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BSB119 GLOBAL BUSINESS

TUTORIAL 4: CULTURAL DIVERSTIY
For my tutorial group, Week 6 Political WILL BE THE NEXT TUTORIAL ASSIGNMENT TO BE COLLECTED
MARKED OUT OF 20 only worth 10%
Tutors advice: There has been a question from this lecture/tutorial (i.e. about Culture) in every exam for the past
few years.

Please read the closing case A tale of two countries, in chapter 5 (pp.228 to 229) of your textbook and
answer the questions below.
1. Which of Hofstedes cultural values scores for India best explains the bureaucratic behaviour of
the Register Of Companies ROC? Explain how this cultural value influences the behaviour of the
bureaucrats in ROC.
Bureaucratic long time to process the application
Hofstedes consider power distance
o India scores high on power distance
Accept an equal distribution of power as legitimate
Normal to be told what to do by people above them in hierarchy (very
hierarchical).
India has a series of castes and levels within society extremely difficult to
move between castes. (This is worth knowing as an International business
person)
Uzanto should accept their view about a new name without argument.
However, the company Uzanto is a Western company. Therefore, they have Western values.
This results in low power distance scores
o RESULT: appropriate to offer solutions to people in power and expect to be
consulted part of decision making process.

Long-Term Orientation (LTO) time it took ROC to make a decision.

o If you want further information about this go to the Hofstedes website for further
details. It is not explained overly well with respect to this particular case study.
You may like to use this in assignment
Do not over use culture is not overly relevant.

Indians view time as more elastic than Australians and other Western cultures. However the
view of time does not fall into Hofstedes cultural value of LTO.

2. Why would the careful selection of and involvement by a local chartered accountant make a
difference to the speed of business registration in India?
Takes a significant deal of time to get contracts through 1 year +
o Expedite the registration process if he/she has relations with people in the ROC
A lot of business is done as a result of Collective cultures such as India
o Tightly knit relations look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.
o Networks and relationships are important Use relationship to exchange favor
It always pays to use a local to get through this bureaucratic process they know how the
system works and how to get through the red tape

ASSIGNMENT: Consider how long it takes a contract to get through in our country for
assignment?

3. If cultural values motivate behaviors, what is the value that is motivating Chinese business people to
offer gift money to potential partners or existing buyers as outlined in Jasons experience?
Gift money is collectivism
Hofstede collectivist societies people from birth onwards are integrated into strong
cohesive in-groups, often extended families
Protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty
Part of the relationship-building/strengthening process in China is to give gifts
Symbolic or a gift of money signal to the other party that they want to build a relationship
that is based on reciprocity and obligation
ASSIGNMENT
Criteria Matrix is now available on BB this is what is used for marking the assignment.
o These boxes are used to match your assignment with the criteria - the closest to your
assignment is what you get is. You are then awarded an appropriate grade/mark
This will be explained in more detail next week
Structure is flexible i.e. Setting out
There are example reports available on blackboard
The weighted index process will also be explained next week this ties the whole report together.