Cultural
Detective®
Cultural Detective®
helps you increase global business performance, productivity and profits by
building loyalty, teamwork and return on investment. You and your employees can
use these downloadable global effectiveness tools immediately to achieve the
bottom-line results that intercultural competence can bring to your
organization.
Use them to enhance your personal performance, in executive coaching,
staff or team meetings to build team competence, in lunch and learns, webinars,
and face-to-face learning events. Use them as pre-work or follow-up, to be sure
intercultural competence and global communication and collaboration retain the
mindshare they deserve. Practical, engaging, real, ready to go.
Click here to learn
what is included in a complete package.
Contact us to inquire about
specific packages not listed below, for online tools, or for quantities of 100
or more.
To learn about the content of the
Cultural Detective® series, scroll down or use these convenient quick links:
Culture-Specific Packages
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Topic-specific Packages
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Generational Harmony
Cultural Detective® Arab Gulf
While the Middle East has taken the
lead in international political news in recent years, Arab Gulf countries are
increasingly active on the international economic and business front. The region
is attracting more and more investors, entrepreneurs, job seekers and tourists.
While the propaganda and media machines have been promoting these countries as
tourist destinations for shopping and business opportunities, the cultural and
social components have largely been ignored.
Indeed, most of the people of the Gulf
countries are Muslims and they are also Arabs, but what most expatriates forget
is that they are different. The differences are greater than the similarities.
In this Cultural Detective: Arab Gulf, the focus will be on the specific
cultural values and norms of the indigenous people of the Gulf countries (Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman).
Cultural Detective®
Arab Gulf contains the following stories and critical
incidents:
- An Unofficial Religious Occasion: A
minority Shia staff member requests a day off from the general manager of a
Bahraini advertising agency.
- Signing the Contract in Saudi Arabia:
US American marketing executives' expectations are not met during a
contract-signing trip.
- A Matter of Respect: An Emirati
general manager's treatment of a visiting expatriate woman suddenly cools.
- In the Eye of the Beholder: A German
accountant in Qatar is baffled by a sudden decision by his company's owner.
- Time to Decide? An expatriate coach
wants to promote an employee, but misinterprets the Kuwaiti team owner's
response.
- Feedback at The Call Center: The call
center manager for a British bank in Oman conducts ineffective performance
appraisals.
- A Different Party Plan: A teacher at
a private school in the UAE is invited to a student's wedding.
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Cultural Detective® Argentina
As the saying goes, "It takes
two to tango," but if your business partner is from Argentina, it's best to know
the right moves.
Cultural Detective® Argentina
provides of crucial information about the Argentine mentality that will help you
interact with understanding and grace.
Cultural Detective®
Argentina contains the following stories and critical
incidents:
- How to Promote the Cars: U.S. and
Argentine creative directors disagree on an advertising campaign.
- Contracting a Printer:
- Urgente: A German receives an
“urgent” request from an Argentine co-worker.
- Assessment by Driving: An Argentine
makes a first impression on a U.S. American.
- Thank-You Cocktails: A Welsh manager
tries to show appreciation to the office staff in Buenos Aires.
- Argentine Expatriate: A Brazilian
human resources manager assesses an Argentine's adaptation after a transfer.
- On Time at Last: A Japanese
expatriate attempts to plan meetings with fellow managers in an Argentine
office.
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Cultural Detective®
Australia
To understand Australian culture is to
understand paradox. It is an ancient land of incongruities, settled more than
60,000 years ago and again in modern times, with a vast and dry interior that
the newcomers still love to dread, a place of flightless birds, a country with
an Anglo-Celtic consciousness and multicultural aspirations, with a sense of
humour derived from irony, national days that celebrate defeat and heroes on the
wrong side of the law. Join us in discovering the complexities of our culture
with the Australian Cultural Detective®.
Cultural Detective®
Australia contains the following stories and critical
incidents:
- Side Conversation: Chinese respond to
new ideas presented by Australian project managers in the engineering
industry.
- Account Review: An account update
meeting between an Australian supervisor and his Singaporean subordinate in
the banking industry.
- Bypassing Authority: An Australian
expatriate site manager in the steel industry takes action in the face of
his Indian project manager's absence and a looming deadline.
- New Joint Venture: A joint venture in
the oil industry between firms from Australia and United Arab Emirates
struggles with communication.
- What Did He Mean: An Australian
expatriate president makes his first presentation to his newly acquired U.S.
American leadership team and leaves them feeling confused.
- Relocating to Sydney: The
professional and personal concerns of a Chilean expatriate family living in
Sydney leaves them feeling frustrated.
- Relationship Building: An English
human resources director and his wife relocate to Australia for a two-year
assignment.
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Cultural Detective®
Belarus
Nestled between Russia, Ukraine, Poland,
Lithuania, and Latvia, Belarus is a virtually unknown nation to much of the
world. After 70 years as part of the USSR, it gained its independence in 1991.
Politically it has remained essentially a one-ruler state since the first
presidential elections of 1994. Despite its political isolation, Belarus is
possessed of a vital independent culture and a people whose patience and
endurance through centuries of war and change has given them a unique view on
the world and connection to each other.
The Cultural
Detective® Belarus will open your eyes to
the core values of a people rich in history, culture and art, to a flat land of
agriculture and industry, to a people who have absorbed the unspeakable pain of
World War II and the scalding tragedy of Chernobyl with endurance and
determination, a people above all dedicated to taking care of each other and
those who come their way—as the Belarusian proverb runs, "One without a friend
is like food without salt!"
Cultural Detective® Belarus
contains the following stories and critical incidents:
- Household Furnishings: A Swedish home
furnishings representative fails to connect with potential business partners
in Belarus.
- Planning a Round Table: U.S. and
Belarusian colleagues differ on planning timetables.
- The Wedding Cake: A Belarusian
artisan gives away her work rather than selling it.
- Shaping the Program: Belarusians find
the program proposed by Swedish academics to be too light.
- Happy Dragon Trading Company:
Belarusian partners in a Chinese-owned company distrust their Chinese owner.
- When is Easter: Polish organizers of
a professional meeting fail repeatedly to respect the Russian Orthodox
calendar used in Belarus.
- Making Tea: A Belarusian student
feels insulted during a summer job in Germany.
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Cultural Detective®
Belgium
Available March 2008
The Cultural Detective® Begium will
enable anyone who works with Belgians to better understand their colleagues'
working style, preferences, motivations and to function more effectively.
