Coursework: Management of multinational enterprises. Features of managing a multinational team on the example of the company 'Lukoil'

Most of the empirical work in the field of determining the factors of the effectiveness of multicultural groups and finding strategies for influencing these factors belongs to the period from the early 2000s to the present. For this reason, most of these works are interconnected and contain mutually intersecting ideas.

Thus, the work of E. Ochieng, A. Price (2009), devoted to the search for the most successful strategies to improve the efficiency of multicultural teams, is a typical example of a combination of normative and positive components. As with much empirical work in the field, the material for the study was multicultural teams working in the construction industry, in this case multinational companies operating in Kenya and employing British managers.

As part of this work, 8 main factors were identified that determine the effectiveness of the work of a multicultural team:

• Leadership style
• Team architecture and selection of its members
• Managing the development of a cross-cultural team
• · Cross-cultural communications
• Cross-cultural collectivism
• · Cross-cultural trust
• · Cross-cultural management
• Level of cross-cultural uncertainty

When it comes to leadership styles, the paper highlights the three most typical styles for this industry - authoritarian, delegating and inspiring. Moreover, the last two are considered the most preferable both in Europe and in Kenya, however, with the exception of those projects that develop in a different direction than that provided for by the plan. When "things don't go as planned" authoritarian style management is most effective.

In the field of team architecture, the three most important factors for an individual's inclusion in a multicultural team were "professional qualities", "ability to work in a team" and "respect among other team members". Despite the fact that in Britain the last two factors are more important in recruitment, and in Kenya - the first, in general, both approaches are similar and effective.

Managing the development of a cross-cultural team or "team building" is undoubtedly also a significant factor for its subsequent successful work. Holding events of this kind can significantly reduce the costs of coordination, which usually make a significant contribution to the decrease in the effectiveness of teams, as well as create a positive working climate.

The development of cross-cultural communications also plays an important role in organizing the successful work of the team. The most significant contribution to the development of communications within the team is made by the ability of management to recognize and effectively communicate the goals of the team, as well as the rules of conduct and the delimitation of roles in the team to all its other members. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the preferred channels of communication for representatives of different cultural groups and the role of the "contextuality" of the language, which will be discussed in more detail later.

Cross-cultural collectivism, in contrast to the previously mentioned work by D. Thomas, in this case is considered not as a property inherent in employees of certain cultural groups, but as successful teamwork skills developed in the process of forming a multicultural team. Thus, the achievement of cross-cultural collectivism is another of the necessary conditions for the successful work of cross-cultural teams.

Cross-cultural trust, as a factor that complements communications, is essential for successful knowledge transfer within cross-cultural teams. Mutual trust both between managers and employees, and between employees is achieved in the process of successful implementation of the stated goals by a multicultural team and, at the same time, contributes to a more successful further achievement of goals.

The last two points presented by E. Ochieng, A. Price, cross-cultural management and cross-cultural uncertainty are to some extent factors integrating the above six factors. Thus, successful cross-cultural management is the result of successful work in the areas of team building, establishing communications within them, choosing the most effective leadership style, building mutual trust and a culture of teamwork. In turn, cross-cultural uncertainty is a cumulative characteristic of most of the problems that multicultural teams face in the process of their formation and work: communication barriers, different perceptions of common goals and norms by group members, different power distances and other unique cultural features. According to the authors, the collection of the maximum amount of data on the cultural characteristics of representatives of various countries and the further consideration of these characteristics in the process of team management contribute to overcoming cross-cultural uncertainty.

Kirkman (2011) presents multicultural groups as "communities of practice" - multinational teams that use the continuous exchange of knowledge and the pooling of experience of various participants on an ongoing basis to achieve their goals. Kirkman's research has empirically identified four key factors that determine the effectiveness of such communities.

1. High level of collective motivation of employees

In this case, collective motivation is understood as a cumulative understanding and

positive assessment by employees of their tasks in the context of organizational goals. Collective motivation consists of four categories: "effectiveness" - the collective awareness by employees that their combined efforts can be effective, "significance" - the degree to which employees feel the importance of the tasks they perform and the actions they perform, "autonomy" - the degree to which how much employees feel their own freedom in making decisions and "influence" - the degree to which employees feel their personal contribution to overall results. Such collective non-material motivation plays, according to Kirkman, a much greater role for multinational teams than for traditional homogeneous national working groups, since for the former such factors as the free transfer of knowledge, creativity, and pooling of experience are much more significant, as a result of which the role of non-material motivation begins be much more significant. multicultural team efficiency

2. Inspiring and community oriented leadership style

This factor is closely related to the first. From Kirkland's point of view, it is the inspiring leader who makes every effort to develop the community and its members that is the most successful option for multicultural groups, since it is this type of leader that contributes to the achievement of the maximum level of collective motivation of workers in all its components. In particular, by helping workers to define their professional goals and areas of responsibility in the project, the manager enhances their sense of autonomy and importance. By building interpersonal connections, the manager helps to increase the employees' perception of the overall effectiveness of the entire team. A set of such measures leads to the creation of a favorable working atmosphere and an increase in the level of motivation.

3. The status of the multinational team as the "core"

In this context, the concept of a community as a "core" is a characteristic of its significance for the parent organizations that created this community. If the work of the community has a direct impact on the overall work of the parent organizations, is related to their key activities and includes representatives of the highest levels of management of these organizations, then such a community can be considered a “core”. The authors explain the higher efficiency of communities - "cores" for two reasons: firstly, such communities traditionally have a better resource base, a better developed architecture, and a better selection of participants compared to "non-cores". Because of this, they usually show better results. Another reason for better results is a higher level of collective motivation of employees who recognize themselves as part of the "core", who have the opportunity to contact top management and feel involved in creating the future of large companies.

4. High interdependence of tasks of team members

The positive impact of a high degree of interconnection of tasks of individual team members on overall results is explained by the fact that in the presence of interconnected tasks, employees have to work more actively together, which in turn leads to a free exchange of knowledge, experience, brainstorming, higher creativity, and, as a result, to making better decisions. In addition, it is also possible to increase collective motivation as a result of constant teamwork. The high interdependence of tasks can enhance the effect of all the previous factors, thus acting as a kind of integrating parameter that accelerates collective learning and, as a result, improves team performance.

In H. Thamhain (2009) during empirical research data on multicultural teams in the field of R&D, it was revealed that the most significant contribution to the overall success of the project is made by such indicators as:

• · A work environment that motivates you to achieve high results
• Opportunity for self-realization for project participants
• Ability to promptly and effectively resolve intra-team conflicts
• Common goals and strategies for achieving them that are clear to all project participants

Thus, such standard variables used to describe the performance of project teams, such as the personal skills of participants, salary, project visibility and project size, are of secondary importance when it comes to multicultural teams. The specificity of the predominance of non-material incentives over material ones is an integral part of the work of such groups.

As already mentioned, many works in the field of determinants of the effectiveness of multicultural teams are characterized by a close relationship, so the following work by Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009) is useful to consider in the context of the previous two works by E. Ochieng, A. Price and H. Thamhain, respectively, as well as Oertig, Buergi (2006).

Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009) cite the following as the main challenges managers face when managing multicultural project teams:

· Communications

In an article by Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009), which focuses on the work of multicultural development teams software, a number of problems that arise in the field of communication between the bearers of Western European and East Asian cultural traditions are highlighted. In particular, attention is paid to explicit and implicit ways of transmitting information. In the case of Western culture, the predominance of the first type is obvious. The meaning of phrases is limited by their external form; when negotiating, all alternatives are indicated openly and explicitly. However, for Eastern cultures, the context can be much more influential than the message itself. Thus, in the course of the work of cross-cultural groups, the imperfection of communications can lead to serious negative consequences. In particular, the article notes such negative effects as a decrease in the effectiveness of information exchange, as well as the emergence of interpersonal conflicts.

Ochieng and Price (2010) mention the importance of effective intra-group communication for the formation of organizational culture and organizational climate within multinational teams. Since these commands most often do not have a long preliminary history and are characterized by relatively small terms existence, it is effective communications that play the dominant role in shaping their internal culture.

In the work of H. Thamhain (2009), communications are characterized as one of the key determinants of the effective work of multicultural teams in the case of international R&D projects.

Hierarchy

Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009) have also given considerable attention to the problem of hierarchical relationships within multicultural project teams. According to the authors, in most cases, project teams have a “flat” structure, in which there are no serious relationships of subordination of some group members to others. For the bearers of Western business culture, this is a normal and ubiquitous phenomenon, due to the fact that the power distance characteristic of Western communities is significantly less than for their Eastern counterparts. However, in the case of representatives of Eastern cultural groups, the lack of a clearly defined hierarchy can have a negative impact on the overall results of the teams, since in this case community members often try to establish communication with external “bosses” that go beyond the project teams, which can undermine the very work of the team.

In the work of M. Oertig T. Buergi (2006), building trust between different levels of the organizational hierarchy is also one of the problems that multicultural project teams face in the course of their work.

