CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS PROJECT SIGNATURE PAGE PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

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1 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS PROJECT SIGNATURE PAGE PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PRESENTATION DATE: f!j/0\ J \7. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE PROJECT COMMITTEE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. Name of Project Advisor PROJECT ADVISOR SIGNATURE DATE Name of Second Reader DATE

2 California State University San Marcos Culture: Comparison of Analysis and Experience SMBA Graduate Thesis Dana Wilson

3 Contents Executive Summary... 3 Intro... 4 Overview of Edeka... 4 Project Overview... 5 Cross-Cultural Assessment... 6 Global Competencies Inventory... 7 Perception Management... 8 Nonjudgmentalness Factors... 8 Inquisitiveness... 9 Tolerance for Ambiguity... 9 Cosmopolitanism... 9 Interest Flexibility Relationship Management Relationship Interest Interpersonal Engagement Emotional Sensitivity Self-Awareness Social Flexibility Self-Management Optimism Self-Confidence Self-Identity Emotional Resilience Non-Stress Tendency Stress Management Culture Compass Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance Long Term Orientation Indulgence

4 Problems Encountered Most Rewarding Activity Least Rewarding Activity Edeka for an Expatriate Assignment References

5 Executive Summary As part of the international business specialization in the Specialized M.B.A. program at California State University San Marcos, I was presented with the opportunity to complete an international internship. The organization I interned with was Edeka, a German grocery chain. My classmate Rena Mobasseri and I were partnered with a student host, Marvin Rosel. The purpose of the internship was to connect our academic training with real world international work experience. In this thesis, I will discuss the details of my internship and the project we were assigned. I will also discuss my experiences and how they relate to my cultural expectations, global competencies, and academic training. In order to discuss my cultural expectations and global competencies, I will reference two frameworks, Global Competencies Inventory and Culture Compass from the Hofstede Centre. Finally, I will reflect upon my experience through a discussion of problems encountered, the most rewarding and least rewarding activities, and whether or not I would recommend Edeka as a place to complete an expatriate assignment. Edeka is a German grocery retailer and e-tailer with over 11,300 supermarkets throughout Germany and over 25 percent market share in the grocery retail sector. Recently, Edeka introduced Edeka24, an online grocery store for ambient goods and Edeka Lebensmittel for fresh food items. Edeka24 is an online grocery store with delivery service and free shipping on orders over 75. The main value proposition for Edeka24 is convenience. The project we were tasked with was to perform market and industry research on Edeka24, Edeka s online grocery market, and similar online offerings. In an effort to best prepare myself for this international work experience, I completed two cultural assessments. The first was the Global Competencies Inventory and the second was the Culture Compass from the Hofstede Centre. Both surveys provided insight into the various cultural dimensions that may impact my ability to be successful in and adapt to German business culture. Completing these surveys also allowed me to evaluate and process the aspects of culture that I witnessed and experienced during my time in Germany. The main problem that I encountered during my internship was a disconnect between my expectations and the reality of the situation. I had expected to be tasked with a project that would be relevant and useful to the organization. The reality of the situation was that no one within the organization had any plan for Rena and me as interns. Although I was unsuccessful in solving this problem, I was able to overcome the problem and make the most of this situation. Overcoming this problem was possible by leveraging on of my strengths, realistic optimism. 3

