Part 1 weekly assignment

HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUSINESS ACROSS CULTURES (2022 – 2023) FINAL ASSIGNMENT PORTFOLIO INDIVIDUAL HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Group : LANGUAGES 04 FACULTY OF FOREIGN Student’s name : Nguyen Thi Nhat Linh – 219601126 Class : 30ENG048 Course instructor : Trinh Phan Thi Phong Lan (M.A) BUSINESS ACROSS CULTURES (2022 – 2023) FINAL ASSIGNMENT Hanoi, 4/2023 PORTFOLIO INDIVIDUAL Group : 04 Student’s name : Nguyen Thi Nhat Linh – 219601126 Class : 30ENG048 Course instructor : Trinh Phan Thi Phong Lan (M.A) Hanoi, 4/2023 P a g e | 26 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT Week 1: Lesson and Week 1: Lesson and Week 2: Topic 11 Week 2: Topic 13 Week 3: Decision making styles 14 PART 2: SOCRATIVE 19 4/4/2023 19 25/4/2023 .19 Test 25/4 22 P a g e | 26 PART 1: WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT Week 1: Lesson and Question: Write statements to describe the Vietnamese stereotypes and another to describe the generalizations stereotypes: 1) Most Vietnamese can’t speak English => Stories about foreign tourists having a hard time communicating with Vietnamese are not rare But that is from the past One of the biggest misconceptions foreigners have about Vietnam is that they underestimate the Vietnamese’s English skills Nowadays, though a number of Vietnamese are unable to communicate in English, a large cluster of youths and middle Vietnamese can speak the universal language Many Vietnamese have found a passion in learning English not only for work but also for international networking You won’t find it difficult to have friendly fellow locals giving you scrumptious culinary recommendations or direction guidance in fluent English Globalization is emerging And the Vietnamese are catching up with the trend, starting by enhancing their English skills 2) Vietnamese culture is 100% influenced by Chinese => In the eyes of the world, Vietnam’s culture echoes Chinese influence Vietnam has shared certain parts of Chinese culture due to the over 1000 years rule of China in Northern Vietnam Nevertheless, saying that Vietnamese culture is all adopted from Asia’s largest country is completely incorrect Vietnam boasts a wide variety of distinctive traditional outfits, cuisine, customs, and festive events lasting through generations From the symbolic graceful Ao Dai that features on world fashion shows, the delightful Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup), to the glamorous Hung Kings’ festival They paint a vivid colorful picture of Vietnamese culture packed with diversity P a g e | 26 3) Ao dai is for women only => You might have heard of Ao Dai, the Vietnamese national outfit and one of the most beautiful and elegant pieces of the country’s traditional garment Its fame travels far and deep to continents around the world Originated in the 18th century, Ao Dai is a long tunic dress worn with trousers The Vietnamese wear it on traditional holidays, formal occasions, and sometimes at work The name “Ao Dai” literally translates to “long shirt” 4) Vietnam is widely known for war only => Vietnam is solely famous for war – a common misunderstanding foreigners have about the country Over the course of history, the world has endured countless battles between kingdoms and nations When it comes to war, the over 100-year arduous resistance of Vietnam to France and the United States for independence has been embossed in many people’s minds worldwide Despite that, Vietnam is not mostly known for war, as some journals or newspapers claim 5) Local shops and small restaurants always rip foreigners off => Ripping off international tourists is a real thing in Vietnam Even the locals get bamboozled as well That’s why you may see articles telling tourists to be cautious when buying things in Vietnam However, not every local shop or restaurant owner is shifty You can find many stores as well as eateries doing business the right way to all of their customers If you are unsure where to purchase aesthetic souvenirs or experience cheap local delicacies, ask the locals for some advice generalizations: 1) Elders are respected After name and nationality, age is one of the first questions you’ll be asked in Vietnam Their society is built on Confucian beliefs, where experience and wisdom are highly P a g e | 26 respected This means the older you are, the more respect you command You shouldn’t swear or bring up inappropriate topics when you’re with older people, such as death or sex At dinners, the eldest people are served first – and at home or work, their opinions carry more weight 2) Their war history is sacrosanct Some people have learned this the hard way: don’t speak ill of Vietnamese war heroes or make jokes about anything related to the war Generally speaking, Vietnamese people have a great sense of humour, but they don’t joke about the war years Those were difficult times for everyone in this country As a foreigner, you need to be careful with this topic and be