Managers from the second country:
? have gained their experience in state-owned enterprises or are competitive self-starters
? work very long hours and expect their subordinates to do so
? are extremely innovative, optimistic and determined
The descriptions were taken from an English course book published in 2000. The first portrait depicts an American manager, the second a Polish manager. If you guessed correctly, my congratulations, as I would have a problem in guessing which country each manager comes from.
I would say the descriptions today seem a bit old-fashioned. The lesson from the course book focuses on cross-cultural awareness in the business world and the importance of understanding and communicating in an international environment. Today, global businesses still face a challenge in learning how to cope with corporate culture clashes. Cultural issues are quite complex and companies need to acquire intercultural competence in order to work effectively.