· Solution of problems

As mentioned in Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009), it is common for Western cultures to strive to accomplish project objectives in the least amount of time and resources possible. However, this position is in conflict with the ideas about solving problems among the bearers of Eastern cultural traditions, which are characterized by a more measured, detailed approach to considering and solving problems - creating the most complete and detailed picture, taking into account all the factors that are significant from their point of view and searching for the best solution. . Although this approach has a number of advantages, it requires significantly more time, attention and other resources, which can negatively affect the results of the project teams.

· Language barriers

Despite the fact that in most examples of multicultural teams, the problems of verbal communication are traditionally considered to be of little importance, assuming that there is a common language of communication in teams and their members are sufficiently proficient in it, however, the article by Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009) mentions, that this problem is often underestimated. Without perfect possession foreign languages group members are often unable to communicate effectively. The problem is exacerbated when these members of the group at the same time have the greatest amount of knowledge.

M. Oertig T. Buergi (2006) highlight communications as one of the most common and frequently encountered problems in the work of multicultural teams. According to the research conducted by the authors, a significant role in the success of such teams is the creation of an "office atmosphere". At the same time, depending on the cultural affiliations of various team members, the effectiveness various methods communications, such as phone calls, video conferences, email, face-to-face meetings, can vary significantly.

In particular, it is noted that for American and European workers, the effectiveness of communication by e-mail is much higher than for representatives of Japan and China. At the same time, the effect of face-to-face meetings with management for representatives of Asian countries is higher than for Western workers.

Ochieng and Price (2010) highlight general strategies to overcome the problems that arise in each of the areas identified earlier.

Communications.

First of all, to improve communication in teams, the authors propose to introduce different time zones depending on the geographical location of the group members and appoint managers separately for each of them in proportion to the number of participants located in each zone. This greatly facilitates coordination. common work team, and also helps to ensure the 24-hour operation of the entire group. Another important factor that ensures the effectiveness of communications, the authors consider the holding of personal meetings of managers with group members, as well as group members with each other. In the event that, due to low mobility, group members cannot constantly move to different geographical locations, managers are encouraged to increase the frequency of their movements.

Another important aspect, dedicated to overcoming language differences, is given a separate place in the article. In personal communication, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the content of the transmitted messages, but also to the tone in which they are communicated, the speed of speech, the timbre of the voice, and even the accent. It is also worth considering the differences in the level of "contextuality" of the language between European, American and Asian cultures. In the case of working with representatives of Asia, it reaches the highest level; therefore, during negotiations, it is important to provide this party with greater freedom in discussing and forming decisions within the group, followed by their submission to general negotiations only for the purpose of approval.

Making decisions

In this area, the constant organization of personal meetings between managers and group members, primarily to form feedback, which is especially important when working with Asian colleagues who do not seek to express their position using the Internet or phone calls. An important role in the formation and distribution of tasks is also played by their visualization, which makes it possible to make goals and objectives more understandable for representatives of different cultural groups.

Leadership

The most important aspect in this area Ochieng and Price (2010) consider the creation of group members' trust in managers and in each other. In order to build trust, in their opinion, it is necessary to spend more time in the initial stages of the group's work on informal communication, taking into account the cultural specifics of the various members of the group.

Brett, Behfar and Kern (2009) identify four basic strategies to overcome the challenges described above that multicultural teams face in building and operating:

Adaptation

According to the authors, this strategy is the best way to overcome most of the conflicts arising from cultural differences, and primarily those related to the decision-making process. The essence of the strategy lies in the fact that the members of the multicultural team at the first stage openly outline those problems that hinder the effective work of the structures. After that, team members begin to adjust their own system of norms and values ​​in order to overcome the identified problems. As a result of such adaptation, the effect of cultural differences is leveled and ceases to create problems in the work of the team. This method is applicable primarily to eliminate problems associated with the way decisions are made within the team. A significant limitation on its use is the personal flexibility of team members and their willingness to adjust their behavior patterns to certain common standards. As a result of these problems this method not only takes a lot of time to implement, but is not always applicable.

Structural interventions

This method is the most successful solution in cases where problems in the work of cross-cultural teams are associated with different perceptions of hierarchical relationships by team members. A typical example of such problems may be the discomfort for individual members of the group from working within the same team with participants who are at a lower or higher level of the hierarchy. To solve such problems, the structure of teams is changed - they are divided into several smaller groups of homogeneous composition or individual elements are rearranged. The limitation of this approach is the structural flexibility of the team, the ability to implement such changes with minimal loss of overall performance.

Managerial Interventions

According to the authors of the article, this method is most effectively used when problems in the work of a multicultural team are primarily related to the poor quality of communications within it. In this case, a possible solution to the problem may be to invite an external manager who would have sufficient qualifications and a sufficient level of work in similar projects that would allow him to effectively establish communications within the team. Like all previous strategies, this one also has a number of restrictions on its use. In particular, it is most effective only when conflicts are more interpersonal than intercultural in nature. In addition, the appearance of an outside manager in a team can also lead to unpredictable consequences.

The least successful, from the point of view of the authors, strategy, which, nevertheless, may be the last resort to save the team. The possibility of its use is wide, because this decision applicable to all types of problems in which negative effects are associated with one specific team member or with a group of people working in it. In cases where all other ways of solving problems do not bring results, it is possible to remove one or another of its members from the team. At the same time, the negative effects of such a decision can also be very significant, since the team as a whole loses some of its knowledge, experience and communications, which in the future may adversely affect its work. The exclusion of specific team members may be the choice of the least of all evils in this situation.

In the article by Von Glinow, Shapiro, Brett (2004), devoted to the problem of communication within multicultural groups, the effects that reduce its effectiveness are indicated in more detail. In particular, along with the already mentioned language barriers, such points as:

• - Emotional content of the language. Representatives of different language groups are characterized by different styles of conversation. In particular, for representatives of Romance language cultures, the way of speaking of representatives of the Middle East may seem too expressive, and vice versa, for some more northern countries - devoid of any emotional content.
• - The presence or absence of substitute words. The very structure of the language in which different members of multicultural teams think and the language in which they communicate among themselves has a significant impact on the effectiveness of communication within the group. In the event that languages ​​are significantly distant from each other and do not have mutually conjugated substitute words, the effectiveness of communication will be reduced, even if group members communicate freely in a common language.
• - Contextualization. As in the work of Behfar and Kern (2009), Glinow, Shapiro, Brett pay considerable attention to the implicit content of the language of communication, characterizing it as a level of contextualization in their work. For cultures distant from each other, the degree of language contextualization can vary significantly. Thus, Western culture is characterized by minimal contextualization of sentences. Everything that is written in the text, or is said orally, should be taken exactly in the form in which the information is presented. In turn, for Asian cultures, contextualization in communication plays a very important role, and what is formally said in a conversation can have a completely different meaning depending on the context in which certain statements were used.

In the work of Von Glinow, Shapiro, Brett (2004), overcoming obstacles to the effective work of cross-cultural groups is primarily related to overcoming language differences and establishing effective communication. At the same time, it is worth noting that within the framework of this work it is mentioned that the intensification of communication does not always contribute to improving the quality of communication, and in the case of certain cultures, on the contrary, it can harm it. The authors of this work call the use of visualization the most common method for overcoming communication problems. Visualization refers to the creation of certain graphic, musical and other non-verbal images that describe the key aspects within which multinational groups operate, as a result of which a high level of understanding of the common goals and methods for achieving them by each individual member of the group is achieved.

The next significant factor that gives rise to many problems in the work of multinational teams is the differences in the perception of time inherent in representatives of different cultural groups.

As part of the article by Loosemore, Al Muslmani, 4 main types of time perception are distinguished, characteristic of representatives of different cultures.

• - Clock time. The most common type of time perception, characteristic of representatives of Western cultures. Time in this case is discrete, empty and homogeneous, exists on its own and is defined as a resource that can be used in various ways.
• - "Event time". This interpretation of time is typical for Japan, where time is perceived as continuous and inextricably linked with ongoing events. In this interpretation, events come to the fore, and time is not perceived as a traded resource.
• - "Endless time" is characteristic of Hinduism and Buddhism. In this concept, time is an infinite and abstract concept that does not have any physical embodiment.
• - "Harmonic time" is the most common concept of time in China, where it is perceived as homogeneous and cyclic, but not empty and characterized by events. Also, within this single concept, there is a similarity with Western ideas about time, where it is perceived as a resource.

Thus, a number of problems can arise when applying standard Western definitions of deadlines, individual rewards, and task synchronization.

Firstly, scheduling work using deadlines cannot always be applied if the perception of time by employees belongs to the second and third types indicated above. In such a situation, employees will put the quality and completeness of the task in the first place, which will often lead to ignoring deadlines.

Secondly, the definition of employee remuneration, traditional in the case of Western cultures, based on the performance of discrete tasks for certain planned periods of time, may also not work when the work does not obey the principles of discreteness and is difficult to predict in time.

