Cross-Cultural Understanding

The headline of the article is “Cross Cultural Understanding as a Basis for Lasting Business Relationship”. It is the article published in June 2009 by the author Anna Shevchenko, who is the senior consultant at Farham Castle International Briefing Center. The article originally appeared in the printed version of the RBCC Bulletin (Russo-British Chamber of Commerce-the monthly magazine for Chamber members) ???????? ??????. It is addressed to the readership of this periodical publication, primary for businessmen. It is based on the needs of businessmen to connect each other even if they are from different cultural environments.

The author focuses on differences between British people and Russians. The article begins with a major issue of the loss business due to misunderstandings between people and the importance of discovering other cultural to do successful business. The article includes a large amount of examples of cultural differences between involved citizens. The author gives a detail description of cultural peculiarities of Russians and characterizes them as superstitious and truly people, but at the same time they are lazy, unpunctual and need to be controlled.

Compare this to the British preference for statements “maybe” or “perhaps”, prefer to be punctual and to examine business in details. Further, the author admits that it will never be possible to fully comprehend another culture, as those values, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions are usually a set of unwritten rules formed for centuries. But also, the author states that understanding the culture will make work more enjoyable and less frustrating. In conclusion she suggests solution for the problem, offering services of Farham Castle International Briefing Center, which specializes in cross cultural management.

I suppose this article is richly informative, but the author doesn’t mention the price of such services. Also, I doubt about a necessity of using it. I mean, understanding other culture, to my mind, scarcely ever comes in handy. I consider, prosperous businessmen are alike. Businessman should be punctual, as he values his time. He tries to study a work in details. He is assertive and hardworking. He likes controlling everything and doesn’t give a hoot about any signs (superstitious beliefs) in spite of his nationality.