A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a
   Choosing Your E-Zine Topic - 3 Hints for Making Your Decision
   Choosing the topic of your ezine is no light decision. I have put together 3 hints to take some of the strain off your brain and get you going in the right direction.1.Share your passion.What are you passionate about? If you’re publishing an ezine for your business, then I hope it’s your company, product or service that holds your passion. But those aren’t the only motivations for ezines.Whatever your passion, writing about it will make your ezine strong. Passionate writing, whether it’s about tying flies for fishing or piecing together heirloom quilts, is powerful writing. When you write with passion it ignites the page and excites your readers, making them want to read more.2.Research the competition.Get on the internet and search the ezine directories for other ezines with topics that are similar to yours.There are many ezine directories with free access; all you have to do is put in the time and effort to research them. To find out which ones are free type “free ezine directories” into the search engine on your computer.What will you need to research once you find your ezine competition? •Layout – Which layout was appealing to the eyes as well as user friendly? •Content – Did you find any of the content of value to you? Was it presented in an appealing way? •Length – What was the average length of the ezines that you liked the most? •Articles – Were the ar
   Expatriates and foreign nationals who relocate to the United States to live and work often have mixed perceptions about this young nation. Those feelings are probably best described by the late Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, who referred to America as “a land of unmatched vitality and vulgarity.”

   While most Americans rarely think of their country as “foreign,” the fact is that non-Americans who relocate to the United States to do business and “do lunch” are often surprised to find they experience a severe case of “corporate culture shock.”

   According to recently conducted research with dozens of foreign business professionals working in Atlanta and other southeastern U.S. cities, the human resource departments of multinational corporations are woefully inadequate in preparing foreigners for the American workplace. The purpose of the study was to learn about foreign managers’ experiences and attitudes regarding the American business culture. More than half of this diverse group of CEOs, CFOs, vice presidents, directors, managers, engineers, and analysts were European. In total, 26 different countries were represented.

   Equally disturbing is the finding that American employees lack cross-cultural awareness and skills that would enable them to draw on the diverse, global talents and business experiences of their non-American counterparts.

   Once the physical relocation to the United States is complete, most foreigners and their families say employers provide little, if any, assistance to help them integrate into the American community and business environment. They often struggle up to a year or longer to adapt.

   The financial cost of cross-border relocations is steep; often two to four times the transferee’s salary. But the cost of lost productivity because of months of isolation, confusion, and frustration is incalculable. The adaptation period could be reduced by 50 percent with adequate cultural orientation and training, professional coaching, and mentoring. If corporations would simply invest an additional 5 to 10 percent of their relocation cost into cross-cultural orientation, training, and coaching, they would be buying an insurance policy that protects their substantial investment in their expatriate and foreign nationals, realizing a greater productivity return on their investment much sooner.

   Stages of Adjustment

   Left on their own, foreign professionals frequently go through three stages of acculturation:

   1. Discovery. First, they encounter the barriers and differences that create discomfort and frustration for them and their families.
   2. Search. Second, they begin to look for the people and resources that can help them overcome the cultural barriers.
   3. Adaptation. Finally, they make the necessary adjustments to their communication style, work style, and business practices to build relationships with their American colleagues.

   Some foreigners never make it through the adaptation stage and continue to remain isolated from their American colleagues and are less-than-effective in their jobs.

   Bottom of the Pyramid

   In their home countries, most international professionals enjoy a certain degree of accomplishment and self-esteem. On arriving in the United States, however, they are pulled down to the bottom rung of Maslow’s pyramid of needs. Physical needs become top priorities again.

   Even the most basic everyday needs become major obstacles for foreign transferees. Obtaining credit is often a major hurdle, even for affluent non-Americans. A general manager of a French company’s North American division moved from Paris, France, to Atlanta, GA, three years ago. He described his family’s effort to establish credit as a “nightmare.”

   “We had no credit history here and felt like thieves,” said the transferee. Another vice president also complained of credit problems when he moved his family from Paris to Atlanta with a global Dutch company. An Atlanta car dealer refused to sell him an automobile without a U.S. credit history, even though he had used an American Express credit card in Europe for four years. The executive and his wife said they felt like “criminals.” They were forced to pay cash for their first used car.

