Question

In cultural environment in International Business, What are the roles of language and religion in culture? Briefly describe.

Answer 1

The culture consists of language, social institutions, religion, political systems economic systems, and philosophy, education, and symbols. Thus, it is important to consider the influences of culture on international business; these aspects must be taken into account, especially the impacts from history, language, religion, and social institution, which can reflect the attitudes, beliefs and habits of the society. In a globalized economy, cultural sensitivity is a major factor. It is vital to understand and know about cultural differences for succeeding in business. To know language nuances, etiquette and cultural time management differences are helpful to navigate several complex interactions. Misinterpreting the words or the cultural meaning associated with them can affect the entire interchange negatively; and this in turn may lead to be a deal-breaker.

Religious beliefs can influence trading behavior in broadly two approaches. First, sharing the same religious practices usually indicates sharing similar values thus can enhance trust between trading partners and reduce transaction costs. Consequently, the volume of trade between traders of the same religion would be higher compared to trade between different religions. Secondly, each religion has its own ethical standpoint towards the trading activity. The employees want religious practices and beliefs to be accommodated, inclusive of time during the workday for rituals, and time off from work for observances. Any failure in recognition of different religions and respecting the requirements of employees can result to team conflict, scheduling issues, and costly employee turnover. Thus in global business it's essential to be aware of different religions and key events