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Business in a Multicultural Environment
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Transcript of Business in a Multicultural Environment
The Triangulation Framework Applied
Case Study & Analysis
Daniel Ireland
Table of Contents Part I: Intro & Cultural Dimensions………………………………...………….….…… 2 Part II: Intercultural Interaction Model ……………..…………………………….…… 3 Part III: Imaging Technique…………….………….………………………………….. 11 Part IV: Misunderstandings Explained………… ……… ……………………………. 14 Part V: Solutions………………………………………………………………………..17 Part VI: Summary…………………………………………………………………...….19 References……………………………………………………………………………....21
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Case Study: M. Legrand is a French engineer who works for a Japanese company in France. One day,
the company’s general manager, Mr. Tanaka, calls M. Legrand into his office to discuss a new project in the Middle East. Mr. Tanaka tells him that the company is very pleased with his dedicated work and would like him to act as chief engineer for the project. It will mean 2 to 3 years away from home, but his family will be able to accompany him and there will be considerable personal financial benefits to the positionand of course, he will be performing a valuable service to the company.
M. Legrand thanks Mr. Tanaka for his confidence in him, but says that he will have to discuss it with his wife before deciding. Two days later, he returns and tells Mr. Tanaka that both he and his wife do not like the thought of leaving France, and so he does not want to accept the position. Mr. Tanaka says nothing but is somewhat bewildered by the decision. Introduction:
In order to accurately demonstrate the cultural differences which lead to the misunderstandings
that occurred in this scenario, I will utilize the triangulation framework (Hofstede, 2010). This
framework utilizes three analyses, the results of which can be used to determine the sources of
these misunderstandings. Once these sources have been identified, I will present two effective
and practical solutions to these conflicts which would prevent future misunderstandings of this
nature.
The three components of the Triangulation Framework are:
1. Cultural Dimensions
2. Intercultural Interaction Model
3. Imaging Technique
Part I: Cultural Dimensions
Below is a brief comparison of Mr. Tanaka’s and M. Legrand’s cultural profiles followed by a description of the dimensions relevant to this case:
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Source: (Hofstede, 2010)
The three dimensions which play a significant role in the misunderstandings which
occurred in this scenario are:
1. Individualism vs. Collectivism
2. Masculinity vs. Femininity
3. Longterm vs. ShortTerm orientation
❖ Individualism vs. Collectivism: The degree to which people in a society are
integrated into groups. M. Legrand scores ModerateHigh in this dimension (71)
and Mr. Tanaka scores Moderate/ModerateLow (46).
❖ Masculinity vs. Femininity: A preference in society for achievement, heroism,
assertiveness and material rewards for success as well as the implications of
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gender. M. Legrand scores ModerateLow in this dimension (43) and Mr. Tanaka
scores High (95).
❖ Longterm vs. Shortterm Orientation: A nation’s orientation towards the
future versus the past and present. M. Legrand scores Moderate High in this
dimension (63) and Mr. Tanaka scores High (88).
In the next two sections, I will demonstrate through the Intercultural Interaction model
and the Imaging technique that the differences which exist between each actor in these
dimensions and the cultural norms that exist as a result of these national values were the source
of the misunderstandings which occurred.
Part II: Intercultural Interaction Model
1. The two actors in this Scenario are:
a. M. Legrand
b. Mr. Tanaka
Below is a list of the actions performed by these actors, as well as relevant cultural information
which influenced their situational comprehension and behavior:
1. Mr. Tanaka calls M. Legrand into his office to discuss a new project in the Middle
East (Scripted)
a. It is common for managers in these cultures to discuss new projects with
subordinates and request their input (Carr & Pudelko, 2006) (Lee Yook, 2015).
b. French employees freely and frequently provide their input to their supervisors
upon request (Storti, 2001).
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2. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that the company is very pleased with his dedicated
work (Scripted)
a. In Japanese culture, positive affirmation and feedback from managers to
employees encourages higher performance (Yuehee &Takuechi, 2010).
b. In French culture, compliments are seen as disingenuous rather than a form of
praise (Wieland, 1995).
3. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that he would like him to act as chief engineer for the
project, which will mean two to three years away from home, but his family will be
able to accompany him and there will be considerable personal financial benefits to
the positionand of course, he will be performing a valuable service to the company.
