- Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies -

CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

PROJ ECT

Interview with Paul Lyon
PETROM Romania


Coordinator: Simona Vasilache

FABI Z
Group 131
Banica Bogdan
Belinskii Alexandru



- 2014 -


Paul Lyon an expat from Liverpool, UK and he is 34 years old. He is currently a Senior
Exploration Geoscientist at Petrom and he has been working there for 2 years since he
arrived in Romania. He started the Bachelor of Science in Geology at The University of
Birmingham in 1998, he graduated in 2001 and afterwards he obtained his PhD at The
University of Adelaide in 2005. Before coming to Romania in 2012 he worked in The
Netherlands for 6 years in the Oil&Gas industry as a geologist.
- First of all I would like to thank you for granting me this interview. You have a lot
of experience working outside your country and you must have some insight
regarding the cultural differences when it comes to the business environments in
different countries. How can you describe the business environment in your country
(UK) in comparison to Romania?
- The business environment in the UK is a lot less personal. When people tend to do
business with work colleagues there is a tendency to be more formal, especially in big
corporations. People there dont know too much about your personal life. They wouldnt
ask you questions about your personal life. I like the fact that it is very easy to
communicate with business partners and when you find the right the right one you can
build a long term relationship. What is not so easy is travelling the infrastructure,
particularly roads, is still poor and travelling can be quite tiring and stressful.

- How did you find the opportunity to work in Romania?
- From a colleague. A guy who I used to work with was the manager and we were just
talking about jobs and he suggested coming up for an interview and it just kind of went
from there.

- What did you know about Romania and about the business environment here
before arriving?
- Very little. I didnt know much about Romania at all until I came. I knew of Romania and
some things about it like Dracula and that the capital was Bucharest, but I couldnt have
told you anything about the business environment here.

- Did your opinion about our country and culture changed after you started working
here?
- Definitely yes. I really love Romania and I find its language very intriguing, but
culturally it is a very different place and it does take a lot of getting used to. Now, after
two years, I can say that I understand how things work around here.

- Have you noticed any differences between your own culture and the one in
Romania? If so, what are some of those differences?
- I think that first of all it depends on age. For me there is a big difference between older
people and younger people in Romania. They are almost like completely different types


of persons. I believe that most of the elders here are still living in the past. I also think
that Romanians are probably more sincere. If you make a friend in Romania, they really
become your friend and that can happen quite fast. But having said that it is not as
interactive as in the UK where you can meet more people because they tend to interact
more with strangers. Romanians can be quite serious about things in general whereas in
the UK we have a much more laid back approach when it comes to sense of humor, but
that may be just my experience.

- Did the cultural differences prevent you from performing your job here?
- No, not at all! If anything, its probably easier to get along with people here. They are not
so awkward here and they are not that career obsessed like you might find in the UK.
People there can a bit false to reach their goals, whereas in Romania they are sincere and
they dont mess you around. Its really nice when you come in to work and people talk to
you and say Hello! and you have a little conversation with no hidden agenda.

- Did your attitude change towards people of different cultures because of your
intercultural experience?
- Oh, yes. I think, unfortunately, when you meet so many people from so many different
countries like I have, you have this tendency ,when you meet someone, to have a
preconditioned idea about that person like whether or not they are going to have a sense
of humor or even if you can even trust them or not and stuff like this. But then, I always
leave room for people to be an exception, if that makes sense.

- Did you become more aware of personal stereotypes that you held? If so, how did
those stereotypes affect your attitudes towards your business partners in Romania?
- Well, when I came here, I would say I didnt have any Romania stereotypes in mainly
because I had not met any Romanians, so I didnt really have anything in mind. But, of
course now I do because Ive met a lot of Romanians. Its harder to find a stereotype for
Romanians because I find that they are somehow very individual so that is why you cant
stereotype as much as you can with other places,

- In your opinion, what is the most important lesson you learned from this
experience?
- Im not sure I have learned anything, maybe because I just keep making the same
mistakes. Maybe I have adapted, I learned how to live in a country where you are a
foreigner which can be quite challenging because sometimes you really want to just meet
some English people because you feel that you are going mad. So, maybe Ive learned
how to not go mad".




- Do you want to share some other thoughts related to the intercultural differences?
- I think all people in the world are the same. However, you cant ignore how we are
conditioned by our background. I really believe that when you meet people from different
countries you will see patterns and you will see ways in which you have to adapt. I am
not talking about being a different person, but adapt in a way that you will not cause
offence, especially in business. The way you deal with different nationalities, in my case,
it would be slightly different based on where theyve told me they are from, but
ultimately people are still the same and we find the same things funny and the same joys
in life. I think that shouldnt be overlooked.