extremely mindful when speaking about their colonial past 3) Transactions are always negotiated Shopping in Vietnam is often a battle of subtleties and strategy Foreigners should expect an extra fee In this case, your best weapons are your feet Negotiate with the shopkeeper until they won’t move any more and then threaten to walk away For most shops, a smaller profit margin beats getting nothing 4) Vietnamese people are relentlessly optimistic There is so much opportunity in Vietnam these days People are working hard to improve both themselves and the lives of their families with the belief that today’s long hours will pay off later You won’t hear too many people grumbling about their hardships, so try not to complain about your own problems too much As a foreigner who can afford international travel, you won’t find much sympathy 5) They don’t like outsiders criticising their country Vietnamese people talk about their societal problems all the time – be it pollution, traffic, corruption or academic cheating But they’re less patient when it’s a foreigner doing the criticising It comes off as arrogant, as though you’re saying why your country is better than theirs When it’s understood like that, of course, it’s upsetting If you make a joke about the crazy traffic, you’ll be fine – but don’t go on and on about it without also recognising there is so much to love about this amazing country P a g e | 26 Week 1: Lesson and Exercise 1: Read the extracts in Units 3+4+5 in ML book and write a list of advice for people who want to work with Japanese/Indian/Chinese partners Explain why you think they are appropriate advice  Be hardworking For Japanese people, hard working and doing their full potential for the development of the company is seen as the social norm Japan attaches great importance to the hard work; they often ask employees not work remaining Ending a day of work is not the end of business hours that is the end of the planning work that day Therefore, when working in a Japanese company, you should pay attention hardworking, passionate work and effort to devote myself for common tasks There is thus a new office you are here  Have a proper attitude of respect for older people Respect for elders, up by senior officials is an indispensable principle in the work environment of Japan This is what always instilled in the minds of the Japanese Japanese people, because so not expect that his financial prize that you channel style attitude, disregard for others Let's learn to respect and behave properly with people around This will help you gain respect and love from peers  Be always on time Until now the Japanese are famous in their work seriously, so while working, you should always maintain prestige and punctuality You should arrive before doing at least 15 minutes With a number of foreign companies, especially Japanese companies, the company boss often come quite early (sometimes hours earlier to hour Punctuality is also reflected in how you complete the work on time and quality high There are so, new friends and create beautiful pictures in the palm of your boss noted as well as other colleagues Indian  Understand the complexity There is a constant state of tension between traditional Indian values and the pull of the Western influence; and an enormous variation in cultures and P a g e | 26 beliefs within India itself  Respect the hierarchy Indian companies, and families, have a strict chain of command Workers at a certain level will not perform tasks that are considered beneath them and junior employees will not feel comfortable questioning or criticising their superiors  Embrace uncertainty Indians have a relaxed attitude to time and meetings may start late and run Chinese over schedule Conditions like traffic may be a common reason for lateness  Technical proficiency levels vary among all parties: Make sure each party has a thorough grasp of the necessary information related to the situation This is essential to reduce errors and minimize conflict In general, everyone is trying to their best, and both parties need to work together to successfully complete the current transaction and create the opportunity for future transactions When technical misunderstandings occur – and many will – step back and study the situation to better understand what needs to be addressed to clear up the misunderstanding  Cultural understanding is essential to any problematic situations that arise  Face-melting meetings Chinese companies, like the country, tend to be rather top-down While Western managers usually try to show that they’re “just like you,” and therefore encourage a collaborative approach in meetings, the Chinese version is prone to overlong speeches by executives and managers, all sharing tedious information as though it were the lifeblood of the company Even if you escape these weekly assaults on your will to live, you’re unlikely to avoid the annual company conference, a ghastly enactment of corporate groupthink Expect to hear the organisation insisting “We are your family” while executives give self-congratulatory speeches exuding an air of noblesse oblige Also prepare to be baffled by how this seems to be the social highlight of the year for your Chinese colleagues P a g e | 26 Exercise 2: Write a plan to improve the relation between Coronas and Knolls (p21) Colombia In Colombia, the phone is not used as much as it is in Telecommunications US In the United States phone information centered cultures communication is very common like the United States- and accepted Business meetings Important business is taken are frequently conducted on care of in person or on paper A phones Sometimes people work phone call is an inappropriate together for months or even way to introduce oneself or sell years before ever meeting something In the United States one can use social connections to get introduced, but a social One can introduce oneself or Introductions introduction is not as effective as go through an agency in it is in other countries Doing a Colombia but the most effective special favor for a friend is not a way to be introduced is through respected business practice a common friend or contact It Introductions through trade is very important to be well associations are a fairly common connected to decision makers practice For salespeople it is even more common to directly introduce oneself without the Representation The character of the person help of a third party The character of a company is who represents a business is more important than the more important than the character of the person character of the business he representing the company in the P a g e | 26 represents This means that in United States The question one the initial contact the most asks in the first contact is, "Can commonly asked question is: we business with this "Can business with this company?" Businesspeople person", not "Can we change jobs frequently These business with this company?” frequent changes encourage U.S Business relationships operate business relationships to focus on a personal level and last a more on the companies than on longer time than in the United the individuals representing the States companies Succeeding without the help of special personal connections In Colombia, the better connected a person is to Personal Connections important decision makers, the more attractive he or she is as a business partner The more associations a person has, the more power that person has Time Because personal shows independence and an ability to work hard These qualities are highly respected Working on your own does not hurt your reputation As a matter of fact, the more powerful a person is, the more isolated the person can become "Time is money" is a common relationships are important in saying in the United States In business in Colombia, one making initial contacts, very expects to spend some time in little time is spent on building the beginning to get to know social relationships each other Trust and loyalty are Conversation is quickly focused the foundation of a good on business If there are any business relationship They dinners or social events they are don't develop in a day In the mainly used to discuss business, first contact, time is spent not other interests The home getting to know each other A office usually pressures the dinner talking about general salesman to get the account as P a g e 10 | 26 "They're very formal with people that they haven't built a relationship with, and they're unlikely to smile a lot or a lot of personal talk with people that they don't know well." But as you get to know them, Meyer added, "they become more and more warm, more and more friendly They open up more about their personal lives and usually, once you've developed that level of closeness, the relationship sticks You'll probably have that relationship for the rest of your career." Americans, on the other hand, "tend to be very friendly with strangers and talk very easily about their personal lives with people that they don't have close relationships with They smile a lot at people that they barely know at all." Yet "after a point of friendliness, [Americans] don't share more [They] kind of close up That's how [they're] experienced by Europeans: They're really friendly, but they don't show you who they really are." This coconut-peach disparity can lead to stereotypes about French people being standoffish and Americans being superficial * French workers take longer lunch breaks than American workers If you're reading this article during your "lunch break," sandwich crumbs dropping onto your keyboard, you're not alone Seppala has noticed that many American workers grab a bite and eat hastily, hunched over their computers French people, on the other hand, "really really prize leisure They really prize enjoying life," Seppala said "That's called joie de vivre" she added, using the French term for "joy of living." "No matter where you work, at lunchtime people take one hour off They go off; they have a full meal at a