The link between time-oriented and team architecture-oriented approaches is the work of Saunders (2004), which states that the most important problem in achieving the effectiveness of multicultural teams is the different approaches to the perception of time by their individual members, but this problem can be solved due to well-designed organization architecture. In particular:

• Separate groups of tasks should correspond to separate groups of performers with the same perception of time
• Efficiency measurements should be harmonized according to the above groupings
• Coordination of common tasks should be carried out in such a way as to ensure continuous 24-hour operation
• · For team members with a monochrome perception of time at the technological level, there should be a division of tasks and setting them on a continuous schedule.

The work of Gassmann, von Zedtwitz (2003) explores current trends in the architecture of virtual multicultural groups using the example of the R&D area. In total, the authors distinguish 4 main types of organization of such groups:

• Decentralized self-coordinating teams
• Teams in which the system integrator plays a coordinating role
• Teams assembled around the existing "core"
• · Teams coordinated by the existing "core".

From the point of view of the authors of this work, the selection of the correct architectural type of the team, determined by the conditions of its work, is the main determining condition for the success of a multinational team. As part of the work, the following correlations of conditions and type of architecture are distinguished.

1. The type of innovative activity that the team is engaged in.

If the team is engaged in radical innovation, then the best option for its architecture is a centralized organization coordinated by the existing “core”, which will maximize the intensification of innovation processes and reduce the level of uncertainty around the project. In turn, complementary innovations can be carried out by decentralized teams that do not require coordination by the main core.

2. Project type: system or standalone.

Similar to the previous paragraph, the type of project determines the level of coordination and control necessary for its implementation - the maximum for systemic and minimum for autonomous projects.

3. Type of knowledge transferred within the framework of the project: explicit or implicit

For projects in which tacit knowledge is transferred, physical contact of individual participants and a high degree of coordination of their actions are very important, while for projects in which explicit knowledge is exchanged, virtual communications and a lesser degree of coordination are possible.

4. Type of resources used: complementary or redundant.

The preferred team architecture also depends on the predominant type of resources that it uses in the course of its work, primarily intangible resources. When it comes to projects that affect various areas of scientific knowledge, it is customary to talk about the complementarity of resources - combining different types of resources gives a linear increase in efficiency. However, as a rule, this is possible only in conditions of high coordination and centralization. Otherwise, self-coordinating decentralized teams are preferred.

Combining the considered approaches, it is possible to compile a summary table of key problems in the work of multicultural groups and ways to solve them, highlighting 4 main types of problem fields:

· Communication

This category includes all problems associated with the low quality of interpersonal interactions, suboptimal selection of communication channels, incorrect perception of the level of contextual speech and other communication shortcomings that lead to imperfection in the transfer of information between different team members and its incorrect understanding.

· Coordination

Problem solving and decision making

Architecture

Table 3. Strategies for solving the problems of multicultural teams described in the theoretical literature

Problem field		Solution strategies
Communication	E. Ochieng, A. Price	· Geographic division · Education
Brett, Behfar and Kern	managerial interventions
Von Glinow, Shapiro, Brett	Visualization
Coordination	Loosemore, Al Muslmani
	Separation of tasks into homogeneous groups in terms of time perception
Problem solving and decision making	E. Ochieng, A. Price	Intensification of personal contacts in order to develop trust Visualization
Brett, Behfar and Kern	Adaptation and training
	Selection of the required type of leadership in accordance with the prescribed criteria
	Formation of collective motivation
Architecture	Brett, Behfar and Kern	Structural interventions
	Formalization of task distribution
Gassmann, von Zedtwitz	Selection of the required type of structure in accordance with the prescribed criteria

Globalization affecting all continents and countries, which resulted in a rapid increase in the number of transnational corporations, has revealed an interesting organizational phenomenon - multinational teams, where representatives of dozens of close or completely different cultures work. What are the advantages of managing such teams and what do their leaders have to face?

COMPANIES WITH ACCENT
Today, there are many companies all over the world whose business activity goes far beyond national borders. Collectives, where representatives of dozens of countries from all over the world work, are not uncommon in Russia today. Among the companies that employ people of different cultures, languages, religions, values, traditions, views and norms are 3M, Ernst & Young, Coca-Cola, Cisco, TNK-BP, M-Video, Patterson, Mosmart , PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nestle, Pepsi Cola, Mars, Philip Morris and many other famous and lesser known companies in the world.

For example, in the Russian division of the consulting company KPMG, a significant number of employees are foreigners from more than 20 countries. The Russian representative office of Ernst & Young employs specialists from the UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, France, Australia, Switzerland, the USA, the Netherlands and other countries. At Procter & Gamble, approximately one in ten employees is a citizen of countries near or far abroad. In the Russian office of the American company 3M, among the leaders at various times were representatives of England, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Among the employees of Allied Telesis Austria there are also many representatives of various states: “We have Austrians, a German, an Italian, a Czech, a Thai, and in the company’s branches in Eastern Europe there are Russians, Poles, Greeks, Romanians, Czechs, Yugoslavs, Ukrainians,” says Yuri Belsky, CEO of Allied Telesis.

It is not surprising that such a diversity of nationalities often causes difficulties not only in communicating with each other, but also in managing the entire team, whose representatives are people of different countries and ethnicities.

VARIETY OF MENTALITIES

“The style of work of Russian and foreign employees is strikingly different,” says Denis Plishkin, General Director of PRC-Consulting RU. And it shows up in everything. If, for example, Russians tend to do “a lot” and “at the same time”, then foreigners are characterized by methodical consistency and slowness in work.” With such
Because of the difference in the rhythms of work, it is really not easy to establish team activities and ensure that team members work in unison. In addition, barriers to effective activity also arise due to different perceptions of each other by members of an international team.

What is acceptable for a representative of one nation is often a ban for another. What the Russians laugh at does not evoke a shadow of a smile on the street from the Japanese. Russians are convinced that Americans are careerists. They are incredibly enterprising, swift and punctual. Citizens of Asian states, unlike Americans, are not so mercantile, they have no cult
of money. The British are conservative and pedantic, the Italians are hospitable, eloquent and generous, ready to put themselves on
place of the interlocutor, but they are overly emotional and inconsistent, status and personal relationships are incredibly important for them.

The Japanese are hardworking, unhurried and demanding, have a pronounced subordination to the leader and respect for elders. They treat their leaders like children treat their parents, and the Japanese are ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the team.

Foreign colleagues, in turn, are sure that with openness, flexibility of thinking and diligence, Russians can simultaneously be lazy, uncontrollable, tactless, pessimistic, optional, illogical and unpredictable. So, foreign top managers who had to manage Russian subordinates are perplexed why their wards are offended by remarks, ashamed of their own ambitions, often change their mood during the working day, are late, and often their behavior does not lend itself to any logic at all. So, according to Denis Plishkin, the American system is characterized by a clear regulation of the employee’s labor functions, accounting for every second labor day, a rigid vertical management system and a rigid system of reporting procedures. This approach makes a person feel like a “cog” in a corporate mechanism. In collectives among American employees, it is not uncommon for a Russian employee to give up many habits.

For American companies, employee performance, perseverance, and loyalty to the company are important. For Russians who have fallen into the collective of American colleagues, it becomes strange that they sometimes refuse favorite goods produced by competitors in order to once again demonstrate their loyalty to the company. And some American corporate practices seem strange to representatives of other cultures. In American teams, it is not customary to raise your voice to subordinates or to compliment a female employee, which is often qualified as “discrimination”. Sometimes the Americans look like "informers" in the eyes of our compatriots and cause at least misunderstanding among Russian colleagues. So, for the Russian employees of McDonald's, one tradition of a world-famous restaurant seems strange: in most of the restaurants of the network there are special boxes where each employee can throw an anonymous note with a story about negligent
colleague or complain about the top manager of the restaurant.

Employees working in Japanese companies tell stories about the discipline and tight control of their company leaders, as well as singing hymns in the morning, monitoring e-mails, bans on the use of mobile phone during working hours, explanatory notes about leaving work ten minutes earlier, etc. In addition, in Japanese, Chinese and a number of other Asian companies it is not customary to openly express their feelings and thoughts, which often contradicts Russian straightforwardness. Often, Russian employees believe that Japanese or Chinese colleagues are secretive and poorly adapted to work in a team.

Ethnic differences, manifested in the approaches and standards of work, as well as values, attitudes and habits, become the causes of misunderstanding among employees and the difficulty of managing a multinational team. Often, such difficulties can be traced not only in communication, but also in the peculiarities of stimulating the activities of employees of different cultures.

ISSUES OF MOTIVATION AND ADAPTATION

For foreign managers (especially Americans and Europeans), in addition to wages in the compensation package, bonuses and social benefits (company car, medical insurance, free meals, the possibility of obtaining a loan to purchase housing, internships and training at the expense of the company) are no less important. Often a number of benefits familiar to foreign employees in Russian practice practically not used.

“For example, quite expensive for a company insurance plans Disability Income Protection programs are very popular in Western Europe,” says Mikhail Arkhipov, Senior HR Manager at KPMG. “However, many foreigners who come to work in Russia find that such benefits simply do not exist in our market.”

