What Is Culture Shock?

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In the last century, globalization has become a very tangible part of how business is conducted. Technological advancement allows international trade and commerce to happen rapidly and easily while the advancement in how goods are transported and how people communicate have had a drastic effect on the globalization of business. Management practices and culture also has a bearing on how international enterprise has is conducted. Managers have to adapt to different management practices, adjust to a new culture, and sometimes face ethical issues in a foreign field. Management is an important role in finance and enterprise that has far reaching consequences on the globalization of business.

In every country, there are often differences that make …show more content…

In doing so, however, they may find they experience a significant amount of culture shock. Culture shock is defined as "the feeling of disorientation, loneliness, insecurity or confusion that can occur when someone leaves his or her home country to live in a new culture"(Harzing, para. 1, 2016). Culture shock happens in stages, usually starting with a feeling of euphoria at being chosen to move to the new country, as well as the desire to soak in and learn everything one can about the new country and culture. However, this period is temporary and descends into a low period, characterized a feeling of homesickness. Managers in this stage may become irritable and react to small inconveniences and differences dramatically (Four Common Stages of Cultural Adjustment, 2016) They may feel as though they do not have significant support from the company they work for and contemplate moving back to their home countries. This has a negative effect on the work performance of the manager, and in turn, has a negative impact on the welfare of the company in the foreign market. Because of this, many companies begin implementing a training program to help management prepare for and adjust to life in a foreign country. Such programs may include learning the work culture as well as the social norms and mores of the host country, and also how to balance work life and home life. In this way, managers and their employees would have an easier time adjusting to the culture shock of their host countries (Kottolli, 2006). But in adapting and conforming to the culture of a host country, could a manager find themselves in a difficult

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