restaurant with multiple courses and wine That is normal." * French workers see confrontation and debate as healthy, American workers generally shy away from conflict Meyer still remembers one of her first dinner parties after she moved to France The guests got into a debate about whether a certain golf tournament should continue; people were shouting and waving fingers in each other's faces "Ten minutes later, the topic changed, and there seemed to be no hard feelings." It's much the same situation in the French workplace, Meyer said P a g e 12 | 26 "It's very common to have a very strong, open debate or confrontation, and it doesn't lead to a break in the relationship Whereas, if Americans are involved in that same meeting, they would feel that it's arrogant; it's aggressive; it's inappropriate; and they would try to shut down the conversation as quickly as possible." Exercise 2: This case is about a manager in a U.S multinational corporation The organization of the corporation and its work culture are American, not French Headquarters does, however, allow local managers to adapt to local social culture if it seems appropriate Do you think Bill Morris should adapt to the social ways of his French employees? How much should the French employees adapt, considering they work for a U.S corporation? Write out a plan for Bill Morris and his employees that compromises between their two office cultures Make sure the plan helps develop good employee relations and high office morale To help you organize your plan, review the points in the chart When you are finished, share your plan with the class In my opinion, Morris should adapt to the social way of his French employees and French employees should know some more cultures to consider them working for a US corporation The plan is: Morris should learn about French culture, note some important business differences, and apply rules flexibly to French employees Week 2: Topic Complete the table on p.52 In Italy In Switzerland Usually Not usual Is it usual to work on several phases of a project at the same time? Is it important to No, tight schedules are measure time carefully? considered difficult and Why or why not? impractical Should a schedule be flexible? Why or Yes, tasks are assigned to each of these segments that are measured by the clock Given a Yes, to allow for limites amount of time No, usually, each task is finished unforseeable interruptions before the next task is began P a g e 13 | 26 why not? and changes in plan Not, they would rather spend Carefully arranged more time perfecting a Yes, affects future schedules and product or service than deadlines Is a broken deadline a problem? Why or why not? meeting a deadline Week 3: Decision making styles Exercise 1: Search for information (from books, online articles, journals, websites…) about negotiator qualities in Vietnam Remember to cite/indicate the sources of your information  Building Relationship before Business Negotiations: Any foreigners who have lived and worked in Vietnam for a long time will tell you to invest in relationships, as well as build trust and mutual respect For Vietnamese, comfort and respect usually come before business communication As a result, negotiating in Vietnam can seem a bit slow due to the time it takes to build a relationship with potential clients Besides, foreigners need to keep in mind that the final decision will go through a lot of consultation and red tape in Vietnam Therefore, remember to be patient As long as you are committed, communicate properly, and build a relationship during the process, you will fine The benefit is even more obvious if you and your partner have a mutual relationship with other potential stakeholders  Gift Giving Etiquette One of the ways how to build a relationship with your Vietnamese business partner is to exchange small gifts This is to express your respect and appreciation By no means, this gift should not encourage corruption or bribery, although this is unfortunately common in Vietnam The gifts are expected to be a variety of items, and their price points should be related to the gift-giving situation or hierarchy of the receiver Common gifts include alcohol, tea, fruits, vouchers, and pre-packaged gift baskets You should avoid sharp objects such as scissors or knives which symbolize the cutting of the relationship and black wrapping paper which evokes bad luck and is frequently associated with funerals On the other hand, the red color represents luck and wealth, and green is linked with rebirth and renewal P a g e 14 | 26 Gifts should not be open at the time of their receiving or later, so you should leave this option to your partner  Business Meetings in Vietnam There are several protocols when it comes down to the culture for business meetings in Vietnam, and you are advised to adhere to them if possible - Punctuality Just like many developing business cultures across the world, Vietnamese people are not always punctual for their meetings therefore don’t expect this and