Reflection paper

During my study of International Business, I took the course MGMT447. This course provides

an in-depth introduction to effective global leadership practices and styles in the world's major

cultural regions, as well as the underlying psychological, social, and cultural factors. The content

includes global teams and global leadership, global leaders, cross-cultural communication,

managing global transformation and relocation, etc. Through learning, I have acquired a lot of

relevant knowledge and enriched my thoughts and skills.

First, this course helped me enhance my understanding of the diversity of the world and

systematically understand the differences among countries from a global perspective. Especially

in terms of cultural diversity, my feelings are particularly profound. For example, in the speech

of a guest speaker from Japan, the speaker mentioned the differences and characteristics of

business cultures between South Korea and Japan. He proposed that in Japan, socializing in some

informal settings is conducive to business cooperation. They would draw closer to each other by

drinking and having meals together at places like izakayas. In such an environment, people are

more likely to let their guard down and express their thoughts. The success of many contracts

occurs in such places. In China, people also like to reach business cooperation during meals.

However, business cooperation in China places more emphasis on personal relationships and

building connections, while in Japan, it is more inclined towards long-term cooperation. In

countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, such differences are even more

pronounced. Such business negotiations usually take place in formal venues like meeting rooms,

where there is a clear boundary between people's work and activities. The same business culture

can have different purposes and changes. This difference makes me realize that cognitive

cultures are diverse, and different cultures have different ways of dealing with the same thing.
This diversity helps business activities to be carried out effectively. Only by understanding the

local business culture can business cooperation and negotiations be better advanced. From the

perspective of avoiding uncertainty, different cultures also have different responses to

unpredictable situations. In low uncertainty avoidance cultures like the United States and

Singapore, people have a higher tolerance for ambiguity and are relatively flexible when

encountering variables. In contrast, in high uncertainty avoidance cultures like Germany, people

tend to organize and arrange all matters and possible situations well to reduce the occurrence of

uncertainties. Cultural diversity is rich in content, and this diversity has also led me to think a lot

about different differences.

Similarly, I also recognize that the world has diverse values. The Hofstede cultural Dimension

theory mentioned in the course has given me a clearer concept of this diversity. Take the power

distance as an example. The United States has a low power distance, and the atmosphere

between employees and their superiors is more relaxed. Employees can communicate directly

with their superiors and put forward different opinions. In countries like China and Japan, the

power distance is high, and there is a clear hierarchical system. Employees must show respect for

their superiors and must not challenge authority. They are usually required to follow their

superiors' arrangements and decisions without raising questions. Furthermore, taking the theory

of fairness as an example, different cultures also have different standards for understanding

fairness. In some Asian countries, such as China, enterprises place greater emphasis on

collectivism. Under the same circumstances, collective interests take precedence over individual

interests. Therefore, when collective interests conflict with individual interests, collectivism will

be given priority. However, in some Western countries, such as the United Kingdom and the

United States, these countries place more emphasis on personal interests and demand that
individuals be treated fairly. These different standards have created different values and brought

about different operation models for enterprises. In conclusion, differences in values influence

different corporate cultures and determine different management approaches. Understanding

such different values can help global leaders adjust their management and leadership strategies

according to cultural backgrounds and better lead their teams to success.

In addition to the diversity of cultures and values, I have also recognized the diverse ways of

communication around the world. In a country like the United States, people tend to

communicate in a low-context environment. Their expressions are more direct and clearer,

aiming for efficient communication. Therefore, they usually get straight to the point and state the

topic and purpose directly. In a high-context culture like that of South Korea, people's

expressions are usually implicit. They usually do not directly state their purpose or purpose but

rather express their meaning tactfully by narrating other matters. This requires the other party to

have a deeper understanding of it to grasp the ultimate meaning. Emotional expression in

communication can also affect the outcome of the exchange. In countries like Japan and Finland,

emotional stability and restrained expression are regarded as professional and reliable. However,

in Italy and Spain, enthusiasm and liveliness are seen as sincerity, while calmness may be

perceived as indifference. Therefore, communication is not merely reflected in language

expression. In different environments, cross-cultural managers should adjust different

communication strategies to achieve their goals.

The diversity of world culture is reflected in all aspects and is not confined to a single

perspective. Only by understanding cultural differences from multiple aspects can we better

understand the distinctions between different cultures. The more I learn about multiculturalism,

the more interested I become in studying the differences among various cultures. At the same
time, it has also influenced my career goals and directions. Previously, I was rather limited in my

search for job opportunities, only focusing on a specific area and major. Under the influence of a

global perspective, I have come to realize that one should seek employment opportunities

extensively and not be confined to one. I can try any career that matches the knowledge I have

learned. This influence stems not only from theory but also from practice. When forming a group

with members from different countries to complete the assignment of the same project, I deeply

felt the importance of diversity, which also aroused my interest in it. For instance, the group

members from the United States have a stronger sense of time and pay more attention to the

deadlines and completion status of the assignments. The group members from Colombia, on the

other hand, have a relatively flexible understanding of time. But everyone could understand and

encourage each other and complete the requirements. The collision of diverse cultures has

enriched the content of this assignment, which is also attributed to everyone's different

perspectives based on their respective cultural backgrounds. The mutual tolerance among

everyone has also enriched the quality of the group's assignment and provided more ideas.

Therefore, I am more inclined to seek an inclusive, open, and diverse working team in my future

work, which can enable people from different cultural backgrounds to all realize their own value

and allow the collision of cultures to produce different effects. I also hope to learn about other

cultural characteristics while working with others in such a team, enriching my understanding of

the world.

Such an IB experience has also cultivated many useful skills for me, which can be applied to my

future work practice. First, I have developed the ability to view cultural differences, which

enables me to analyze an enterprise from a different country and compare some of the

differences between it and the local culture. Understanding this difference can be helpful for my
future work. If I engage in an industry related to appearance in the future, I can take advantage of

my understanding of the cultures of other countries to get closer to my clients and avoid some

misunderstandings due to unfamiliarity with the cultures. In addition, I can also master

communication skills, adjust different communication strategies, and ensure the effectiveness of

information transmission. Knowledge about non-verbal communication can also be applied in

future work. In subsequent business communication, I won't just focus on what the other party

says but also pay attention to their body language and actions, such as eye contact, facial

expressions, and gestures. There are also many differences in this kind of body language. For

instance, the "OK" gesture in the United States means good and no problem, but in Germany, it

is an insulting gesture. Understanding this skill can help me maintain customer relationships in

the future, use and understand different body movements to capture key information, and thus

establish deep connections and trust with others.

This course has enabled me to acquire a great deal of knowledge and skills, which has brought

some help to my future career development. I hope to learn some content that combines with the

development of modern technology, such as whether technical means can bring some help to

cross-cultural management. During my internship, I found that enterprises often use

technological means to help them analyze data and provide ideas. Therefore, I want to learn

about this aspect.

In conclusion, this experience has greatly inspired me and can offer some assistance in my future

work.