Cultural Challenges
Running Head: Cultural Challenges
Grammar: see comments
Analysis: very strong and thorough.
GRADE: 9.7/10
Cultural Challenges
Shon C. Wells
University of Phoenix
MBA 501
November 14, 2007
Steve Kafka, an American of Czech origin and a franchisor for Chicago Style Pizza, has decided to expand his business into the Czech Republic. Steve knows that he is going to deal with some difficult situations and face high risks by moving his franchise to Prague, the capital city in the Czech Republic. Steve will also have to sort out the major cultural differences between the United States and the Czech Republic. These cultural differences could determine if he fails or succeeds in his plans for expansion.
The Czech Republic covers thirty thousand four hundred fifty square miles and is a touch smaller than South Carolina. Steve's clientele will not be as diverse as in the United States, but he will have to cope with quite a few people of diverse ethnic origins.
Ninety percent of the population is Bohemian, four percent is Moravian, and two percent is ethnic Slovak. Other groups include Poles, Silesians, Germans, Romanians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Russians and Greeks. The Roma ethnic group is listed at less than one percent but the numbers are difficult to count because its members claim other ethnic groups to avoid discrimination.
Steve is fluent in Czech, which is the main language that is used, so there should not be any barriers in that sense. Adults are addressed by their professional titles and last names to show respect. Czech society does emphasize conformity and cooperation and community leaders are held in high esteem. People who perform jobs well are admired whether they are professionals or manual laborers.
One of the major cultural differences that Steve will have to contend with is the eating habits of the Czechs....
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