Team Presentation<\/p>\n
Context:<\/p>\n
WellTech was recently acquired by an international healthcare technology company based in South Africa. As part of the acquisition process, WellTech\u2019s senior leadership team will travel to South Africa for a week of introductions, meetings, and negotiations regarding how WellTech will operate once acquired. These are high-stakes meetings, and the leadership team wants to both build a good relationship and come away from the negotiations well-positioned.<\/p>\n
To help them prepare, leadership has assembled your team to research the communication differences between the cultures and to prepare a presentation that covers the following:<\/p>\n
An overview of how culture affects business communication preferences<\/p>\n
Specifics on the foreign country\u2019s preferences (contrasted with US norms) for:<\/p>\n
Written communication<\/p>\n
Spoken communication<\/p>\n
Meetings (arrangements and how they are conducted)<\/p>\n
Decision-making<\/p>\n
Specific recommendations on how to adapt to the other country\u2019s norms, including resources for learning more<\/p>\n
Leadership wants the presentation to be 5 minutes or less, clear, informative, and research based.<\/p>\n
Presentation:<\/p>\n
Research your chosen country\u2019s communication preferences and prepare a 5-minute presentation on your findings for the WellTech leadership team.<\/p>\n
In your presentation:<\/p>\n
every team member must speak for roughly equivalent time<\/p>\n
your researched claims should include a citation on the relevant slide<\/p>\n
your transitions should be smooth between presenters<\/p>\n
PowerPoint:<\/p>\n
Create a PowerPoint presentation to accompany your presentation to the leadership team.<\/p>\n
Your PowerPoint presentation must:<\/p>\n
Include a title slide and a closing slide<\/p>\n
Give citations for researched material<\/p>\n
Of course, your PowerPoint should align with the principles in your Week 9 lectures.<\/p>\n
Team assignments Recommended Roles:<\/p>\n
Project Manager\u00a0\u2013 arranges and leads team meetings, introduces and concludes presentation, arbitrates differences of opinionResearch Lead\u00a0\u2013 sources credible information for report<\/p>\n
Slide Design Lead\u00a0\u2013 creates first draft of ppt, leads revisions<\/p>\n
Proofreader\/Document Handler\u00a0\u2013 proofs PPT for best practices, assists with edits; submits documents<\/p>\n
Facts about South Africa:<\/p>\n
South Africa is known as being the \u201cRainbow Nation\u201d because:<\/p>\n
The mix of cultures and people living there<\/p>\n
11 official spoken languages: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, IsiNdebele, Sesotho, Northern Sotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga.<\/p>\n
South Africa is the only country in the world with three capitals<\/p>\n
South African government is divided into 3 sections:<\/p>\n
Cape Town judicial capital<\/p>\n
Pretoria administrative capital<\/p>\n
Bloemfontein legislative capital<\/p>\n
Worlds first heart transplant was complete in Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n
Citation for all this https:\/\/expatexplore.com\/blog\/interesting-facts-south-africa\/ <\/p>\n
South Africa Business Culture:<\/p>\n
Largest economy in Africa & the economic health of its neighbors are linked with South Africa\u2019s commercial sector<\/p>\n
Many companies are doing business and moving their businesses to South Africa <\/p>\n
Because of the complex mix of cultures, races, & languages there are different approaches to business <\/p>\n
WellTech needs to be flexible and observant in South Africa there\u2019s no \u201cone size fits all\u201d process that will work in South Africa\u2019s complex environment<\/p>\n
WellTech must learn about South Africa before going on a business trip<\/p>\n
Citation of this: https:\/\/www.worldbusinessculture.com\/country-profiles\/south-africa\/business-meetings\/ <\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s written communication:<\/p>\n
South Africa consists of different spoken languages, but English is mostly used as a business language<\/p>\n
Humor defines South African business communication <\/p>\n
Embraced in communication as releasing tension<\/p>\n
For contractsis not expressively clear because:<\/p>\n
most businesses are concerned primarily with forming a personal relationship with one another. It is thought that business will proceed with a relationship than formal communication available on the contract<\/p>\n
Report formatsare either statistically based or not<\/p>\n
Reports are often presented in business meetings to enable the business to make decisions. Participants are given time to express their views openly and finally, a decision is made.<\/p>\n
Citation: https:\/\/ivypanda.com\/essays\/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication\/ <\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s spoken communication:<\/p>\n
South Africans have a DIRECT style of communication <\/p>\n
VERBAL:<\/p>\n
They speak confidently & straight to the point<\/p>\n