Scenarios include a broad mix of Belgian colleagues—French and Flemish, young
and old, male and female, in both large corporations and smaller companies.
The Cultural Detective® Begium contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- A Belgian plant manager starts work at a new production site in Rayong,
Thailand.
- A Belgian sales representative visits customers in Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
- A Belgian sales manager lays down his working methods to Congolese
workers, only to find out later they have set up their own system.
- A Belgian consultant who was involved in an organizational restructuring
of a German company uses the same method in Belgium.
- A Belgian marketing manager gives instructions to an Indian intern prior
to a trip, only to return to find the intern demotivated.
- A US financial director meets his Belgian team for the first time.
- A French manager arrives in Belgium to shape up revenue results.
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Cultural Detective® Blended
Culture
Available July 2008
The term "blended culture" is used to describe individuals who, by birth
and/or upbringing, hold multiple frames of cultural reference within themselves.
These individuals include; 1) those who have extensive international life
experience, including internationally-assigned employees and their families,
immigrants and refugees, 2) those who have grown up as members of ethnic
minority communities within a dominant culture, and 3) people raised by parents
of different cultural backgrounds.
While recognizing the vast differences among the life paths and cultures
involved, this Cultural Detective®
presents the common core values of third culture individuals such as contextual
flexibility and creative negotiation. It also speaks to the ways in which third
culture individuals may reference and access their multiple cultural
perspectives, and how these influence their behaviors as they navigate their
lives.
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Cultural Detective®
Brazil
Covering nearly half of the South American continent, Brazil has a tremendous
ethnic diversity. Some mistakenly assume it is the same as other Latin American
cultures. Brazil was colonized by Portugal and not Spain, and historically has
had little integration with its neighbors. Despite the friendliness and
informality, you will only interact with Brazilians successfully if you
understand some fundamental aspects of their culture. Cultural Detective® Brazil provides experts' insightful information
to help you feel at home with the Brazilian values and behavior patterns.
Cultural Detective® Brazil contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Project Management: Mathias Smit, a Dutch manager, doubts the
competence of the Brazilian engineering team when project timelines are not
met.
- A Friend’s Promotion: Howard Thomas, from the United States, and
Luis Armando, a Brazilian, both managers in the Brazilian branch of a large
multinational corporation, struggle with friendship and promotion.
- Transfer to São Paulo: Bob Sharp, of Toronto, Canada, tries to
obtain compensation details before accepting a transfer to the São Paulo
office of a large pharmaceutical corporation.
- Whose Fault: A Japanese engineering team involved in a partnership
with a Brazilian high technology company encounters difficulties meeting a
timeline for prototype development.
- A Guru Speaks: Lorenz Borchert, a renowned Swiss financial
consultant, is upset when people do not show up on time for his presentation
to the managers and directors of a Brazilian bank.
- I Disagree: Franz Schubert, a German engineer working for a
multinational manufacturing organization, is frustrated by his Brazilian
partners’ reaction to his disagreement with their ideas.
- Hiring Personnel: Marcos Rocha, the Brazilian administrative
director, is uncomfortable with decisions made by Jeff Guo, the Chinese HR
director of a new joint company.
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Cultural Detective®
Bulgaria
| |
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Those who know the geographical location of Bulgaria would say it is a land
on the crossroad between Europe and the Orient. Those who have experienced
Bulgaria would say it is a land of crossing roads. Sometimes one might wonder
which way to turn. Sometimes one might wonder which is the right way here.
Bulgaria can be described by the word "contrasts"—small, but having a variety of
landscapes—mountains, valleys, a sea, lakes, peaks. Old in history, art culture
and crafts, (as being the earliest state in Europe, founded by Proto-Bulgarians
and Slavic tribes in 681), now it has to go through a vast shift in values and
build from scratch its new traditions of a market economy, as a former Communist
block territory. Bulgaria is a country where throughout the ages Christianity
has played a crucial role for preserving the culture from Muslim influences.
It's a nation that has never been deeply religious; a land where everyone is a
political "expert," and most share their opinions in the café or at the pub; a
business environment where lots of work can be done during leisure time, and
where one can enjoy an office birthday drinking party for hours.
Cultural Detective® Bulgaria will help
you understand all those contrasts. It will show you the pulse of society the
way it is here and now. It will make you enjoy the wide range of behavioral
nuances, beliefs and values. It will facilitate you through finding your own
ways to live and work with Bulgarians.
Cultural Detective® Bulgaria contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- The Staff Meeting: A story about a young US small business
consultant working in a Bulgarian small town.
- Invitation from a Co-worker: HA visiting professor from the UK is
invited to dinner at a Bulgarian colleague's home.
- The Private Medical Center: Two business partners, a Bulgarian and
a U.S. American, have problems with the state authorities and corruption.
- A Pleasant Trip to the Tax Office: Victoria McMillen, a Canadian
businesswoman living in Bulgaria, is surprised at how quickly she is served at
the tax office.
- Never the Two Shall Meet? Mathias Beckenbauer, a German consultant,
and the Bulgarian head of a new Institute have different perceptions of the
consultant role.
- The Hierarchy: Anita Vulchanova, a Bulgarian internal Human
Resources consultant, is frustrated by the Greek management team's
hierarchical approach to running the company.
- Women's Issues Club: Plans by a Women's Issues Club for a two-week
camp in the mountains fails due to cultural inappropriateness.
Extra!
Cultural Detective®
Bulgaria includes a list of Contemporary Bulgarian Sayings, Culturally
Popular and Unique Words.
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Cultural Detective®
Cameroon
As the author of Cameroon, I have had the opportunity to use the Cultural
Detective® model in a training setting with the
model's creator, Dianne Hofner Saphiere. The reception and appreciation we
received from the audience was very encouraging. Trainers will find
Cultural
Detective® Cameroon to be comprehensive and
helpful, covering topics from Cameroonian core values and the perception of
these values by various foreigners, to ways of bridging Cameroonian cultures
with foreign cultures, using real life critical incidents. The content of
Cultural Detective® Cameroon is drawn from
years of experience training foreigners to understand this "Africa in
Miniature."
Cultural Detective® Cameroon contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- An Inauspicious Speech: U.S. Americans, French, and Cameroonians in
the electrical power industry.
