Working with the nordics
-
Upload
karsten-eskelund -
Category
Business
-
view
181 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Working with the nordics
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Working with the Nordics
Karsten Eskelund,
Department of Informatics, University of Oslo
MYRA School of Business, 26th November 2013
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Who am I?
Working with the Nordics Karsten Eskelund
9.540.065
5.600.000
5.426.090
5.050.133
321.575
Working with the Nordics Karsten Eskelund
The IT services market in the Nordics is
estimated to be USD 10-12 billion and is
growing at the rate of
5 per cent CAGR. In spite of the large
economic activity (nominal GDP close to
USD 1.6 trillion) the reason for a relatively
small IT market is often attributed to the
presence of a large number of small and
medium-sized enterprises.
(2009)
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Exercice 1
What do you think about when people say
“Norway” or “Norwegian”?
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Business
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
What do you have to consider when
you work with the Nordics?
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Norwegians at the office
- Normal working hours is 8-16. Some people work 7-
15 or 9-17
- Don’t expect the documentation to be as detailed as
you would like. The client will expect that consultants
have comments and even objections to the
specification
- In Norway there is usually a quite flat structure in any
projects. You are there because you are experts in your
areas. The project managers will (or at least should)
listen to you
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Norwegians at the office (cont)
- Norwegian consultants are used to work quite
independently, with much less supervision than in
India, even at junior level
- Mixed team of consultants and clients
- In Norway, the way to communicate is much more
direct (blunt) than in India. This is NOT to offend
anyone, just the way of communicating
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Norwegians dress code
- There is nothing such as a dress down day on
Fridays
- “Just above the customer”
- On parties and other social gatherings the dress code
can very much vary. Please ask in advance
- Indian dresses will probably most often be accepted,
and people will like to see that. But it might be too cold
in some seasons
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Norwegians outside office
- People like to exercise and keep fit all year round
(skiing, cycling, running)
- Like to party. It is common both for boys and girls to
drink beer at gatherings. But not so much hard liquor
- People like to travel more and try out different things
in life
- Weekends are there for doing new things, not
necessarily relax with family
- Friends are just as important as the family
- A different understanding of extended family than in
India
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Recommendations for working in
Norway
- Be on time!
- Ask questions
- Do expect people to question your work. They are
curious, not skeptic
- Do participate
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Communication
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Communication model
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Norglish and Hindglish
Norwegians and Indians will use the English language different. This is a
source for confusion
Examples
If someone say “bike”, the Norwegian will think
about this:
while the Indian will think about this:
If a Norwegian don’t know what English word to use, the person might
assume that it is the same as in Norwegian
Examples
“registrere en sak” – “register a case” – “raise a ticket”
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
What to remember from today
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Working across cultures: points to
remember
Building awareness on both sides helps bridge communication gaps
Culture cannot be an excuse for non-performance; it needs to be planned and managed
…BUT ultimately it is about a relationship of TRUST!
Working with the Nordics Karsten EskelundKarsten Eskelund
Most important: plan and build
relationships
Is there clarity about Content, Channels, Protocols, and Frequency of communication?
Are there opportunities for any face to face interaction?
Is there effort to assess the relationship level?
Are there efforts and measures to improve trust and respect among members?
Working with the Nordics Karsten Eskelund
Working with the Nordics Karsten Eskelund