Interculturality and International Business

The cross-cultural Documentary Video was produced by the Students of the University of Le Havre, France, International Affairs Department, interviewing Patrick Lemarié about his experience of intercultural matters in international management. Participants: * Pagot Theodore, student at University of Le Havre * Peltier Marceau, student at University of Le Havre * Mamadou Sylvécia, student at University of Le Havre * Patrick Lemarié Consultant and Associate Professor at the University of Le Havre.

Transcript of the video Could you imagine that in this world we are more than 7 billion people living there? 7 billion people coming from different places with different cultures. In fact, what do we really know about culture?

It’s not just being different because we come from different countries. It is also the lifeblood of a vibrant society expressing many ways we tell stories, celebrate, remember the past or entertain ourselves.

0.30 Because of that all cultures can determine our communication and can create misunderstanding. But is it really a matter to take this difference into consideration in our societies and corporations?

0.46 Patrick Lemarié (Management consultant): Nowadays it is very important to take into account cross cultural differences or inter-cultural differences for several reasons. The world has become a global village, why?
Due to technology connecting people for multinational companies for instance wanting to expand their activities and their markets. If the multinational companies do not take into account the cross-cultural differences, they are likely to have major problems. This is the case of Mattel company in the US when they wanted to sell the Barbie doll in the Emirates, in Saudi Arabia. There was a big cultural gap because the Saudi Arabian market was not expecting the Barbie doll, the way it was sold in the US.

1.37 We understand that to be a company in the international market we must not do like Mattel in Saudi Arabia, but rather adapt its product to the environment in which they want to operate. But what are the real advantages for a company to locate in foreign countries?

1.54 Patrick Lemarié: When you consider adapting your domestic products to a foreign market it can generate creativity and you can maybe develop additional products and also identify, source new opportunities. That’s a great source of creativity.

02.21 Working in a multinational mix, as an employee, working with people from foreign countries - this can create misunderstandings since our cultures are different. And from one state to another the way of working can be divergent. However, it can also be an advantage for a work team.

02.40 Patrick Lemarié: The major advantage of working with a cross-cultural team is that you generate much more creativity provided that everyone respects you, of course. Otherwise, it cannot work. If you have one member of the team Imposing his views it doesn’t work, it cannot. Here again, with my clients I also had bad examples, but I do not want to give them. My only concern is to concentrate on positive people and positive experiences.

3.08 As we have seen cultural diversity can have positive effects in the world of work, but not only. Its benefits can also have repercussions on our personal lives.

3.20 Patrick Lemarié: When you are in a different environment and no longer in the routine, like staying in Le Havre, when you are in a very different environment, I do not mean going to Germany or England it’s too easy, because they are too close, OK? But if you are really in a very different environment - in Africa, or in the Indian Ocean - every day you have to adapt. Every day you are out of your comfort zone or area. So, as you no longer feel comfortable with your marks, with your landmarks, it's a very high stimulating factor and you learn a lot about yourself. Because when you are in a very different cultural environment all of a sudden you realize that in France you do it this way. When you are in a routine you don’t have to ask yourself this question, because you are just in a routine. But when you are in a very different cultural environment, you have to adapt, you are stimulated and it’s a very interesting factor to evolve, to enlarge, to broaden your mind, and to also acquire a few positive characteristics of the other culture you are in contact with.

4.35 Learning from others and learning from oneself and learning from oneself is something important in our personal improvement and with the differences of minds, ideas or thinking that interculturality brings us, it would be beneficial to integrate it at work as well as in our personal lives.

If you are a firm which would like to speak with a consultant specialized in intercultural matters, to carry out a specific mission, or to train your teams, feel free to contact us: https://patrick-lemarie-consulting.com/en/contact/
Copyright Patrick Lemarié Consulting April 2021