6 Intro As part of the international business specialization in the Specialized M.B.A. program at California State University San Marcos, I was presented with the opportunity to complete an international internship. The organization I interned with was Edeka, a German grocery chain. My classmate Rena Mobasseri and I were partnered with a student host, Marvin Rosel. The purpose of the internship was to connect our academic training with real world international work experience. In this thesis, I will discuss the details of my internship and the project we were assigned. I will also discuss my experiences and how they relate to my cultural expectations, global competencies, and academic training. In order to discuss my cultural expectations and global competencies, I will reference two frameworks, Global Competencies Inventory and Culture Compass from the Hofstede Centre. Finally, I will reflect upon my experience through a discussion of problems encountered, the most rewarding and least rewarding activities, and whether or not I would recommend Edeka as a place to complete an expatriate assignment. Overview of Edeka Edeka is a German grocery retailer and e-tailer with over 11,300 supermarkets throughout Germany and over 25 percent market share in the grocery retail sector. Edeka is comprised of over 4,000 independent entrepreneurs and nine regional groups. With over 347,000 employees and 16,800 apprentices, Edeka is the largest grocery vendor in Germany. Edeka was originally founded in 1898 and has since grown to be the largest grocery chain in Germany. Our focus was on Edeka Sudwest specifically. Edeka Sudwest attained sales of 8.2 billion in 2015 with 1,350 markets, 1000 of which are operated by independent entrepreneurs and the remaining 350 markets are operated by Edeka. Edeka Sudwest employs 43,500 employees and 2,272 apprentices. Edeka operates their retail locations through seven different market types. The first market is Edeka nah & gut, which is the smallest store in the lineup. The number of products in these stores is limited and the retail footprint is minimal. Next is Edeka, these retail locations are the standard format for Edeka, containing more product variety than Edeka nah & gut. The E Center format includes a standard Edeka retail location and also includes other stores within the same building. The additional stores may include electronics retailers, restaurants, bakeries, etc. Marktkauf locations are the largest shops in Edeka s repertoire. These locations offer largescale retail products. EDEKA C+C Großmarkt is a store format that is for business-to-business operations. Customers of EDEKA C+C Großmarkt must have a business license in order to shop in the store. Customers of this market type tend to be restaurants and food vendors. Treff 3000 is Edeka s discount option. Prices in a Treff 3000 are lower than in traditional Edeka locations. Finally, Edeka operates Getränkemarkt which is a retailer that specializes exclusively in soft drinks and a convenience format. Recently, Edeka introduced Edeka24, an online grocery store for ambient goods and Edeka Lebensmittel for fresh food items. Edeka24 is an online grocery store with delivery service and free shipping on orders over 75. The main value proposition for Edeka24 is convenience. Edeka Lebensmittle is also and online grocery store with delivery, however, Edeka Lebensmittel 4

7 offers fresh food items with no minimum value for delivery. Edeka Lebensmittel offers 20,000+ products and free delivery on orders over 70. Project Overview Rena and I were located in the IT department during our internship mainly because that was the department our student host worked in. Specifically, we were in the help desk, the section of the IT department responsible for maintaining internal IT functions such as preparing and repairing employee computers. The help desk has about fifteen employees working of which four are students. The IT department and its function were not related to our internship or project, it was simply a place for us to work. The project we were tasked with was to perform market and industry research on Edeka24, Edeka s online grocery market, and similar online offerings. We were given little guidance on how and what specifically we should be researching. We were informed that our research was not intended to benefit anyone in the company, nor did anyone care to look at it. Therefore, the research we were doing was solely for our own benefit. The findings of our research are discussed in more detail in the following paragraphs. As in any industry, the online grocery sector has a specific industry structure. The industry is in the growth stage of the life cycle with relatively low volatility and medium capital intensity. The industry receives little industry assistance and has a low level of concentration. Both the regulation level and rate of technology change is medium. Barriers to entry and industry globalization are low while competition level is high. (Alvarez, 2017) There are some general industry constrains that the online grocery industry has not yet been able to fully overcome. These constraints are thought to have limited the growth of the industry thus far. The first is that online grocery delivery requires the consumer to be home at the time of delivery. Second, the use of online grocery is only cost effective in large amount orders because of the cost of deliveries. Finally, consumer preference for personally selecting fresh food items has not diminished and prevents consumers from ordering fresh food online. Within the online grocery market there are several key success factors. The first is the ability to control stock on hand. This means that industry operators must be able to maintain necessary stock to avoid stock-outs. In the case of a stock-out, customers are likely to take business elsewhere and the resulting loss can be greater than the item not available. Operators that are better able to predict and account for changes in demand will be able retain loyal customers and, in some cases, gain customers from the mistakes of other operators. This leads to the next key success factor, having a loyal customer base. A loyal customer base primarily stems from superior customer service. Once a loyal customer base is achieved the result is repeat buyers that ensure continued sales. Next, it is important that the company s website is user friendly. It is critical to have an easy-to-navigate website that encourages traffic and purchases. Success can also be contingent on developing economies of scope. Realizing economies of scope within the industry means having a range of grocery products at different levels of price and quality, as more variety helps to attract a larger customer base. The best operators in the industry quickly adopt new technology. The more up-to-date with technology, the more efficient the 5

