Opportunities and Challenges Presented by Crockett & Jones’s Expansion to China, Nigeria and Brazil
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March 8, 2014
Abstract
This report has been prepared following an assessment of the cultural setting of four countries: England, China, Nigeria and Brazil. Managers of Crocket & Jones, Northampton based shoe manufacturing company intend to cooperate with business people in China, Nigeria and Brazil. In this report, the author identifies and discusses opportunities that are likely to emerge from the relationship between this company and its business associates in the three countries. Cooperating with business associates in China would enable the company’s management
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Owing to an increase in the global demand for the company’s products, the management has decided to negotiate a deal with business people from China, Nigeria and Brazil for a strategic alliance. This would enable the company to explore these markets thus improve its customer base and profitability (Rodrigues, 2001). The management of Crocket & Jones would therefore be required to effectively study Chinese, Nigerian and Brazilian cultures in order to understand how to best manage workforce within these cultural settings.
3.0 Theoretical Exploration of Potential Opportunities and Challenges
3.1 Opportunities
3.1.1 China
According to Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, China is a country, which scores highly in the power distance index. This means that less powerful members in this society expect and accept the fact that there is unequal distribution of power. People in this society are willing to obey the orders of their superior without questioning the motive of such orders. This presents an opportunity to Crocket & Jones’s human resource management team because employees within the organization in this country will obey the orders of the managers without making unnecessary objections. Managing an obedient workforce like this would be quite easy. According to Hofstede (2001), this will significantly reduce
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"We didn 't all come over on the same ship, but we 're all in the same boat."- Bernard Baruch
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