Andre fag
Engelsk tekst
11. marts 2004 af
james bond (Slettet)
Nogen de gider kigge den igennem for fejl
Meet James Richardson. Arriving home from school, he, like millions of other children, spends hours at his computer each day chatting to peers from all parts of the world. Sociologists blame him and his peers for developing an unhealthy disinterest in outdoor life and what that compared to a computer could help a person gain of social skills. However, what sociologists apparently have not figured out is that James’ multiple hours of keyboard tapping will gain him some abilities vital not only to today’s businesses but businesses of tomorrow as well.
James Richardson and his peers will in years to come enter the labour market with a tremendous amount of knowledge about different cultures. A knowledge gathered from the innumerable hours spent looking into a screen, and a knowledge a teacher preaching about cultural differences never could have given him. He will, in other words, become invaluable to companies which have figured out that cultural diversity is not something that will go away in just a couple of days.
Knowing what people from other cultural backgrounds treasure comes in handy for a lot of today’s business. Especially businesses operating in the Far East benefit from knowing what their counterpart’s cultural baggage contains. In probably no other place does the cultural diversity come through more clearly than at business meetings between Westerners and Japanese. Unaware that Japanese prefer to have his colleagues’ consensus before making decisions during meetings, lots of executives wanting to push a deal forward have left business meetings in utter despair. If, on the other hand, they had studied Japaneese culture they would have known that Japanese like to build a personal relationships with their business partner before trying to settle a deal. Doing that, Western businessmen would refrain from pushing forward, and thereby, not jeopardize the chance at housing a good deal nor the probability of establishing a lasting partnership.
Although cultural knowledge is of utmost importance to companies thinking about starting up business in other parts of the world, the importance of knowing foreign people’s cultural traits is not restricted to businesses only. People in general can certainly also benefit from a little cultural insight before deciding to travel to a foreign country. Using Japan as an example again, you ought to try learning what a person born in the Land of the Rising Sun thinks of certain gestures. Indeed, scratching your head in Japan shows your anger whereas it in our part of the world indicates lack of understanding. Depending on the situation that could lead to everything from look of disapproval to complete ostracism!
In order to avoid such tragic outcomes and to get the best out of visiting or doing business in foreign countries, the fact is that knowing foreign people’s national traits and what they value becomes increasingly important in an increasingly globalized world. However, where are you supposed to seek out that knowledge besides reading dusty travel guides emphasizing information on sights embellished to attract foreigners?
Looking at it from a company’s point of view, knowledge of foreign people’s cultural traits could be gained the same way the Siemens Group gathers information of a country’s cultural traits before setting up branches in other countries. Following the example which the German electronics maker has set, companies would have to establish a sort of cultural awareness enhancement programme aimed at improving teaching their employees’ knowledge of foreign people’s national traits and cultural history. To have such programmes turn out well, company funded anthropologists would come and teach employees the necessary knowledge of how to establish partnerships in other countries than that of their own. Employees would, in that way, be much more prepared to handle problems occuring between them and their business partners. In most cases, they would even be able to prevent problems from happening.
To prevent cultural mistunderstandings from happening between foreign people and tourists who visit their country, measures, similar to the ones made by companies, could be taken into account. Establishing programmes not funded by companies would, however, require that people who attend the programmes would have to pay for them themselves. That would, in the long run, certainly not attract many people. If, on the other hand, travel agencies were willing offer such programmes to their customers, the customers would probably start attending them.
Although attending such classes certainly would make understand foreign cultures better, anthropologists stress the importance of knowing your own roots. They especially stress it to companies whose further development depends on how well they manage to tie up with other companies in foreign countries. No company would accept having an employee - raised in culure hating people from a certain part of the world – treating a business associate from that particular part of the world according to what society had taught him. That is certainly also the reason why anthropologists tell companies to have their employees change their negative views of other cultures. Negative views which, needless to say, would destroy any chances of building positive relationships with a foreign business partner. However, as anthropologists probably would say, changing negative views shaped by society requires deep understanding of how society or culture works.
Meet James Richardson. Arriving home from school, he, like millions of other children, spends hours at his computer each day chatting to peers from all parts of the world. Sociologists blame him and his peers for developing an unhealthy disinterest in outdoor life and what that compared to a computer could help a person gain of social skills. However, what sociologists apparently have not figured out is that James’ multiple hours of keyboard tapping will gain him some abilities vital not only to today’s businesses but businesses of tomorrow as well.