8 operations. The final success factor is the ability to provide goods and services in diverse locations. More available delivery locations allow for a larger and more diverse potential market. (Alvarez, 2017) A major setback within the market is that brick-and-mortar retailers have had little incentive to enter the online market. The online market cannibalizes sales and is less profitable and more costly than traditional brick-and-mortar locations. Only recently, with the entrance of onlineonly players in the market have traditional grocery stores entered the online sector. Also, general demand for online grocery shopping has been and still is increasing, showing that the trend will lean more toward online shopping in the future. If traditional retailers do not enter the online market, sales and loyal customers will be lost to online-only players. As the presence of online grocery increases and consumer preferences shift toward online shopping, existing brick-and-mortar stores will be affected. The effects on grocery stores can be broadly broken down in to three categories. The first is stores that cannot be saved. The best option for this store is to minimize the investment and pull cash out wherever possible. It is also important to ensure that other nearby locations retain the sales from the original customers. The second category is stores that will survive initially. In this category, it is important for the store to maintain and protect its position in the market, but to not over-invest. The third category is stores who can adapt to the changing market. These stores should be the focus of investments, as they will likely be the last standing brick-and-mortar locations when grocery shopping has shifted to online shopping predominately. This is the best position for a store, as other nearby competitors have or will exit the local market in a brick-and-mortar setting. Cross-Cultural Assessment In an effort to best prepare myself for this international work experience, I completed two cultural assessments. The first was the Global Competencies Inventory and the second was the Culture Compass from the Hofstede Centre. Both surveys provided insight into the various cultural dimensions that may impact my ability to be successful in and adapt to German business culture. Completing these surveys also allowed me to evaluate and process the aspects of culture that I witnessed and experienced during my time in Germany. In order to explain the differences between my experience and expectations, I would like to provide an example of my initial understanding and expectations of Germany culture from a paper I completed in preparation for my international experience. Germany scores relatively low on power distance, meaning that power inequalities are not generally accepted, except in special circumstances. Communication is direct and individuals are allowed to challenge superiors. German culture reflects moderate-tohigh individualism. Individualism is valued, but there is the expectation of interdependence within families. Germany leans toward being a more masculine society which means that success is highly valued and status is based on merit. As for uncertainty avoidance, Germany scores somewhat high. Germans tend to avoid uncertainty, as they prefer to have concrete information before making decisions. The time orientation in Germany is long, meaning that German culture prioritizes efforts that will pay off in the long-term. This aspect of German culture also relates to the 6

9 presence of pragmatic truth. German culture is relatively low in indulgence, meaning that restraint is taught and practiced. Societies with low indulgence tend to exhibit more pessimistic qualities. In German business culture, business is considered to be very serious and structure is valued and expected. Punctuality is not preferred, but required, as Germans place importance on organization and time. German culture is generally task oriented. (Wilson, 2017) Given my initial expectations of German business culture based exclusively on research, I will now compare my actual experience with my initial expectations. As with any generalizations about culture, differences will be present when confronted with actual experiences. Although many aspects of German culture were as I expected, there were also several experiences that countered my expectations, all of which contributed to my learning and cultural development. Global Competencies Inventory The Global Competencies Inventory (GCI) is used to determine the level at which a person is able to be successful internationally within certain pre-defined dimensions. The GCI Model is broken down into three components: perception management relationship management self-management Below is an excerpt from the GCI Model that defines the purpose and intention of the exercise. The Global Competencies Inventory (GCI) is designed to assess your personal dispositions related to interacting effectively with people whose cultural norms and behaviors differ from your own. However, the GCI also measures how well equipped you are to deal with diverse demographic groups based on ethnicity, gender, generation, socio-economic class, religious beliefs, political philosophies, and so on. Although many of my scores on the GCI model were not perfect, my overall score was a seven out of seven, meaning that my overall global competency is high. Having scored high in all dimensions, my GCI profile best matches that of a globe trotter and next best matches an adventurer. A globe trotter is one who has fulfilled all three components within the GCI Model. According to the GCI Model, Globe trotters enjoy learning about foreign places and people, easily initiate relationships with those who are different from them, and manage quite well the personal challenges these things create. They are comfortable anywhere with all kinds of people. The ideal GCI model is the globe trotter. The goal is to completely fill all dimensions: perception management, self-management, and relationship management. A person who has done this should have the qualities described above. I feel that the description of a globe trotter describes my personality and preferences well. An adventurer is one who has filled out the dimensions of perception management and selfmanagement, but is low on relationship management. My score was moderate for relationship management, meaning that I fall between the description for globe trotter and adventurer. 7

