MANAGING CHANGE AND CONFLICT

In this opportunity we are going to discuss how to manage change specially when we as people involved in international business have to confront and manage different cultures, religion and traditions.

There are many examples of companies that wanted to enter into new markets and the succes of the introduction depended in how the company managed the cultural differences.

A company or organization has its own culture wich is influenced by the external culture and indeed the employee´s culture.

In the same way when a company moves to other country it should study and try to accomodate to the culture where the company is entering in.

This happens in all levels, for example if a person is going to a foreign country with different traditions or culture; the person will be aware to try to fits the culture.

This picture is an example of a clash of cultures: Obama was visiting the Emperor of Japan and bowed the emperor trying to follow the Japanese tradition while the emperor greet in a western style.

In business, we can take advantage of the differences, is this the case of the Ubuntu philosophy.

Ubuntu: According to Chinkada (1990) is a "particular form of African Humanism. it involves alms-giving, being sympathetic, caring, sensitive to the needs of others, beong respectful, considerate, patient and kind".

In this philosophy there are several aspects that are well defined and that can be taken as competitive advantages for any organization:

• Productivity: In the ubuntu context, "the emphasis is on the social being rather than on technical racionality" this means efficiency and solidarity. Rewards and suffering must be shared and the harmony is very important.
• Relationship with others: they see each other as family members. They are collectivistics.
• Decision making: decisions are taken by consensus and when a problem exists, a resolution is looking to restore the harmony.

These are just some aspects that can be involved positively in the organizations and can be taken as competitive advantages.

References:

1. Image source: www.grandrants.wordpress.com

2. E.D. Prinsloo. 2000. "The African View of Participatory Business Management". Journal of Business Ethics, Vol 25, No 4, pp 275-286.

3. Mangaliso, Mzamo. 2003. "Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu". In Thomas, David Clinton Editor, reading and cases in International Management: A cross cultural perspective.