How cultural factors affect internal and external communication.

Business managers worldwide agree that a company's success in today's business world is ultimately dependent on the degree of its international expansion. While such expansion is universally considered a necessity, specific interpretations of the form an international company communication program should take can differ widely. In large part, the differing opinions stem from cultural differences.

Historically, international companies have been run from home offices with the monocultural spirit of the native country. Numerous French companies, for example, proudly bore the slogan, "Made in France", as a symbol of "quality, good taste and tradition." Yet, the history of the monocultural policy was short-lived. Today, only certain French companies specializing in the fields of cosmetics, fashion and alcoholic beverages retain such policies. By choosing not to emphasize aspects of their foreign identity when working abroad, a majority of today's international companies avoid considerable risks of overwhelming local customs and of clashing with local mentalities.

Society's modern technological advancements force international businesses to formulate global strategies that balance the concepts of globalism and localism. The expansion of mass media such as television, satellites and, most recently, the Internet, has encouraged the development of international communication, rendering large-scale marketing indispensable. Today, companies encounter expanding markets, migrating populations, and the global diffusion of their products. They have modified their campaign strategies accordingly, seeking to promote images that are monolithic in regard to company culture with no regard to nationality.

Jean-Louis Tronc, director of human resources and corporate communication of DuPont de Nemours, France, explains, "We view ourselves as a company which has eliminated the international aspect. There is no such thing as a world defined in two: one part considered as the indigenous and the other as the international. We aspire to obtain a sort of mosaic composed of 60 countries, together constituting the ensemble of DuPont." If a group can be considered as having a global culture when its company culture replaces its national culture, DuPont falls in this category. BT, which has recently abandoned the name British Telecom, follows a similar policy. Both DuPont and BT have promoted universal public relations schemes that facilitate the formulation of clearer strategies, more comprehensible policies and a more coherent company culture and image. Corporate marketing in general is especially adaptable to this new centralization as well as to the external communication which has since been formulated for certain worldwide products.

Today's terminology of "global" communication often serves to disguise what is, in fact, simply a type of "carte blanche communication pass" that specific companies have managed to achieve internationally. In actuality, the fundamentalism of certain business groups has worked against them, leading them to close themselves off in rather traditional and relatively inflexible systems which isolate them from local cultural realities. Excessive controls and direct office instructions lead to reduced responsibilities for local authorities and, accordingly, jeopardize a company's position in the foreign market. as for issues of internal concern, the lack of flexibility and of group dynamics encourages an environment resistant to change, often considered as the ultimate "fantasy [of] supreme control" of a company president, as suggested by Gerard Caron, chairman and managing director of Carre Noir.

Companies that have opted to promote individual "global" images are especially prone to what has been identified as an "international disease": they consistently alter messages and adapt concepts originating abroad to fit their precise "global" company image. American managers have coined the sickness "NIH" for "Not Invented Here", implying, "You understand, here things are not the same. [Thus, we choose to work differently.]" According to Jean Buclet, international director of the Groupe Publicis FCB. Communications, "Progress can only be achieved once the NIH virus has been eliminated."

Undoubtedly, the eventual need to escape the immensity and anonymity of this monolithic company communication appears inevitable. It is unlikely that any future marketing attempts to define a sort of "common denominator" among cultures will ever be accepted as sufficiently all-inclusive by any one nationality.

An efficient intercultural management team is most valuable during periods of economic crisis. While company growth can conceal conflicts and differences, a crisis, on the other hand, can work to reveal and amplify them. An unmediated crisis in an international company can foster an atmosphere prone to stereotypes and internal confrontation. The management team thus assumes the role of defending foreign interests so that the foreigner is not falsely named as a scapegoat. Such a role becomes critical during a crisis; it is precisely the point at which company culture is posed its strongest challenge.

The internal organization of some multinational companies have evolved such that the divisions of power are no longer as centered as they traditionally have been. Previously, a company's geographic origin was considered the most influential economic factor of a group. Today, interests of international sub-groups contribute significantly to strategic company decisions. International company logic must be accordingly redefined as one of negotiation. Knowledge of a client's culture and values serves as a vital factor in the determination of a company's success.

External business communication must equally consider such cultural factors. The phenomena of globalization and internationalization have led companies to compete for offers proposed worldwide. Today's business field is no longer defined by geographic zones, nor limited by proximate cultures. Borders of monocultural, ethnocentric-based zones have disintegrated; international companies have been forced to adapt to customs and practices of local governments. Attempts to understand perspectives of international clients abroad have become necessary to accurately identify vital aspects of a project unidentifiable from home offices. Effective external communication must take all of these factors into account.

As Yves-Marie Dalibard, assistant to the director of communication at EDF, states, "One discovers manners in press matters [which are] completely surprising and it is here that we find a considerable educational opportunity. At EDF, we permanently depend on local expertise; each time that we wish to implant ourselves in a specific area, we immediately research local capabilities and the potential contribution of the local culture in a public relations network."

As for internal communication, a certain number of common company values must be identified and their individual specificities recognized. According to Jean-Louis Tronc of DuPont de Nemours, "adapting communication styles to international environments cannot be accomplished through language alone. [The process] extends well beyond. There are a certain number of global values within a company which must remain the same everywhere; however, they must be interpreted in a way that they be comprehended. [Messages] must be communicated so that they will be understood."

The consideration of such cultural dimensions will undoubtedly constitute a key success factor in the future of company internationalization. With few exceptions, it is impossible today to communicate through force, as it is similarly impossible to impose a unique message. Yet, the veritable necessity of individually unique company cultures is evident. The next step is to ensure that this company culture be defined as one which can be easily modified and adapted accordingly to cultures worldwide. The success of businesses today ultimately depends on the preservation of this equilibrium.