10 According to the GCI Model, Adventurers enjoy learning about the larger world and about people who differ from them. They are emotionally stable individuals but find it more challenging or are less interested in developing new relationships. I also agree with this description as a generalization for my tendencies and personality as well as an indication of my weaknesses. Perception Management The dimension of perception management within the GCI model measures the following factors: Nonjudgmentalness Factors Inquisitiveness Tolerance for Ambiguity Cosmopolitanism Interest Flexibility All of these factors help to determine how one perceives others who are different them and then how those perceptions are managed and overcome. According to the GCI Model, perception management, Considers the processes by which perceptions and judgments are made, as well as your ability to accurately make sense of ambiguous situations and to be inclusive of differences. My overall score for the perception management factor is seven out of seven, meaning that I have a competence in perception management and that I have high scores on all the dimensions of perception management. Nonjudgmentalness Factors Nonjudgmentalness is defined as, Your willingness to withhold or suspend negative judgments about situations or people. My score for nonjudgmentalness was a seven out of seven, the highest score possible. Therefore, this dimension is a strength that I was able to leverage in my international experience. Being nonjudgmental is one of my greatest strengths according to the GCI model. I understand this dimension to not be a lack of initial judgment, but the ability to overcome an initial judgment when more information and experiences are available. It is human nature to make snap judgments about people, cultures, situation, etc., but it takes focus, thought, and introspection to be able to change an opinion of the situation or person. This strength will be especially helpful in German culture. Germans can be viewed as rough around the edges and can be very direct. In my initial reaction, I may view this to be a negative trait, or something I dislike about a person. My strength resides in the ability to later assess the situation and see past my initial reactions and judgment in order to give the individual the benefit of the doubt and understand that my interpretation of his or her behavior may not be how he or she indented it to be. This will be especially important when I am dealing with a language barrier and I may not understand the entire situation as it is actually occurring. 8

11 The ability to be nonjudgmental will help me to establish connections with German people I am involved with. Without this ability, I may experience more culture shock and become more introverted. (Wilson, 2017) This dimension did prove to be an asset during my international experience and helped me to better understand the people I met from various backgrounds and cultures. Inquisitiveness Inquisitiveness is defined as, Your disposition to look at new and different experiences as opportunities for variety, change, and learning. I have always thought of myself as curious and open to new experiences. Therefore, I was not surprised that my score on this dimension was a six out of seven. Upon embarking on this international experience, I did look at the internship as an opportunity for variety, change, and learning. Having a foundation of curiosity, I am more open to new experiences and learning about different cultures. This dimension is important because without it, someone in a similar situation may not gain as much value from the experience. Inquisitiveness allowed me to uncover the deeper nuances of German culture, especially those different from my own and use this experience as a source of growth and personal and professional development. Tolerance for Ambiguity Tolerance for ambiguity is defined as, Your capacity to be comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty. This dimension came as somewhat of a surprise to me. I consider myself to be tolerant of ambiguity, but there are certain scenarios in which I prefer to know the details and specifics of a situation. My score on this dimension was a six out of seven, meaning that I show competence in my tolerance for ambiguity. Upon further research and reflection, I learned that preference for certainty and the ability to manage uncertainty are two different things. I prefer that a situation be certain and familiar, but I am able to manage a situation that is unfamiliar and unclear. I also understand that situations without predefined expectations and answers also offer the best opportunity for learning even though they may be more challenging. Overall, there is still room for me to develop this dimension by becoming more comfortable and welcoming to ambiguity. This strength helped me to be successful in this international experience because most of the situations were unclear and I often times had little information. Cosmopolitanism Cosmopolitanism is defined as, Your natural interest in and curiosity about foreign countries, cultures, and geography, as well as current world and international events. I consider myself to be interested in foreign cultures and international events and my score of six out of seven reflects that interest. I tend to seek out and enjoy information about people and places that are different from me and I am interested in experiencing these differences first-hand. Foreign travel is important to 9