In addition, in order to keep a European or American in a company for a long time, it is necessary to provide him with a really interesting job, the opportunity for professional self-realization and the manifestation of managerial talent. However, most of the difficulties associated with cultural differences and the peculiarities of work can be overcome. For example, Yuri Belsky is sure that it is necessary to select personnel for a team not on a national basis, but on the basis of an assessment personal qualities employee. And KPMG believes that in order to eliminate the problems associated with the difference in cultures, serious attention should be paid to adaptation programs. “For a foreign employee who came to work in Russia, or for a Russian who goes to work abroad, many things look new and unusual,” says Mikhail Arkhipov. Many people move with their families and children. In order for an employee to be able to focus on work and better integrate into the culture, it is necessary to help him establish his life and the life of his family.

“Foreign employees find themselves in a difficult environment in terms of language,” adds Daria Solovieva, Director of Human Resources at KPMG. - And not so much in the office as outside its walls. Therefore, within the framework of adaptation programs, special attention should be paid to learning the language.”

IS IT WORTH CHANGE?

Richard Lewis, a well-known English researcher of cross-cultural management and founder of Richard Lewis Communications, believes that the life philosophy of peoples is so deeply rooted in their representatives that no economic or political innovations can radically change them even for centuries. Thus, the clash of different views, values, beliefs, beliefs, stereotypes, behaviors leads to misunderstanding and becomes a source of serious conflicts. In order for a multinational team to work effectively, it is necessary to promote mutual respect and a desire to understand the peculiarities of the mentality of a representative of another culture.

“In conditions of mutual respect between the parties, cultural differences may not create obstacles in work, and in some cases, on the contrary, increase the effectiveness of cooperation,” says Denis Plishkin.

“I had a chance to work in several multinational international companies – Korean, European, American,” says Alexey Chernov, ales manager of LLC FRIGOGLASS EURASIA. - And I was convinced that all, even at first glance, the strange traditions of foreign colleagues can be explained and put to practical use. For example, if you take a closer look at such an unusual Eastern tradition for Russians, carefully laying out business cards on the table during negotiations from top to bottom strictly in accordance with the hierarchy, we can agree that this is really more convenient!

In addition, sometimes representatives of other cultures are close in spirit and values. “At one time, it seemed interesting to me that the characters, habits, attitudes to life of sales representatives in Norway and our Russian “sales managers” coincided with each other,” recalls Alexei Chernov. - This once again suggests that in our global world it is not so
It doesn't matter where you were born, studied and grew up. If you are a professional in working with clients "in the fields", then you will even have a sense of humor
exactly the same as your colleague, who was born in a completely different country.

OBVIOUS BENEFITS

Every business culture has its own unique characteristics. So, in organizations with European roots, especially French companies, the employee as a person is of great importance, his independence is respected, his ability to offer non-standard solutions is valued. French colleagues are distinguished by sociability, goodwill and willingness to help in work. Moreover, in such companies, according to Denis Plishkin, most of the important management decisions can be taken locally. Americans and Western Europeans are markedly different by their positive vision of problem solving and practical experience.

Positivism also lies in the fact that for each problem, representatives of these cultures seek to find a way to solve the problem even before they announce the existence of the problem of the leader, as well as in the ability to see positive aspects in everything. Often effective teams (especially in transnational companies) are created precisely when its members are not citizens of one country. Practice largest companies of the world proves that a team consisting of representatives of different cultures is able to achieve more significant results. Multinational teams generate the most unexpected ideas, exchange experiences, and achieve their goals faster.

“Even in the conditions of a matrix, and not a multi-level control system international corporation there is an opportunity for interaction among colleagues-colleagues from different countries using modern technologies that allow tele- and videoconferences, web-based trainings and presentations,” says Alexey Chernov. “Thanks to these modern means of communication, employees of multinational corporations scattered around the world begin to truly feel like members of one team, even if its representatives are scattered around the globe, and exchange invaluable experience.” According to experts from KPMG, employees from other countries bring new experience to the team, which local employees may not have due to the different dynamics of economic and business development in each particular country.

WHEN THE HEAD IS A FOREIGNER

According to specialists of recruiting agencies involved in the selection of top managers for foreign companies, Americans, Italians and French increasingly prefer Russian managers. They cost foreign employers at least two times cheaper.

However, most foreign companies operating on Russian market, nevertheless assigned to leadership positions exclusively "their" managers. This practice, for example, exists in Siemens, 3M, LOreal, Oriflame, TNK-BP, IKEA, Auchan, Metro Cash&Carry.

The main disadvantage of a foreign leader, according to 3M, lies in the fact that foreign top managers do not always adequately understand the specifics of Russian business. Russian subordinates, for example, are not immediately able to understand that expats do not have a large distance between the boss and ordinary employees. For example, the head of the Russian representative office of IKEA does not have a separate office, and his workplace located next to the workplaces of ordinary employees of the company. This practice exists in many foreign firms, and for a domestic boss such a "democracy" is almost exotic.

“The disadvantages of foreign leaders include the difficulty of understanding the Russian mentality and, as a result, motivations, and the pluses are extensive experience,” Denis Plishkin sums up. “But the main significant feature of the interaction of Western leadership with Russian employees can be called the willingness of foreigners to share this experience and practical knowledge.” “Foreigners are definitely more experienced leaders,” adds Yulia Demchenko, HR director at 3M. — Most often they have rich experience of working in different countries. Due to the breadth of worldview experience of foreign top managers, it is very interesting to work with them!”

COURSE WORK

in the discipline "Management"

"Management of Multinational Enterprises"

Introduction

1. Types and types of organizational cultures

2. Conflicts and ways to resolve them in multinational organizations

Conclusion

The development of the economy, as well as the processes caused by globalization, are leading to a rapid increase in the number of transnational companies and multinational enterprises operating throughout the world. Usually they operate in more than one state, and the parent enterprise is located, as a rule, in one of the leading, developed countries, and auxiliary ones are created in countries with a lower level of development that have cheap labor.

Knowledge of the characteristics of various types of organizational cultures will improve the efficiency of enterprises of this type. Managing a multinational enterprise requires leaders and managers to different levels relevant knowledge and skills that allow to reasonably form a high level of organizational culture aimed at developing the spirit of enterprises (firms, companies) and effective business communications for the benefit of all stakeholders and, thereby, to increase the welfare of peoples.

The purpose of this work is to consider various issues of management of multinational enterprises. Based on the goal, the work sets the task to consider various types of corporate cultures, highlight the basic principles of management at multinational enterprises and consider ways to overcome conflicts that arise during their work.

Each structural entity (enterprise, organization, firm, etc.), as you know, has its own specific culture, even if it is expressed solely through mutual distrust. At the same time, the culture of enterprises cannot be understood as a monolithic block. In reality, in every large organization there is a whole set of rules of the game, norms, principles, assumptions and fantasies about ourselves and others, about more or less hidden routines and carefully cultivated rituals of differentiation, according to which individual groups determine their behavior. At the same time, the carriers of the structures of these groups are individuals expressing similar interests.

Subcultures, therefore, repeat the structure of the enterprise itself, i.e. services, departments, administration of the enterprise will have different subcultures.

At the same time, it should be noted that in the presence of an appropriate learning potential, new norms and patterns of behavior develop that were not previously introduced into the organization by anyone, a new, strong culture arises.

Strong cultures, if they are immediately recognizable, as the German scientist R. Rüttinger notes, are indisputable, open, alive - what people live by. Their classification can be represented by the following table (see Table 1).

Table 1.

Classification of the culture of foreign countries and their characteristics

Let us consider in more detail this classification of cultures and their characteristic features.

Indisputable cultures can be recognized by the fact that the enterprise has adopted a certain large number of core values ​​that are understood, approved and nurtured by all members of the organization. As a rule, two tendencies are constantly distinguished in the content of these basic values: pride and style. This means that in many cases, the core values ​​represent the program of what they want to present and achieve on the one hand, in the external environment, i.e., for example, in the market, in society. On the other hand, these core values ​​go a long way towards the question of what kind of relationships are desirable within an organization.

An undeniable culture is a decisive motivational tool:

through pride in own enterprise;

· through the feeling that, based on the style of communication practiced, you are at a high level. At the same time, we can say that the productive aspect is expressed, despite all the failures, failures and complaints, as follows:

a) a permanently pursued goal;

b) the desire to be the first;

c) to be dominant in the market or simply the best in a certain area (sphere), a certain market niche, etc.;

d) the desire to expand and maintain these positions.

It is known that, along with others, all this can depend on ordinary trifles. For example, in the Deisler-Benz training workshop, as R. Rüttinger notes, there should be a “best or no” poster. Quality and service are integral core values. And as a result - the obsession at the enterprise with quality and service. At the same time, this meets the basic human needs, namely the desire to stand out in a group, to be in one's place in one's own understanding and environment. After all, indeed, according to R. Rüttinger, for the self-consciousness of the individual there is a huge difference whether he says about himself: “I assemble a car”, or “I work for a Daimler”, etc.

