What we do?
CULTURAL AWARENESS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Globalisation has vastly increased opportunity for internationally minded or inclined organisations. However, as is well documented, the pitfalls of doing business internationally are many and potentially costly. Greater awareness of cultural differences and the utilisation of tools to mitigate them can assist with professional and organisational development, improve productivity and save money. Konsensia achieves these goals using practical and common sense techniques.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In order to ensure a ‘meeting of minds’, whether within or amongst teams, in forging external relationships and in negotiation, there are certain assumptions that we carry with us. These assumptions are often culturally biased, and reflect our attitudes to time, etiquette, motivation, trust and contractual obligation. Successful cross-cultural interaction requires:
- an awareness of one’s own biases, perceptions and expectations
- an awareness of others’ biases, perceptions, and expectations
- a set of resources that may be used in situations of cultural unfamiliarity or discomfort.
A failure to engage on a common platform within organisations provides fertile ground for under-utilisation of resources, communication failures, motivational challenges and ultimately sub-optimal performance.
WHAT SHOULD IT BE USED FOR?
International business is founded on the development of relationships amongst individuals, teams and across cultures. The successful establishment and development of these relationships can be facilitated and deepened by recognition, acceptance, integration and leveraging of cultural differences. These can include:
- Power and accountability
- Time management
- Definitions of identity – individual or collectivist
- Organisational arrangements – hierarchy, competition etc
- Communication patterns
- Modes of thinking
HOW DO WE TRAIN?
Delivery of training is customised to the requirements of the organisation in format and focus. Seminars are interactive and can be short and targeted half-day seminars on particular geographic regions, or can be more extensive seminars providing a foundation for cultural awareness and interaction. Groups can be up to a maximum of twelve.
The training provides a platform from which individuals and organisations are able to assess and generate alternatives, respond appropriately to cultural preferences in local markets, which ultimately enables superior local forecasting and critical analysis.
Coaching services may also be provided, either on a personal basis or on a corporate basis for teams, individuals or expatriates/repatriates.