- Promotional Materials: James Markus, U.S. African-American
marketing director on assignment in Cameroon, responds to a request from his
Cameroonian assistant.
- Lifelong Education: A French expatriate human resources director
hears doubts about his professionalism and the expatriate system.
- Protecting from Personal Harm: An English manager, George Aitkens,
arrives in Cameroon to find his assistant is gone without leaving his schedule
or keys to his files.
- The Washroom: A Canadian banker on a business trip to Cameroon
experiences “washroom discrimination.”
- Cashing a Check: Japanese administrative assistant Eiko Tai’s
interaction with a cashier in Cameroon.
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Cultural Detective®
Canada
There are a number of strong unifying values in Canada despite vast
geographical distances, regional differences, and talk of separation. While
Canadians are not usually a difficult people to get along with, certain
interpersonal approaches will get Canadians' backs up and hinder the achievement
of business goals. Insights from this program into Canadian values and their
relevance to business will give you a competitive advantage and can make your
life easier. Various workplace scenarios are provided to help U.S. Americans as
well as nationals from around the world to better connect with Canadians and aid
in successful collaboration.
Cultural Detective® Canada contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Expand to Canada: A U.S. retail electronics company plans to open
stores in Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver.
- Beer Partners: A Mexican marketing executive, Pablo Juarez, travels
to Canada to locate a distribution partner.
- Just Call Me Sunny: Rafiq Sharif, a Pakistani soil engineer, is
invited to conduct a briefing in the Canadian office.
- My Way or the Highway: The vice president of sales in a
Japanese electronics firm, Kazuhiko Takayama, focuses on developing teamwork
among his Canadian district sales managers.
- On Your Own: Ibrahim Kadarsan, a Pakistani accountant on a
development assignment in Canada, dialogues with his manager.
- Send in the Peacekeepers: Canadian and British delegates to the
United Nations discuss plans of action in a war-torn African country.
- Slash That Budget: Members of the executive team of a U.S.
automobile manufacturer’s Canadian division disagree on cost-cutting
procedures.
- Snow Much in Common: Two Canadian women, Jane Michaels, a
“westerner” from Alberta, and Giselle Savard, Québecois, bond and confound one
another at a joint Chamber of Commerce event.
- The Crumpled Org Chart: A French IT professional relocates to
Montréal and is shocked by decidedly non-French behaviour in the world’s
second largest French-speaking city.
- Two Official Languages: Two executives in the energy industry, Ken
Walters, Canadian, and Paul Robbins, U.S. American, get to know each other.
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Cultural Detective®
China
During the last 2500 years, China has interacted with other civilizations of
the world creating one of the most particular, well-defined and evolved cultural
systems on the planet. Today, Chinese culture may appear quite homogenous on the
surface; Cultural Detective® China
attempts to introduce the values and especially the rich "hidden" cultural,
ethnic and social diversity that have shaped one of the oldest yet fastest
changing communities on earth.
Cultural Detective® China contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- We'd Like to Do Business: Mexican businessmen planning a commercial
tour of China.
- Consulting Ethics: An American freelance consultant in Shanghai
working for multinational consulting firms.
- Rural Health Training: A Peruvian Chinese engineer working on a
rural health project in central China.
- Screening Prospective Employees: A Taiwanese manager looking to
hire local Chinese staff.
- Correcting a Product Defect: A New Zealander working in a
manufacturing plant in southern China.
- Hiring During Downsizing: A German manager with East German/Soviet
upbringing, restructuring a subsidiary in eastern China.
- Procedures and Relationships: A Congolese graduate student working
in a key Chinese university laboratory in Beijing.
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Cultural Detective® Deaf
Culture
Although it may not yet be widely recognized, Deaf Culture possesses all the
elements of a rich culture. Shaped by sign language and a strong group
affiliation, deaf cultures have existed in almost every country of the world for
hundreds of years. Often hidden from the gaze of outsiders, deaf people continue
to pass on their values, traditions, folklore, and most importantly their sign
languages to succeeding generations of deaf children. Because deaf people are
often not viewed as members of a "foreign" culture, misunderstandings between
them and their "hearing" associates due to differences in language, time
orientation, communication style, group loyalties, and information sharing are
common.
Cultural Detective® Deaf Culture
explains many features shared by deaf cultures worldwide and provides tips on
how to interact with deaf neighbors and co-workers in a spirit of mutual
respect.
- A Meeting with the Supervisor: A well-intentioned, hearing
supervisor is disappointed in a meeting with one of his Deaf employees.
- Face Time in the Workplace: Frustrations arise when Deaf employees
socialize after company-wide meetings.
- Too Much Information: A Deaf and a hearing co-worker have a
less-than-rewarding conversation in the lunchroom.
- Talk is Cheap; Understanding is Priceless: A Deaf patient has
communication difficulties with her cardiologist.
- One of Us: A Deaf couple reacts indignantly to suggestions offered
during a pre-natal checkup.
- College Class: A hearing professor discounts a Deaf student's
requests.
Extra!
Cultural Detective® Deaf
Culture includes an overview of sign language around the world, acquisition
of Deaf culture, and diversity within the culture. It also includes a list of
"Tips for Communicating with Deaf People," including techniques for using a sign
language interpreter.
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Cultural Detective®
Denmark
Denmark, a very small nation in the northern part of Europe-Scandinavia, is
the world's oldest monarchy. The Danes are especially known for good design,
food & beverages, the pharmaceutical industry, soccer, badminton and the
storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. You may have heard names like Georg Jensen,
Royal Copenhagen, Carlsberg, Bang & Olufsen, Novo Nordisk, Lego and Maersk.
Many of these brands are recognized all over the world. Denmark is a modern
society with a homogeneous population that enjoys a high standard of living with
many small and medium-sized companies. The families are usually small, the
majority of all men and women work, and Danes value their free time.
Cultural
Detective® Denmark explores some of the
underlying values of business interaction in the Danish context that may explain
some of these achievements.
- Showing Respect or Speaking One's Mind? The CEO of a Danish
subsidiary in Portugal fails to get candid views from his management team.
- Dinner Conversation: A Thai scientist is lectured by Danish
academics around the dinner table.
- Too Much Informality? An English banker joins a Danish company and
finds the teambuilding activities somewhat puzzling.
- Pragmatic Conflict Resolution? Creative Danish approaches are
offered to circumvent a "no alcohol" policy for the annual Christmas lunch.
