic, and masculine dimensions as defined by psychologist

2. When a company grows in size and makes the decision to expand internationally, it is vital for its image among current and future customers to complete projects effectively and on time. Furthermore, it is also likely that such an expansion would entail the representation of more than one culture among the workforce. Indeed, while many employees will be relocated from the home country, a further proportion will be hired from the host country. To facilitate the relations and

INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited

According to the works of Chaney & Martin (2011) and Harris & Moran (2000), they agree that international management skills are in need for the increasing scope of international trades and investments. A large number of multinational companies have expanded their businesses through both developed and developing countries. Some of the business invest directly and others are partnership arrangements and strategic alliances with domestic operations. Their studies show that independent entrepreneurs and small businesses have started investing and competing in the world marketplace. Thus, to acquire corporations’ objectives, there is exceedingly a necessity for the development of strategic framework for cross-cultural management and communication in the current competitive global market. Chaney & Martin (2011) also noted that, cultural awareness and cultural differences are strongly important to the multinational corporations’ success. A good understanding of the culture where business is implemented can make international managers productive and effective.

The most challenging decision that a company may face in internationalization is the degree of standardization or adaptation in its operations. The question of standardization or adaptation affects all avenues of a business’ operations, such as R&D, finance, production, organizational structure, procurement, and the marketing mix. Whether a company chooses to standardize or adapt its operations depends on its attitudes toward different cultures. These attitudes are defined by three orientations toward foreign culture: ethnocentric, polycentric, and geocentric.