The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas
The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas
MBA/501
Dr. Ellen Szarleta-Instructor
August 27, 2006
The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas
Introduction
For an American company to be successful overseas with business ventures they have to take risks in making business decisions which can be challenging. Steve Kafka, an American of Czech origin and a franchisor for Chicago Style Pizza, has decided to expand his business into the Czech Republic. He knows it is a risky decision; when he became a franchisor, he had to overcome great deal of difficulties. Steve anticipates he will face some of these difficulties again at the new location in Prague, Czech Republic. Although he was born in the United States, he has family and friends in the Czech Republic, speaks Czech fluently, and has visited the country of his origin several times. For this business venture to be successful Steve has to evaluate and take in considerations of the cultural differences between the United States and Czech Republic before moving ahead.
Differences and Incompatibilities between U.S. and Czech Cultures
There are many differences and incompatibilities between the U.S and Czech Republic cultures and if Steve wants to expand his business here in the Czech Republic he is going to have to weigh the differences and take them into consideration in his business decision-making process. According to the information presented by CultureGrams, there are some obvious difference between the American and Czech cultures in regards to food and diet. In Czech, dining out dining out is a rare occurrence. In the United States the pizza which is a favorite and popular dish is considered a whole meal itself that can be consumed at the restaurant, carried, or delivered to the home for consumption whereas the Czechs eat pizza only as a snack on the streets where it sold as by street vendors. Czechs tend to eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right where in
MBA/501
Dr. Ellen Szarleta-Instructor
August 27, 2006
The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas
Introduction
For an American company to be successful overseas with business ventures they have to take risks in making business decisions which can be challenging. Steve Kafka, an American of Czech origin and a franchisor for Chicago Style Pizza, has decided to expand his business into the Czech Republic. He knows it is a risky decision; when he became a franchisor, he had to overcome great deal of difficulties. Steve anticipates he will face some of these difficulties again at the new location in Prague, Czech Republic. Although he was born in the United States, he has family and friends in the Czech Republic, speaks Czech fluently, and has visited the country of his origin several times. For this business venture to be successful Steve has to evaluate and take in considerations of the cultural differences between the United States and Czech Republic before moving ahead.
Differences and Incompatibilities between U.S. and Czech Cultures
There are many differences and incompatibilities between the U.S and Czech Republic cultures and if Steve wants to expand his business here in the Czech Republic he is going to have to weigh the differences and take them into consideration in his business decision-making process. According to the information presented by CultureGrams, there are some obvious difference between the American and Czech cultures in regards to food and diet. In Czech, dining out dining out is a rare occurrence. In the United States the pizza which is a favorite and popular dish is considered a whole meal itself that can be consumed at the restaurant, carried, or delivered to the home for consumption whereas the Czechs eat pizza only as a snack on the streets where it sold as by street vendors. Czechs tend to eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right where in