12 me and is something I have prioritized in my life. This dimension not only helped me in my international experience, but is the reason I sought out the opportunity in the first place. Interest Flexibility Interest flexibility is defined as, Your willingness to explore new interests or hobbies and to try things that differ from your normal routine. (GCI, 2017) I have always been interested in exploring new hobbies and I have rarely been fearful of new experiences. Thus, a score of seven out of seven in interest flexibility is fitting for my personality. I am excited by opportunities to have new and unfamiliar experiences such as the international internship in Germany. This international experience required drastic change to my regular life and daily routine, my interest flexibility allowed me to welcome these changes with acceptance and excitement. Relationship Management The dimension of relationship management with in the GCI model measures the following factors: Relationship Interest Interpersonal Engagement Emotional Sensitivity Self-Awareness Social Flexibility According to the GCI Model, relationship management, Considers your level of self-awareness, the ability to attend to yourself and others, and the application of sound interpersonal skills to deal with people from different cultures or ethnic groups. Relationship management is the factor I scored lowest on. My overall score was a five out of seven. The reason for the score of five is because the dimensions that make up relationship management vary based on my competence. In some dimensions, I have high competence and in others I have significant room to grow. Relationship Interest Relationship interest is defined as, Your awareness of and interest in other people, especially those who are different from you or who come from other cultures. (GCI, 2017) I consider myself to be interested in people who are different from me, which reflects my score of seven out of seven on the relationship interest dimension. I consider most people to be different from myself, as I tend to see the individuality in all people. I also take great joy in getting to know people who are different and learning from them. I understand that I have the most to learn from those who are most different from me. I respect that others have alternative perspectives and viewpoints and I am interested to know why people think and act the way they do without judgement. This dimension was especially important during my international experience because I was surrounded by people who were from many different cultures and backgrounds. I was able to leverage my relationship interest to learn about the many people I came to know during my travels. 10

13 Interpersonal Engagement Interpersonal engagement is defined as, Your willingness to take the initiative to meet and engage others in interactions, including strangers from other cultures. (GCI, 2017) I have always been able to talk to anyone. This dimension is related to my level of relationship interest and compounded by the fact that I have little fear or hesitation to speak with someone I do not yet know. As such, my score for interpersonal engagement is seven out of seven. I have always had a diverse group of friends and acquaintances and that is something that I have learned to value and cherish. I often find myself meeting someone new and getting into deep conversations with them. This strength helped me to get to know and make connections with people I met during my travels and my internship. Establishing genuine connections with people from other cultures has been one of the greatest rewards of my international experience. Emotional Sensitivity Emotional sensitivity is defined as, Your capacity to read the emotions and understand the feelings and concerns of others, as well as respond with empathy to the circumstances they face. (GCI, 2017) I have never considered myself to be a very emotional person, which makes it difficult for me to recognize and understand emotions in others. This could be an explanation for my score of four out of seven on emotional sensitivity. I do, however, feel that people I am close to come to me for emotional support and guidance, meaning that I have some level of competence in this dimension. The key takeaway, though, is that I have identified an opportunity for growth and an area of my personality that needs improvement. I cannot think of a specific time where I relied on emotional sensitivity during my internship, and that could be related to my lack of skills in this dimension. Further growing this skill will help me to better connect with people who are in need of help and support. Self-Awareness Self-awareness is defined as, Your awareness of yourself, your values, beliefs, capabilities, and limitations as well as an understanding of how your beliefs, capabilities, and limitations impact others. (GCI, 2017) My score for self-awareness was a four out of seven. Based on my score, I have interest in becoming self-aware, but I have not yet reach a high level of self-awareness. High self-awareness is critical in a foreign work environment and in everyday life because it means knowing personal strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and abilities. I think that with attention and hard work, I will improve in this dimension as I age. This dimension was important during my international experience, especially due to the fact that I am American and America is experiencing extremely divided political preferences. Many people wanted to speak with me about U.S. politics and I had to be careful of how I articulated my responses without compromising my beliefs. This experience helped me to improve my self-awareness in a foreign environment. 11

