Cross Cultural Management

Cross Cultural Management

Interview was conducted of a candidate who belonged to China but now working at Singapore. The interviewer was researching about the differences in power distance, hierarchy, and working culture among China and Singapore.

Interview Questions

Question 1

Do you think you have drifted from your formal culture/values to suit the present environment you're in?

Answer: “Yes, the transformation is a must in order to work and live well here.”

Question 2

Briefly describe how your home country was like relating to organisation based on the followings; Circle the suitable ones.

- Low Power Distance / High Power Distance

- Individualist / Collectivist

- Masculinity / Femininity

Answer: “Definitely High power distance; Collectivist; Moderate masculinity.”

Question 3

Based on question 10, how has the overseas assignment organisation differed? - Home Country V.S Foreign Country.

Answer: “As compared, Singaporeans are more individualist and hold a balance of masculinity and femininity at work.”

Question 4

Locally, how did you perceived your working colleagues at work and people whom you have known so far? Circle the suitable one.

- Selectivity (Through their backgrounds, attitude and experience)

- Assumed Similarity (Perception)

- Stereotyping (Perception based on a group)

- Halo Effect (Based on personal intelligence, Sociability or appearance)

Answer: “Selectivity”

Question 5

How did you feel about the organisation structure here locally compared with your home country? Any differences? If yes, which do you prefer?

Answer: “Different, organizations in China contain strict hierarchy while Singapore companies have less power distance, employees here usually are task-oriented instead of relationship-oriented, the time taken to make decision is a bit longer as discussion through all departments is required while Chinese workers always listen to what is the orders from management and seldom resist and tend to tolerate the inequity more. (China has too many man powers; management does not need to worry much about shortage of workers).”

Question 6

When working in teams for your overseas assignment, ...