(Scripted)
a. In Japanese culture, it is common for employees to be frequently relocated within
companies, which is reflected in their low turnover rates (Nobuo, 2015).
b. The Japanesestyle personnel system rewards work with more work and
responsibility rather than more pay (Takashi, 2004).
c. Feminine cultures such as M.Legrand’s are less likely to be motivated by
financial benefits than masculine cultures such as Mr. Tanaka’s (Hofstede, 2010).
d. Longterm oriented and relatively low indulgence cultures such as Mr. Tanaka’s
tend to seek benefits beyond the near future.
4. M. Legrand says that he will have to discuss it with his wife before deciding.
(Unscripted)
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a. In individualist cultures, people will often think about their families’ benefit
before the wellbeing of the group (Hofstede, 2010).
b. French and Japanese cultures are both high in uncertainty avoidance, which
means that surprises are unwelcomed. Structure, planning and thought are
required in decisionmaking.
5. Two days later, M. Legrand returns and tells Mr. Tanaka that both he and his wife
do not like the thought of leaving France, and so he does not want to accept the
position. (Scripted)
a. French culture is based on individuality, which values individual wellbeing over
the wellbeing of the group.
b. Japanese employees are typically intrinsically motivated (Deci, 1975).
c. Feminine cultures such as M. Legrand’s place a high value on quality of life.
d. French employees feel comfortable stating their opinion even if it is in
disagreement with their supervisor (Parrenin, Rau & Zhong, 2015).
e. French culture is highly uncertainty avoidant which is characterized by an
intolerance for ambiguity
6. Mr. Tanaka says nothing but is somewhat bewildered by the decision. (Unscripted)
a. Silence is a typical trait of Japanese communication (Rygg, 2015).
b. It is uncommon for Japanese employees to openly contradict the beliefs of their
managers (Nakane, 2006).
c. Collectivist cultures typically put the wellbeing of the ingroup before individual
interests.
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The list of probable cues and their perceptions is as follows:
1. Mr. Tanaka calls M. Legrand into his office to discuss a new project in the Middle East.
M. Legrand’s Perception:
● He is likely being called into the office to be asked for his input on the
project
● He may expect to receive instructions from his superior
2. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that the company is very pleased with his dedicated work.
M. Legrand’s Perception:
● This may be a disingenuous remark, implying that the company is in fact
not pleased with his work
● As French culture is high context, M. Legrand may perceive that despite
his initial scepticism of the compliment, it is in fact genuine based on his
positive track record
3. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that he would like him to act as chief engineer for the
project.
4. M. Legrand’s Perception:
● Based on his feminine background, Legrand likely also perceives that he is
being made an offer in which he may have a lower standard of living
● Based on his High uncertainty avoidance background, M. Legrand likely
perceived this role as extremely intimidating due to the ambiguity
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involved in regional relocation, especially without specific information on
the details of the assignment
● Based on his feminine background, M. Legrand likely perceives the
description of the monetary compensation as irrelevant to his interest in
the position
● If Legrand perceives that Tanaka’s remark about him being pleased with
his work was genuine due to the context in which it was said, he may
perceive this offer as an acknowledgement of his merit and personal
achievement
5. M. Legrand says that he will have to discuss the proposition with his wife before
deciding.
Mr. Tanaka’s Perception:
● Mr. Tanaka likely perceives that M. Legrand would like some time to
think over the proposition
● Mr. Tanaka perceives that Legrand’s wife’s opinion has a bearing on his
decision
6. Two days later, M. Legrand returns and tells Mr. Tanaka that both he and his wife do not
like the thought of leaving France, and so he does not want to accept the position.
Mr. Tanaka’s Perception:
● Tanaka perceives that M. Legrand is placing his individual desires
above the best interest of the company
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● Tanaka perceives that M. Legrand is turning down an opportunity
for advancement, financial gain and recognition
● Tanaka perceives that M. Legrand has made a large decision which
will affect the company relatively quickly
● Tanaka perceives that M. Legrand is openly questioning the
judgement of his superior
● Tanaka perceives that Legrand has let the opinion of his wife affect
his decision
7. Mr. Tanaka says nothing but is somewhat bewildered by the decision.
M. Legrand’s Perception:
● M. Legrand perceives that Mr. Tanaka either has nothing to say or
has chosen not to respond
The attributions corresponding to each above perception are as follows:
1. Mr. Tanaka calls M. Legrand into his office to discuss a new project in the Middle East
M. Legrand’s Attributions: Legrand attributed his involvement in the project
this to his reputation, successful track record, and the fact that it is a cultural
norm for employees to be consulted by their managers.
2. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that the company is very pleased with his dedicated work
M. Legrand’s Attribution: It is likely that Legrand attributed this disingenuous
remark to Mr. Tanaka being displeased with the work that he has done.
