WEEK:2

Activity 1: Thomas Friedman on Globalisation; 3 Eras of

Globalisation; World is flat

Q:1What would be some of the key drawbacks or risks of living in the flat
world of Globalisation 3.0 as Friedman describes it?
As per Friedman, Flat world is a platform, where there is no barriers and
people can work, communicate and collaborate across boundaries.
However, there are some disadvantage or hazards of living in the flat
world of Globalisation 3.0, which are discussed below:
1) Business ethics reduce freedom of organisation. For example,
multinational company shift into developing country to reduce cost.
2) Different people have different thoughts.
3) If there are no boundaries, then people can do whatever they want.
This means, they create their own rules to trade.

Q:2 Do you agree with Friedmans iron rule of the flat world? Explain.

Yes, I agree with Friedmans iron rule. The rule said like that when world is
Flat, whatever can be done will be done. And it will be done by only you.
Due to advancement of new technologies, people can do whatever they
want. For example, Southwest Airline started a website where people could
go online to download and print their own bar coded boarding passes. So,
individual should become his own ticket agent. So, people may change to
learn something new and do what they like.

Q:3 Is the level of globalisation uniform across the world? Explain

Globalisation is the process of communication of values, ideas and culture

among people. People can change their ideas and lifestyle prejudiced by
globalisation. As per my point of view, globalisation is not uniform across the
globe due to following reasons.
1) Culture is much deeper than brands. For example, Brand Coca Cola is
everywhere across the world but it does not mean that customers have
all accepted the same culture.
2) New Technology is possible without culture: Different countries have
different culture. With the help of new technology, people of different
countries use new technology rather than adopt original culture matrix.

In Short, Global brand and new technology will not create a uniform
level across the world.

Activity 2: Pankaj Ghemawat on Globalisation

Q:1 Has your view on globalisation changed after listening to Professor
Ghemawat? Explain.
As per my point of view, he is right. According to Professor Ghemawat, the
world is not flat. He told that there are some new effects happening across
the globe. He also talked about people who are migrating from one country
to another country. He also talked about some things that could happening
locally and across borders. Moreover, he also suggests some statistics about
face book users, phone calls, online news sources. Everything is called
globalisation changed effects.
Q:2 Consider where you have seen the fears that people have about
globalisation. Do you think these fears may subside with some data points
that may suggest otherwise?
Today, the world is becoming more and more globalised. So there is no
purpose to fear that globalisation itself threatens outdated non-western cultures .

For example, Dominos does not march people in to its outlet at the point of
gun. If people take this things, it is because they select to, not globalisation
is forcing them to select these things. However, I do not think that these
fears may decrease some data because data is only theory not practical.

Activity 3: Online tool to explore different countries' 5

dimensions by Hofstede
Q:1 How does the Australian culture compare to other world cultures (eg.
Your home country or other countries that you have visited)?
There are vast differences between Australian and Indian culture. Firstly,
Indian people are very collectivists, they like to live with family and in
groups, where as Australian are Individualistic. They like to live independent.
Secondly, there is high and low context communication culture. Australians
have very low. On the other hand, Indians have very high communication
culture. Thirdly, power distance culture. Australian have very low distance,
while Indians have very high.
Q:2 Do you agree with the survey results for the Australian culture? Why or
why not?
Yes, I completely agree with this survey. As per survey, in Australia,
indulgence is 71%. This means that people like to live their lives freely
without any restrictions. They enjoy every weekends and public holidays.
However, in India, it is totally different. They like to live with family. They
have to not only fulfil their own desire but also have to fulfil their family
wishes.

Activity:4 'The myth of national culture'

Q:1 Do you agree with Professor McSweeneys view on national cultures?
Why or why not? After viewing the survey result done by Hofstede on your
home country, who do you think offers a more compelling argument on
national cultures? Can a single culture be used to determine the actions of
entire population?
Yes, I agree with professor McSweeneys view on national culture and he
said the fact is that one-person perform and behave under certain
situations, does not mean that some other people from same country also
act the same way. Hofstede passed out his survey in the IBM workplace
where some people may act a certain way at work place and then act
differently at home. He just only focusses on workplace issue not the

national population. Moreover, single culture may not helpful to determine

the action of whole population.

Activity 5: 'Riding the waves of culture - Talk given by

Fons Trompenaars at TEDxAmsterdam
Q:1Consider your experience with cultural conflict or culture shock. What
were the different viewpoints that you had to reconcile? And how did you
overcome the differences
Culture conflict and culture shock, both are different things. Culture conflict
arises because of name, fame, gender. I also have experienced with this
culture conflict. this means that sometimes, my parents and I think totally
differently and conflict arise between us. On the other side, culture shock
arises due to loss of familiar signs and identity crisis. I also have experienced
with culture shock when I arrived in Australia for study purpose. I saw totally
different culture but with the passing of time, I adjusted with culture and
learn something new in Australia.

Q:2What would be the benefits of connecting different viewpoints as

Trompenaar suggests?
Trompenaar suggest that there are numbers of benefits of connecting
viewpoint.1) people can learn about different culture of different countries.2)
They also study about different countries value and their mentality and
adapting something new in their day to day life.

Activity 6: Building a cross-cultural web design for a

wider audience
Q:1Can the concept of High and Low Context cultures be applied to other
areas of business? marketing and advertising, PR, customer and supplier
relationship management, etc.

Yes, the concept of high and low culture can be applied to other of business.
Companies increase globally and they are entered to new market and thus
inter culture communication and trade endures to play an important role in
their success in the marketplace. Culture knowledge is important in business
because culture impacts every marketing aspect of business. Moreover, with
the help of advertising, business can communicate with people.

In short, marketers need to understand the countrys culture characteristic

like language, people, value, religion so that they can achieve their target
market and goals and also maintain good relationship among consumers and
suppliers.