James Richardson and his peers will in years to come enter the labour market with a tremendous amount of knowledge about different cultures. A knowledge gathered from the innumerable hours spent looking into a screen, and a knowledge a teacher preaching about cultural differences never could have given him. He will, in other words, become invaluable to companies which have figured out that cultural diversity is not something that will go away in just a couple of days.
Knowing what people from other cultural backgrounds treasure comes in handy for a lot of today’s business. Especially businesses operating in the Far East benefit from knowing what their counterpart’s cultural baggage contains. In probably no other place does the cultural diversity come through more clearly than at business meetings between Westerners and Japanese. Unaware that Japanese prefer to have his colleagues’ consensus before making decisions during meetings, lots of executives wanting to push a deal forward have left business meetings in utter despair. If, on the other hand, they had studied Japaneese culture they would have known that Japanese like to build a personal relationships with their business partner before trying to settle a deal. Doing that, Western businessmen would refrain from pushing forward, and thereby, not jeopardize the chance at housing a good deal nor the probability of establishing a lasting partnership.
Although cultural knowledge is of utmost importance to companies thinking about starting up business in other parts of the world, the importance of knowing foreign people’s cultural traits is not restricted to businesses only. People in general can certainly also benefit from a little cultural insight before deciding to travel to a foreign country. Using Japan as an example again, you ought to try learning what a person born in the Land of the Rising Sun thinks of certain gestures. Indeed, scratching your head in Japan shows your anger whereas it in our part of the world indicates lack of understanding. Depending on the situation that could lead to everything from look of disapproval to complete ostracism!
In order to avoid such tragic outcomes and to get the best out of visiting or doing business in foreign countries, the fact is that knowing foreign people’s national traits and what they value becomes increasingly important in an increasingly globalized world. However, where are you supposed to seek out that knowledge besides reading dusty travel guides emphasizing information on sights embellished to attract foreigners?
Looking at it from a company’s point of view, knowledge of foreign people’s cultural traits could be gained the same way the Siemens Group gathers information of a country’s cultural traits before setting up branches in other countries. Following the example which the German electronics maker has set, companies would have to establish a sort of cultural awareness enhancement programme aimed at improving teaching their employees’ knowledge of foreign people’s national traits and cultural history. To have such programmes turn out well, company funded anthropologists would come and teach employees the necessary knowledge of how to establish partnerships in other countries than that of their own. Employees would, in that way, be much more prepared to handle problems occuring between them and their business partners. In most cases, they would even be able to prevent problems from happening.
To prevent cultural mistunderstandings from happening between foreign people and tourists who visit their country, measures, similar to the ones made by companies, could be taken into account. Establishing programmes not funded by companies would, however, require that people who attend the programmes would have to pay for them themselves. That would, in the long run, certainly not attract many people. If, on the other hand, travel agencies were willing offer such programmes to their customers, the customers would probably start attending them.
Although attending such classes certainly would make understand foreign cultures better, anthropologists stress the importance of knowing your own roots. They especially stress it to companies whose further development depends on how well they manage to tie up with other companies in foreign countries. No company would accept having an employee - raised in culure hating people from a certain part of the world – treating a business associate from that particular part of the world according to what society had taught him. That is certainly also the reason why anthropologists tell companies to have their employees change their negative views of other cultures. Negative views which, needless to say, would destroy any chances of building positive relationships with a foreign business partner. However, as anthropologists probably would say, changing negative views shaped by society requires deep understanding of how society or culture works.
Svar #1
12. marts 2004 af Fingersen (Slettet)
Hej. Jeg har prøvet at rette den og tilføjet noget andet. Det var en lang tekst at arbejde med.
Meet James Richardson. Having arrived home from school, he, like millions of other children, spends hours at his computer each day chatting with peers from all parts of the world. Sociologists blame him and his peers for developing an unhealthy disinterest in outdoor life. Spending time outside with friends would certainly help a person develop social skills which a computer would not be able to do. However, what sociologists apparently have not figured out is that James’ multiple hours of keyboard tapping will gain him some abilities vital not only to today’s businesses, but to businesses of tomorrow as well.
James Richardson and his peers will in years to come enter the labour market carrying a tremendous amount of knowledge about different cultures. A knowledge gathered from the innumerable hours spent in front of a screen, and a knowledge experts preaching about cultural differences never would have been able to give him. He will, in other words, become invaluable to companies which have figured out that cultural diversity is not something that will go away tomorrow.
