Global strategy management - cultural considerations

Global Strategy Management Global Strategy Management India is a good destination in which to expand business but there are a number of pertinent cultural considerations to take into account when strategizing for entry into the country. This is because cultural differences could have important implications that can determine the success of a business in India.
Relationships are a cultural consideration that I would take into account in designing my company’s strategy to expand in to India. To do this, I would advise that our company representatives in India cultivate respect and trust with potential customers. Religion is another cultural consideration that I would take into account in my strategy to expand into India. An example of how I would factor in religion in my strategy is to recommend that company representatives do not order beef in restaurant because the cow is a holy creature in Hinduism and Hindus would feel insulted and this would impact negatively on our business in the country. Festivals and holidays are another cultural consideration in strategizing for entry into India. There are many national and religious celebrations that Indians observe and I would recommend that our business be closed during some of those celebrations because it would show honor for these events (Millar, 2006).
Another cultural consideration in expanding business into India is the many languages used by Indians. I would be keen in cautioning that the various Indian ethnic groups speak different languages and as such, business representatives should be careful to learn the meaning of different Indian words before using them in doing business. Respect for the elderly is another cultural consideration and my strategy would also recommend that our business representatives show respect to elderly customers in order to enhance the success of the corporation (Cullen & Parboteeah, 2014).
This would not impact our current strategy negatively but will make it more versatile. This is because as much as we have spelt out all the things the corporation will need to launch business in India and start operating, the endeavor cannot succeed unless there is a way to forge a working alliance with the locals. Taking India’s cultural considerations into account in our strategy will make it versatile particularly because it will match well with John and Deborah’s corporation’s exceptional customer service for which it is reputed in the industry. A cultural consideration that helps cultivate a close relationship with Indian customers would help vary our activities in order to suit the needs of the locals and this can help give the company a favorable competitive edge (Makar, 2008).
This would change our approach by refining it to avoid the things that would discredit our mode of doing business. For example, we would avoid using the cow to market our products in India because in Hinduism, this would be interpreted as blaspheming the holy cow. Another change that I would expect in our approach is the emergence of the need to develop plans that anticipate difficulty in getting Indians to accept our less hierarchical management because as much as Indians emphasize relationships they use a highly hierarchical business management. Finally, taking into account cultural considerations would strengthen our approach of vertical integration because it is a common feature in India’s business culture (Aswathappa, 2008).
In conclusion, Indian emphasis on relationships, religion and language are some of the important cultural considerations that should be taken into account in strategizing for entry into India.
References
Aswathappa, K. (2008). International business. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education.
Cullen, J. & Parboteeah, K. (2014). Multinational management: a strategic approach. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Makar, E. (2008). An American’s guide to doing business in India: a practical guide to achieving success in the Indian market. Avon, Mass.: Adams Business.
Millar, R. (2006). Doing business with India. London: GMB Pub.