Introduction
Cultural differences create an impact on the business and its operations. Especially, in this contemporary business era, the company may integrate with different cultural needs and values to manage both, people and business operations. Doing an international business is not complicated, but due to a prominent cultural shift, the company can concentrate on various cultural aspects. Moving from the United States to the United Kingdom is a good idea for a business. However, the cultural differences are necessary to understand to be successful and lucrative.
Cultural Dimensions Hofstede
Individualism
People in the United Kingdom are highly Individualist. For Instance, every individual has a purpose in the society to enhance the visibility of his contributions. Children are taught to be purposeful and think about themselves (Kuller, Ott, Goisman, Wainwright, & Rabin, 2010).
Power distance
The power distance in the United Kingdom seems moderate. Interestingly, the higher class in this country is lower than the working class. However, the intention is to minimize inequalities in the society (Spong & Kamau, 2012).
Masculinity
The United Kingdom is a Masculine society. It contains the modest culture as compared to other countries. However, with clear performance ambitions and objectives, the country is in the limelight (Varvouzou & Zasepa, 2013).
Uncertainty avoidance
The United Kingdom depicts low uncertainty avoidance. People seem comfortable in different vague situations. It also seems moderate as some people want future predictable and some people intend to let it happen.
Main cultural differences between UK and US
There are some differences between UK and US culture, and of course, some business implications can be derived accordingly. For Instance, people in the United States are triggered by the individualism, and it seems quite visible in different organizations. Top management is accessible in the company, and they rely on the individual performances and decisions as compared to the United Kingdom. Comparatively, the power distance in the United States is high, as many people intend to accept and expect the inequalities. Furthermore, due to the prominent Individualist drive in the United States, some Masculine factors can be seen. However, US shows its upfront as compared to another country. In the US culture, people like to try something new and contain the innovation and creativity when doing the different thing. Uncertainty avoidance looms below average in this country. Similarly, in the business innovation and creativity, demonstrate the willingness to do something different to differentiate the process, and of course, it creates a good impact on the business (Varvouzou & Zasepa, 2013).
Business Implications of doing business in the United Kingdom
The management of the company has to concentrate on different aspects when doing business in the United Kingdom. For Instance, like the United States, the company may apply international HR standards when managing or leading people in a highly individualistic culture. It seems good to integrate with the need of people to come up with some pertinent output instead of changing and evolving unnecessarily. In the human resource process, the HR management can be linked to the local culture. For Instance, by eliminating the inequalities in the workplace, the company can justify this cultural aspect. In UK’s masculine society, the company can focus on the individual performance. However, decisions are to do at the higher level (Spong & Kamau, 2012).
Other Information Besides Hofstede
In the United Kingdom, people are defensive when telling the truth. Comparatively, American are quite assertive and aggressive in telling the truth. British people emphasize on finding a rationale to explain different things. The American people look more patriotic than people in the United Kingdom. In the context of the business, these can also create an impact on people. Thus, when doing business in the United Kingdom, some behavioral patterns are to navigate, to make pertinent decisions (Kuller, Ott, Goisman, Wainwright, & Rabin, 2010).
Impact of cultural aspects of doing business in the United Kingdom
The impact of different cultural aspects of doing business in the United Kingdom is in the limelight. The biggest impact is the cultural integration, as through aligning cultural values, the management of the company can easily engage people or grab the immense range of customers in the competitive market. When the company management intends to integrate with the culture, it enables long-term sustainability and growth. In the United Kingdom, the company can attain it with the same considerations. Thus, the impact is positive, as the cultural attachment with people also leads towards the decision, which can help to drive the localization (Varvouzou & Zasepa, 2013).
Does the national culture of your country make it easy or difficult to business?
The national culture of the company makes the business easier. Interestingly, the culture of the United Kingdom resembles the culture of the United States in different terms such as individualism, power distance, and Masculinity along with slight differences. The intelligent structuring and pertinent managerial cognition are required to contain the smooth and suitable business in this country. The material culture is suitable, as it depicts some space for new businesses as well, and the firm may have some capabilities to exploit different opportunities (Kuller, Ott, Goisman, Wainwright, & Rabin, 2010).
Cultural pitfalls might an American company investing
The prominent cultural pitfall that an American company can face in the United Kingdom is immense cultural diversity. In different regions, people come from different parts of the world, and the investment of the company is at higher risk. People, working in different departments of the company, may show some resistance or reluctance in accepting the HR policies, which are aligned with the general cultural aspects. Another pitfall is the change in the industry trends. It is due to the cultural evolvement in the United Kingdom, which makes the Company’s investment vulnerable (Spong & Kamau, 2012).
Conclusion
In the end, it is to conclude that business management has to make some effective and workable strategies to exist in the new culture quite strongly. For enabling the business sustainability, the Human resource management has to concentrate on the business intelligence to derive several insights in the United Kingdom. Obviously, the success can be ensured through successful cultural integration, as far as the human capital in the company is concerned.
References
Kuller, A. M., Ott, B. D., Goisman, R. M., Wainwright, L. D., & Rabin, R. J. (2010). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Schizophrenia: A Survey of Clinical Practices and Views on Efficacy in the United States and the United Kingdom. Community Mental Health Journal; New York, 46(1), 2-9.
Spong, A., & Kamau, C. (2012). Cross-cultural impression management: a cultural knowledge audit model. Journal of International Education in Business; Acton, 5(1), 22-36.
Varvouzou, I., & Zasepa, a. (2013). National Cultural dimensions according to Geert Hofstede and their meaning in Japanese and German Corporate Management. GRIN Verlag.
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