COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH CULTURAL ADAPTATION

As more organizations expand into the international marketplace, cultural barriers become a major threat to the ability of a firm to compete in the global marketplace. Culture varies radically among different ethnic groups and societies. It influences and is influenced by beliefs, customs, language, institutions, standards, and religion. Richard Lamm, former governor of Colorado, stressed in one of his syndicated columns that the culture of a country is a main determinate of whether new technology will be accepted in a country. The acceptance of the new technology is especially critical to competitiveness when a firm establishes operations and employs workers in a foreign country.