Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 4 Global Management: Managing across Borders
#40 Managing Your Career Readiness
Section 4.6 describes career readiness. This chapter links with three of the KSAOs contained in
the career readiness model. The most important is the knowledge factor, cross-cultural
competency. The remaining two are the “other characteristics,” personal adaptability and self-
awareness.
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■ How can you learn? What resources and support do you need?
● Choose Something Basic
Connect® Exercise
CLICK AND DRAG: Enhance Your Cross-Cultural Competency
Summary of Activity:
Career Corner Group Exercise #1: KSAOs in Cross Border Meetings
Learning Objective:
Click to view activity.
CAREER
READINESS
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 4 Global Management: Managing across Borders
MANAGEMENT IN ACTION
THE GROWTH AND STALL OF DIDI CHUXING
Problem-Solving Perspective
1. What obstacles remain for Didi as it challenges Uber’s control of the ride-sharing
industry?
Application of Chapter Content
1. Didi’s CEO Cheng Wei stated that globalization is a top strategic priority for the
organization. Explain how Didi is utilizing major developments in globalization to its
advantage.
2. If you were leading Didi’s expansion into the Americas, what type of international
manager would you want to be—ethnocentric, polycentric, or geocentric? Explain your
decision.
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3. Based on Figure 4.1, which ways of expanding internationally has Didi employed?
Provide specific examples.
Figure 4.1 includes the following:
Specific examples from the figure include:
• Franchise: Taiwan, with LEDI Technology
• Wholly-owned subsidiary: Brazil, purchased 99; Mexico, no partners or purchases
4. Didi is based in China and looking to expand to Brazil. China and Brazil are BRICS
nations. Why is this significant?
5. Assume Didi is planning on entering the U.S. ridesharing market. Based on GLOBE
cultural dimensions, the United States scores lower than China on power distance, in-group
collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance. With this in mind, how would you advise Didi, a
Chinese company, to modify its practices if it plans on entering the U.S. market?
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McGraw-Hill Education.
Power distance: refers to the degree to which people accept inequality in social situations.
Didi should be prepared for Americans to accept more equality between managers and
subordinates, and for things to be less hierarchical.
In-group collectivism: indicates how much people prefer a loosely knit social
framework in which people are expected to take care of themselves. Didi should be
prepared for more individualistic competition inside the United States as opposed to China,
where things are more collectivist.
Uncertainty avoidance: expresses people’s intolerance for uncertainty and risk. Didi
should be prepared to be more entrepreneurial and risk taking in the United States.
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LEGAL/ETHICAL CHALLENGE
SHOULD QATAR BE HOSTING THE 2022 WORLD CUP?
Solving the Challenge
FIFA chose Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. There are reports that FIFA voting members were
bribed by the Qataris in exchange for allowing the country to host the prestigious tournament.
Many FIFA executives have been arrested, or are wanted by authorities, for bribery-related
allegations. However, FIFA claims it has been unable to uncover evidence that would lead it to
prevent Qatar from hosting the World Cup. Qatar also continues to deny it acted improperly or
bought its right to host the tournament. What option would you choose if you were running
FIFA?
1. Qatar should be stripped of its right to host the 2022 World Cup. There is obviously
evidence of bribery and such an important tournament should not be tainted.
2. So far, prosecutors have not uncovered anything directly tying the Qataris to the
corruption scandal. Stripping Qatar of its hosting privileges while it is building the
infrastructure to host the tournament will lead to millions, or possibly billions, of dollars
in losses and a significant number of lost jobs. Do nothing.
3. FIFA should have a third party open its own investigation of the events leading up to
Qatar’s being granted hosting privileges. The conclusion of this investigation should
dictate what happens to the 2022 bid.
4. Invent other options.
Students can think of other options utilizing facts from the case and chapter content.
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TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE: E-Commerce: Alibaba
If asked, most Americans would point to Amazon.com as the largest online retail outlet. They
would be wrong. Alibaba, founded by Jack Ma in 1999 in China, is actually larger than Amazon
and eBay combined. This example describes some of the products and services provided by
Alibaba.
YOUR CALL
Alibaba has a few data centers in the United States, but so far has not done more than engage in
exploratory talks with U.S. firms about joining its growing network of retailers. Do you think it
makes sense for Alibaba to remain focused on its home market of China? Why or why not?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Have the students go online to www.alibaba.com and explore the website. Have them find 2 to
5 unusual items they don’t think they would find on Amazon. Then have them go to
2. Do you think Alibaba could sell these items in the United States? Why or why not?
3. Does Alibaba sell too many things online? Why would they sell things such as snack carts and
racing motorcycles online in China that are not sold online at Amazon in the United States?
4. Should Amazon consider branching out into more of the types of items sold on Alibaba? Why
or why not?
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EXAMPLE: Managing Your Career: Getting the Edge in the Global Job Market
This Example points out that 70 percent of Millennials want to travel—that is why they work to
begin with! Forty-percent also express a desire to actually live abroad, not just visit. Therefore,
seeking jobs overseas could fulfill both these desires. However, what should they do to increase
their chances of landing an overseas job? Increase your social awareness. Be prepared to be
flexible in accepting that others think, believe, and work differently than you may be used to.
Research whether your company has overseas positions and how you can qualify for them.
Actively seek people with overseas experience or from other countries to add to your network.
Get a job, any job in another country, then start looking for careers there.
YOUR CALL
What are the key challenges in pursuing an international job after graduation?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Consider assigning Self-Assessment 4.1 Assessing Your Consumer Ethnocentrism. Consider
asking questions such as:
1. If someone is extremely, or even somewhat, ethnocentric, how would that affect their job
satisfaction if they take an overseas assignment?
