Brazil: Country Overview
The field of study that deals with the ways in which the communication that transpires between members who belong to different cultures is better known as cross cultural communication. The study takes into consideration the similarities and the differences that exist among the communication strategies that are followed by the members of the two different cultural backgrounds who have been communicating with each other. The cross-cultural negotiation on the other hand refers to the negotiating activities that the concerned executives of the various organizations who belong to different cultures (Carbaugh 2013). The following report deals with the difference in the backgrounds of the two chosen countries Brazil and Germany. The report proceeds further to cultural dimensions of the countries on the basis of the model suggested by Hofstede. The report further advances to discuss the negotiation styles that are followed in the business scenarios of the concerned countries. The report also attempts a discussion of the communication theories proposed by Hall and the key issues that are presented by the same. The report advances towards its end with the discussion on the leadership styles and the values that are followed in the various organizations that have been operating in the countries in discussion, Brazil and Germany.
Brazil is a South American country that is vast in expanse and stretches from the amazon basin in the northern part of the continent to the vast Iguaca Falls that are present in the southern part of the continent. The total area if land covered by the country is almost 8.516 million square kilometers and has a total population of about 207.7 million people as per the 2016 census of the country. The national and the official language that is widely used in the country is Portuguese and the currency that is used by the residents of the country is the Brazilian Real (Meyer 2018).
On the other hand, Germany, officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany, is located in the central-western part of Europe and is a federal parliament republic. The country covers an area of 357, 376 square kilometers within its boundaries. According to the recent census of the country conducted in the year 2016, the total number of residents in the country is approximately 82.67 million. The financial transaction within the country are held in Euros. The official language of the country is Standard German language and the majority of the residents of the country speak in either the standard variety of the language or the other various dialects of the language as their first language (Germanculture.com.ua, 2018.).
Germany: Country Overview
The countries in discussion, Brazil and Germany can be evaluated on the basis of the cultural dimensions that have been mentioned by Hofstede in his famous model that explained the cultural matters that are functional within the country or the concerned organization. The Hofstede model of cultural dimensions include six different factors that are used in the evaluation of the concerned organization or the country (Beugelsdijk, Maseland, and Hoorn 2015). In case of Brazil, the cultural analysis of the country reveals that the residents of the country are seen to be very closely oriented to their families and do share a very cohesive bond with the members of the concerned family. On the other hand, the society of Germany tends to put forth the traits of an individualistic society. The families that have been residing in Germany are found to be nuclear wherein the main focus lie on the parents and the children rather than on the members of the extended family (Mazanec et al. 2015). In the culture of Germany, one might find the huge reliance on the ideal pertaining to the concept of self-actualization. Unlike the Brazilian viewpoint, the German culture tends to judge the loyalty of the person on the basis of the personal preferences that are demonstrated by the people of the country as well as the responsibility and the duty that the concerned people depict.
According to the Brazilian culture, the business negotiations are generally group-oriented and do rest on the pillars of loyalty, togetherness and trust. The communication that takes place within the society might be loud and boisterous. The business organizations that have been functioning within the country might be observed to have employed the distributive and the contingency bargaining methods while dealing with the concerned clients or the other partner organizations. The business organizations that are based in Brazil are generally found to be on the lookout for the commitments that tend to be long-termed. The pace of negotiations that is followed in Brazil might be referred to as slow and might be protracted in nature. On the other hand, their German counterparts are observed to be more direct in their conversing styles. The German business partners are known to discuss matters in a very straight forward manner and might sound unpleasant at times due to the fact that they do depict the qualities of being directly getting to the point of discussion instead of getting at the point in a roundabout manner (Kinloch and Metge 2014). The various business concerns that have been operating in the German territories tend to depict a co-operative style in the matters that pertain to the negotiations in business. The business negotiations in Germany are slow as the Germans tend to abide by the methodical and very carefully planned approach and the negotiators tend to display the qualities that are found in tough negotiators.
Cultural Dimensions
An analysis based on the theory of communication proposed by Hall reveals that the Brazil might be considered to be a high-context country that is majorly group oriented, the style is majorly oriented to the listeners of the concerned conversation, the negotiation style of the organizations is indirect and tends to put forth the mutual ways in facing the concerns that might have been faced by the organization (Ballantyne 2016). On the other hand, the German negotiation style is considered to be very direct and straightforward and the various concerns that are raised within the organizations tend to put forth various ways to deal with the concerns by oneself. The country of Germany might be termed to be a low context wherein the values that are shared by the various members are individualistic in nature and as opposed to their Brazilian counterparts follow a communication style that is majorly focused on the speaker. In terms of time, the countries differ in their approach to negotiations. The Brazilian style of negotiation is polychronic while that of Germany is monochronic. The negotiation style that is prevalent in the activities of both the countries tend to vary even in the matters that pertain to the spatial factors (Warner-Søderholm 2013). The Brazilian negotiation style conveys low territoriality unlike the German counterparts that tend to display high territoriality.