It should be noted that an undeniable culture makes it necessary to constantly activate and clarify the idea that you, although you occupy a position at the top, must be defended from day to day, i.e. on the agenda are constant comparisons with a competitor, even the cultivation of an external image of the enemy is possible.

In addition, the undisputed cultures of enterprises are characterized by the following features:

· they develop strong own dynamics;

they instill immunity in the subjects of culture;

they represent an essential support for the development of self-understanding;

· they, preaching their basic ideas about the relationship to each other, accept them as indisputable.

Undisputed cultures are weak cultures, according to the above classification, and can be recognized based on the following symptoms:

1. There are no clear values ​​about how you can achieve success in a certain industry, a certain situation or in a certain business. (Helplessness pervades, salvation is sought in setting short-term production goals, long-term goals are absent, and figuring out a comprehensive enterprise philosophy is seen as a luxury.)

2. In general, there are ideas about values ​​and beliefs, but there is no agreement about what is right, important, effective at the moment. (Contradictions appear that can result in open wars between managers and their deputies, a hidden struggle between "strong individuals in enterprises").

3. Separate parts of the organization are not able to come to an agreement among themselves, because mainly different points of view are presented and there is no complete picture. (Meaning the traditional frontal positions that can act between headquarters and functional services, marketing and production, etc.).

4. Leading figures appear and act rather demotivatingly and do nothing to promote the development of a common understanding of what is important and what is not. (This may mean that management personnel make unconsciously contradictory decisions, and act differently in identical situations. In case of success, exceeding the employee's authority is rewarded as entrepreneurialism; in case of failure, it is punished. In addition, employees are unconsciously misled and in a state of uncertainty , there are production legends, "heroes", who are distinguished by cruelty, arrogance and cunning).

Open cultures refer to strong cultures that are themselves open both from within and from without. To understand the essence this definition, refer to the following practical example.

The lack of openness from within means that in one group, for example, there is an unspoken rule that when meetings are held, unity must always be maintained, and differences of opinion (if any) must be taken out of the meeting. A naive observer presents a harmonious picture. Everyone quickly comes to terms and the band obviously has a strong culture. However, in reality, there is no readiness for conflicts (functional in the first place, not dysfunctional), discussion of opposing points of view, etc. - all these are not hallmarks of a strong, open culture, but signs of a weak, i.e. in fact, the culture is in this case closed. In this case, there is a false confidence of the team in the correctness of the company's actions. Therefore, this failure of formal communication should be corrected based on the following:

a) conducting regular surveys of the opinions of employees on such complexes as the internal climate at the enterprise, management style and working conditions;

b) entering into an open dialogue with each other (both in a formal - at the enterprise, and in an informal - outside the enterprise setting), through seminars, etc. events. All these contacts aimed at the exchange of opinions on cooperation contribute to the improvement of the culture and activities of the enterprise.

In addition, it should be noted that publicity from within is insufficient. Strong cultures are also sensitive to external influences, i.e. open to the market and society. Consider the essence of this thesis also on an example.

Enterprises with a strong and self-aware culture are in such danger that over time they develop a certain complacency and deafness in relation to criticism from outside, which customers also feel, as a result of which it becomes essentially closed in relation to the external environment, because. does not regulate the changes taking place in it. In enterprises, such a phenomenon as “entropy of the organization” begins to appear, i.e. a clear tendency to believe in permanent own success. The entropy of the organization often also means that the enterprise, from the point of view of its self-awareness, repels everything that happens from the outside, when it does not have a figurative connection from the outside (it is simply ignored), as a result, the most important basis for orientation in life and the ability to survive disappear.

An open culture also means openness to society.

Living or accustomed cultures are those cultures in which the proposed innovations in the activities of enterprises, relating to their philosophy, values, rules of conduct, etc., are perceived by employees and managers and put into practice, contribute to the prosperity of the company. In cases where ideas about values ​​and beliefs have not entered life and are only a simple recognition in words, there is the presence of inanimate elements and inanimate culture as a whole.

In the USA, in this regard, for example, developed learning programs within firms, pursuing a single goal: to harmonize values ​​and behaviors down to the last detail.

For the purpose of a deep understanding of the features of management in firms of the East and West, one should turn to such representatives of the most developed countries as Japan and the United States, which have pronounced specific differences in the formation of economic culture (see Table 2).

table 2

Comparative characteristics of the strategies of firms in Japan and the United States, taking into account the factor of economic culture

Np/n	USA	Japan
1.	Certainty in a wide area	1. Instructions on the direction of action with wide freedom of interpretation on the part of employees
2.	Dynamic development of capital and efficient use of resources	2. Broad and long-term resource saving program
3.	Emphasis on financial resources; production policy is designed for the short term	3. Emphasis on human resources; long-term programs are the basis for ensuring the stability of the company
4.	Each department is solely responsible for the risk	4. Risk reduction is carried out by deploying extensive intra-company ties
5.	The production strategy uses the opportunities of competition	5. Production strategy exploits the power of competition

Let us consider in more detail the characteristics of firms' strategies presented in Table 4 and their distinctive features.

1. Top management in the US is doing its own analysis of the economic environment. In contrast, in Japan, top management only determines the general direction of such an analysis and provides this information to the grass-roots level for analysis.

2. Japanese companies, unlike American ones, rarely seek to expand by buying other companies belonging to growing business sectors, or by getting rid of branches that are not dynamic enough.

3. Since Japanese companies primarily think about internal sources of development, they pay more attention to the process of economic growth than American ones. And, despite the fact that the average growth rate may be lower due to the preservation of sluggishly developing finances, morale in this situation will be high, and this, according to the leaders of Japanese firms, will lead to positive results.

4. In Japan, the focus is on increasing sales. Managers, in particular, care about activating human resources even more than they care about cash flow. Diversification is made possible by temporarily ignoring short-term goals, even when the company seems to be acting illogically.

American companies, unlike the former, invest more in research and product improvement.

5. Japanese companies pay special attention to manufacturing process, and strategies aimed at improving manufacturing operations are given greater preference.

6. However, in both countries, companies in the course of their growth use more and more risk-based (venture-type) production strategies.

We have looked at different types of corporate cultures. Let us now consider the features of relationships within the framework of multinational enterprises.

This issue is supposed to be considered from the standpoint of the functioning of Japanese and American companies, as the most prominent representatives of opposite organizational cultures.

Research in this direction indicates the following. According to the basic postulate that cultural traditions determine the type of group relationships, there are two types of them:

1. Horizontal relationships.

They are a collection of individuals who have common features (for example, some categories of artists, teachers, engineers) and form a group in the work on a horizontal principle. In this case, it is quite obvious to everyone outside the group whether this or that person is a member of the group or not.

2. Vertical relationships.

They, unlike the first group, on the contrary, are a collection of individuals, consisting of members with different characteristics, and requiring a certain type of social connection. This relationship is based on vertical relationships (examples are relationships between parents and children, workers in a higher or lower position).

These relationships are based on the hypothesis of systems of basic principles of three cultures: the Indian, Chinese and American worlds. At the same time, the Chinese world, which is based on this or that situation, contrasts with the Indian one, which is turned to something supernatural, and the American one, in the center of which there is an individual.

Let us now consider in more detail the essence of the relationship in economic systems some countries, taking into account the above features.

Chinese society is represented by certain basic, closely related groups of people (family, clan, etc.), within which people are predisposed to mutual dependence. This means that the individual is dependent on the others to the same extent that the others are dependent on him. Everyone is aware of the duty to repay his benefactor. Thus, occupying a certain and unchanging position in his own little world, a person tries to comprehend the outside world in his usual style. (He makes a distinction between what belongs in his group and what is external to it. But if the situation changes, then other criteria of value arise.) From this follows the following conclusion. The nature of the secondary groups to which the members of any society belong or form, and their behavior as members of these groups, are strongly influenced (if not directly determined) by the relations that exist in the kinship group in which they are brought up.

For example, a sense of mutual support encourages the Chinese to seek opportunities to express their ties to the lineage, and he is constantly concerned with upholding the dignity of his fellows. At the same time, the individualism of the American pushes him to open his own business and to erect a psychological barrier around himself that allows him to demonstrate self-confidence to others.

As for, for example, Japanese culture, in general, it is a modification of Chinese culture with small elements of Hindu influence. Therefore, in it directly consanguinity (unlike Chinese culture) has lost its dominant role in the regulation of interpersonal relations. Instead, in Japanese public life relations that are externally similar to them prevail.

However, despite some similarity between Japanese and Chinese cultures in their relationship, the first (Japanese) today has a sembic character of kindred (like the Chinese) conciliatory (like the Americans). Therefore, it can be called as a partly contractual and partly consanguineous relationship culture.

At the same time, taking into account the hierarchical subordination that takes place in the Japanese system is decisive in the relationship. This is due to the fact that the ideal canonized by Japanese culture is interdependence, and not individualism - as in the Americans. Therefore, in particular, the bottom does not have an unrelated, as a rule, type of organization of clubs and other public organizations.