2. Should companies test their employees for ethnocentric tendencies as a regular part of
determining who will be assigned to overseas position? If they do, how might employees react to
not getting such a plum position for this reason?
4. Would their college courses prepare them for such a career track?
5. What should they be doing now to prepare?
6. Are they considering looking further into the possibility of an overseas job?
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EXAMPLE: Global Outsourcing: Which Jobs Have Fallen Victim?
This example begins by discussing the large number of jobs that have been offshored and how
this worries workers. It then moves to a quick list of the types of jobs least likely to be offshored:
those requiring face-to-face and physical contact, those requiring exceptionally high skilled
YOUR CALL
What kind of job or jobs are you interested in that would seem to provide you with some hope of
prevailing in a fast-changing world?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Consider using these two videos in the same activity.
The Real Reason Manufacturing Jobs are Disappearing.
This video links increases in productivity, protectionism and offshoring. It points out that out of
all the manufacturing jobs lost over the last couple of decades, 87 percent of them were not lost
A second video, Why Some Manufacturers Are Returning Jobs to the U.S, discusses the recent
phenomenon of some jobs that were offshored returning to the United States as pay rates
overseas have increased to make the cost differential negligible.
Return.
EXAMPLE: What Will Brexit Mean for Britain and the EU?
ONLINE
VIDEO
ONLINE
VIDEO
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 4 Global Management: Managing across Borders
This Example presents the problems Great Britain faces with its exit from the EU in 2019. It
focuses, in particular, on the banking industry as London has been the hub of the EU banking
world. Banks are fleeing London for Frankfurt and Paris. Students are asked to consider the
implications of a hard vs a soft “Brexit.” Further, they are asked to examine the advantages and
disadvantages of common markets.
YOUR CALL
Do you think the advantages of a single market like the EU outweigh the disadvantages for
member countries? Why or why not?
First have the students describe how the EU differs from a common market such as NAFTA,
CAFTA, ASEAN, and Mercosur. What does the EU do differently, what does it offer that these
other trading blocs do not offer or do?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
BBC News published an in-depth look at Brexit: All You Need to Know About the UK Leaving
the EU. As many students may not be well versed on the Brexit issue and its history, you might
consider assigning this as an outside reading before having the discussion described above the
“Your Call” section.
Return.
EXAMPLE: An American in London Dealing with Currency Exchange—How Much Are
Those Jeans, Really?
YOUR CALL
Could you afford to go?
ONLINE
ARTICLE
1.28 USD); the Canadian dollar is weaker than the United states dollar (1 Canadian dollar = 76
cents), and the Mexican peso is much weaker that the United States Dollar (1 Mexican peso = 5
cents). With this in mind, visiting Canada or Mexico may fit in better with your budget than
visiting Europe. When you look historically at currencies though, a currency such as the euro
was valued at almost 1.5 USD in mid-2011, so it is actually cheaper now to visit Europe than it
was seven years ago.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. One way to build on this Example is to have the students read The Wall Street Journal article
“What the Dollar’s Strength Means for Expats.” This article discusses some of the investment
ONLINE
ARTICLE
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TEXTBOOK PRACTICAL ACTIONS
PRACTICAL ACTION: How to Run an International Meeting
This Practical Example presents a number of questions for students to consider when conducting
(or even attending) a meeting with cross-national participants. The five sections include knowing
YOUR CALL
If you were holding a virtual meeting so you and your colleagues in the UK could present a sales
proposal to a potential client in India, what questions would you want to ask participants ahead
of time?
The five sections in the Box should drive their contributions to the discussion. Many will focus on
understanding time: “Do meetings usually start on time and follow an agenda?” or on protocol
and status issues: “How should seating be arranged?” Even considerations of what language
should be used or if interpreters will be needed. You might consider all asking which of these
questions students feel are the most critical and why?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Have students go online to https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides.
2. Have each student (or groups if you prefer) choose one country, research it, then plan what
3. Alternatively, you could have each student or group chose up to four countries to read about.
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SELF-ASSESSMENTS
SELF-ASSESSMENT 4.1
Assessing Your Consumer Ethnocentrism
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. Are you surprised by the results? What do they suggest about your purchasing decisions?
What are the pros and cons of being an ethnocentric consumer?
2. How do American companies, associations, and unions encourage us to be ethnocentric
consumers?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
In this activity, students should be assigned to groups based on their Self-Assessment scores.
Students with a high ethnocentrism score should be grouped together, and students with a low
ethnocentrism score should be grouped together. Students with high ethnocentrism scores should
discuss the challenges associated with ethnocentrism. Have the students consider the harm high
ethnocentrism can cause at an organization. Students with low ethnocentrism scores should
discuss ways to reduce ethnocentrism at their organizations (policies, behavior, etc.). Some
questions to consider:
1. How does high ethnocentrism affect behaviors in groups/teams and hinder motivation in the
workplace? What diversity issues can exhibit themselves?
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Groups should present for the class, and you should further point out challenges associated with
high ethnocentrism.
Return.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 4.2 CAREER READINESS
Assessing Your Standing on the GLOBE Dimensions
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. What are your three highest and lowest rated dimensions? How might these beliefs affect your
ability to work with people from Europe, Asia, and South America?
Student responses will differ based on self-assessment results. Some examples that can be drawn
are as follows:
2. How do your dimensional scores compare to the norms for Americans shown in Table 4.6?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
In this activity, students should be assigned to groups based on their Self-Assessment scores.
Students who scored highest on a particular GLOBE dimension should be grouped together. The
groups should write a response for the question provided below, related to their particular
dimension:
Power distance—how much unequal distribution of power should there be in organizations and
society?
Uncertainty avoidance—how much should people rely on social norms and rules to avoid
uncertainty?
CAREER
READINESS