- Independence and/or Teamwork? Reconciling family commitments with
management responsibilities in a Japanese-U.S.-Danish context.
- Humour Misunderstood: A Danish joke is not appreciated by Swiss
counterparts.
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Cultural Detective® East
Asia
Available January 2008
East Asia is one of the fastest changing areas in the world. Beginning with
the Four Dragons of the mid-1980's, super-speed economic development has
continued progressing. Change in economic condition is one of the major causes
of recent changes in people's values systems. How can we catch up with the speed
of change in East Asian cultural values? Despite the attention that has been
focused on the area, there continue to be many misunderstandings about the
region. Cultural Detective® East Asia will
guide you to an understanding of the current East Asian mindset, and help you to
enjoy interactions with East Asians.
Cultural Detective® East Asia will not
limit its focus by geographical location, but will include the region influenced
by the Chinese character, primarily China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. It will
highlight the similarities shared in the region, and the shades of variance that
distinguish each individual country.
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Cultural Detective®
Egypt
Egypt's rich history, contributions to modern society, and location on the
northeast corner of the African continent, at the edge of the Middle East
region, have made this dynamic country a source of fascination. The capital
city, Cairo, is North Africa's largest city and the cultural and scientific hub
of the Middle East. In the Egypt of today, a deep appreciation for its ancient
civilization is still evident, existing side-by-side with the activities of a
growing, modern society. Few places offer such a striking perspective of the
impact of the old upon the new as modern Egypt—a continuously developing country
facing the challenges and opportunities of finding its place in the global
village.
In education, business and politics, the Muslim majority co-exists with a
sizeable Coptic Orthodox Christian population, sharing a strong history and
desire to remain a peaceful nation and to improve a struggling economy. Given
Egypt's unique position in the political, social and global marketplace and
world affairs, it is easy to see how foreign professionals may encounter
unexpected and confusing situations when interacting with Egyptians.
Cultural Detective® Egypt contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- The Overlooked Scholarship Finalist: An Egyptian student in a U.S.
University MBA Program and her Egyptian father believe her father's professor
friend can use his influence in the scholarship selection process.
- English Shirts on Egyptian Time: A British buyer contracts with an
Egyptian factory to manufacture shirts for his department store in England.
- The Safety Committee Meeting: French and Egyptian employees react
differently to a recent safety breach at a French engineering company in
Egypt.
- The Research Team Plan: Research team members from China and Egypt
disagree on the best approach to insure their project's successful completion.
- Handling an Undependable Committee Member: Russian and Egyptian
committee co-chairs have different strategies to handle a committee member who
does not complete assigned tasks.
- Diving for Business at the Red Sea: A German Red Sea resort owner
and his Egyptian business partners have varying approaches to provide the most
comfortable vacations for their clients.
- Last-Minute Proposal Changes: Egyptian Ministry of Health officials
make unexpected changes to a proposal that may be funded by a U.S.
organization.
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Cultural Detective®
England
The United Kingdom is made up of the four entities of England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, but the English make up over 80% of the total
population, and have a culture distinctly their own. The English are a complex
people, shaped by a unique colonial history and not given to easy definition.
They prefer understatement, ironic humour and verbal cleverness to hide as much
as they reveal about themselves. To understand the ambiguities and nuances of
English culture, it is not enough to be a fluent speaker of English. This
Cultural Detective® is designed to help
you navigate your way through the many subtleties of the culture and prepare you
for rewarding and productive interactions with the English.
Cultural Detective® England contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- How to Deal with Gerard: A Swedish human resources manager tackles
a discrimination complain in the English subsidiary office.
- Fixing a Problem: Korean engineers install a manufacturing line in
an English factory.
- Who's to Blame: A German company is fined for modifying its London
office.
- Seeking Help for a Problem: A female English manager is charged
with transferring a French quality control process into the Manchester
factory.
- The Transatlantic Divide: A UK marketing team of a pharmaceutical
company is meeting in London with their U.S. American counterparts.
- A Question of Image: A Japanese bank hires an experienced yet
eccentric Englishman for its Birmingham branch.
- Alberto Mentions Maradona: The president of the Argentine
subsidiary of an insurance company requests new investment from the CEO and
executive team in the London head office.
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Cultural Detective® Fiji
Available May 2008
The Republic of Fiji is a multicultural country of 300 islands located in the
South Pacific along the International Dateline. The shared values of the peoples
of Fiji form the basis of Cultural Detective®
Fiji. This evolving culture originated with the values of the indigenous
Fijians and has been influenced by multiple waves of immigrants that have
included indentured workers from India, Chinese workers and entrepreneurs, other
Pacific islanders, and British colonials. Nearly 100 years of British rule,
Australian businesses, the Christianisation of most Fijians, and today's
globalisation have also influenced the local culture.
Cultural Detective® Fiji looks at the
shared Fiji values and explores areas where outsiders often feel confused and
frustrated. The background materials and the critical incidents will assist you
in being more effective in Fiji.
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Cultural Detective®
Finland
How does a country with a population of 5.2 million living on an area 70%
forests manage to produce the world's largest maker of cellular handsets, the
world's most popular orange scissors, the most literate 15-year-olds, the least
corrupt government, the highest economic growth rate and 9% unemployment, all at
the same time? Welcome to Finland, a country of contradictions! Modern
traditionalists, high-tech nature worshippers, rule-obeying innovators...welcome
to Cultural Detective® Finland and get to
know the Finns!
Cultural Detective® Finland contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- Competitive Bidding: A Finnish company conducts a bidding
competition for a computer system and encounters unexpected behaviour from a
French bidder.
- Honesty and Face: A Chinese-Finnish telecom joint venture dissolves
in a conflict over interpretations of a contract.
- Loser or Winner: At a midsummer track meet in Finland, an American
visitor and a Finnish runner are baffled at each other's behaviour.
- Local Know-how vs. Outside Experts: The Finnish subsidiary of a
Dutch multinational resents expert help from the home office.
- That's Company Policy: The account director of a Finnish shipyard's
sales office in Mexico loses her job for violating company policy by accepting
a relative's help to produce a better report.
- How to Impress Investors: The vice-president for corporate
information for a Finnish pharmaceutical corporation in Helsinki disagrees
with his Australian director of investor relations on how to woo foreign
investors.
