The Challenges of 21st Century Business

Multicultural Issues at the Workplace Incorrect assumptions about diverse culture Expectations that others will conform Language problems leading to miscommunication & misinterpretation Biases against the unfamiliar Traditional Indian / American Values in conflict with values of other cultures Leena Sen

Essential Competencies of Global Manager

Personal Competencies
High on Self- Motivation An effective communicator

Business Competencies
To possess knowledge of the business patterns of the host country To protect and improve the welfare of society as a whole along with business interest (CSR) To apply ethics of business (social values, consumer protection, environmental concerns) Ethical leadership must stand the test of environmental performance & development of corporate social performance

Posses at least functional

Knowledge of a few major languages of the world A good leader High on empathy A good listener

Socio- Cultural Competencies

To understand the social patterns of the host country To understand the implicit and explicit social behavior To respect peoples religious sentiments To know the historical, political, and geographical background of the country

"Managing in a global environment means you manage people who are separated not only by time and distance but also by cultural, social, and language differences," says S. Devarajan, managing director of Cisco Systems Global Development Center in Bangalore, India. Cisco India has more than 1,500 employees and close to 3,500 partner employees.