Fitzburg tire company

An American Project in Cuernavaca

Overview

•Ann BlockV.P., Overseas Operations

•Max BiermanGeneral Construction Manager

•John PerkinsBierman’s assistant

•Leopoldo Sanchez GarciaChief Engineer

•Maestro Miguel MunozSubcontractor

•MexicanWorkers

Existing situationDifferent problems:

• Communication

• Intercultural differences

• Ethics

• Management

• Costs in excess of those projected

• Construction behind schedule

Communication

- •Language barrier

• Misunderstanding

• No communication Bierman/workers

+•Sanchez’s experience

• Many meetings & reports

Intercultural Differences

Americans

• Respect the schedule and the deadline

• Individualistic culture

• Abolish the siesta

• Money is more important

Mexicans

• Doing well is more important

• Spirit of solidarity

• Keep the siesta

• Title and position is more important

Ethics

+• Get wind of a new

way of thinking

• Sanchez’s explanation

-• Bierman, self

centered

• Fitzburg isn’t conversant

Management

Americans

• Bierman wants to fire Munoz

• No talk between John and workers

• Good engineers

• American way of working

Mexicans

• Sanchez wants to hire workers

• Munoz has to be directed but work well

• Mexican way of working

Statement of Problem

HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE INTERCULTURAL

PROBLEM?

Bierman loses control on the project and we waste too much

time and money!

Solution 1Do nothing

+• Mexicans are more

efficient

• Good work

-• Increasingly late

• A big waste of money

Solution 2Establish bonus

+• Working faster

• Motivation

-• Bad atmosphere

• Maybe sloppy work

+• Fewer

misunderstandings

• Workers will appreciate

-• Form a new assistant

• Fire a good engineer

Fire John Perkins

Solution 3

+• Work will be

completed faster

• No more time and money waste

-• Mexicans are

unhappy

• No respect for workers and culture

Abolish the siesta and fire bad

workers

Solution 4

Solution 5

+• He is the real

problem

• Respect Mexican way of work

• Better atmosphere

-• Maybe the new one

is not better

• Same overcosts and delay

Fire Bierman

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