Methodology Chapter on "International Cultural Differences and Their Effect on Decision-Making"

Quoted Instructions for "International Cultural Differences and Their Effect on Decision-Making" Assignment:

Problem Statement

The globalization of our economy has forced many organizations to conduct their businesses and to hire expatriates to work across borders. Since the 1980s, businesses have moved forward with mergers and acquisitions in an international environment that can be very stressful on top-level management teams (Barinaga, 2010). In the United States Department of Defense, the smallest mistake can cost millions of dollars and even jail time, if the contractors who work with foreign suppliers do not understand International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (McHale, 2010). The general business problem is that cultural differences within international business organizations constrain coordination and accountability within the management team (Naor, M., Linderman, K., & Schroeder, R. (2010). The changes that manager experiences when migrating their business from a local to the international marketplace begin with working with and understanding expatriates and business cultures. This change may create problems, such as tensions and conflict from within the company, and disrupt coordination and communications with customers and their requirements (Bhagat, S., Krishnan, B., Nelson, T., Leonard, K., Ford Jr, D., & Billing, T., 2010).

The specific business problem is that multicultural organizations find that the management approach of one country does not match the management approach of another country (Dutton, 2008). The mismatch in business cultures creates an environment in which the senior management cannot come to a consensus on specifying accountability strategies (Ochieng & Price, 2009).

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study design is to depict the international, business culture phenomenon and conceptualize the influences of culture, belief systems, values, customs, communication, and leadership on business management accountability and strategic, decision-making through the perceptions of reality, understandings, and lived experiences of expatriates and host nation managers. Open-ended interviews will be used to collect data for this study. Data will be collected from 20 expatriates and host nation managers in the United States, France, and Switzerland. The data collected from the expatriates and host nation managers from three different Western cultures generally work together on a variety of projects and will provide the foundation in which to conceptualize and describe the culture, belief systems, values, customs, communication, and leadership on business management accountability and strategic, decision-making across cultures. The business managers will be the managers who communicate and work directly with other managers on projects across at least two of the three organizations. Expatriates are those who have worked in organizations outside of their home country.

The results of the research study may contribute to social change by providing insights and guidelines for expatriates whose work and reside in Switzerland, France, and the United States. This case study research may influence a positive social change at a global level. Understanding the cultural perspective of the leadership may provide a powerful tool to facilitate working relationships across cultures. When leaders can develop their cross-cultural competence, they may become more effective leaders.