Case Assignments

Case Assignments

(1) Uganda on Page 79

1. Uganda has had negative experiences with powerful leaders starting with IA who committed mass murder. Also, there has been a recent influx of immigrants settling in Uganda after fleeing from bloodshed in Rwanda, Zaire, and the Sudan. The government supports nepotism and is concerned to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. There are few government regulations on the conduct of business which creates a favorable climate for doing business there. Also, electricity is not widely available. The religious terrain includes Christians, Muslims and various animistic religions.

2. With regard to a company, ethnocentrism describes the belief that the methods which work for a company at home will be equally effective abroad any cultural influences. With regard to a company, polycentrism describes the belief that an organization should behave like a local company. A geocentric attitude is one taken by a business wherein it bases its operations on informed knowledge of the needs of both home and host country. M and G: Martin’s attitude is polycentric because he believes in accommodating Ugandan ways of doing business regardless of the conflict with his company’s method of doing business. Green’s attitude is ethnocentric because he believes that the company’s methods should work equally well in Uganda as they do at home. The factors that influenced their respective attitudes are as follows: Green was influenced by the values of L. He knew he would be held accountable for the results of Martin’s decisions and the impact of the company. Green was influenced by Martin’s success in dealing with local issues as well as performing in the culture and making new engineers comfortable in the company and culture. M was influenced by his education in African studies as well as his experience in the Peace Corps while working in Kenya. Martin developed a disdain for western management styles and was determined to respect the...