Case Study on "Wal-Mart Read Attach File Wal-Mart - NAFTA"

Quoted Instructions for "Wal-Mart Read Attach File Wal-Mart - NAFTA" Assignment:

If you can not secure the references below please do not bother to do the case analysis. #2 is what I have to do. I will send the instructions via email

Textbook to be used:

Adler, N. International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior 5th ed South-Western 0324360746

Daft, R.L. Organization theory and design 10th ed South-Western 0324598890

Other reading: Earley, P. & Mosakowski, E. (2004). Cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review, 82(10), 139-146.

Case for analysis: Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart has stores in 14 countries including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, UK, Canada, China, Nicaragua, Japan, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. After closing all stores in Germany in 2006, Wal-Mart is now looking into opening new stores in Switzerland. Your group/team constitutes the Human Resources department of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has decided to establish a branch office in Switzerland. The human resources staff has been charged with the task of *****training***** the managers from your home office who will be going to the new Switzerland office to manage the employees there. The employees will be individuals hired from that culture. Each manager will have a staff of 5-6 employees.

For this case study, the paper should be organized into five sections:

(1) Executive Summary

(2) Identification & analysis of the organization*****s problems****** (I am responsible for #2)

(3) Generation & evaluation of solutions

(4) Decisions & recommendations

(5) Implementations

This case analysis should be about four pages (not exceeding 5 pages), EXCLUDING the references (APA format) and appendices. The paper must be submitted in printed form using a 12-point Times Roman font, double-spaced, with 1*****" margins at the top, bottom, and sides of each page. Please use MS Word format. Please adhere to the page limit for this assignment. If you exceed the maximum page, I will NOT consider anything beyond this maximum page and points will be deducted for incomplete work. It is important to write clearly and concisely.

Note: The paper must be original to this course and must include the application of theories and concepts addressed in Adler and Daft. The paper should provide a comprehensive analysis of the nuances of the Swiss culture. Anyone reading the paper should be able to use it as a blueprint of what the culture is like and how to function smoothly in the Swiss culture.

The focus of the group project is to prepare an *****"in-service*****" program for a group of managers who are being sent to run office/supermarket in Switzerland. The office is staffed with individuals from the Swiss culture. The *****in-service***** program should adequately familiarize the managers with the nuances of the Swiss culture so that they fit in immediately, and do not make any disastrous errors in their behavior or work demands. The *****in-service***** should provide information, knowledge and skills necessary to be successful with these employees.

Assumptions:

Company goal ��*****" Successfully integrate the *****"Swiss*****" office into the parent US company family.

Objectives-

Manage and supervise an efficient and effective office.

Maintain a positive working atmosphere

Motivate the workforce to a high level of achievement

Improve the bottom line

* The challenge will be to find material about the Swiss culture that will allow you to make connections to the information in Adler and Daft.

* Create an organizational chart ��*****" and explain why it is designed that way.

* As a manager in the Swiss culture what Parochialism and Egocentrism might hinder your effectiveness?

* What values, attitudes and behaviors of yours might clash with the Swiss culture?

* Discuss the Swiss culture applying the Values Orientation Dimensions found in Table1-1 page 22 in Adler.

* Discuss thoroughly, the Cultural Orientations as described in Table 1-4 page 23 in Adler. INCLUDE SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS of people in the Swiss culture that illustrate the Dimensions and Orientations. You need evidence to support the placement of the culture into the dimensions.

* What would be the most appropriate managerial/leadership style to utilize in this culture and why? Provide specific examples of behaviors in the culture that lend themselves to the style you choose.

* What stereotypes do you have of this culture that would hurt your effectiveness, and what stereotypes would help your effectiveness?

* What stereotypes might the employees have of you and how would you deal with this?

* What cultural blinders might you have in dealing with this culture?

* If there are specific words or ideas that one would not be wise to use or address in that culture, include this information.

* What non-verbal messages (gestures) are important to know so that they may be used if necessary and not used if inappropriate?

* What attributes of your own culture and of the Swiss culture might help foster synergy? How would you create synergy between the management and the employees if the management was from the USA and the employees were from the Swiss culture?

* To what degree would you include the employees in decision-making? Why? Give examples.

* How might your version of ethical behavior clash with the ethical standards of the Swiss culture? How would you deal with this?

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