   Other foreigners recalled the many frustrations they encountered in taking care of basic living needs--opening a bank account, connecting utilities, choosing a long-distance company, haggling over the price of a car, or buying home and auto insurance. The marketing manager of a British-based international hotel chain moved from London, England, to the American headquarters in Atlanta, GA, only to discover that she did not know how to dial long distance within the United States. Neither did she know the meaning of dialing “911.” Americans often take for granted the daily survival skills that foreigners must relearn when they arrive in the United States.

   American English “Sports-speak”

   Understanding American English is one of the first challenges foreigners--even native English speakers--encounter in the U.S. corporate culture. American business conversation is riddled with clich?s, slang, regionalisms, and sports expressions that are not understood by non-Americans. “Sports-speak” is woven into business conversations constantly in the United States with references to American football, baseball, and basketball. Expressions such as “slam dunk,” “homerun,” “Monday morning quarterback,” “end run,” “curveball,” “full court press,” and “stepping up to the plate” only serve to confuse foreigners. Many Americans are oblivious to the fact that baseball and American football are not played in Europe and other parts of the world.

   Acronym Soup

   The language of U.S. human resource departments is equally foreign. Most international professionals come to the United States with no knowledge of managed health care or U.S. tax and discrimination law--complex issues that Americans barely understand. It is no wonder then that non-Americans consider these employee policies and plans a “nightmare” and glaze over when they read their HR manual of acronyms and alphabet soup: PPO, HMO, ADA, EEOC, FLMA, and 401K. Translation please?

   Said one foreign executive, “You are screened by a nurse, and then you spend 30 seconds to two minutes with a doctor. You are reimbursed and talk to computers. All these plans, long-term and short-term disability, are extremely complex.”

   Rather than proactively taking the time to explain these bureaucratic plans and policies to foreigners, most HR managers simply react and respond to questions. What HR managers do not understand is that non-Americans have no knowledge base on which they can even begin to formulate intelligent questions. Human resources must instead begin at the beginning.

   The American Spirit at Work

   Most foreigners first come to know America through its media--movies, music, magazines, TV sitcoms, and theme parks. Americans are projected as fun loving, risk-taking rugged individuals who “get to the point” and “tell it like it is.” Pick up most any book about American culture and you will read about the legendary open, honest, and direct communication style of Americans. And so it seems that the bold and brazen American is, indeed, alive and well when socializing or selling. But foreigners paint a different picture of the American at work. It is not John Wayne or Indiana Jones who they encounter behind the corporate cubicle--it is Dilbert.

   According to the research, foreigners observe that there is little evidence of those cherished American values of equality and freedom of speech in the workplace, especially in big corporations. The single, greatest discomfort that foreigners report in the U.S. workplace is reconciling the perception of business informality (“I’m your CEO but just call me Bob;” “business casual is what we wear here”) and the reality of corporate hierarchy and extreme deference to rank and titles.

   “People worry about political correctness all the time to the point where they won’t say anything in a meeting because their boss is in there,” said a British manager who has worked in the United States for seven years. A Dutch marketing manager agreed, “In Europe, if you have a good idea, you bring it to the table. In the United States, until the boss puts it on the radar screen, it’s not as important.”

   A German manager says, “Here, I have to package my opinions very nicely.” Foreigners also are surprised at how Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at work. Said one German who has worked in the United States for five years, “Everyone is hiding behind policy and not getting out from behind their walls.”