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Cultural Detective®
France
Cultural Detective® France provides a
succinct approach to the core values that make French people tick. It outlines
what to expect from a French colleagues in a business environment. Illustrated
by a few dialogues among French and other nationalities, this interactive
training tool will enlighten the newcomer to French culture, or, for those more
experienced, it will give a thorough understanding about ideas formed about the
French.
Cultural Detective® France contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Synergy through Acquisition: A California software development and
marketing company acquires a French company.
- Qualifications: A long-time French expatriate helps a French
electronics manufacturer hire a plant manager to open a maquiladora
facility on the Mexico-United States border.
- Sushi, Anyone: A Japanese sushi chain aims to open a Paris
location.
- On Strike: A Swedish furniture manufacturer purchases French
textiles.
- Excuse Me: A French waiter's response to an Anglo-Canadian family.
- Whose Forest: A French company exports timber from Cameroon.
- Behind the Veil: North African Muslim schoolgirls are told not to
wear their veils to school in France.
- Applicances: A Mexican expatriate in France goes shopping for
electronic appliances.
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Cultural Detective®
Generational Harmony
Now Available!
How do four distinct generations with a wide range of experience,
expectations and requirements manage to get along together in the
workplace, while at the same time meet organizational demands and
objectives? CD® Generational Harmony explores the
interpersonal dynamics among the four generations now working
together in offices across the United States: Traditionalists, Baby
Boomers, Generation Xers and the Millennials. By learning where each
group has been, and where and how they wish to move forward within
the context of work life, it becomes much easier to understand,
empathize, and respect those from other generational cultures, and
get down to the business at hand.
Cultural Detective® Generational Harmony will examine each
generation separately and then explore how they interact together in
the workplace. An emphasis will be placed on interactions within a
hierarchical environment, such as a small business, large
corporation, and university setting.
Critical Incidents include:
-
The Four Generations, Each Bringing Brilliance and Bluster:
The CEO sees differences among his staff and wonders what is
going on.
-
To IM or Not to IM: Technology comes naturally to Gen
Xers and Millennials, often leaving Boomers and Traditionalists
in the dark and at odds with the younger generations.
-
Will You Join the Praise Parade? Millennials need lots of
praise and attention and don't expect to work their way up the
ranks, which often gets them into trouble.
-
In Over Your Head: Sometimes asking for explicit
instructions and communicating face-to-face is best.
-
Live to Work or Work to Live? Flexibility is a key
component in retaining workers of all ages.
-
One Size Does Not Fit All: Generations working together
have different preferences regarding work style.
-
Getting Everyone On Board: The recruiting landscape has
changed drastically in the past few years.
-
Cultural Detective® Generational Harmony is authored by
Gretchen Neels
and HuQing Piemonte.
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Cultural Detective®
Germany
The Cultural Detective® Germany
explores some of the historic and geographic influences shaping the German
culture of today. How did the Germans move from being "people of poets and
thinkers", to being amoung the most admired engineers of the world? Are order
and structure still as important as the age-old stereotype suggests?
Cultural
Detective® Germany attempts to give answers
to these and other questions, painting an up-to-date picture of one of the most
influential countries in the European landscape.
Cultural Detective® Germany contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- Prototyping: A global engineering team encounters challenges
developing a prototype engine.
- Which Comes First: A French pharmacist and his German co-leader of
a global team find differences when preparing for a presentation.
- Hiring Skills: A U.S. American manager in a German-owned biotech
company in the United States is confused by his German hiring manager's
approach to finding new sales engineers.
- Q&A Session: A Japanese manager in a joint venture with a
German automotive company feels he has unintentionally offended his German
colleague.
- At the Beach: A Belgian tourist encounters German tourists in the
south of France.
- Double Your Order: A German customer is furious with his Mexican
auto supply manufacturer.
- The Research Project: An Australian Aborigine supervising a German
researcher at a university in eastern Australia invites her to a department
welcome dinner.
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Cultural Detective®
Hungary
Now Available!
"A Hungarian is a man who can enter a revolving door after you and
emerge before you," goes an American saying, an apt observation on
the national character. But like all such observations, it is far
from being universally true, especially when it comes to the
business world or to the mundane life of the man on the street.
Hungary is a small country of 10 million people in Central Europe,
but it borders on seven nations. It is where North meets South and
West meets East—not only by virtue of its geography, but also
because of its cultural qualities. The Hungarian language is an
island in the sea of the surrounding German and Slavic languages and
peoples, which fortifies the national consciousness and cohesion of
its people.
The Cultural Detective® Hungary is a helping hand in making
sense of the values and thinking of Hungarians through a number of
case studies, pointing out the features that bind them to other
European nations and the ones that distinguish them from other
cultures.
Cultural Detective® Hungary contains the following stories
and critical incidents:
-
Who is the Best: Local governments provide diverse
treatment to members of a visiting EU delegation.
-
Language Deficit: A Dutch CEO of a multinational company
gives preference to the younger of his two Hungarian employees.
-
A Culture-driven Understanding of Performance: Ferenc, an
employee of a Japanese company operating in Hungary, is judged
not by his performance but by his lack of commitment.
-
A Conflict of Interests: The long-term interests of a
multinational company conflict with the income-centred
expectations of the Hungarian employees.
-
Who is Who: A German manager disregards the expertise and
professionalism of her Hungarian counterpart.
-
An Ethical Conflict: Hungarian attempts to protect the
copyrights of software do not satisfy a US American industrial
group.
Cultural Detective® Hungary is authored by
Judit Hidasi and Gyorgy Nanovfszky.
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Cultural Detective®
India
For an outsider, India can be a confusing and enigmatic experience: it is an
ancient civilisation with 18 recognized languages, a large population which
represents all ethnic strains known to humanity, more than 200 political parties
of diverse ideologies, and followers from all major world religions (besides
being the birthplace of four of them). India is simultaneously modern and
primitive: its population includes one of the world's greatest proportions of
illiterates and the second largest pool of technically qualified professionals.
It is a poor agrarian country and is also one of the fastest emerging economies.
India boasts indigenously developed space technology and software prowess, and
also a proliferation of primitive superstition.
And yet, cutting across this diversity are some common threads which underlie
the Indian cultural ethos. Cultural Detective®
India provides an engaging platform to understand and appreciate these
common cultural values.
Cultural Detective® India contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Vishvakarma Pooja: A U.S. American executive, Herbert
Nelson, introduces changes in an Indian manufacturing plant.