Ex: they are likely to openly point out when you\u2019re wrong or disagree with you on the spot <\/p>\n
South Africans speak at a louder volume than Americans<\/p>\n
Raised voices <\/p>\n
Silence is interpreted as a sign that the convo. Is not engaging or something is wrong <\/p>\n
South Africans are uncomfortable when there\u2019s a long period of silence<\/p>\n
Spoken communication depends on the location and formality<\/p>\n
Ex: In a small town it\u2019s rude when people refer to elders without using the prefix \u201coom\u201d (uncle) or \u201ctannie\u201d (auntie)<\/p>\n
Ex: In Urban environments use the formal \u201cMeneer\u201d, \u201cMevrou\u201d, or \u201cJuffrou\u201d (Mr, Mrs, or Miss) referring to older people <\/p>\n
NON-Verbal:<\/p>\n
Comfortable with physical contact lack of physical contact is interpreted as unfriendly or lack of trust<\/p>\n
Hands<\/p>\n
Some ethnic groups may find it impolite to make gestures w. the left hand SIMILAR TO U.S.<\/p>\n
Black South Africans: favor the right hand<\/p>\n
White South Africans: comfortable with using left & right hand<\/p>\n
Hands in pocket interpreted as disrespectful<\/p>\n
Eye contact have steady eye contact throughout the convo. (shows respect)<\/p>\n
Personal space:<\/p>\n
Black south Africans sit and stand close to each other Americans may consider this to be uncomfortably close<\/p>\n
Point at someone RUDE<\/p>\n
Prefer face to face communication<\/p>\n
Citations: https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/ , https:\/\/ivypanda.com\/essays\/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication\/ <\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s meeting arrangements and how they\u2019re conducted:<\/p>\n
Meeting styles differ depending upon who you\u2019re dealing with (a traditional, white-dominated business, a start-up black African company or the subsidiary of a multi-national located in Johannesburg or Cape Town)<\/p>\n
However, here are tips to keep in mind when it comes to meetings:<\/p>\n
1. South Africans expect you to have a good idea of the current situation on the ground in South Africa.<\/p>\n
Show that you have done your research and that you have adapted your policies or ideas to meet the local conditions.<\/p>\n
South Africans are well prepared with a plan and structure of how they want the meeting to go <\/p>\n
2. \u00a0take time in the meeting to try to develop a good relationship with the people you are doing business with<\/p>\n
This is important within all sections of South African society as relationships have always formed the basis of good business \u2013 regardless of cultural background.<\/p>\n
3. \u00a0avoid anything that could be considered a hard sell approach<\/p>\n
It\u2019s much better to be understated and patient with South African contacts as being too pushy will probably alienate people.<\/p>\n
South Afrikaners Negotiations and expectations of what will be achieved: <\/p>\n
\u00a0they appreciate and value directness for the sake of clarity and mutual understanding.<\/p>\n
During the meeting: Give your full attention to the person speaking and listen courteously. (RESPECT IS HUGE)<\/p>\n
DO NOT INTERRUPT like U.S. <\/p>\n
Expect negotiations to move slowly<\/p>\n
Negotiations: win-win results is the ideal outcome of a meeting for a South African <\/p>\n
Citation: https:\/\/www.worldbusinessculture.com\/country-profiles\/south-africa\/business-meetings\/ , https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/Arrive on time (be punctual), greet everyone in the room individually https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/FORMAL BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS exchange business cards and take a moment to examine the content of the card before putting it away https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/INITIAL MEETINGS often used for partners to familiarize themselves with one another and establish business relationships<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s decision making in business:<\/p>\n
Strategy: planning short term (1 year) to medium term (5 year) basis<\/p>\n
Organizational structure a pyramid<\/p>\n
Decision-making is passed up the hierarchy<\/p>\n
Decisions:<\/p>\n
Avoid unnecessary delays (important for negotiations with the person who has the authority to make decisions)<\/p>\n
Citations: https:\/\/www.labourmobility.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Management-culture-in-South-Africa.pdf (PDF) <\/p>\n
Recommendations on how to adapt to the other country\u2019s norms, including resources for learning more: <\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.labourmobility.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Management-culture-in-South-Africa.pdf (PDF)<\/p>\n
A good website of comparing U.S. & South Africa: https:\/\/ivypanda.com\/essays\/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication\/ <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Team Presentation Context: WellTech was recently acquired by an international healthcare technology company based in South Africa. As part of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n