Part # 1
The United States and China are two of the world’s largest economies, and yet they are on opposing cultural clusters according to the different cultural dimensions. Using the cultural dimension of individualism to rank China and the US, China has a low score of 20 whereas the US has a high score of 91 (Hofstede, 2003). The dimension of individualism is about the degree of interdependence that members of the society maintain among each other. Individualism has to do with people’s self-image, which can be in terms of “I” or “we.” Another dimension that differentiates the US and China is the long-term orientation. China has a high score of 87 in comparison against a score of 26 for the US. Long-term orientation is concerned with how the society maintains some links with its past while dealing with the demands of the present and the future. A low score on long-term orientation signifies that the society supports time-honored traditions and norms and they view change with suspicion.
Part # 2
While China has opened itself to the rest of the world, it is undeniable that it has a unique culture in culture in comparison to Western societies. There are socio-cultural aspects in China that guide how Chinese do business. First, China is a collectivist-oriented society with an emphasis on group dynamics and results (Hofstede, 2003). China is also a relationship-oriented society, hence the popularity of Guanxi. Guanxi is the network and interaction that is vital for business, and businesspeople and organizations have to build to minimize risks and failures. China socio-cultural aspects of society are also affected by Confucianism (Ma, 2010). Confucianism could be a reason for the hierarchy in Chinese culture; individuals in higher ranks, well-educated or the elderly are respected, and they have authority over others. China scores 80 on power distance dimension showing that inequalities in society are deemed acceptable. Another socio-cultural aspect related to business in China is uncertainty avoidance. China scored 30 on uncertainty avoidance to show that uncertain situations do not threaten Chinese people.
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On the other hand, American culture is characterized by high levels of individualism. Americans are motivated by individuality and autonomy, which drives individuals to be successful. American culture also has a distinct approach to communication in comparison to Chinese communication. Americans tend to be very upfront, opinionated and they tend to disagree with individuals that they do not agree with their opinions. Chinese people are not direct in their communication, and they tend to be respectful even when they do not agree with a view. Americans also have low long-term orientation and uncertainty avoidance.
Part # 3
China and America have certain similarities. Both countries almost score the same on the masculinity index (MAS) and the uncertainty avoidance index (UAI). China and the US both fall in the 60s for masculinity index because they are masculine societies. The societies are driven by masculine values of competition, achievement, and success, whereas feminine values of caring for others and concern for the quality of life play a secondary role. China is success oriented and driven, and individuals often sacrifice family and leisure to achieve success. The US is a masculine society, but its score is slightly lower than China’s because Americans attempt to create room for family and leisure in pursuit of success.
Additionally, China and the US have low scores on uncertainty avoidance with 30 and 46 respectively. Both nations are instead accepting of uncertain situations, and they accept risky situations. The US score is slightly higher at 46, and this shows that Americans are not open to new situations because they act on their emotions and they tend to be nervous. China and the US are incredibly distinctive on the dimensions of individualism, power distance, long-term orientation, and indulgence.
Part #4
The different dimensions of culture will guide the company’s business communication in China and America (Ajami & Goddard, 2014). When communicating with customers in the US, Sprint has to consider that direct communication, objectivity and time-consciousness characterize American culture. Americans also pay less attention to the social ranking by age, education, and position; thus Sprint should not frame its communication in a way that it relies on societal hierarchies.
When doing business in China, Sprint should emphasize relationships and connection. The concept of Guanxi is a popular concept guiding business in China, and it is derived from the collectivism. Chinese business people prefer to build long-lasting relationships based on loyalty rather than to build new relationships for the sake of making a profit. Chinese society is highly hierarchy, and social ranks are also observed; thus Sprint should observe social statuses when doing business or in its business communication. Lastly, Sprint should avoid direct and upfront forms of communication. Chinese people tend to respect and honor opinions even when they do not agree with them; thus Sprint should rely on indirect communication to avoid making people uncomfortable.
In conclusion, China and the US have their traditions, beliefs, and cultures. With the global nature of businesses today, organizations should educate themselves on the crucial aspects of each culture. China values the concept of guanxi, which is not valued in America because it is time-consuming. Americans have to educate themselves on Chinese traditions, beliefs, attitudes and negotiation tactics if they want to succeed in China.
References
Ajami, R., & Goddard, J. G. (2014). International business: Theory and practice . Routledge.
Hofstede, G. (2003). Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations . Sage publications.
Ma, Z. (2010). The SINS in business negotiations: Explore the cross-cultural differences in business ethics between Canada and China. Journal of Business Ethics , 91 (1), 123-135.