- Business Plan Meeting: Bernard Schmidt, a German manager, conducts
the annual business plan meeting with his Indian colleague, Deepak Anand.
- Joint-Venture Negotiations: Ms. Bengtsson leads a team from a
Swedish telecom equipment company visiting India for joint-venture
negotiations.
- Outsourcing: Albert Robbins, an English executive, tackles the
problems in outsourcing work to India with his Indian project manager, Vimal
Bannerjee.
- Technology Transfer: A team of Indian engineers spends three months
in the United States training on new equipment.
- Construction Project: A team of Japanese engineering consultants,
led by Takeshi Abe, works with an Indian team on a construction project.
- Sales Turnaround: A young Indian M.B.A., Subash Chandra, tries to
negotiate changes with an older Indian on his sales team.
Extra!
Cultural Detective® India
includes information on both traditional and changing values in Indian
society.
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Cultural Detective®
Indonesia
Indonesia has often been described as a shining chain of emerald islands
scattered across the equator from Asia to Australia. Few countries in the world
are comprised of more distinct cultures and languages than Indonesia. The
diversity of peoples and belief systems makes it certain that the foreign
professional working in Indonesia encounters confusing and unexpected
situations. Add to this mix a struggling economy, a nascent democracy with a co-
opted bureaucracy and the world's largest Muslim population—the result is a
fascinating culture in one of the largest and most important countries in the
world.
Cultural Detective® Indonesia contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- How Many Mothers: A French expatriate becomes suspicious when his
Indonesian general affairs manager asks for time off.
- To Drink or Not to Drink: An Argentine delegation in the oil and
gas industry is stymied by an Indonesian government official's response to
their project proposal.
- Putting Out the Fire: An Indonesian supplier sues a British
customer over differing perspectives on liability and contractual obligations.
- The Strike: A Taiwanese manufacturer meets with difficulties
surrounding Indonesian labor law.
- Dirty Work: Australian and Indonesian geologists come to grips with
differing work practices in a gold-mining operation.
- The Promotion: An Indonesian director refuses a major promotion in
a U.S. American insurance company
- A Smile is not a Smile: Miscommunication about production levels
has serious consequences for an Indonesian and an Australian manager.
- Why Work: The termination of a Papuan worker by a Javanese manager
turns into threats of community violence, highlighting the cultural
differences within Indonesian society.
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Cultural Detective®
Islam
Over 1.2 billion people, or one-fifth of the world's population, from a vast
range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe—from India to the
southern Philippines to Nigeria—are united by their common Islamic faith. Ethnic
and cultural issues have shaped the practice or interpretation of Islam, thereby
adding to the complexity and danger of generalizing about Islamic practices, in
addition to underscoring the flexibility of interpretations that Muslims employ.
Nevertheless, Islam maintains its central role in establishing ethical and daily
behavior for many in the varied cultures where it is practiced.
Cultural
Detective® Islam gives a greater appreciation
and awareness of how Islamic values and principles present a window of
opportunity for non-Muslims to be more effective in their dealings with
organizations that incorporate them. Further, it presents an opportunity for
others to apply some of them in their own organizational practices.
- Shaking Hands: A U.S. American female student is confused and hurt
over a male Senegalese Muslim's refusal to shake hands with her or her
friends.
- Prayer Time Issues: In a U.S. factory, native-born and African
immigrant workers experience mutual frustration over prayer time logistics and
inconsiderate behavior.
- Finalizing the Deal: Lack of understanding of norms of politeness
and miscommunications about a proposal's status have unfortunate consequences
for a U.S. American consulting company with a Kuwaiti client.
- Performance Management: A British consultant is frustrated in his
attempts to implement a best practice human resource process and policy in a
Bangladeshi nationalized financial institution.
- Health Care Training: U.S. training providers are confused by the
seemingly inconsistent behavior of Somali nursing assistant trainees.
- Business Travel: A U.S.-born Muslim woman of Indian descent has
culture vs. career conflicts on a business trip with her American male
manager.
- Investing: A Lebanese Christian woman finds her investment advice
to a Jordanian Muslim colleague goes unheeded.
- Assessing Training Needs: A German training manager is frustrated
in her attempt to build an efficient professional training function in an
Emirati financial services organization.
- More Prayer Time Issues: An Indonesian Chinese retail store owner
has misunderstandings with the Indonesian Muslim staff over time off for
prayers.
Extra!
Cultural Detective® Islam
includes a special section that discusses religion as culture, a list of common
sayings of Muslims that are Qur'an based, and "Tips for Facilitating Sensitive
Issues."
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Cultural Detective®
Israel
In Israel, the boundaries between professional and social spheres are blurry,
as are those between clients and vendors, managers and subordinates, hosts and
guests, strangers and friends. Loosely defined borders are easier to cross than
those that are sharply delineated. Israelis find it hard to stay within clearly
defined limits because, in Israel, they scarcely exist.
Our goal is to provide an understanding of Israeli culture and the way in
which loosely defined borders affect Israeli behaviors and attitudes. We will
focus on your professional counterparts—Israeli businesspeople, high tech
professionals, government officials, diplomats and heads of philanthropic
organizations. Their values, behaviors and attitudes provide the raw material
for our case studies and the source of the examples we present.
Cultural Detective® Israel contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Surprises: A U.S. American project team leader in Israel for
technical discussions.
- Explosion: A meeting between British and Israeli team members.
- Lending a Hand: An Israeli at a business dinner in Argentina.
- Honest Feedback or Humiliation: Jewish and Arab Israelis working
together in a Northern Israel semiconductor plant.
- Shock: A Russian immigrant teaching in a high school in Jerusalem.
- The Shortcut: A German textile importer discusses maintenance
procedures with the Israeli manufacturer.
- Neglect: A Filipino computer engineer working for an Israeli team
leader in Israel.
- Overwhelmed: A Swedish manager leads a consulting discussion with
an Israeli team.
- The Big Change: A U.S. American CEO reorganizes a newly purchased
Israeli software company.
Extra!
Cultural Detective®
Israel includes extended debriefs and a slang dictionary.
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Cultural Detective®
Italy
Culture Detective® Italy provides
insights into the complexity of Italian culture. As the authors illustrate and
explain the core values of Italians, important cultural differences
distinguishing the South from the North of Italy are discussed.
