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C ha p te r 5 T he C u lt u r al E n v i r on m ent
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
“Flying by the seat of my pants.” “On the same wave length.” “Shotgun approach.” “Run it up the flag pole.” “100 k.” “Belly up.” “Overview.” “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “Let’s throw it on the wall and see if it sticks.” “Let’s see how it plays out.” “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” “Reinvent the wheel.”
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Exhibit 5.4 E xamples of U.S.-Based Business Jargon That Would Not Be Understood by Foreign Business Representatives
power in China, bowing down to Toyota’s Prado GX. Chinese consumers were insulted by the negative portrayal of their military, as well as bowing down to anything Japanese. Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign did not work in China because it emphasized individual, youthful irreverence. Because Muslims view dogs as unclean, Taco Bell did not use Gidget, a talking Chihuahua mascot, in its ads in Singapore.24
5-6d Communication Communication is a key function in business, and culture has an impact on communication styles whether a firm is small or large, multinational or domestic. Companies with foreign personnel running their overseas operations must be especially careful to clearly communicate. The use of jargon is usually inappropriate, as it greatly increases the risk of misunderstanding. Exhibit 5.4 gives some examples. Abbreviations like CAD, CAM, COO, CEO, and CFO may not be understood by personnel in foreign countries, nor will Latin and French phrases. Managers attending business functions in person may not have the opportunity to find words in a dictionary. In such cases, the old saying that “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” can be true. One of the authors of this text was in Mexico having lunch with a group of faculty from another university. Although he is somewhat knowledgeable about the Spanish language, he was having difficulty reading the menu, which was completely in Spanish. Finally, he recognized the word “cordero” (lamb), so he ordered “sesos de cordero.” After the waiter had taken their orders, one of the other diners who was fluent in Spanish asked, “Do you know what you ordered?” “Sure; I ordered chunks of lamb.” “No, you ordered brains of lamb.”
R e a l i t y C h e c k LO6 Choose three or four ads from a U.S. magazine or website and describe the cultural factors to which each ad appeals. Do you think the ads are successful from a cultural standpoint? Why or why not?
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