Knowing what people with other cultural backgrounds treasure comes in handy for a lot of today’s businesses. Especially companies operating in the Far East benefit from knowing what their counterpart’s cultural baggage contains. In probably no other place do cultural differences come through more clearly than at business meetings between Westerners and Japanese. Unaware that Japanese prefer to have his colleagues’ consensus before making decisions during meetings, lots of executives wanting to push a deal forward have left business meetings in utter despair. Simply because they did not want to use two meetings to get an answer that could be given using only one meeting. If, on the other hand, they had studied Japanese culture they would have known that Japanese like to build a personal relationship with their business partner before settling a deal. Having studied Japanese ways of living, Western businessmen would refrain from pushing forward, and thereby, neither risk housing a good deal nor risk losing the chance at establishing a lasting partnership.
Although knowing about other cultures is extremely important to companies thinking of starting up business in other parts of the world, the importance of knowing foreign people’s cultural traits does not only apply to companies but to tourists as well. People in general can certainly also benefit from a little cultural insight before deciding to travel to a foreign country. Using Japan to make my point, you ought to be aware of what a person born in the Land of the Rising Sun thinks of certain gestures that you use instinctively. Indeed, scratching your head in Japan shows your anger whereas it in our part of the world indicates lack of understanding. Depending on the situation that could lead to everything from a look of disapproval to complete societal ostracism!
In order to avoid such tragic outcomes and to get the best out of visiting or doing business in foreign countries, companies and tourists should realize that knowing foreign people’s national traits will become increasingly important in an increasingly globalized world. However, where do you find this knowledge besides reading dusty travel guides emphasizing on information about sights embellished to attract foreigners?
Looking at it from a company’s point of view, knowledge of foreign people’s cultural traits could be gained the same way the Siemens Group gathers information about a country’s cultural traits before setting up branches that particular country. Following the example the German electronics maker has set, companies ought to establish a sort of cultural awareness enhancement programme aimed at teaching employees about foreign people’s national traits and cultural history. To have such programmes turn out well, a company would have to hire an anthropologists who would teach the employees what is required to successfully establish branches around the world. Employees would, in that way, be much more prepared to handle problems occuring between them and their business partners. In most cases, they would even be able to prevent problems from happening.
To prevent cultural misunderstandings from happening when a tourist visits a foreign country, measures similar to the ones made by companies could be taken into account. Establishing programmes not funded by companies would, however, require that people thinking about attending these programmes would have to pay for them themselves. That would, in the long run, certainly not attract many people. If, on the other hand, travel agencies were willing to fund such programmes, their customers would probably start attending them. Not only would their customers probably attend them, but they would tell others about the travel agency and definitely choose it again when deciding spend another vacation in a foreign country. So, to put it simpel, both travel agencies and customers would benefit from cultural awareness enhancement programmes.
Participating in such programmes, you would surely learn how your culture differs from that of another country. However, in order to get the most out of visiting or doing business in another country you must know your own roots. Anthropologists, who stress the importance of knowing your own cultural backgrounds, say that cultural knowledge is more important to companies than to tourists. Knowing foreign people’s culture can determine how well a company manages to tie up with other companies in foreign countries. Or put in another way, the more a company knows its country’s culture, the better are its chances at building a successful partnership. Frankly, some anthropologists think that the entire life of an export company’s depends on how well it knows its own culture. Surely, no tourists have yet experienced that their lives were on the line because they - due to lack of knowledge about their own culture – had a hard time understanding foreign people’s culture when traveling abroad.
That is why, it would be unacceptable for a company to have an employee - raised in a culure looking down on people from a certain part of the world – do business with a businesman from that particular part of the world. Indeed, it would not suit the company’s best interests when the employee instinctively was treating his business partner bad. Simply because he had been brought up to do so.
In order to avoid scenarios like the one above, anthropologists would certainly tell companies to have their employees change their negative views of other cultures. Negative views which, needless to say, would destroy any chances at building positive relationships with a foreign business partner. However, what they probably also would say was that changing negative views shaped by society requires deep understanding of how society or culture works.
MVH
Fingersen
Meet James Richardson. Having arrived home from school, he, like millions of other children, spends hours at his computer each day chatting with peers from all parts of the world. Sociologists blame him and his peers for developing an unhealthy disinterest in outdoor life. Spending time outside with friends would certainly help a person develop social skills which a computer would not be able to do. However, what sociologists apparently have not figured out is that James’ multiple hours of keyboard tapping will gain him some abilities vital not only to today’s businesses, but to businesses of tomorrow as well.