your best to be accommodating Furthermore, not confirm the meeting too early in advance, and remember to confirm a day before, especially if the meeting is set outside the company Also, one important note to take away is that it is highly suggested not to make any appointments when the Vietnamese New Year, or Tet, is approaching This is because appointments around this important festival will usually be canceled when everyone is extremely busy - Business Attire The widely accepted dress code for business meetings in Vietnam is generally conservative and smart – standard and dark-colored suit and tie for men, and dresses, blouses with a high neckline, or suits for women In addition to that, women usually stick to skirts that are below the knees and high heels Suit jackets are often not required as Vietnam is a hot tropical country, as long as the attire is neat and leaves a good impression However, the dress code will differ slightly depending on the location of your business Business attire in the southern part of Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City is known to be more white-collar and casual - Greeting and Meeting In many ways greetings in Vietnam have become very western, shaking hands and exchanging business cards after is quite common Something to not is that during a meeting, you should shake hands with all members in the room, starting with the oldest person first - Seniority and Hierarchy P a g e 15 | 26 As Vietnamese business culture values hierarchy, people show respect and deference to senior employees in the meeting room – in terms of ranking, experience, and age You will be most likely introduced to a person with the highest rank in the company first Similarly, this highest-ranked person will also be greeted first in any business environment In addition to that, not forget to address the other party by his or her designation such as “Director”, “Chairman”, “Manager”, etc For members without rank or title, you are advised to address them with “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, and “Ms.” that precede their names Vietnamese names start with a surname followed by a middle name and first name as such Mr Nguyen Nam Thuy would be referred to as Mr Thuy Have you heard our podcast about doing business in Vietnam yet? - Business Cards Exchange Business cards are commonly exchanged after the initial greetings It’s recommended that your business cards be printed in both Vietnamese and English and given to the oldest and highest-ranked members first Then, move down the line While giving out your business card or receiving one from others, make sure that you hold the business card with both hands when facing the person to show your respect - Company Introduction After all the small talk and icebreakers, you need to be ready to present and introduce your company This step is very critical before the Vietnamese will trust you and business with you You need to let them know what they want to know about your company and what you can offer as a business partner It is best for the presentation slides, if any, to be written in both English and Vietnamese If you are in a room with few people that speak English, you might want to bring an interpreter or a person who is bilingual with you to the meeting - Saving Face as it Pertains to Doing Business in Vietnam The idea of “saving face” is commonplace throughout all of Asia, and Vietnam is no exception, for those readers who are unclear, “saving face” means keeping intact one’s reputation intact and avoiding one’s respect being lost in front of others It is often seen as a frustrating stumbling block in doing business in Asia as it can cause a lack of dishonesty, for example when a mistake is made by a third party and they refuse to admit it, in lieu of P a g e 16 | 26 losing face Criticizing someone in front of their peers should be avoided or done very carefully Sources: https://www.cekindo.vn/blog/business-culture-in-vietnam-negotiation-and-giftsgiving/ Exercise 2: Which country (pp 70-71) would Vietnamese businessmen have the least problems negotiating with? Which country would they have the most problems with? Why? Least problems: United Stated, Japan Most problems: France, Mexico Exercise 3: Complete reflections in Units 4,5,6 Unit I believe that both companies should better understand the difference between the cultures The Italian company should respect and try their best to follow the deadline agreed by both companies Otherwise, the Swiss company should also be flexible when the Italian company come up with a good idea Unit Problem: based on Nigerian culture, the age of the negotiator is extremely important while Ted is just 25 years old Moreover, Nigerians also put great importance on formality and social skills, which is his weak point Due to those reasons, the Nigerian team might think that the U.S company doesn’t seriously interest in the negotiation Solution: I think that the U.S company just need to send Christine Hale, who is an appropriate person