   A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

   The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

   Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

   If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

   1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
   2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
   3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
   4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a
      Limited Liability Corporation Forms
      A limited liability corporation is a separate business entity that combines the various characteristics of partnership and corporation to form an entirely distinct legal unit. Limited liability corporations can be broadly distinguished into two forms, namely single-member limited liability corporations and multiple-member limited liability corporations. There can be various other forms of limited liability companies.A professional limited liability corporation can vary depending on the kind of business venture that is filed in as a limited liability corporation. Although all 50 states allow limited liability corporations, the laws of each state differ, and thereby the structure, type, and set-up formalities can vary. In certain states, banks and farms are not allowed to set up limited liability corporations.A single-member limited liability corporation is generally overlooked from the point of filing a federal tax return, although it is a legal entity in its right. It may be classified as a sole proprietorship either by default or by election. The earnings and expenditures of a single-member limited liability corporation can be accounted in Form 1040, schedule C.In case of a multiple-member limited liability corporation, either a partnership return form or a corporation return form can be filed. A partnership return is filed in Form 1065, while a corporation return form is filed in Form 8832.A limited l
      ing, and coaching, they would be buying an insurance policy that protects their substantial investment in their expatriate and foreign nationals, realizing a greater productivity return on their investment much sooner.

      Stages of Adjustment

      Left on their own, foreign professionals frequently go through three stages of acculturation:

      1. Discovery. First, they encounter the barriers and differences that create discomfort and frustration for them and their families.
      2. Search. Second, they begin to look for the people and resources that can help them overcome the cultural barriers.
      3. Adaptation. Finally, they make the necessary adjustments to their communication style, work style, and business practices to build relationships with their American colleagues.

      Some foreigners never make it through the adaptation stage and continue to remain isolated from their American colleagues and are less-than-effective in their jobs.

      Bottom of the Pyramid

      In their home countries, most international professionals enjoy a certain degree of accomplishment and self-esteem. On arriving in the United States, however, they are pulled down to the bottom rung of Maslow’s pyramid of needs. Physical needs become top priorities again.

      Even the most basic everyday needs become major obstacles for foreign transferees. Obtaining credit is often a major hurdle, even for affluent non-Americans. A general manager of a French company’s North American division moved from Paris, France, to Atlanta, GA, three years ago. He described his family’s effort to establish credit as a “nightmare.”

      “We had no credit history here and felt like thieves,” said the transferee. Another vice president also complained of credit problems when he moved his family from Paris to Atlanta with a global Dutch company. An Atlanta car dealer refused to sell him an automobile without a U.S. credit history, even though he had used an American Express credit card in Europe for four years. The executive and his wife said they felt like “criminals.” They were forced to pay cash for their first used car.

      Other foreigners recalled the many frustrations they encountered in taking care of basic living needs--opening a bank account, connecting utilities, choosing a long-distance company, haggling over the price of a car, or buying home and auto insurance. The marketing manager of a British-based international hotel chain moved from London, England, to the American headquarters in Atlanta, GA, only to discover that she did not know how to dial long distance within the United States. Neither did she know the meaning of dialing “911.” Americans often take for granted the daily survival skills that foreigners must relearn when they arrive in the United States.

      American English “Sports-speak”

      Understanding American English is one of the first challenges foreigners--even native English speakers--encounter in the U.S. corporate culture. American business conversation is riddled with clich?s, slang, regionalisms, and sports expressions that are not understood by non-Americans. “Sports-speak” is woven into business conversations constantly in the United States with references to American football, baseball, and basketball. Expressions such as “slam dunk,” “homerun,” “Monday morning quarterback,” “end run,” “curveball,” “full court press,” and “stepping up to the plate” only serve to confuse foreigners. Many Americans are oblivious to the fact that baseball and American football are not played in Europe and other parts of the world.

      Acronym Soup

      The language of U.S. human resource departments is equally foreign. Most international professionals come to the United States with no knowledge of managed health care or U.S. tax and discrimination law--complex issues that Americans barely understand. It is no wonder then that non-Americans consider these employee policies and plans a “nightmare” and glaze over when they read their HR manual of acronyms and alphabet soup: PPO, HMO, ADA, EEOC, FLMA, and 401K. Translation please?

      Said one foreign executive, “You are screened by a nurse, and then you spend 30 seconds to two minutes with a doctor. You are reimbursed and talk to computers. All these plans, long-term and short-term disability, are extremely complex.”

      Rather than proactively taking the time to explain these bureaucratic plans and policies to foreigners, most HR managers simply react and respond to questions. What HR managers do not understand is that non-Americans have no knowledge base on which they can even begin to formulate intelligent questions. Human resources must instead begin at the beginning.