The major problems that are faced by the negotiating parties are well-aware of the cultural aspects of concerned countries prior to the start of the negotiation process that takes place between the organizational management of the concerned countries in order to deal with the conditions where in the concerned deal is not affected. The lack in the understanding factors that exist among the concerned persons involved in the dealing might lead to the conditions wherein the concerned deal could be affected in a wrong way thereby leading to a negative impact on the concerned organizations (Groves, Feyerherm and Gu 2015). The concerned executives and organizational leaders are advised to have a sound knowledge on the cultural aspects and the behavioral patterns that are demonstrated and are relevant in the concerned country. In cases of the countries in discussion, it might be pointed out that the countries do maintain different conditions in the matters that pertain to the greeting of the concerned employees and other staff members of the organization (Lee, Adair and Seo 2013). The Brazilian people usually demonstrate the use of the first name of the person in order to greet the concerned person. This might be the reason behind the issue that may arise during the negotiation process since the Germans are observed to be more professional and formal in their business dealings and are not laid back and relaxed as their Brazilian counterparts.
Negotiation Styles
The organizational structure of a concern might vary on the basis of the country wherein the concerned organization is located (Bochner 2013). The organizational structure of the Brazilian companies is observed to have maintained a very organized structure and might demonstrate the use of the strict lines of hierarchy within the concern. The organizational structure of the concern is structured with the CEO at the apex position, followed by the managers of the organization and then finally followed by the other staff of the organization. The various important decisions of the organization are taken by the concerned senior managerial sections of the concern. The senior level managers of the organization are allowed to deal with the various international level negotiators that might visit the organization (Merkin, Taras and Steel 2014). On the other hand, the organizational structure of the German organizations displays a certain amount of difference. The senior managers serving the concerned organization is allocated the major amount of the power while the major decision-making power in case of the various important matters and policies of the company rest in the hands of the management board. This body within the organization is also responsible for the various strategic decisions that might affect the management of the concerned organization.
The countries in discussion, Brazil and Germany do differ in the matters that pertain to the leadership styles that are followed in the concerned countries. The leaders of Brazil are observed to be charismatic in nature and do demonstrate the qualities of a patriarchal or the matriarchal figures. The staff of the company is known to be obedient to the leaders. The staff of the concerned companies are also known to be respectful and loyal to the concerned leadership (Djerasimovic 2014). The decisions are undertaken by the senior members of the organization and the motivation is provided through the display of love and compassion to the concerned members of the organization (Mesman, van IJzendoorn and Sagi-Schwartz 2016). On the contrary, the German leaders do pass down the information from the higher levels to the lower levels staff of the concern. however, the style of leadership that is followed by the operating organizations within the country are not always autocratic in nature. The staff of the various organizations do have a tendency to make a judgement about the various factors that are best suited for the individual achievements of the concerned members of the workforce (Thomas and Peterson 2017). The German workforce is considered to be one of the hardworking, obedient and the most perfection-seeking workforce who are extremely focused on the matters in which they might complete the tasks that have been assigned to them.
Communication Theories
The values that are displayed by the Brazilian organizational workforce might include the stability that exists both in the professional and the personal lives. The Brazilian values are observed to be flexible and modifiable according to the ethics that are followed by the concerned organization. The Brazilian workplaces demonstrate a friendly atmosphere and encourage the team work among the various members of the organization (Matsumoto and Hwang 2013). The Brazilian organizations are mostly affected by the long-term relationships that they share with the concerned clients as well as the colleagues. The German also display some values that might include the strictness in the work ethics and work that is undertaken by the individuals in the concerned organization. The German values towards work are very formal, strict and sharp as opposed to those that are maintained by their Brazilian counterparts.
Conclusion
Thus, from the above discussion it might be pointed out that the chosen countries for the discussion, Brazil and Germany have many factors that are common to them and thus might be compatible in the terms of the various cross-cultural negotiation issues that might arise within two organizations that are located in these countries. The concerned negotiator might be advised to develop a sound knowledge on the various cultural matters that are prevalent within the countries that have been in discussion, Brazil and Germany. The concerned negotiator might be advised to be aware of the various styles of leadership that is followed in the country, the values that are upheld by the residents of the concerned country
References
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