to Nigeria instead of Ted Conway Unit Building a good relationship: They should spend time on small talk in order to build a good business relationship between parties Talking about the business deal: They should discuss about the possible details of the business deal They should also have a long discussion in this phase Persuasion, bargaining and making concessions: After the previous phase, the parties need to bargain & make concessions Making a final agreement P a g e 17 | 26 PART 2: SOCRATIVE 4/4/2023 Read the situations and answer the questions (in NO MORE than 100 words) You are sent abroad to expand your company’s sales in south en Europe You decide to begin your market tour in Rome ԞItaly), where you are to meet your largest Italian customer Doctor Paolo Verdi’s said he would meet you in the hotel lobby at 19Ք30 for a dink before going out to dinner at his favouite restaurant But it is 19Ք50 before Doctor Verdi finally appears He approaches with a wide smile, shakes your hand and begins to chat animatedly without any kind of explanation or apology for being so late What are you going to say to Doctor Paolo Verdi about his lateness? Explain your reasoning In this situation, I would ty to put my two cents in: Be a little humorous (not offensive) while talking, such as you were waiting for them just like you were waiting for a message from your cush After that, be patient and be prepared for some delay when you stat working with your Italian patner Do not take a small delay as a sign of lack of respect As a general guideline, work plans are often not taken too stictly, so that some flexibility can be built into a deadline Where a deadline must be fimly met, be sure to make it v ey clear to your Italian patner 25/4/2023 Read the text below and answer the questions in NO MORE THAN 150 words Making initial contacts Because Asians don’t nomally like to deal with strangers, smat marketers make the first approach to potential buyers or patners indirectly One good way is to meet Asian counterpats at intenational trade shows That’s where buyers look for new suppliers, expoters seek impoters, and investors search for patners Business behavior at intenational shows and exhibitions tends to be somewhat deal-focused because those who attend are usually there for the express purpose of making new contacts Another good way is to join an official trade mission All over the world today govenments and trade associations organized guided visits or business people in order to open new markets The trade-mission P a g e 18 | 26 organizer makes appointments with interested paties and provides fomal introductions to them Introductions break the ice and smooth the way to a business relationship You can also arange to be introduced by a third paty, an intemediay The ideal introducer in Asia is a high-status person or organization known to both paties So if you happen to be good fiends with a respected retired statesman who just happens to be well acquainted with one of your prospects, that’s wondeful Othewise, a number of organizations are able to act as respected intemediaies For example, your counties trade representatives in the target market are usually able to provide introductions Embassy and consular officials tend to be accorded high status in Asian cultures, and of course it’s pat of their job to promote your county’s expot Chambers of commerce, banks, trade associations, freight fowarders, ocean and aifreight caiers,  and intenational law and accounting fims are also potential introducers And don’t forget that poker buddy of yours who works for a company with offices in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Mumbai Ty letting him win a big pot – maybe his fim will arange a key introduction for you! Recognizing the impotance of third-paty introduction in their home market, the Japanese Extenal Trade Organization (JETRO) is willing to provide that sevice to reputable foreign companies In fact, proper introductions are so citical that specialized consulting fims exist whose main function is to introduce gaijin (foreigners) to Japanese companies Of course, using consultants is likely to cost you more than other ways of obtaining an introduction → What types of cultures Vietnam, Japan, Korea and some other Asian counties belong to: Relationship-focused or Deal-focused? Please reason your answer → What differences these two types of cultures exhibit? Answer Relationship-focused Because: Embassy and consular officials tend to be accorded high status in Asian cultures, and of course it’s pat of their job to promote your county’s expot Chambers of commerce, banks, trade associations, freight fowarders, ocean and aifreight c aiers,  and int enational law and accounting fims are also potential introducers P a g e 19 | 26 Deal-focused ԞDFԟ people are fundamentally task-oiented while relationship-focused folks are more people-oiented P a g e 20 | 26 Test 25/4 P a g e 21 | 26 P a g e 22 | 26 P a g e 23 | 26 P a g e 24 | 26 P a g e 25 | 26 P a g e 26 | 26