As a result, for example, the Japanese consider the observance of the laws a tribute of gratitude, because. duties inherited from their common ancestors.

In contrast, every new American legislative act(from traffic regulations to income taxes) can be seen as an interference in his affairs and an infringement on his freedom to conduct these affairs.

And finally, in contrast to the American organizational culture, Japanese firms are characterized by:

The system of lifetime employment;

the principle of non-specialization in career advancement;

Collective decision-making and collective responsibility.

In other words, tasks are performed by teams, not by individuals, and responsibility accordingly falls on the group as a whole (department, service). The detailed work schedules so typical of American corporations are not used by Japanese firms. The main slogan in Japanese firms: "Loyalty to the group, harmony and cooperation within the team."

In foreign practice of personnel management, as well as in Russian organizations, the same type of set of methods is used, including: analysis of the organization of labor and workplaces, certification of employees, effective payroll systems, etc. At the same time, the use of these techniques and methods of personnel management enterprises (in organizations) of different countries has specific differences associated with the distinctive features of the economic culture of these countries in general and the culture of organizing internal communications, adopted and established in the relevant structural formations in particular.

Based on the foregoing, it follows that the leader must have such qualities as the power of persuasion, the ability to work in multinational groups and, especially, to constant learning.

In addition, it should be noted that cultural necessity should not necessarily cause difficulties in mutual communication. On the contrary, the readiness and ability for active cooperation, mutual enrichment through the study of cultures can facilitate the search for innovative solutions due to the synergistic effect. At the same time, in order to improve the effectiveness of the communication system in multinational corporations, it is necessary to carry out targeted training of specialists and managers in terms of intercultural orientation in the field of "know-how" and communication competence. And the main emphasis here should be placed on specific actions, the study of norms of behavior determined by cultural identity.

At the same time, the training of specialists and management staff should be carried out with the expectation of their use in the international market in multicultural groups. In this regard, trained personnel should be able to:

· realistically assess situations that arise as a result of cultural contacts;

be able to adequately respond to emerging difficulties in these situations.

As an example, consider the management of subsidiaries of large Japanese international companies. It is guided by the following principles:

The first and fundamental principle is job security. This means that the main task of the presidents of companies and heads of firms in Japanese overseas subsidiaries should be job security. Although it is obvious that there can be no complete security, however, the policy characteristic of the entire Japanese management is aimed specifically at solving this problem, which fully applies to foreign subsidiaries of Japanese companies.

The second principle is the constant presence of management in production.

The third principle is publicity and values ​​(culture) of the corporation.

The fourth principle is information-based management.

This means that, along with the emphasis in management on human relations, important importance in the management of the company is given to the collection of data, analysis and their systematic use to improve production efficiency and product quality.

The fifth principle is quality-oriented management.

This means that the peculiarity in the management of Japanese subsidiaries is the paramount importance of quality control, (and productivity (ie, production efficiency) is of secondary importance, unlike in the West).

The sixth principle is the maintenance of cleanliness and order.

In this chapter, we have examined the different types of corporate cultures and based on them the basic principles of managing multinational enterprises. The next chapter will look at how to deal with conflicts in the management of multinational enterprises.

American researchers argue that a multinational organization is fertile ground for disagreements, misunderstandings and conflicts between managers and employees, which are based on cultural differences. As in any relationship between managers and employees, conflict is inherent in multinational teams from the very beginning. Under normal conditions, these may be disagreements in matters of pay, nomination for awards, conditions for overtime work, etc. However, interethnic interaction between managers and employees is further complicated by differences in communication styles and cultures.

Wilmot and Hawker provide one of the most accurate definitions of conflict. According to them, conflict is a clash of origins. Two different mentalities, coming face to face, cannot understand each other's positions. Differences in cultures no doubt complicate the conflict. Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that the beginning of intercultural conflict is often the difference in the expectations of the conflicting parties in relation to each other. Conflict acquires a certain specificity when it occurs within an organization. Tubbe and Moos offer the following definition: "Organizations are a collection or system of individuals, distributed along a hierarchical ladder and division of labor, who jointly strive for a goal."

One can imagine a large enterprise with hundreds and even thousands of employees. Each of them has its own face and individual behavior, all are somewhat different from each other. If the management fails to create a favorable atmosphere in the team, does not establish harmony in relations, the enterprise will inevitably begin to decline. In multinational teams, conflicts between managers and employees become one of the most important problems.

Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that the conflict between the manager and the employee is unique in its kind, since the parties occupy different positions, while possessing unequal power and status. Power makes it possible to exert pressure and, moreover, to control the behavior of subordinates, using the entire set of administrative resources for this. The manager, having a prescribed status and maintaining it, relies on such effective opportunities as salary increases, promotion and promotion. In this regard, managers often use pressure as a method of smoothing the conflict with the employee. At the same time, Dr. Konrad (1991, p. 214) believes that pressure from the leader characterizes him as a person who is aware of his lack of experience and qualifications. Such a leader willingly resorts to using the advantages of his position or to a forceful approach in a conflict situation with subordinates.

Ting-Toomey and Ostzel argue that such methods are characteristic of conflict situations caused by a clash of cultural priorities. In some cases, the manager is most concerned about his image, corresponding to the status and position, while the employee, doing work even in a conflict situation, takes care not only of himself, but also of the enterprise as a whole.

Excessive care of the leader about his image often manifests itself - in the form of pressure on subordinates - not only in conflict situations but also in everyday collaboration. Taking care of themselves, trying to avoid conflict, employees, in turn, do everything possible to adapt to the prevailing conditions, thereby maintaining an established tradition and allowing the leader to take a favorable position for themselves and their image. Analyzing this kind of relationship, Ting-Toomey and Ostzel note that “the studies were carried out only in cultures with a large amount of distancing. In cultures (or organizations) of low distancing, there is usually no particular distinction or hierarchical distance between leader and subordinate.

The “large-small” scale of distancing is one of the distinguishing categories that allows one to qualify the stable differences of national cultures. The small amount of distancing, according to Hofsteed, is determined (in a broad sense) by the desire of a person to stand out due to personal abilities and experience, democratic decision-making, equal rights, deserved rewards and punishments as a result of specific actions. A large amount of distancing is determined (in the same broad sense) by the desire of a person to single out his abilities and experience as corresponding to a given status; dictatorial way of making decisions, asymmetric relations between people, rewards and punishments based on age, rank, status, rank, origin.

It is not difficult to imagine what might happen if a leader with a large amount of distancing happens to govern in a society with a small amount of distance. He will immediately feel discomfort, perceiving the behavior of employees as insufficiently respectful towards themselves, and they, in turn, do not even realize the nature of the misunderstanding that has arisen - due to differences in thinking and stereotypes. In cultures with a large distancing value, the hierarchical system is quite strong and well-established, while in cultures with a small distancing value, it may be absent altogether. According to Ting-Tumi and Ostzel, at the center of any intercultural conflict within one organization there can be five main prerequisites: cultural differences, assimilation against the preservation of ethnic equality, imbalance of power and competition of conflicting parties in the struggle to achieve their goals, struggle for administrative resources .

The simplest example is when a manager asks a subordinate from an ethnic minority to work overtime. There is no doubt that the subordinate will definitely decide that the choice fell on him on ethnic grounds, and, offended, he will agree, only avoiding complications.

In multinational teams, managers and employees resort to various methods to resolve conflict situations. Four main approaches to conflict are commonly considered: dispassionate, status-based, charitable, and collectivist. The first is based on the individualistic orientation of a small amount of distancing. The second is based on the individualistic orientation of a large amount of distancing. The third is based on the collectivist orientation of a large amount of distancing. The fourth is based on the collectivist orientation of a small force of distancing. Each of these approaches was formed in certain cultures and is typical for them.

According to Ting-Tumi and Ostzel, individualism means (in a broad sense) the desire of a person to highlight his personal individuality in a group and personal rights in relation to group duties. Historically, this pattern is typical of much of northern and western Europe and North America. Collectivism (in a broad sense) is a preference for group individuality in relation to personal and intra-group orientation in relation to the aspirations of the individual. This pattern is common in Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, and the Pacific Islands.

Leaders who profess an impartial approach want to be independent, but at the same time put themselves on the same level with others. These individuals see themselves as unique (in their personalities) but still similar to other members of the organization in terms of status. An unbiased approach to governance is common in Australia, Canada, the Nordic countries, the US and the UK. Individualistically oriented leaders representing low-distancing cultures are characterized by a democratic style of communication with subordinates based on work experience and management. Their relations with others do not depend on the status, title or official position of the latter.

In a conflict, such leaders do not deviate from impartiality and adhere to a clear line in resolving a controversial issue. In the event of an interpersonal conflict flaring up in the relationship between the leader and the subordinate, the first goes for it directly and openly. As for the subordinate, he also clearly formulates his claims or interests. If service relations create any problems for a subordinate, he does not hesitate to bring them to the attention of the head. Trying to achieve a positive result, both rely on the principle of impartiality. The effectiveness of this approach depends on the ability of the leader to choose the right strategy, to act honestly and openly.