Cultural
Detective® Italy explores aspects of Italian
business practices and social life that, although separate, should be
interdependently analyzed. The practical applications and illustrations of
Italian values are meant to give a better understanding of how cultural values
and behaviors influence peoples' perceptions of Italians.
Cultural Detective® Italy contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Email Business: A Finnish telecom manager and a business analyst in
Bologna experience a lack of progress and mutual understanding on a project.
- Fashion Experts: A Japanese textile specialist working in Milano
feels stymied by her Italian colleagues.
- Like a Chicken: A US American is sent to Bologna to implement a new
manufacturing tracking system.
- Engineers at Work: Two Russian engineers work with a southern
Italian team to develop a machine prototype that uses alternative energy.
- We All Want to Get Things Done: A German project manager is
frustrated with productivity at a steel plant in southern Italy.
- Import and Export: A senior manager from Shanghai is taken aback
when the son of the owner of a long-time Italian partner company takes over.
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Cultural Detective®
Japan
Much media attention has been paid to Japan, but it remains a culture of
mystique and misconception to many outsiders. Working or living with Japanese,
or traveling to Japan, many people report that the Japanese are polite and
charming, yet surprisingly distant and difficult to understand. Rapidly
changing, Japan is a country rich in tradition and quick to embrace new
technologies and trends. Cultural Detective®
Japan will assist you to better understand Japanese colleagues' motivations
and to collaborate more effectively and enjoyably together.
Cultural Detective® Japan contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- International Sales Quotas: Senior international sales managers
deal with their Japanese president's optimistic sales forecasts.
- Selecting Production Material: An Italian-Japanese manufacturing
team disagrees on production materials.
- Globally Consistent Software: A U.S. American manager advocates
Japanese use of a corporate software program.
- The Expatriate Who Wants to Go Home: An overseas work group hosts a
Japanese expatriate who requests to return to Japan just nine months into his
two year assignment.
- Global R&D: A global research and development team is tasked
with implementing use of a technology perfected by their Japanese teammates.
- The Landlord: A German family living in a Tokyo flat experiences
unexpected landlord issues.
- The Scolding: A Brazilian in the precision instruments industry
resigns after perceived mistreatment by his Japanese supervisor.
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Cultural Detective® Jewish
Culture
Available November 2007
Jewish culture does not easily fit into common Western categories, such as
nationality, religion, race, ethnicity, or language. Professor Daniel Boyarin
says, "Jewishness disrupts the very categories of identity, because it is not
national, not genealogical, not religious, but all of these, in dialectical
tension." Jewishness is all of these and then some: an entire civilization, with
everything that word implies.
Cultural Detective® Jewish Culture aims
to increase understanding and awareness of Jewish culture among Jews and
non-Jews alike. It will help build cultural bridges in any organization where
Jews and non-Jews come together, or any group that wishes to become more aware
of Jewish cultural issues, including businesses, schools, universities,
religious groups, non-profits, and community organizations.
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Cultural Detective® Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Available May 2008
Creating an inclusive workplace is essential to maintaining a competitive
advantage. The Cultural Detective® Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender program offers a safe and effective way to bridge
differences while fostering a climate of respect.
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Cultural Detective®
Malaysia
Malaysia's emerging culture is a mixture and blending of more than 23 million
people of mixed descent who are Malays, Bumiputras, Chinese, Indians and others
who consider themselves citizens of the country. Culture, therefore has a
significant influence in determining the way people communicate with members of
their immediate family, their relatives, work peers, elders, strangers and local
dignitaries. It influences the styles Malaysians use to persuade others and the
languages they speak with fellow colleagues and foreigners.
Cultural Detective® Malaysia is an
attempt to assist you in identifying the common values that are found among the
multicultural population, and their influence on how business is conducted, how
relationships are built, and how conflicts are resolved to maintain
understanding, harmony and unity in the country.
Cultural Detective® Malaysia contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- Creating a Good Working Environment: Malaysians and French react
differently to plans for Saturday office cleaning.
- Launching a Pipeline Project: An Australian has difficulty with
project management in Malaysia.
- A Sticky Performance Appraisal: A Dutch manager implements a
corporate performance feedback system at a Malaysian production facility.
- We Need a Change: A U.S. American manager is charged with improving
profit margins at the Malaysian production site.
- The Social Side of Accounting: An accountant from the UK
experiences frustrations working with Malaysians.
- A Supervisor's Dilemma: A Japanese sales manager questions his
staff's activities.
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Cultural Detective®
Mexico
Mexico makes sense. Its own sense!
Cultural Detective® Mexico enables the professional to see
cross-cultural interactions in a more insightful way. It will enable the
professional to understand how culture critically impacts communication.
Cultural Detective® Mexico contains the
following stories and critical incidents:
- Mi Tío: A U.S. American expatriate product development
manager wrestles with the family connections in a Mexican company.
- Lunch, Anyone: The Puerto Rican president, César Flores, of the
Latin American division of a U.S. company holds a business lunch in Irapuato,
Mexico.
- Rejuvenation: U.S. American Jerry Marshall is sent to head up a
newly acquired soft drink company in Mexico.
- A Visit from the In-Laws: A French woman and her Mexican husband,
Luis, host her parents in Mexico.
- Looking Good: Carolina, a third generation Mexican-American woman
working in Mexico, experiences what she feels are inappropriate compliments
from her Mexican supervisor, Eduardo.
- New Management System: An English expatriate, George Blake, has
trouble motivating his Mexican managers.
- Harassment: Carlos, a Mexican male working in the United States, is
charged with sexual harassment.
- Sharing: The new Plant Manager, a German named Günter May, is
tasked with reorganizing and streamlining the Mexican organization.
- Apple Pie: A newly arrived U.S. American woman, Louise Simmons,
attempts to get to know her Mexican neighbors.
- Outsider in Her Own Country: Mexican and Japanese colleagues are
having challenges working together.
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Cultural Detective® The
Netherlands
In order to make your business encounters with the Dutch successful right
from the start, learn what to expect when you first meet. How do you approach
the multilingual Dutch? Read about their direct communication style and how they
make decisions. Become aware of how your own cultural values may differ from
those of the Dutch. This training tool will help you, as well as your Dutch
colleagues and customers, bridge differences and make cooperation productive and
pleasant. Cultural Detective® The
Netherlands helps you create new business opportunities together.
Cultural Detective® The Netherlands
contains the following stories and critical incidents:
- Not Quite Connecting: A German and Dutch researchers work on an
engineering problem in an auto parts manufacturing company.