James Richardson and his peers will in years to come enter the labour market carrying a tremendous amount of knowledge about different cultures. A knowledge gathered from the innumerable hours spent in front of a screen, and a knowledge experts preaching about cultural differences never would have been able to give him. He will, in other words, become invaluable to companies which have figured out that cultural diversity is not something that will go away tomorrow.
Knowing what people with other cultural backgrounds treasure comes in handy for a lot of today’s businesses. Especially companies operating in the Far East benefit from knowing what their counterpart’s cultural baggage contains. In probably no other place do cultural differences come through more clearly than at business meetings between Westerners and Japanese. Unaware that Japanese prefer to have his colleagues’ consensus before making decisions during meetings, lots of executives wanting to push a deal forward have left business meetings in utter despair. Simply because they did not want to use two meetings to get an answer that could be given using only one meeting. If, on the other hand, they had studied Japanese culture they would have known that Japanese like to build a personal relationship with their business partner before settling a deal. Having studied Japanese ways of living, Western businessmen would refrain from pushing forward, and thereby, neither risk housing a good deal nor risk losing the chance at establishing a lasting partnership.
Although knowing about other cultures is extremely important to companies thinking of starting up business in other parts of the world, the importance of knowing foreign people’s cultural traits does not only apply to companies but to tourists as well. People in general can certainly also benefit from a little cultural insight before deciding to travel to a foreign country. Using Japan to make my point, you ought to be aware of what a person born in the Land of the Rising Sun thinks of certain gestures that you use instinctively. Indeed, scratching your head in Japan shows your anger whereas it in our part of the world indicates lack of understanding. Depending on the situation that could lead to everything from a look of disapproval to complete societal ostracism!
In order to avoid such tragic outcomes and to get the best out of visiting or doing business in foreign countries, companies and tourists should realize that knowing foreign people’s national traits will become increasingly important in an increasingly globalized world. However, where do you find this knowledge besides reading dusty travel guides emphasizing on information about sights embellished to attract foreigners?
Looking at it from a company’s point of view, knowledge of foreign people’s cultural traits could be gained the same way the Siemens Group gathers information about a country’s cultural traits before setting up branches that particular country. Following the example the German electronics maker has set, companies ought to establish a sort of cultural awareness enhancement programme aimed at teaching employees about foreign people’s national traits and cultural history. To have such programmes turn out well, a company would have to hire an anthropologists who would teach the employees what is required to successfully establish branches around the world. Employees would, in that way, be much more prepared to handle problems occuring between them and their business partners. In most cases, they would even be able to prevent problems from happening.
To prevent cultural misunderstandings from happening when a tourist visits a foreign country, measures similar to the ones made by companies could be taken into account. Establishing programmes not funded by companies would, however, require that people thinking about attending these programmes would have to pay for them themselves. That would, in the long run, certainly not attract many people. If, on the other hand, travel agencies were willing to fund such programmes, their customers would probably start attending them. Not only would their customers probably attend them, but they would tell others about the travel agency and definitely choose it again when deciding spend another vacation in a foreign country. So, to put it simpel, both travel agencies and customers would benefit from cultural awareness enhancement programmes.
Participating in such programmes, you would surely learn how your culture differs from that of another country. However, in order to get the most out of visiting or doing business in another country you must know your own roots. Anthropologists, who stress the importance of knowing your own cultural backgrounds, say that cultural knowledge is more important to companies than to tourists. Knowing foreign people’s culture can determine how well a company manages to tie up with other companies in foreign countries. Or put in another way, the more a company knows its country’s culture, the better are its chances at building a successful partnership. Frankly, some anthropologists think that the entire life of an export company’s depends on how well it knows its own culture. Surely, no tourists have yet experienced that their lives were on the line because they - due to lack of knowledge about their own culture – had a hard time understanding foreign people’s culture when traveling abroad.
That is why, it would be unacceptable for a company to have an employee - raised in a culure looking down on people from a certain part of the world – do business with a businesman from that particular part of the world. Indeed, it would not suit the company’s best interests when the employee instinctively was treating his business partner bad. Simply because he had been brought up to do so.
In order to avoid scenarios like the one above, anthropologists would certainly tell companies to have their employees change their negative views of other cultures. Negative views which, needless to say, would destroy any chances at building positive relationships with a foreign business partner. However, what they probably also would say was that changing negative views shaped by society requires deep understanding of how society or culture works.
MVH
Fingersen
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