      The American Spirit at Work

      Most foreigners first come to know America through its media--movies, music, magazines, TV sitcoms, and theme parks. Americans are projected as fun loving, risk-taking rugged individuals who “get to the point” and “tell it like it is.” Pick up most any book about American culture and you will read about the legendary open, honest, and direct communication style of Americans. And so it seems that the bold and brazen American is, indeed, alive and well when socializing or selling. But foreigners paint a different picture of the American at work. It is not John Wayne or Indiana Jones who they encounter behind the corporate cubicle--it is Dilbert.

      According to the research, foreigners observe that there is little evidence of those cherished American values of equality and freedom of speech in the workplace, especially in big corporations. The single, greatest discomfort that foreigners report in the U.S. workplace is reconciling the perception of business informality (“I’m your CEO but just call me Bob;” “business casual is what we wear here”) and the reality of corporate hierarchy and extreme deference to rank and titles.

      “People worry about political correctness all the time to the point where they won’t say anything in a meeting because their boss is in there,” said a British manager who has worked in the United States for seven years. A Dutch marketing manager agreed, “In Europe, if you have a good idea, you bring it to the table. In the United States, until the boss puts it on the radar screen, it’s not as important.”

      A German manager says, “Here, I have to package my opinions very nicely.” Foreigners also are surprised at how Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at work. Said one German who has worked in the United States for five years, “Everyone is hiding behind policy and not getting out from behind their walls.”

      A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

      The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

      Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

      If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

      1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
      2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
      3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
      4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a
         The Bottom Line: Credit Card Processing Capability Depends on Credit
         When you apply for credit card processing capability for your website, there are a multitude of factors that underwriters take into consideration when deciding whether or not to accept your application. These factors include:* The type of business you own * How long you have owned your business * Trends in your business earnings * Trends in your industry * Your collateral: machinery, equipment, property * Your personal credit reportWhen a merchant's credit card processing application is evaluated, their personal credit rating is assessed and significantly affects the outcome of the decision. A poor credit rating may preclude an application from being accepted. But what does your personal history have to do with your business potential?As far as your credit card processing application is concerned, everything. How you run your personal life is indicative of how you will run your business, helping the underwriters of your credit card processing application to determine whether or not you should be considered a risk. Everything that is included in your credit report is relevant information for the credit card processing underwriters. This information includes:* Whether or not you made personal credit card payments on time or at all, over drafted your accounts, or filed for bankruptcy may indicate your ability to repay future creditors. * Whether or not you have enough c
         cash for their first used car.

         Other foreigners recalled the many frustrations they encountered in taking care of basic living needs--opening a bank account, connecting utilities, choosing a long-distance company, haggling over the price of a car, or buying home and auto insurance. The marketing manager of a British-based international hotel chain moved from London, England, to the American headquarters in Atlanta, GA, only to discover that she did not know how to dial long distance within the United States. Neither did she know the meaning of dialing “911.” Americans often take for granted the daily survival skills that foreigners must relearn when they arrive in the United States.

         American English “Sports-speak”

         Understanding American English is one of the first challenges foreigners--even native English speakers--encounter in the U.S. corporate culture. American business conversation is riddled with clich?s, slang, regionalisms, and sports expressions that are not understood by non-Americans. “Sports-speak” is woven into business conversations constantly in the United States with references to American football, baseball, and basketball. Expressions such as “slam dunk,” “homerun,” “Monday morning quarterback,” “end run,” “curveball,” “full court press,” and “stepping up to the plate” only serve to confuse foreigners. Many Americans are oblivious to the fact that baseball and American football are not played in Europe and other parts of the world.

         Acronym Soup

         The language of U.S. human resource departments is equally foreign. Most international professionals come to the United States with no knowledge of managed health care or U.S. tax and discrimination law--complex issues that Americans barely understand. It is no wonder then that non-Americans consider these employee policies and plans a “nightmare” and glaze over when they read their HR manual of acronyms and alphabet soup: PPO, HMO, ADA, EEOC, FLMA, and 401K. Translation please?

