Team Presentation
Context:
WellTech was recently acquired by an international healthcare technology company based in South Africa. As part of the acquisition process, WellTech’s senior leadership team will travel to South Africa for a week of introductions, meetings, and negotiations regarding how WellTech will operate once acquired. These are high-stakes meetings, and the leadership team wants to both build a good relationship and come away from the negotiations well-positioned.
To help them prepare, leadership has assembled your team to research the communication differences between the cultures and to prepare a presentation that covers the following:
An overview of how culture affects business communication preferences
Specifics on the foreign country’s preferences (contrasted with US norms) for:
Written communication
Spoken communication
Meetings (arrangements and how they are conducted)
Decision-making
Specific recommendations on how to adapt to the other country’s norms, including resources for learning more
Leadership wants the presentation to be 5 minutes or less, clear, informative, and research based.
Presentation:
Research your chosen country’s communication preferences and prepare a 5-minute presentation on your findings for the WellTech leadership team.
In your presentation:
every team member must speak for roughly equivalent time
your researched claims should include a citation on the relevant slide
your transitions should be smooth between presenters
PowerPoint:
Create a PowerPoint presentation to accompany your presentation to the leadership team.
Your PowerPoint presentation must:
Include a title slide and a closing slide
Give citations for researched material
Of course, your PowerPoint should align with the principles in your Week 9 lectures.
Team assignments Recommended Roles:
Project Manager – arranges and leads team meetings, introduces and concludes presentation, arbitrates differences of opinionResearch Lead – sources credible information for report
Slide Design Lead – creates first draft of ppt, leads revisions
Proofreader/Document Handler – proofs PPT for best practices, assists with edits; submits documents
Facts about South Africa:
South Africa is known as being the “Rainbow Nation” because:
The mix of cultures and people living there
11 official spoken languages: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, IsiNdebele, Sesotho, Northern Sotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga.
South Africa is the only country in the world with three capitals
South African government is divided into 3 sections:
Cape Town judicial capital
Pretoria administrative capital
Bloemfontein legislative capital
Worlds first heart transplant was complete in Cape Town, South Africa
Citation for all this https://expatexplore.com/blog/interesting-facts-south-africa/
South Africa Business Culture:
Largest economy in Africa & the economic health of its neighbors are linked with South Africa’s commercial sector
Many companies are doing business and moving their businesses to South Africa
Because of the complex mix of cultures, races, & languages there are different approaches to business
WellTech needs to be flexible and observant in South Africa there’s no “one size fits all” process that will work in South Africa’s complex environment
WellTech must learn about South Africa before going on a business trip
Citation of this: https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/south-africa/business-meetings/
South Africa’s written communication:
South Africa consists of different spoken languages, but English is mostly used as a business language
Humor defines South African business communication
Embraced in communication as releasing tension
For contractsis not expressively clear because:
most businesses are concerned primarily with forming a personal relationship with one another. It is thought that business will proceed with a relationship than formal communication available on the contract
Report formatsare either statistically based or not
Reports are often presented in business meetings to enable the business to make decisions. Participants are given time to express their views openly and finally, a decision is made.
Citation: https://ivypanda.com/essays/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication/
South Africa’s spoken communication:
South Africans have a DIRECT style of communication
VERBAL:
They speak confidently & straight to the point
Ex: they are likely to openly point out when you’re wrong or disagree with you on the spot
South Africans speak at a louder volume than Americans
Raised voices
Silence is interpreted as a sign that the convo. Is not engaging or something is wrong
South Africans are uncomfortable when there’s a long period of silence
Spoken communication depends on the location and formality
Ex: In a small town it’s rude when people refer to elders without using the prefix “oom” (uncle) or “tannie” (auntie)
Ex: In Urban environments use the formal “Meneer”, “Mevrou”, or “Juffrou” (Mr, Mrs, or Miss) referring to older people
NON-Verbal:
Comfortable with physical contact lack of physical contact is interpreted as unfriendly or lack of trust
Hands
Some ethnic groups may find it impolite to make gestures w. the left hand SIMILAR TO U.S.
Black South Africans: favor the right hand
White South Africans: comfortable with using left & right hand
Hands in pocket interpreted as disrespectful
Eye contact have steady eye contact throughout the convo. (shows respect)
Personal space:
Black south Africans sit and stand close to each other Americans may consider this to be uncomfortably close
Point at someone RUDE
Prefer face to face communication
Citations: https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/ , https://ivypanda.com/essays/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication/
South Africa’s meeting arrangements and how they’re conducted:
Meeting styles differ depending upon who you’re dealing with (a traditional, white-dominated business, a start-up black African company or the subsidiary of a multi-national located in Johannesburg or Cape Town)
However, here are tips to keep in mind when it comes to meetings:
1. South Africans expect you to have a good idea of the current situation on the ground in South Africa.
Show that you have done your research and that you have adapted your policies or ideas to meet the local conditions.
South Africans are well prepared with a plan and structure of how they want the meeting to go
2. take time in the meeting to try to develop a good relationship with the people you are doing business with
This is important within all sections of South African society as relationships have always formed the basis of good business – regardless of cultural background.
3. avoid anything that could be considered a hard sell approach
It’s much better to be understated and patient with South African contacts as being too pushy will probably alienate people.
South Afrikaners Negotiations and expectations of what will be achieved:
they appreciate and value directness for the sake of clarity and mutual understanding.
During the meeting: Give your full attention to the person speaking and listen courteously. (RESPECT IS HUGE)
DO NOT INTERRUPT like U.S.
Expect negotiations to move slowly
Negotiations: win-win results is the ideal outcome of a meeting for a South African
Citation: https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/south-africa/business-meetings/ , https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/Arrive on time (be punctual), greet everyone in the room individually https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/FORMAL BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS exchange business cards and take a moment to examine the content of the card before putting it away https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/INITIAL MEETINGS often used for partners to familiarize themselves with one another and establish business relationships
South Africa’s decision making in business:
Strategy: planning short term (1 year) to medium term (5 year) basis
Organizational structure a pyramid
Decision-making is passed up the hierarchy
Decisions:
Avoid unnecessary delays (important for negotiations with the person who has the authority to make decisions)
Citations: https://www.labourmobility.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Management-culture-in-South-Africa.pdf (PDF)
Recommendations on how to adapt to the other country’s norms, including resources for learning more:
https://www.labourmobility.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Management-culture-in-South-Africa.pdf (PDF)
A good website of comparing U.S. & South Africa: https://ivypanda.com/essays/us-and-south-african-written-and-visual-communication/