Alternatively, although he may be initially sceptical of the sincerity of this
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remark, the context may inform him that the remark is in fact a genuine
recognition of Legrand’s valuable contributions to the company.
3. Mr. Tanaka tells M. Legrand that he would like him to act as chief engineer for the
project
M. Legrand’s Attributions: As he is being offered an opportunity which will
likely have a lower standard of living due to corruption, lack of social programs
and overall instability in the Middle East, Legrand likely attributes the offer to
Tanaka’s desire to demote or get rid of him. Alternatively, depending on the
context in which the offer was made (his prior relationship with Tanaka, his
position in the company, his prior achievements, etc.), Legrand may attribute this
offer to Mr. Tanaka’s faith in his abilities due his achievement and success with
the company.
4. M. Legrand says that he will have to discuss the proposition with his wife before
deciding:
Mr. Tanaka’s Attributions: Based on his high uncertainty avoidance and
longterm orientation background, Mr. Tanaka likely attributes M. Legrand’s
request to delay his decision to his rationality. It would be out of the ordinary for
anyone to make such a large decision without taking some time to think about the
offer and consider all variables, including the opinion of his wife.
5. Two days later, M. Legrand returns and tells Mr. Tanaka that both he and his wife do not
like the thought of leaving France, and so he does not want to accept the position
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Mr. Tanaka’s Attributions: Mr. Tanaka likely attributes M. Legrand’s refusal of
the offer to:
● Legrand’s lack of loyalty to the company
● His own misjudgement of Legrand as an employee worthy of
promotion
● Legrand’s failure to appreciate the service that he would be doing
the company and the financial benefits of the offer
● Legrand’s failure to properly take the time to consider all variables
of the decision
6. Mr. Tanaka says nothing but is somewhat bewildered by the decision
M. Legrand’s Attributions: Due to his French background in which individuals
freely speak their mind, Legrand may attribute Tanaka’s silence to him not having
anything to say. Due to his high context background, he may perceive that Mr.
Tanaka is either upset because his plan to get rid of Legrand did not go as planned
or because the individual who he thought would be perfect for the job is unwilling
to fill the role.
Part III: Imaging Technique
The imaging technique applied to this scenario consists of four components:
1. M. Legrand’s view of Mr. Tanaka
2. M. Legrand’s view of himself
3. Mr. Tanaka’s view of M. Legrand
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4. Mr. Tanaka’s view of himself
1. M. Legrand’s view of Mr. Tanaka:
Interpretation A: Legrand’s view of Mr. Tanaka shifted greatly during the course of this
interaction. When Legrand was initially called into Tanaka’s office, he was likely under the
impression that he was a respected member of the staff due to his previous success in his role.
This view shifted quickly when Mr. Tanaka made what Legrand likely viewed as an insincere
remark about Legrand’s value to the company. When Tanaka told Legrand that he had made
valuable contributions to the company, Legrand perceived this as Tanaka saying the exact
opposite. As Legrand likely had been a valuable member of the staff prior to this interaction, he
likely perceived this as a direct insult by Mr. Tanaka which likely lead to Legrand viewing
Tanaka as rude and ignorant towards the contributions that Legrand had made to the company.
This notion was reaffirmed when Tanaka offered him a position in the Middle East, a region
which generally has a standard of living much lower than that of France. Due to his feminine
background, Legrand views living conditions as an indicator of success rather than the monetary
compensation that came with the position. Therefore, Legrand perceived that not only had
Tanaka called him into the office to insult him and his work with the company, but to offer him a
demotion into a role in a highly unstable region in order to get rid of him. After that
conversation, Legrand likely perceived that Tanaka was a very rude and insincere manager who
was unable to recognize his value.
Interpretation B:Depending on the context of the conversation, it is possible that Legrand
realizes that Mr. Tanaka was not insulting him but praising him and attempting to offer him a
promotion. In this case, Legrand’s view of Mr. Tanaka did not shift quite as drastically and
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Legrand likely views Tanaka as a manager who is appreciative of his contributions and
supportive of his career advancement after this interactional sequence.
2. Legrand’s view of himself:
Interpretation A: Before this interaction, Legrand likely viewed himself as a valuable and
appreciated member of the team. He likely had a positive track record and was aware of his
personal contributions to the company. After being insulted by his manager and offered a
demotion, Legrand likely questioned whether he had adequately fulfilled his role within the
company. Once he had taken a few days to reflect and consulted with his wife, Legrand realized
that he had in fact fulfilled his role and was undeserving of the demotion which had been
proposed to him. While he still viewed himself as a valuable member of the team, Legrand is
likely more skeptical of his actions now that he is under the impression that his manager is
dissatisfied with his past contributions.