         Said one foreign executive, “You are screened by a nurse, and then you spend 30 seconds to two minutes with a doctor. You are reimbursed and talk to computers. All these plans, long-term and short-term disability, are extremely complex.”

         Rather than proactively taking the time to explain these bureaucratic plans and policies to foreigners, most HR managers simply react and respond to questions. What HR managers do not understand is that non-Americans have no knowledge base on which they can even begin to formulate intelligent questions. Human resources must instead begin at the beginning.

         The American Spirit at Work

         Most foreigners first come to know America through its media--movies, music, magazines, TV sitcoms, and theme parks. Americans are projected as fun loving, risk-taking rugged individuals who “get to the point” and “tell it like it is.” Pick up most any book about American culture and you will read about the legendary open, honest, and direct communication style of Americans. And so it seems that the bold and brazen American is, indeed, alive and well when socializing or selling. But foreigners paint a different picture of the American at work. It is not John Wayne or Indiana Jones who they encounter behind the corporate cubicle--it is Dilbert.

         According to the research, foreigners observe that there is little evidence of those cherished American values of equality and freedom of speech in the workplace, especially in big corporations. The single, greatest discomfort that foreigners report in the U.S. workplace is reconciling the perception of business informality (“I’m your CEO but just call me Bob;” “business casual is what we wear here”) and the reality of corporate hierarchy and extreme deference to rank and titles.

         “People worry about political correctness all the time to the point where they won’t say anything in a meeting because their boss is in there,” said a British manager who has worked in the United States for seven years. A Dutch marketing manager agreed, “In Europe, if you have a good idea, you bring it to the table. In the United States, until the boss puts it on the radar screen, it’s not as important.”

         A German manager says, “Here, I have to package my opinions very nicely.” Foreigners also are surprised at how Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at work. Said one German who has worked in the United States for five years, “Everyone is hiding behind policy and not getting out from behind their walls.”

         A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

         The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

         Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

         If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

         1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
         2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
         3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
         4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a
            Freight Forwarding Companies Are Encouraged to Move Off The Roads
            New funding designed to move the transportation of heavy freight off the roads will improve driving conditions between England and Scotland. Travellers driving from Scotland to England will find the roads much less busy after measures were introduced recently to move the forwarding of freight off the road and onto the railways.The main reason why freight forwarding companies are being encouraged to use the railways instead of the roads is the issue of congestion.Road congestion is getting worse in Scotland every year and this has a damaging effect on both the environment and people’s quality of life. Congestion is one of the primary causes of increased journey times which leads to passenger frustration and stress.The Department for Transport and the FFG have contributed funds to help a number of major distributors forward freight between Coatbridge and Daventry by rail instead of by road. This is an attempt by the Scottish government to address the issue of congestion on the country’s roads.The Department for Transport has also introduced a grant scheme to encourage freight forwarding companies to make the switch from road to rail transportation. The grant scheme gives financial support to freight forwarding companies who transport inter-modal containers by rail instead of by road.There are currently around two hundred and sixty lorries a week that use Scotland’s busy roads to forward freight. Th
            and talk to computers. All these plans, long-term and short-term disability, are extremely complex.”

            Rather than proactively taking the time to explain these bureaucratic plans and policies to foreigners, most HR managers simply react and respond to questions. What HR managers do not understand is that non-Americans have no knowledge base on which they can even begin to formulate intelligent questions. Human resources must instead begin at the beginning.

            The American Spirit at Work

            Most foreigners first come to know America through its media--movies, music, magazines, TV sitcoms, and theme parks. Americans are projected as fun loving, risk-taking rugged individuals who “get to the point” and “tell it like it is.” Pick up most any book about American culture and you will read about the legendary open, honest, and direct communication style of Americans. And so it seems that the bold and brazen American is, indeed, alive and well when socializing or selling. But foreigners paint a different picture of the American at work. It is not John Wayne or Indiana Jones who they encounter behind the corporate cubicle--it is Dilbert.

            According to the research, foreigners observe that there is little evidence of those cherished American values of equality and freedom of speech in the workplace, especially in big corporations. The single, greatest discomfort that foreigners report in the U.S. workplace is reconciling the perception of business informality (“I’m your CEO but just call me Bob;” “business casual is what we wear here”) and the reality of corporate hierarchy and extreme deference to rank and titles.

