Case Studies

Case study 1

9. Cultural awareness

9.1. Introduction to cultural awareness

Country	Poland
Title	Traditional culture and digital culture
Summary	Cultural diversity can cause cultural issues, but also provoke cultural change towards a more digital culture. The process is unavoidable for those who want to keep up with the pace of living and be modern citizens. Cultures also learn from one another, get inspiration and inspire themselves. However, digital communication doesn’t overcome cultural differences, but it is a driver towards the integration of cultures. Cultures should also be respected in communication; whichever mode is used.
Key Issues	Cultural diversity impacting ways of communication. Acceptance of different traditions and communication habits. Demonstrating respect to the traditions of others. Transformation to digital modes of communication.
Description of the case study	Company A is communicating with their customers mainly through social media. Company B is using telephone calls and fax messages. If company A and B start making business together what will be their predominant form of contact? In depends on the countries, their customs, also their willingness to adopt to the new situation. It is also the time zone that will matter and the working habits. The digital transformation in the countries of question will matter and impact the future of the business. “Standing out” countries in terms of digitalization are South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Estonia, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates, they show high adaptability and are driven by innovation. But take Asia, home to almost 50 countries, a very heterogeneous continent. If you want to interact with people out there you have to do investigation. In China and Hong Kong online communication mainly goes through WeChat rather than the European’s choices of WhatsApp, Instagram or Twitter. The choices are also interrelated with the sense of security. However, even with the COVID, countries such as Japan and India kept print newsletter as much alive as before the lockdown periods. Therefore, it is also a sense of tradition influencing societal behaviours.

Case study 2

9. Cultural awareness

9.2. Understanding cultures around you

Country	Poland
Title	Culture-specific business meeting behaviour
Summary	Participating in meetings with foreigners, especially in business context, you should prepare and read about their etiquette. Small talk is not the same across the global as well as the hierarchy in companies. The attitude you take and the way you behave at international negotiations will impact the outcomes of the meeting, if you make a deal or not.
Key Issues	Respecting culture-specific behaviours. International business etiquette. Preparing for meetings.
Description of the case study	The chicken factory in Poland is guesting potential clients who are interested in exporting selected products. On Monday the delegates are from the Middle East, while on Tuesday from Germany. Both delegations are represented by heads of the company and a member of their sales department. After visiting the factory floor, discussions are continued in the conference room. During the first day, it is not the head of the company that does the talking, but their sales representative, while on the second day it is the opposite. Jokes are not part of the second day, when the conversation is more serious, which might be expected from the Saudi, who are used to asking more courtesy questions about family and answering phone calls causing interruption to the meeting. In both situations, during both days, the meeting and following negotiations are successful. Why is it like this? In the Middle East, the person lower in the hierarchy will do the talking at the meeting when attending it with their boss, who is the observer. While in Germany the person that is highest in the hierarchy will participate from the beginning of the conversation until the negotiating. The meeting schedule, including small talk, is also governed by an etiquette. In Germany, jokes should not be a part of formal meetings. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, speaking about minor things, irrelevant to the conversation serve the purpose of getting into the conversation. Also picking up phone calls is not rude, but a custom of combining business and pleasure matters, while the Germans will be stricter and make a line between their professional and private life.