Interpretation B: Before this interaction, Legrand likely viewed himself as a valuable and
appreciated member of the team. After being complimented and offered a promotion, despite the
promotion not being very appealing, Legrand likely left this interaction with an increased
confidence in his ability to succeed in his role and a sense of achievement.
3. Mr. Tanaka’s view of M. Legrand:
Tanaka’s view of M. Legrand shifted greatly throughout this interaction. In the beginning,
Tanaka viewed Legrand as one of his best employees. Legrand had demonstrated his abilities
and dedication to the company through his valuable contributions. Tanaka was so impressed with
Legrand’s work that he found him fit for a promotion to reward him for all of his success.
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Tanaka thought that there would be no one more capable of adequately filling the role than M.
Legrand, so he called him into his office in order to tell him that he was going to be promoted.
After informing Legrand that he was to be promoted, Legrand asked for some time to consider
the offer which Tanaka understood due his cultural belief that all lifechanging decisions should
be thought about carefully with all variables considered before a decision is made. After only
two days, Legrand informed Tanaka that he did not want the position. This came as a huge
surprise to Tanaka for several reasons: 1) It is uncommon for employees from Tanaka’s
background to put their personal interest before the wellbeing of the company 2) The job would
offer significant financial benefits 3) In Japanese culture, receiving more responsibility from
your superior is seen as a reward which is typically accepted with gratitude (Takahashi, 2004) 4)
Lifechanging decisions such as this one typically take longer than two days to decide 5) It is
unusual for a subordinate to question his superior’s judgement that he/she is fit for a role within
the company.
After this interaction, Tanaka viewed Legrand as a selfish and disloyal employee who is
not fit for any type of promotion. In fact, after this demonstration of his lack of loyalty to the
company and poor decisionmaking abilities, Tanaka may have even thought that Legrand
deserved to be demoted or fired.
4. Mr. Tanaka’s view of himself:
Before this interaction, Mr. Tanaka likely viewed that he was doing well in his role of managing
Legrand and viewed himself as a manager who was able to spot out potential in his employees.
After offering Legrand an offer for significant advancement in the company and being rejected,
Tanaka likely came to the realization that he was less perceptive than he thought in regards to
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which of his employees were qualified for advancement and their loyalty to the company. After
this interaction, Mr. Tanaka will likely be more sceptical when considering candidates for
promotion within the company.
Part IV Misunderstandings
Misunderstandings occurred in all four components of the imaging technique. In reference the
the above section, the misunderstandings which occurred are as follows:
1. Interpretation A: A misunderstanding occurred in how M. Legrand viewed Mr. Tanaka
when he perceived what Tanaka intended to be as a compliment and an opportunity for
promotion as an insult and an offer to demote himself. This occurred due to differences in
the cultural norm of giving and receiving feedback in both cultures. In Japanese cultures,
it is common for managers to provide direct positive feedback whereas in French culture
these direct positive affirmations are seen as insincere. The misunderstanding over
whether this position was a promotion or demotion occurred due to the differences in
masculinity and femininity between the two cultures. In masculine cultures such as
Japan’s, employees are motivated by increases in salary, responsibility and recognition.
In feminine cultures such as France’s employees are motivated in an increase in standards
of living and security. As this proposition, despite the financial benefits and increased
responsibility would result in a lower standard of living and less security, Legrand
perceived Tanaka’s offer as a demotion when it was in fact intended to be a promotion.
Interpretation B: If the context resulted in Legrand perceiving Tanaka’s remarks as an
expression of appreciation for his efforts and an offer for promotion, then no
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misunderstanding occurred in this portion of the technique, as this was Mr. Tanaka’s
intention.
2. Interpretation A: Misunderstandings occurred in how Legrand viewed himself when he
called into question his fulfillment of his role in his current position. By perceiving that
he had been insulted and offered a demotion rather than being praised, Legrand
questioned his abilities when in fact he should have been feeling a sense of pride and
accomplishment for his contributions and recognition from his manager.
Interpretation B: If Legrand interpreted Tanaka’s remarks as praise, then a
misunderstanding occurred after this interaction when Legrand informed Tanaka that he
was not interested in the position. Legrand likely left this interaction believing that he
was an employee who was in good standing with his manager and who had not failed to
fulfill his role within the organization when from Tanaka’s perspective the opposite was
true.