- Let’s Get On With the Work: A Dutch expatriate supervises
Indonesian engineers on a water management project in Jakarta.
- Time Difference of a Different Sort: A Brazilian bank supervisor
works on a global salary scale system with a Dutch counterpart at corporate
headquarters.
- Disagreement on a Product Line: A French product manager supervises
a Dutch sales manager in the bicycle industry.
- Returning “Home”: A Dutchman repatriating to his own country after
20 years abroad.
- The New Computer System: A U.S. American consultant works with the
Dutch IT department to set up a home office computer system.
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Cultural Detective® New
Zealand
"I am a New Zealander," used to be an introduction whispered hesitantly. This
is not the case any longer. Today's dominant image of New Zealand is that of
youth and vigour—a dynamic, resourceful people positioned on the cutting-edge of
adventure, knowledge and creativity. "Kiwis" live with an extraordinary
opportunity to create their future. Cultural Detective® New Zealand will give you invaluable clues to
making the most of your relationships with New Zealanders.
Cultural Detective® New Zealand
contains the following stories and critical incidents:
- What Rules: Gaps in understanding widen between an innovative New
Zealand engineering company and its new Japanese owners.
- An Expensive Lesson: New Zealand owner-operators working in China
miss an important cue and lose their intellectual property.
- Bouncing the Bottom: A fire forces a New Zealand–Netherlands joint
venture to address the cultural issues.
- A Family Affair: A New Zealand retailer attempts to expand his
business through an Indian manufacturer.
- Focus On Task: A failed strategy threatens a New Zealand consulting
firm’s IT contract in Malaysia.
- In Your Place: A U.S. American “tall poppy” meets the New Zealand
clobbering machine and gets mowed.
- Clash With the Colonials: A high-performing New Zealand team
culture encounters a new British CEO.
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Cultural Detective®
Oceania
Oceania is a geographical and cultural region in the tropical zone of the
Pacific Ocean. It extends from Belau (Palau) in the west to Rapa Nui
(Easter Island) in the east and from Hawai'i in the north to French Polynesia in
the south. The indigenous peoples of this large sea of islands share many values
and customs. At the same time, there are differences between the island
cultures, including differences related to the several colonising metropolitan
powers.
Cultural Detective® Oceania looks at
the shared values of these islanders and explores areas where outsiders
often feel confused and frustrated. The background materials, case studies and
exercises will assist you in being more effective in Oceania.
Cultural Detective® Oceania contains
the following stories and critical incidents:
- Performance Review: A U.S. American hotel manager conducts
performance reviews in Pohnpei.
- Questions: A New Zealand consultant working in Kiribati and local
staff feel mutually confused and frustrated.
- Conference Design: A U.S. American HIV/AIDS educator is puzzled by
the behaviour of Samoan participants at a conference she has organised.
- Mining Venture: A protracted contracting process in Papua New
Guinea frustrates a German manager of a mining company.
- Constructive Feedback: Suggestions from a Dutch manager of a
European Union project in Tuvalu to his local colleague have unexpected
results.
- Overseas Studies: A Solomon Island technician encounters a
different teaching style while on a management course at an Australian
university.
- Groundbreaking Ceremonies: A Tongan official and the Belgian
manager of a European Union project in Tonga attend groundbreaking ceremonies.
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Cultural Detective®
Philippines
The Philippines, described since the 16th century as the Pearl of the Orient
Seas, is home to a people whose complex and fluid cultural identity is a product
of a Malay-Indian-Chinese mix overlaid by four centuries of Spanish and American
colonial experience. The Philippines is the only predominantly Christian nation
in Asia, and English is widely spoken. Filipinos' adaptiveness is key to their
resilience. This is born out by the fact that there are currently seven million
Filipino skilled and professional expatriate workers in 150 countries, and the
number continues to rise. To work effectively with Filipinos in the Philippines
or anywhere in the world, it is necessary to look beneath the warm and friendly
exterior and answer Filipinos' efforts to adapt with an effort to understand how
Filipino values and convictions about life motivate their behaviour and
actions.
Cultural Detective® Philippines
contains the following stories and critical incidents:
- All in the Family: Work relationship between a British manager and
Filipina subordinate in a retailing business in England.
- Surprise: An interaction between a German manager and a Filipino IT
engineer.
- Just Do It: A conflict involving a Dutch team leader and a group of
Filipinos on a ship-based project.
- Business Partners: Contracting between a Saudi business owner and
Filipino recruitment-and-selection partnership.
- Whose Side Are You On? An interaction between a Filipino manager
and an Indian member of staff.
- Hospital Issues: A Filipina nursing supervisor's role as "shock
absorber" between her US American boss and a multi-ethnic staff.
- Mind Your Own Business: The experience of a Filipina nurse in an
Australian aged care home.
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Cultural Detective®
Poland
Available November 2007
There is a joke: "God, while creating Europe, made fun of the Poles; he put
Poland between Russia and Germany to see what would happen."
The history of Poland is complex. In the 16th century it was one of the most
powerful countries in Europe, but after that it remained conquered and
partitioned for over 120 years. Poland finally became independent in 1989,
starting a chain reaction of destruction of the Communist system. Lech Walesa
and Pope John Paul II have become international symbols of this struggle for
freedom. The long period of fighting against aggressors has left its traces on
the Polish mentality and behavior in both business and private life.
Cultural
Detective® Poland will help you learn how to
understand and work more effectively with Poles.
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Cultural Detective®
Romania
Available January 2008
In this new century, Romania is a country of contrast: from the heights of
the Carpathian mountains to the depths of the Black Sea, Romania is a land rich
in natural resources seeking to address poverty. At the same time, Romania is
quickly moving towards European integration, 15 years after the Ceausescu
regime. To the casual observer, many historical and societal myths still abound:
Was "Dracula" a real person? Does the Ceausescu "personality cult" play a role
in contemporary society? Why is Romania a "breeding ground" for IT
professionals, similar to India? Cultural Detective® Romania will help you understand how Romania has
been a region of European cultural diversity for centuries. It explores how
Romanians, Hungarians, Germans and Roma, by developing a unique cultural
history, use diversity as a culturally creative resource.
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Cultural Detective®
Russia
Most druzhby! "Bridges of Friendship!" This popular Russian salutation
underscores the opportunities for cooperation and understanding with the people
of today's Russia. |