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.Valerie had not known this was an issue in Indiauntil it happened to her later in New Delhi.Again, the practice ofprotecting women was extended to the expat.Many hotels are attempting to woo the increasing number ofwomen business travelers by offering secure floors for women only,lighter meals in their restaurants and on room service menus, and pro-viding special services and amenities.4When Bev Belisle, a Canadian expatriate, was on a business trip toPeru, she was provided with a car and driver and a security guard to protecther.She always felt scrutinized, and that made her uncomfortable.It wasobvious that she traveled with a guard, and that made her stand out.Susie Inwood remembers a trip to Rio de Janeiro.After a day ofmeetings, she wanted to go for a walk before dinner.The cultural308S O L O M O N - S C H E L Lbriefing she had received before leaving England had discussed thefrequent robberies of tourists and ways to avoid being targeted.Sheremoved her jewelry, did not take a purse, and did not carry a map.“It was important that I not call attention to myself,” she explained.In some countries, expat women stand out.Smart women quicklylearn to blend in with the local culture by dressing more conservatively andnot wearing a great deal of jewelry.Others learn to wear dark sunglasses inpublic so that no one can make eye contact with them.Some go as far as towear headphones and listen to music so that they don’t hear the comments.Women Face a Challenge with Alcoholic BeveragesThere are some cultures in which drinking is an integral part of doingbusiness.Teetotalers face the fewest problems since most culturesunderstand that some people simply don’t imbibe.How do otherwomen handle the situation? Some, like Brenda, an American expatri-ate in Hong Kong for a life insurance company, do what they would athome: “I’m not a drinker, so when dinner was over, I’d say, “I enjoyedmyself,” and not go to a bar, even if everyone else was.”In some cultures, such as Japan and Korea, drinking is expected butwomen are excluded.How do women handle this? Ruth said, “I washappy I wasn’t asked to go out drinking into the early morning hours.I was rested in the morning.” Carla was equally philosophical: “Overtime I realized it was preferable to the lads playing golf after a meeting.Since drinking was their primary focus, they weren’t discussingbusiness, which they often did at sports.”Expatriate Women Are More VisibleSince they are rarities in many cultures and stand out, expat womencan have an easier time gaining access to higher-level executives.“Atcompany functions, our local managing director in Indonesia,M A N A G I N G A C R O S S C U L T U R E S309an American expat, would seek me out,” Carrie claimed.“My boss, whowas Indonesian, would probably have mumbled incoherently if thedoctor asked him a question, because it was unthinkable in theirhierarchical culture for the top man to speak with a manager.” Havingthe ear of someone can be enticing, but it is a card successful womenlearn not to play unless it is absolutely necessary.“No matter what I wasasked, I said things were great.Then I sought out my Indonesian bossand told him what I had been asked and what I said,” Carrie said.Carrie understood that in a culture that relies on relationships, itwas imperative that her boss not think that she was going over his heador reporting on him: “My local boss was skeptical the first time.Butwhen nothing untoward happened to him at the office on Monday, hebelieved me.Later, he tried to use my ‘relationship’ with the doctor toget me to feed him information.I said no, and we had a tense coupleof days.”This heightened visibility can be a double-edged sword.Since theyare more easily remembered, women business travelers often discoverthat people they’ve met once will come up to them and start talking thenext time they visit the same company.Noreen, an Australian regionaldirector for the Pacific Rim, handles this by keeping extensive notes oneveryone she meets during a trip.If it is permissible in the culture, shetakes digital photos of the people she deals with.Before returning tothe country, she reviews the pictures and makes notes so that she cangreet everyone with a personal comment or question.In summary, women face unique challenges when traveling orworking globally.It is important to understand both the culture you’regoing into and that culture’s view of women.Armed with thisknowledge, women managers can avoid behaviors that could bemisinterpreted or perceived as indicators of low status.Learning asmuch as you can about the culture before arriving prepares you to beable to respond appropriately to gender-biased behavior.Table 14.1provides tips for women.310S O L O M O N - S C H E L LTA B L E 1 4 - 1T I P S F O R W O M E NGeneral TipsBusiness Tips• Learn what you can about the• Present yourself as sincere,culture before arriving.confident, and professional.• Network with other women who• Act in a reserved manner withhave been there.business colleagues.Being• Follow the lead of local womenoverly friendly can beand dress accordingly.misinterpreted.• In less developed countries, do• If possible, be introduced by anot wear excessive jewelry orhigher-ranking person whodisplay wealth.knows the people with whom• Plan ways to deal with situationsyou will be dealing.The personbefore they occur.handling the introduction canexplain your qualifications in away you could not [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]