M2 Case Study: Anna Håkansson – From Sweden to Bahrain
M2 Case Study: Anna Håkansson – From Sweden to Bahrain
Read Chapters 3 and 4 of the textbook:
Steers, R. and Osland, J. (2020) – 4th Edition. Management across cultures: Challenges, Strategies, and Skills. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 978-1-108-71759-5 Paperback.
Read the “Anna Håkansson” case which is attached in a pdf form below. Then answer the following questions. It is important for you to read the relevant chapters carefully before attempting to answer the assignment. The learning from reading the text must be reflected in your answers.
Anna Håkansson Case Questions:
1.Locate both Sweden and Bahrain on a world map. What other countries surround each location. What key lessons might this geography have for understanding the cultural patterns in each country?
What is sharia law, and how might it affect Håkansson’s success in Bahrain?
What is your opinion of the manner in which Anna Håkansson prepared for her business trip? Could she have done a better job here? If so, how?
In what ways do cultural models, such as the Hofstede model used here, help managers understand how to behave appropriately in foreign countries? Would Anna’s conclusions concerning mainstream Swedish and Bahraini cultures differ if she used the Hall or the GLOBE model instead of Hofstede’s framework? In what ways?
Based on what you have learned about the two cultures, identify what you believe to be the major challenges facing Håkansson as she tries to understand Bahraini cultural patterns. At the same time, identify what you believe to be the major challenges facing her Bahraini colleagues as they try to understand Swedish cultural patterns.
What can Håkansson do to minimize the creation of cultural stereotypes about the managers she will meet in Bahrain? Alternatively, can such stereotypes be useful? Why?
Based on what Anna Håkansson has already done to prepare for her upcoming visit, what are the next steps, if any, that you would recommend she take to continue developing her knowledge of business culture in the Middle East?
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “For frequent flyers like Anna Håkansson, spending days preparing for an international assignment is a waste of her time. She can easily have people around her who can help her adapt during her visit, and in a short time she will be back in Sweden.”
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