The status-based approach is based on the desire to achieve a certain status in conditions where each individual, depending on the abilities and efforts expended, has the opportunity to rise to a certain hierarchical level. This approach reflects the individualistic orientation in managerial communication of a large amount of distancing. Leaders of this category consider themselves independent of the environment, standing significantly above their subordinates, value their own freedom and well-deserved inequality. The countries where this is most common are France, Italy and, to a lesser extent, the US and the UK.

Brizlin notes that such a leader pays excessive attention to various hints, tips and advice from the outside. At the same time, he is far from the same in the style of communication with subordinates and employees equal to him in status. If a conflict arises between a leader and a subordinate, then reconciliation in this case depends solely on the subordinate, who in any circumstances is forced to make concessions.

A charitable approach involves the leader feeling a strong interdependence with subordinates, but at the same time understanding their unequal position in comparison with him. Such leaders are aware of their connection with the rest of the team members, but they understand themselves as a separate link in the upper part of the hierarchical chain. A charitable approach is typical for the countries of Central and Latin America (Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile), for most of the peoples of Asia (India, Japan, China, South Korea), for the Arab peoples (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan) and for most of Africa (Nigeria, Zambia, Chad, etc.).

The charitable approach includes mentoring the leader, educational motives in his communication with subordinates, caring for interpersonal relationships within the team. Employees who want to work with a leader of this orientation want to be treated like family members. Hofsteed argues that "when dealing with minor conflict, such a leader smoothes the situation, starting from interpersonal relationships, and tries to restore harmony in the team." Over time, leaders of this kind and their subordinates develop the ability to pick up each other's non-verbal, paralinguistic signals, which are necessary for an accurate understanding of verbal messages. Subordinates know that their leader treats members of his team better than other people. They see their leader as a “protector” and “mentor” who will help them grow their careers, expect clear instructions from him about work, and try not to bother him by avoiding unnecessary contacts. They recognize his authority, his influence, prescribed by status, appreciate the established connections and competence in resolving any issues.

The same charitable approach in the cultures of Latin America and Asia - in conditions of limited communication - differs significantly in style. The Chinese, for example, are characterized by restraint and self-discipline in the workplace. Brazilians, on the contrary, believe that tactile communication and the expression of emotions contribute to strengthening bonds. The charitable approach covers a wide range of styles of interaction, which can cause unintentional clashes and disagreements in the team.

Managers using the least common collectivist approach see themselves as dependent and on an equal footing with their subordinates. The connection of such leaders with other members of the team is so strong that the boundaries of subordination are blurred. As far as we know, there is only one country whose culture is characterized by a collectivist approach, and that is Costa Rica. However, some researchers identify two more groups that are characterized by a collectivist approach: Israeli kibbutzim and organizations based on the principles of feminism. In the event of a conflict, the leaders of this orientation identify common goals in the situation and use power to resolve it. Ting-Tumi and Ostzel note that those leaders and employees who openly express their requirements and jointly make mutually acceptable decisions are considered equal. In the event of a conflict flaring up, the parties discuss controversial issues face to face.

Regardless of traditional approaches, managers and employees must adhere to certain principles that contribute to the resolution of contentious issues within organizations, especially multinational ones. Despite belonging to a particular culture, leaders always have more power than employees. However, Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that the meaning of culture is just as important as positional power. The importance of culture is especially relevant where an organization or society supports or suppresses cultural differences.

A manager who is sensitive to a person belonging to a different culture can serve as a bridge in the organization between employees. It prepares them for life in a team, for subordination to constructive authority, and at the same time protects them from dangers in the process of getting used to a multinational team. In addition, and most importantly, such a leader is a link between the ethnic majority and minorities. According to Ting-Toomey and Ostzel (2001, p. 206), he is able to model the behavior of subordinates based on cultural differences and channel these differences for good. Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that "involving people of different cultures in all aspects of an organization's activities is an important step towards their progress towards success."

Employees, for their part, must recognize the authority and authority of the leader. An experienced employee will never enter into an open confrontation with a leader, knowing that this will discredit the latter. In the event of a conflict, the subordinate should take the first step towards a constructive dialogue. Leaders and employees, following common interests, can actively cooperate, realizing that each member of a multinational team - regardless of ethnicity, race or culture - needs understanding and respect.

However, conflicts based on cultural differences are possible not only in multinational teams, but also between foreign subdivisions of transnational companies and joint ventures.

Ting-Toomey and Ostzel give the following example. A model for such a conflict might look like this: The Board of Directors of the American Pharmaceutical Company Thorndike (given names and surnames actors- fictitious) decides to temporarily stop investments in modernization, one of its structural divisions- Shalimar company, located in India, in the state of Punjab. The political situation in this state - according to executive directors - tends to worsen, which creates unjustified financial risks. Indian hand dr Dara Rau, who received this message, reacts to it in the most unexpected way, telling his Indian business partners, officials and members of the press that Thorndike plans to completely wind down its activities in India.

Harrington Stewart, who has just taken over as head of the Aspirin division, is assigned to fly to India and negotiate with Dr. Rau to clarify the situation and reach a mutually acceptable solution. Meeting with Dr. Rau, Stuart tries to convince him that the restrictions adopted by Thorndike are only temporary. Since Shalimar has established itself well in the Indian market, Stewart suggests that Dr. Rau continue to develop in this direction until better times. However, Dr. Rau, with a sense of outraged dignity, continues to inquire about what led the Thorndike company to come to the decision to wind down its activities in India. Stewart, in turn, tries to convince Dr. Rau that at the level that Shalimar has reached, it can operate quite successfully on its own. Negotiations continue, but do not achieve success, because the parties cannot understand each other.

The reason for the misunderstanding is, first of all, the differences in cultures to which Harrington Stewart and Dr. Dara Rau belong. If we analyze these differences using the high-low contexting scale, it turns out that Stewart, who represents the culture of low contexting, formulates his thoughts accurately, choosing his words carefully, trying to express all the necessary information through a verbal code. For Dr. Rau, a member of a high-contexting culture, words are less important than the context in which, according to him, the true essence of the information is encrypted.

Dr. Rau takes Stewart's words only as an opportunity for him, Dr. Rau, to independently decipher the bad news and accept it without losing face. In addition, Harrington Stewart represents a culture for which there is a creative solution. The best way conflict resolution. Dr. Rau believes that discussion of the issue (in order to avoid conflict) is necessary, first of all, to maintain harmony in relations - between him and Stewart on a personal level, "Thorndike" and "Shalimar" - in business.

Not only that, Harrington Stewart and Dr. Rau, as leaders, diverge on a large-to-small scale of distancing. In detail, Dr. Rau, who represents a culture of great distancing, could not understand, for example, why a visiting manager should be given not a simple hotel room, but an expensive apartment. According to Dr. Rau, Start is still too young for such veneration. Stewart, communicating with Dr. Rau within the framework of his usual small amount of distancing, treated him as an equal, not realizing that his status as an ordinary American manager and the status of Dr. Rau - CEO, a native of a noble family and, finally, the eldest in age - according to Indian concepts are incommensurable.

Considering all this, it is not difficult to conclude that the negotiations between Harrington Stewart and Dr. Rau could go on for any length of time, creating new complications and not bringing any result. The best way to overcome the uncertainties and misunderstandings that have arisen would be to involve in the negotiations - with the consent of both parties - an intermediary-mediator who would be able to use as a tool the three categorical dimensions of intercultural conflict:

1. The amount of awareness (an informed mediator develops for himself a clear idea of ​​the conflict situation, considering it from the standpoint of representatives of both parties involved in the conflict.

2. The amount of sensitivity (sensitivity, in this case, means the ability to accept the internal considerations and emotions of one side and at the same time be in tune with the beliefs and emotions of the other.

3. The value of creative art in conflict, which includes the ability to observe, listen and perceive, the ability to discuss problems face to face, the ability to calculate effective moves, conduct a constructive dialogue, etc.

Finally, the mediator could use - with the involvement of both parties - such a powerful tool as reflection on the content of the problem. David Levin, a mediator, defines it as follows: reflection is an informative agreement that is bound to be pivotal. Comparison of the concepts of "informative" and "pivot" contributes to the awareness of the parties of responsibility for the decisions made. According to Domenici and Littlejohn (2001, p. 33) “thinking usually delays the process of negotiation – due to the intervention of a third party who controls it at someone’s request – which makes the negotiators accountable for every step they take towards resolving the conflict. » .

Separately, it should be said about the role and advantages of involving a mediator in the negotiation process. The mediator usually plays the role of an assistant who guides the efforts of the negotiators in the right direction and openly explores their interests and rights. Unlike a judge who makes a decision for the parties to the conflict, the mediator, remaining impartial, tries to avoid prejudices and influence the process in such a way that the result of the negotiations is a mutually acceptable decision of the parties. The mediator does not replace either the judge or the lawyer. One of the important aspects of mediation is the initial focus on preserving the face of the negotiators and those on whose behalf they participate in the negotiations. The concept of "person" in such cases should be interpreted as an image (of a person, a team, a state) perceived by society. "Saving face" contributes to the continuation of partnerships and joint fruitful activities of the once conflicting parties.

