Chattanooga International Summit

Business Session

Proposed Topic: Understanding and Applying a Tool for Improving Business Results through Improved Cultural Understanding
Speaker: John F. Riddell, Jr. VP Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, Hamilton County.

Background:
“Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster.” Prof. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor, Maastricht University.

For those who work in international business, it is sometimes amazing how different people in other cultures behave. We tend to have a human instinct that “deep inside” all people are the same—but they are not. Therefore, if we go into another country and make decisions based on how we operate in our own home country—the chances are we’ll make some very bad decisions.

Geert Hofstede’s research gives us insight into other cultures so that we can be more effective when interacting with people in other countries. If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce your level of frustration, anxiety, and concern. But most important, Geert Hofstede will give you the “edge of understanding” which translates to more successful results.

Goals:

In this session, Chattanoogans will:

Learn insights into other cultures as it relates to doing business
Brainstorm ways to facilitate better cross-cultural communications in a business environment
Identify and expand resources and partnerships
Build a network of area business leaders interested in learning how to more effectively communicate in a global business environment
Propose action plans to be presented to community leaders in academia, government and business



Chattanooga, USA	Wuxi,China	Hamm, Germany	Givatayim, Israel	Gangneung, Korea	Nizhnii Tagil, Russia