3. Misunderstandings occurred in how Mr. Tanaka viewed M. Legrand occurred when
Legrand refused the promotion that Mr. Tanaka had offered. Tanaka comes from a
collectivist culture in which it is an individual’s responsibility to fulfill their role within
an organization, and therefore realized that he was wrong in believing that Legrand was a
loyal employee deserving of a promotion. Legrand, however, comes from an
individualist culture in which the standard of living is very important and in which
individual liberties are highly valued. For this reason, Legrand felt that he was not
obligated to fill the role. The misunderstanding occurred in that Legrand’s refusal does
not imply that he is unqualified for the position, but simply that the drawbacks of the
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change in roles outweighed Legrand’s perceived benefits, which based on his
individualist values made taking the offer appear to be a poor choice.
Part V: Solutions
I have developed two practical and effective solutions to this issue which, in combination, would
fulfill the company’s need to fill their role in the Middle East and prevent similar issues from
occurring in the future:
1) Select a Japanese Expatriate:
Due to their collectivist background, Japanese employees will gladly accept the position
as they feel that it is their role to fulfill the new role in the organization.While public
recognition of their efforts will likely result in humiliation, private acknowledgement, as
was given by Mr. Tanaka is very motivating for Japanese employees. In Japanese
culture, work is rewarded with more work, so Japanese employees receiving this offer
will feel motivated by their successful contributions to the company (Takahashi, 2004). If
this exact scenario had occurred with a Japanese employee rather than M. Legrand, the
Japanese employee almost certainly would have accepted the position. Also, as Japanese
managers value the importance of understanding how to motivate their employees, A
Japanese manager would be wellsuited to enter this new region and identify how to
motivate their employees to perform at a high level (Usugami & Park, 2006). As a parent
country national, a Japanese employee would have the greatest understanding of the
company’s resources and methods and could assist in standardizing parent country
organizational culture (Loes 2015).
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2.) Adjust compensation packages to meet the desires of expatriates:
While slightly more complicated than the previous solution, this solution would assist
developing a method for encouraging French employees to expatriate in future
international ventures. This process could begin by conducting an office survey in which
French employees are given a set of questions to answer, and their responses to be
considered when designing compensation packages for future openings. An example one
of these questions might be:
“Which of the following benefits would you find the most valuable?
A) Salary Increase of $10,0000
B) Free or largely subsidized insurance plans
C) Family tuition waivers for prestigious educational institutions
D) Increased paid vacation time
Through these surveys which could be mandated and completed at virtually no cost, (via
online polling, email, paper vote, or any other form of electronic submission) the company could
accurately gauge how to motivate not only French employees, but employees across all
subsidiaries and departments. Once the survey results were collected, the company could then
develop a compensation plan to cater to these motivations which would lead to increased
motivation and performance across all branches and departments. If Mr. Tanaka’s offer was
comprised of incentives which catered to Legrand’s needs for safety and standards of living
rather than monetary compensation and a sense of fulfillment of his duties as an employee,
Legrand would have had a much more difficult decision on his hands. For example, if Mr.
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Tanaka were to have proposed that rather than a salary increase, Legrand would receive a
complete insurance package, placement in the most secure location in the Middle East and an
opportunity to choose the projects that he worked on, Legrand would have been much more
likely to take the offer because his needs as uncertainty avoidant and feminine employee would
have been met.
This second initiative should be taken by the firm regardless of their decision on who to
expatriate to the Middle East. By understanding what motivates their employees across all
subsidiaries globally, they will be able to create differentiated compensation packages which will
maximize employee motivation and performance.
Part VI: Summary
Misunderstandings of this nature can have detrimental effects which can greatly inhibit the
internationalization process. Failure to effectively identify and motivate expatriates can result in
early return of the expatriate from the host country, damage to company reputation, missed
opportunities and poor international performance (Loes, 2015). As demonstrated through the
triangulation framework, the fundamental misunderstandings which occurred in this scenario
were a result of differences in cultural values and norms between Japanese and French culture.
Differences in the dimensions of Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity and
Longterm vs. Shortterm orientation played a significant role in the shaping of both actor’s
messages, perceptions, actions and attributions. In order to resolve this issue, it is recommended
that a suitable Japanese employee be expatriated in order to fulfill the company’s immediate
need in the Middle East and that an internal survey be conducted throughout all subsidiaries in
order to gauge employee motivation and develop differentiated compensation packages which
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more closely match the motivational factors of all employees. If both of these steps are
completed, not only will the company’s immediate requirements for expatriation be satisfied, but
the company will also be better suited to effectively facilitate further internationalization
without experiencing similar cultural conflict in the future.
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