Ethnocentricity & Business Abroad: It’s Not about You

ETHNOCENTRICITY & BUSINESS ABROAD:

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOUBy: Fathy Shetiah

www.7clingo.com

WHAT IS ETHNOCENTRIC

ITY?eth·no·cen·trism: n. The belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group.Furthermore: Thinking that all other groups are measured in comparison with one’s own.

-language, behaviors, customs, religion

Truth: When conducting business abroad, it is not all about you!

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

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PROFILEPopulation: 1,336,718,015 (July 2011 est.)

Government: Communist Party of China

People: PRC recognizes 55 ethnic minorities, Han is the majority

Religion: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam

Language: Various dialects, Mandarin official standard language

CONSIDER THIS…Social Norms -Greetings -Communication Style -Respect -Asking Q’s -Society Structure -“Face” -Collectivism - Passivity Business

- Negotiations-patience!- Presentations- Gift giving- Meetings- Miscellaneous

INDIA

PROFILEPopulation: upwards of 1 billion

Government: Federal Republic

People: Indo-Aryan largest ethnic group, Dravidian

Religion: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh

Language: Hindi is the main official language, English Is the language of business; 21 other official languages

CONSIDER THIS…Social Norms -Greetings -Society Structure -Time -Hierarchal

-Communication style-Asking Q’s

Business -Negotiations -Gift-giving

- Management -Meetings -Miscellaneous

REPUBLIC OF

INDONESIA

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PROFILEPopulation: 245 million (July 2011 est.)

Government: Republic

People: More than 300 ethnic groups; Javanese composing the largest segment

Religion: Muslim, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Hindu

Language: National language: Bahasa Indonesia

CONSIDER THIS…Social Norms

- Greetings -Collectivism-Time -Gender roles

- Communication style- Society structure

- Hierarchal-Social harmony

Business- Negotiations- Gift Giving- Management- Meetings- Miscellaneous

FAILURES ABROADTranslations gone array

To start…-During its 1994 launch campaign, the telecom company Orange changed its ads in Northern Ireland. "The future's bright … the future's Orange." In the North, the term Orange suggests the Orange Order. The implied message that the future is bright, the future is Protestant, loyalist... didn't sit well with the Catholic Irish population. ~2006

Pepsi Co: India- Pepsi was sued in an Indian city court in a public interest litigation for glorifying child labor in a television ad. In the ad, the Indian cricket team is in a celebratory huddle when a young boy serves them Pepsi. ~2004

China- “Come Alive with Pepsi”= “Bring your ancestors back from the dead.”

Google Fails:-There are blogs dedicated entirely to the translation faux-pas

Example: Lady Gaga->Britney Spears

Trustworthy?

KFC: SUCCESS STORY

When translated into Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off". now a success in China

NOW LET’S COMPARECountry

Time important?

Greeting

Decision Making

Gift-giving Language Commun-ication

Economic Status

China Yes, very handshake

Varies Take caution Many variants of Chinese

Indirect, but lively

Developed

India Relaxed, but be on-time

Handshake/ Namaste

directional Acceptable, under proper circumstances

Hindi – most common, English widely spoken

Indirect Growing/Emerging market

Indonesia

Relaxed, but be on-time

Handshake(soft grip) or slight bow

directional Acceptable, under proper circumstances

Bahasa Indonesia, various other dialects

Indirect, diplomatic, subdued

Untapped market/Emerging

UnitedStates

Yes, time has a sense of urgency

Firm handshake

Varies Acceptable English among other languages

Direct eye contact

Developed

Thank You!

SOURCES

-globaledge.msu.edu-http://www.culturecrossing.net/index.php-engrishfunny.failblog.org

www.7clingo.com