Number 2

How would you describe the respective attitudes of Martin and Green: ethnocentric,

polycentric, or geocentric?  What factors do you suspect of having influenced their

respective attitudes?

The respective attitude of Charles Martin is geocentric because he respects Uganda’s

culture based on perspective of people in Uganda. Martin’s decision to approve such a

nepotism action or ceremony in Uganda prove that he developed a level of respect for the

way things were expected to be done in Uganda, not based on company values. This

attitude could be influenced by Martin’s educational background which is majored in

African studies and his experience of participating in Peace Corps in Kenya. By those

knowledge an experiences Martin began to develop a negative opinion regarding

individuals who can’t learn and respect other cultures, but he maybe was too extreme in

defining this perspective.

The respective attitude of James Green is ethnocentric because he makes value judgments

about Uganda’s culture from perspectives of one's own cultural system, or in this case

company culture. He can consistently take an objective standpoint to maintain home-

country policies while conducting business in Uganda because he was prioritizing

company values. Green was very focus in following company and home-country

procedures so it makes him reconsidering to sustain Martin on company’s projects. Green

can have this perspective because he never conducted business project in Uganda before

and was not familiar with African culture. Moreover, Green strategic position in the

company give him more responsibility to committed to company’s values, and in this

case Green’s objectivity can be an effective way in handling such a cultural problems in

business.

Number 3

Who was right, Green or Martin, about Martin’s more controversial actions in

facilitating the project? How might things have turned out if Martin had not been a

member of the project team?

As the explanation in case of number 2, each Green and Martin had different respective

attitude.

Several Martin’s controversial action in facilitating the project

- His lifestyle was inconsistent wit HG culture. It would be a big deal for

company to be worried in assumption Martin with his own ethnocentric

believed this lifestyle could ease him to do business deal with them.

- His preference isolating himself from the expatriate community which made

little use in helping colleagues adapt the kind of life that would be comfortable

for them in the alien environment of Uganda. This action was contra with the

assumption that Martin did different lifestyle in case ease company to do deal

business with people.

- He did such practices which were both normal and legal in Uganda business

dealings but they bordered on the ethical in US organization and did nepotism in

hiring practice. Nevertheless a company may not border ethical issue though for

being able to operate well in local area besides this issue also would make

company bad in society.

- He held and joined sacrifice ceremony with a religion caretaker hired by him for

company which could offend Uganda’s Christian as majority. As International

Company which did operation in local area, it should be fair to society so that

not just support to several groups in society. Martin should consider how the

ceremony effect to other society related to the company image.

According to the function of both Green and Martin as the people who responsible for the

dam project of company by not harming people in society in Uganda where project

located, Green was right in case of Martin did several unethical actions which could give

effect to company and society.

Unless Martin had been member of project, there would be two possible situations. First,

no ethical border issue and nepotism in project process but society might be difficult to

do business deal with company regarding Martin had skill on that. Second, ethical issue

and nepotism would be there in project in case it had been society culture so that

company would be hard to complete the project.