International Business 2

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
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(18 October, 2010)
International Business
Introduction
This essay is going to address two questions based upon receptiveness of the cultural customs in international business. This essay will evaluate the cultural mistakes that majority of the Americans corporate heads usually displays when abroad. Also this shall detail from the same context analyze an organization cultural approaches, how this organization approaches the foreign market and how they can mitigate the cultural mistakes which arises due to diverse culture. The organization which shall be analyzed on this essay shall be Hewlett Packard (HP).
Cultural Mistakes
From the risk management journal authored by Wade Jared titled “The pitfalls of cross cultural business,” this essay shall outline among the many cultural mistakes dabbed from diverse cultural customs. The cultural mistake which this essay shall outlay for the study shall be body gestures or image illustration. This shall basically detail President Richard Nixon 1950s visit to Brazil. After the plane taxied and stopped at the airport Nixon waved to the Brazilian officials and the congregation of journalist. Nixon when ascending down the stairway he smiled waved again and signaled an “A-Okay” sign to indicate of his good intent. This gesture was in good merit performed with the purpose of showing good intention of the visit as echoed by Wade (2004).
However, due to diverse customs this kind of gesture in Brazil is also the same as showing the middle finger in America. Showing of middle finger is a dis-respective sign, thus the A-Okay sign was also a sign of disrespect to the Brazilian officials and the population of this nation. Nixon ignorance might have made many Brazil shed a tear from the irony of the gesture, as they realized that he had no idea of the message being outlaid. However, other staunch radical anti American populations saw it being demeaning for a president of a super power making such lewd gesture, and the ignorance that the president had that he did not go through the local customs first before traveling. This example applies to the many fact that there is dire need that when undertaking international relation may it be business or just social meeting it is good to remember of the diversity in customs. This has been especially tricky on majority of American corporate executives who looses many deals and tenders due to ignorance on the diverse nature of foreign cultural customs (Wade, 2004). This is because the ignorance that follows not having knowledge of this cultural customs.
Hewlett Packard Cultural Approach
Hewlett-Packard ...