International Business

CASE STUDY

1. Using this case and the culture dimensions explored in this chapter, discuss some of the ways in which citizens of Australia are members of cultures very different from Indonesia.

Different attitudes to the place of Australia and Indonesia indicate some of the different attitudes to colonialism and nationalism between Indonesia and Australia. Irian Jaya became part of Indonesia because the Javanese and the tribes of Irian Jaya shared the Dutch as a colonial ruler. Papua New Guinea became part of Australia because the Australians and Papua New Guineas shared the British as a common ruler.

The average Indonesian wants Irian Jaya to stay part of Indonesia for nationalistic reasons. Like much of Asia, they are attracted to the idea of strength and power. They want their country to be as large as possible. The same compulsion does not drive Australia. So much so, if a state wished to leave Australia, citizens of the other states would probably be let go without much of a fuss. This almost happened in 1933 when 68 per cent of West Australians voted in favour of seceding from the Commonwealth of Australia. It was only a delay by Britain in giving official approval that prevented the new country from being formed. In the delay, West Australians decided they didn't really care that much either way. Reflecting the indifference the potential loss of WA caused, very few Australians in the eastern states even know the referendum occurred.

Admittedly, there were also some economic differences that made the Australian government more receptive to an independent PNG than the Indonesian government to an independent West Papua. Specifically, if PNG had remained part of Australia, the Australian government would have had to provide welfare, policing, health services, education and other infrastructure. Meanwhile, other countries would be criticising it for its destruction of PNG culture, and holding it responsible for PNG social problems. In contrast, Indonesia...