Among the main methods of mediation, researchers distinguish persuasion (organization of meetings at the right time and in the right place), achievement of lasting results (mediation contributes to the adoption of reasonable decisions), efficiency (high rate of fidelity to the resolution adopted, the usefulness of communication realized by the parties as the basis for a successful negotiation process), prevention (Attentive attention to the causes of the emerging conflict contributes to its neutralization before it becomes uncontrollable).

Based on the work carried out, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Organizational cultures are divided into strong (undisputed, open and alive) and weak. There are also Japanese, Chinese and American types of corporate culture. Within each of them, horizontal and vertical types of relationships in the enterprise are considered.

To manage a multinational staff, it is necessary to have social and managerial competence.

Cultural socio-managerial competence implies a certain flexibility, which is expressed in the following:

in the acceptance of other or differently expressed cultures;

in understanding their own cultural interdependencies;

· in openness and tolerance in the process of cultural communication;

Ready to analyze and solve problems in unusual, difficult to interpret situations;

· in the ability to assess to what extent it is possible (and whether it is possible at all) to transfer this type of "know-how" in the field of personnel management from one cultural environment to another.

The process of globalization, the growing influence of which (despite the positive or negative attitude towards it) is somehow felt by every inhabitant of our planet, causes and will cause conflicts generated (directly or indirectly) by cultural differences. The resolution of such conflicts (economic, political, national) is possible only through the negotiation process, the participants of which should try to see each other through their ethnocentric lenses, understand, and therefore accept and overcome existing differences in order to find a way to agreement.

1. How Japanese enterprises work / Abbreviated translation. from English. By red. Monden Ya. and others - M .: Economics, 1999.

2. Peters T., Waterman V. In search of effective management. The experience of the best companies. – M.: Progress, 1998.

3. Ryuttinger R. The culture of entrepreneurship. - M.: Economics, 1999.

4. Khentze J., Kammel A. Problems of the culture of management of multinational enterprises / Problems of theory and practice of management. International Journal, N 1, 1995.

5. Yants T. Measurement and formation of an effective work culture: frontal assault or flank maneuver. - M.: Economics, 1991.

6. Domenici, K. & Littlejohn, S.W. (2001). Mediation: Empowerment in conflict management. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.

7. Hofstede, G. (1991). Culture and organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw-Hill.

8. Ting-Toomey, S. & Oetzel, J.G. (2001). Managing intercultural conflict effectively. Fullerton, CA: Sage.

9. Triandis, H.C. (1995). individualism and collectivism. Boulder, CO: Westview.

Ryuttinger R. Culture of Entrepreneurship. - M.: Economics, 1999. Pp. 28-39.

Hofstede, G. (1991). Culture and organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw-Hill. P.214. Ting-Toomey, S. & Oetzel, J.G. (2001). Managing intercultural conflict effectively. Fullerton, CA: Sage. P. 139. Hofstede, G. (1991). Culture and organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw-Hill. P.81. Ting-Toomey, S. & Oetzel, J.G. (2001). Managing intercultural conflict effectively. Fullerton, CA: Sage. P. 30. Ting-Toomey, S. & Oetzel, J.G. (2001). Managing intercultural conflict effectively. Fullerton, CA: Sage. P. 149. Ting-Toomey, S. & Oetzel, J.G. (2001). Managing intercultural conflict effectively. Fullerton, CA: Sage. P. 170. Domenici, K. & Littlejohn, S.W. (2001). Mediation: Empowerment in conflict management. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. P. 33.

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Based on the foregoing, it follows that the leader must have such qualities as the power of persuasion, the ability to work in multinational groups and, especially, to constant learning.

In addition, it should be noted that cultural necessity should not necessarily cause difficulties in mutual communication. On the contrary, the readiness and ability for active cooperation, mutual enrichment through the study of cultures can facilitate the search for innovative solutions due to the synergistic effect. At the same time, in order to improve the effectiveness of the communication system in multinational corporations, it is necessary to carry out targeted training of specialists and managers in terms of intercultural orientation in the field of "know-how" and communication competence. And the main emphasis here should be placed on specific actions, the study of norms of behavior determined by cultural identity.

At the same time, the training of specialists and management staff should be carried out with the expectation of their use in the international market in multicultural groups. In this regard, trained personnel should be able to:

· realistically assess situations that arise as a result of cultural contacts;

be able to adequately respond to emerging difficulties in these situations.

As an example, consider the management of subsidiaries of large Japanese international companies. It is guided by the following principles:

The first and fundamental principle is job security. This means that the main task of the presidents of companies and heads of firms in Japanese overseas subsidiaries should be job security. Although it is obvious that there can be no complete security, however, the policy characteristic of the entire Japanese management is aimed specifically at solving this problem, which fully applies to foreign subsidiaries of Japanese companies.

The second principle is the constant presence of management in production.

The third principle is publicity and values ​​(culture) of the corporation.

The fourth principle is information-based management.

This means that, along with the emphasis in management on human relations, important importance in the management of the company is given to the collection of data, analysis and their systematic use to improve production efficiency and product quality.

The fifth principle is quality-oriented management.

This means that the peculiarity in the management of Japanese subsidiaries is the paramount importance of quality control, (and productivity (ie, production efficiency) is of secondary importance, unlike in the West).

The sixth principle is the maintenance of cleanliness and order.

In this chapter, we have examined the different types of corporate cultures and based on them the basic principles of managing multinational enterprises. The next chapter will look at how to deal with conflicts in the management of multinational enterprises.

Conflicts and how to resolve them in multinational organizations

American researchers argue that a multinational organization is fertile ground for disagreements, misunderstandings and conflicts between managers and employees, which are based on cultural differences. As in any relationship between managers and employees, conflict is inherent in multinational teams from the very beginning. Under normal conditions, these may be disagreements in matters of pay, nomination for awards, conditions for overtime work, etc. However, interethnic interaction between managers and employees is further complicated by differences in communication styles and cultures.

Wilmot and Hawker provide one of the most accurate definitions of conflict. According to them, conflict is a clash of origins. Two different mentalities, coming face to face, cannot understand each other's positions. Differences in cultures no doubt complicate the conflict. Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that the beginning of intercultural conflict is often the difference in the expectations of the conflicting parties in relation to each other. Conflict acquires a certain specificity when it occurs within an organization. Tubbe and Moos offer the following definition: "Organizations are a collection or system of individuals, distributed along a hierarchical ladder and division of labor, who jointly strive for a set goal."

One can imagine a large enterprise with hundreds and even thousands of employees. Each of them has its own face and individual behavior, all are somewhat different from each other. If the management fails to create a favorable atmosphere in the team, does not establish harmony in relations, the enterprise will inevitably begin to decline. In multinational teams, conflicts between managers and employees become one of the most important problems.

Ting-Toomey and Ostzel believe that the conflict between the manager and the employee is unique in its kind, since the parties occupy different positions, while possessing unequal power and status. Power makes it possible to exert pressure and, moreover, to control the behavior of subordinates, using the entire set of administrative resources for this. The manager, having a prescribed status and maintaining it, relies on such effective opportunities as salary increases, promotion and promotion. In this regard, managers often use pressure as a method of smoothing the conflict with the employee. At the same time, Dr. Konrad (1991, p. 214) believes that pressure from the leader characterizes him as a person who is aware of his lack of experience and qualifications. Such a leader willingly resorts to using the advantages of his position or to a forceful approach in a conflict situation with subordinates.

Ting-Toomey and Ostzel argue that such methods are characteristic of conflict situations caused by a clash of cultural priorities. In some cases, the manager is most concerned about his image, corresponding to the status and position, while the employee, doing work even in a conflict situation, takes care not only of himself, but also of the enterprise as a whole.

The manager's excessive concern for his image often manifests itself - in the form of pressure on subordinates - not only in conflict situations, but also in everyday cooperation. Taking care of themselves, trying to avoid conflict, employees, in turn, do everything possible to adapt to the prevailing conditions, thereby maintaining an established tradition and allowing the leader to take a favorable position for themselves and their image. Analyzing this kind of relationship, Ting-Toomey and Ostzel note that “the studies were carried out only in cultures with a large amount of distancing. In cultures (or organizations) of low distancing, there is usually no particular distinction or hierarchical distance between leader and subordinate.

The “large-small” scale of distancing is one of the distinguishing categories that allows one to qualify the stable differences of national cultures. The small amount of distancing, according to Hofsteed, is determined (in a broad sense) by the desire of a person to stand out due to personal abilities and experience, democratic decision-making, equal rights, deserved rewards and punishments as a result of specific actions. A large amount of distancing is determined (in the same broad sense) by the desire of a person to single out his abilities and experience as corresponding to a given status; dictatorial way of making decisions, asymmetric relations between people, rewards and punishments based on age, rank, status, rank, origin.