            “People worry about political correctness all the time to the point where they won’t say anything in a meeting because their boss is in there,” said a British manager who has worked in the United States for seven years. A Dutch marketing manager agreed, “In Europe, if you have a good idea, you bring it to the table. In the United States, until the boss puts it on the radar screen, it’s not as important.”

            A German manager says, “Here, I have to package my opinions very nicely.” Foreigners also are surprised at how Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at work. Said one German who has worked in the United States for five years, “Everyone is hiding behind policy and not getting out from behind their walls.”

            A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

            The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

            Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

            If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

            1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
            2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
            3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
            4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a
               A Business Plan? Whats The Point?
               Lets put it this way; supposing you knew you needed to make a journey for your business and you had a gut feeling you should do it tomorrow. You get in you car, still not knowing where you are going at a time that feels right. You drive to your first junction and think to yourself, “Shall I go left or right”? You choose right, because it looks the better option! You keep changing direction throughout the morning based on what feels or looks right, until you decide to stop and have a break.“Am I here yet?” you wonder to yourself sitting having your coffee and bacon sandwich. You look around, “no, I am sure this is not where I want to be” so on you go again. A little later on you think to yourself, “Why am I here by myself? Should I have brought some of my colleagues with me?” “Never mind” you tell yourself, “its too late now, I will have to get by”. Eventually the fuel light comes on and now you know you have to stop at the nearest garage. At the petrol station you ponder, “how much fuel should I put in? I still don’t know how far I have got to go and I haven’t brought much money with me”. “It’s a good job I have an overdraft,” you tell yourself. You fill the tank to the top and then continue on you journey. Eventually you become tired and weary and so make your way home, not really knowing if you got to where you wanted to go, or why you made the journey in the first place.This seems like an extreme situation,
               gners also are surprised at how Americans avoid face-to-face conflict at work. Said one German who has worked in the United States for five years, “Everyone is hiding behind policy and not getting out from behind their walls.”

               A Finnish distributorship president speculated that Americans avoid direct conflict because of the litigious society they live in. “This is a big difference between America and the rest of the world. People put things in writing here if there is some conflict or misunderstanding. Frivolous lawsuits don’t exist in the rest of the world.”

               The lack of job security and an adequate “safety net” for unemployment is another reason given.

               Conquering Corporate Culture Shock

               If global companies would take the following four actions, they would help to ease the transition of foreigners into the U.S. workplace and greatly enhance their productivity.

               1. Provide community orientation and logistical support beyond finding housing and schools. Help the transferees acquire basic survival skills and social ties with their community.
               2. Take the time to explain employee benefits, policies, and laws. Do not assume foreigners understand the policies and plans or the words associated with them. They are unique to America. Give them an easy way to get their HR questions answered. Be proactive versus reactive.
               3. Assign a trained American mentor or external coach to foreign transferees during the first few months of the transition process to hasten acculturation. Foreigners in the study strongly favored this idea. “Having a coach or mentor is absolutely essential for getting direct first-hand feedback, asking questions, learning how Americans see the situation, culture, work practices, even for subtle differences. The fact is, the U.S. is different!” said a Swedish program manager.
               4. Build American cultural awareness and competence by offering cross-cultural training, multicultural team coaching, and cultural events. Many foreigners in the study referred to their American colleagues as culturally “insensitive,” “ignorant,” “egocentric,” or “isolated.” As a result, the foreigners believe that Americans do not fully appreciate and use their unique backgrounds, talents, global perspectives, and connections.<.li>

               As global mergers and acquisitions continue and as America’s multicultural workforce expands, it is vital that both Americans and non-Americans understand each other and learn to work together to prevent cultural differences from getting in the way of good business. As Sheila (could this be Sheida?) Hodge states in her book, Global Smarts, “The trick is to capitalize on similarities without being ambushed by differences.”

               If both Americans and non-Americans will adopt the mantra: “Think globally, act locally,” then their employers stand a much greater chance of bringing better ideas and approaches to the workplace and better products and services to the marketplace.