Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Different cultures - different decisions

As a budding MBA student, I'm forced to think about many obscure themes & one that I found recently was how various cultures and famous (or infamous) people make decisions:

A critiscism of Western decision making (particularly from the East) is that complex tasks have to be dissected into smaller tasks. Issues such as prices, delivery, warranty, and service contracts may be settled one issue at a time, with the final agreement being the sum of the sequence of smaller agreements. However in Asia, nothing seems to get done. The Western sequential approach and the Eastern holistic approach do not mix well.

That is, American managers often report great difficulties in measuring progress in negotiations, particularly in Asian countries. After all, in America, you are half done when half the issues are settled. But in China, Japan, or Korea nothing seems to get settled. Then, surprise, you are done. (Lam & Graham).

It is generally well-known amongst the West the 'polite' form which the Japanese have when in meetings.  However there are major differences within Asia, such as Korea, where commands, interruptions & questioning are more evident.  A recipe for frustration for the less patient!  

Western sensitivities tend to objectivise decision making, separating the people from the decision, whilst in Latin America and the Middle East a major element of any decision is with the people involved. I have a lot of respect for this approach, after all 'trust' is a major pathway for decisions turning into results.  

Being English, but having worked with many nationalities, I am always fascinated by the cultural differences we come across & although I believe we tend to align ourselves with the US style, I have had the benefit of observing the best & the worst of each.

This led to unearthing some great quotes - some favourites I came across: 

"I expect to get valid information ... I can't make good decisions unless I get valid information" George W. Bush, April 13th 2004. George B

The French have what is known as "The Bottom of the Stairs moment", or feeling when one remembers that critical comment that might have changed the course of a discussion.  L’esprit de l’escalier - Spirit of the Stairway or Staircase Wit, is thinking of a clever comeback when it is too late - How often has that occurred & I end up pondering on the 'what-ifs' for some moments afterwards.  I just love the philosophical island, which is the French ('Island' as outside of Anglo-Saxon thought).

"It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions." Jim Rohn

"We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over." Aneurin Bevan

"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision." Peter Drucker

My favourite has to be the ancient Viking method, which would be great to see resurrected!

Viking chiefs used to make their decisions twice over: once when drunk and once when sober. If the two agreed they would carry out the decision; if they differed they would think again - I can vouch for the fact there are some truths in this!

 

 

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