Maintaining Supplier Relationships
Criteria | China | Germany | Finland |
Authority Figures | · The Chinese people are authority-dependent. They view senior people as almighty and correct. Also, followers are completely dependent on their leaders (Cardon, 2009).
· Questioning authority in China is highly offensive, and an employee may be penalized for that. · The leaders are the sole instruction givers. |
· Likewise, Germany treats authority figures respectfully (Mayer, 2000).
· Followers are not allowed to contradict their seniors as this may breed penalties. · There is a formally established hierarchy that is respected by all organizational participants. |
· The Finish people value hierarchy more than most other people in the world (Lubowieck 2020).
· Authority also matters so much in Finland. · People are expected to respect those who rank above them. · However, titles are not necessary. A follower can refer to their leader by name. |
Levels of Formality | · Chinese people value formality. For instance, organizational leaders must be addressed by their titles.
· Greetings are formal in nature, with older being greeted first (Cardon, 2009. |
· Germans are mostly punctual and formal than the rest of the world.
· When arriving at meetings, one should shake hands with everyone present in a room. · Titles are also vital. They are to be used correctly and without failure. |
· Finish people are relatively less formal compared to typical Europeans (Lubowiecki, 2020).
· There is no strict adherence to etiquette among Fins. |
Social Norms | · Key social norms in China include a focus on education.
· The Chinese also value Confucian values that emphasize the importance of resilience. |
· Even though the German culture is inherently formal, open-mindedness is encouraged.
· Mutual respect is also highly encouraged. |
· Fins value personal relationships. Therefore, most social norms seem to support relationships. |
Time and Scheduling | · Punctuality is highly valued in China.
· The Chinese consider time to be a valuable commodity-even more valuable than money. · However, the Chinese value reflection and deliberation. · Deadlines can be extended to allow sufficient deliberation on important issues. |
· Unlike typical Europeans, Germans highly prioritize punctuality. Arriving ten minutes late into a meeting is still termed as being late.
· The Germans believe everything has an end, and every activity must end once it begins (Mayer, 2000). |
· Fins have the typical European culture. They are relaxed about deadlines and schedules(Lubowiecki, 2020).
· Extensions for negotiations are, therefore, a common phenomenon. · There is an overall relaxed attitude in the business context. |
Business Practices | · Chinese value longstanding business relationships.
· Guanxi is crucial for business success. It refers to creating good relationships with authorities to overcome bureaucracy (Cardon, 2009. |
· The business culture in Germany is characterized by organization, perfectionism, and organization.
· Organizational decision-making is implemented by a company’s top crop. · They value relationships out of work before engaging in business. |
· Fins are transactional in nature hence do not need to establish longstanding relationships to do business.
· Business people must cut through the red tape and bureaucracy to access some services and facilities. · The Fins distrust people who are business-minded. |
References
Cardon, P. W. (2009). A model of face practices in Chinese business culture: Implications for Western businesspersons. Thunderbird International Business Review, 51(1), 19–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.20242
Lubowiecki-Vikuk, A. (2020). Business Culture in Central and Eastern European Countries: The Role of the Manager’s Etiquette and Image. International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs, 5(2), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.24088/ijbea-2020-52001
Mayer, P. (2000). Business Culture in Germany. International Area Review, 3(2), 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/223386590000300203
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Question
CHINA AND EUROPE AND FINLAND ARE WHAT I CHOSE
explore important considerations for culturally competent business practices, which can help strengthen and maintain relationships.
Maintaining Supplier Relationships
Scenario
You are a procurement manager working on training a new sourcing analyst. As part of their training, they will be travelling with you to meet with new and existing suppliers for specialized parts your company needs. This will allow your colleagues first-hand experience and help them develop relationships with the business professionals they will be working with in the future.
You need to make sure that they are familiar with cultural business practices for the places you will be visiting so that existing business relationships remain strong and new relationships start off well. You have decided to create a brief guide that includes the cultural considerations they will need to be aware of while doing business.
Prompt
Use the Module Two Assignment Template Word Document to create a guide that provides a brief overview of culturally considerate business practices for three countries of your choosing that are outside of the United States. Use course and external resources (such as the Shapiro Library) to gather information on your selected countries and their cultural business practices.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
• Authority Figures: Describe how figures of authority are treated and shown respect in each selected country, as well as actions or communications that may cause unintended offense.
• Levels of Formality: Describe the level of formality that business professionals follow in each selected country. Examples are things like language, dress, or etiquette.
• Social Norms: Identify common social norms that should be used in business in each selected country, as well as hand gestures and body language that should be avoided or that may cause unintended offense.
• Time and Scheduling: Describe how the concepts of time and scheduling are treated in each selected country, as well as considerations for business-meeting etiquette that should be considered to avoid causing unintended offense.
• Business Practices: Describe general business practices that should be taken into consideration when conducting business in the selected countries. Examples include meals, cultural holidays and events, and the use of formal contracts.
Guidelines for Submission
Submit the Module Two Assignment Template to complete this assignment. Use bullet points when completing the template. Sources should be cited according to APA style.