14 Social Flexibility Social flexibility is defined as, Your capacity to regulate and adapt your behavior to fit in and build positive relationships with others. (GCI, 2017) This dimension was by far my lowest score within the GCI Model. I scored two out of seven which is considered to be a low competence. This dimension is clearly the area in which I have the most potential for growth. I identified this weakness prior to my experience in a paper I completed. Within the GCI Model, social flexibility was my lowest score. I scored two out of seven on social flexibility. This weakness is especially concerning to me because I feel that social flexibility is critical to success in different cultural environments. I understand social flexibility to mean the willingness and extent to which one is able to change his/her behavior to what is expected or considered normal in the cultural context. To be completely honest, I am not sure why I scored so low on this dimension, and that is a great concern to me. In order to overcome weakness, I must first understand the weakness. I trust the GCI survey and I know that I answered the questions truthfully, therefore, I accept that social flexibility is a major challenge I will need to overcome. In the context of German culture, I am concerned about being able to understand social context and expectations and being able to adapt. German culture tends to be very formal and there is a possibility this if I cannot be socially flexible that I may come across as informal of even perhaps immature in some situations. In addition, I may be seen as an outsider if I am not able to adapt or blend in with the social context of the culture. (Wilson 2017) After my experience in Germany, I feel that my score may be higher than the GCI Model reflects, as I had an easy time building relationships with others. I think that the reason for the low score is that my behavioral adjustment is not a conscious effort, but something that I do automatically. This dimension is one that I will continue to reflect upon and looks for ways to improve. Self-Management The dimension of self-management with in the GCI model measures the following factors: Optimism Self-Confidence Self-Identity Emotional Resilience Non-Stress Tendency Stress Management According to the GCI Model, self-management, Consists of personal traits known to be essential for effective coping when faced with the challenges and personal demands of intercultural situations. Your positive mental outlook towards people and situations generally, and living or working in a foreign culture. My score overall for self-management was a seven out of seven, however, my score was moderate on some dimensions, meaning that I have areas in which I need to improve. 12

15 Optimism Optimism is defined as, Your positive mental outlook towards people and situations generally, and living or working in a foreign culture. (GCI, 2017) My score of five out of seven for optimism represents a moderate competence. I am generally optimistic and rarely pessimistic; however, I tend to be more realistic than optimistic in my everyday life. The aspect of optimism that I need to improve most is maintaining optimism after a negative event. In some circumstances, I can shut down at first instead of maintaining a positive outlook, especially is the circumstance seems to be out of my control. In Germany, I tried hard to maintain optimism even when things were not going as I had expected. I worked hard to see that my experience would have a positive outcome overall, but that the outcome would be different than I had expected. One thing that I learned in my international experience is that optimism is not the ability to maintain high expectations, but the ability to adapt those expectations to the situation at hand. Self-Confidence Self-confidence is defined as, Your belief in your ability to succeed by hard work and effort. (GCI, 2017) The GCI Model definition of self-confidence is one that I can support. Prior to completing this survey, I did not think of myself as being exceedingly self-confident because there are plenty of situations in which I have not been confident in myself. This definition, however, changed my perspective on self-confidence in that, self-confidence is not believing I can do anything, but believing that I can accomplish what I set my mind to. My score for the dimension of self-confidence was seven out of seven. This strength not only helped me during my time in Germany, but also before. Taking on the challenge of completing an international internship required self-confidence and the belief that I could be successful. Self-Identity Self-identity is defined as, Your ability to maintain your own values and beliefs while still being accepting of those who are different. (GCI, 2017) My score for self-identity was a five out of seven. I am unsure how much of my score can be attributed to only having moderate competence and how much can be attributed to my age and maturity level. I challenge myself to be reflective and introspective on a regular basis, however, it is apparent that I can work harder at this. I do not yet have a fixed self-identity because I am still at the age of trying to establish the values and beliefs that make up my individual self-identity. My values and beliefs were not tested during my international experience, but being able to maintain selfidentity is critical in all circumstances. Emotional Resilience Emotional resilience is defined as, Your emotional strength and ability to cope well with setbacks, mistakes, or frustrations. (GCI, 2017) My score for emotional resilience was six out of seven. I believe that my score was high on this dimension because I do not easily give up when 13

16 frustrations arise, which requires a certain level of emotional resilience. My score also indicates that there is room for me to improve my emotional resilience to a degree. Strength in this dimension helped me in Germany because I was able to overcome and cope with frustrations and setbacks. There were several instances in my experience that tested this dimension and I was able to quickly recover from the emotional low and adjust my perspective. Non-Stress Tendency Non-stress tendency is defined as, Your innate disposition to respond with calmness and serenity to the stressors you face. (GCI, 2017) My score for non-stress tendency was six out of seven. I generally remain very calm in stressful situations, as I see it as the only way to improve the circumstances. I find that overreacting and stressing about a stressful situation rarely, if ever, makes the situation better. As with all foreign travel, it is certain that there will be times of high stress. I experienced many stressful circumstances, from nearly missing trains, to being stuck in a foreign city at 1:30 in the morning without a way home. I was able to remain calm in these situations which allowed me to clearly identify what I needed to do and successfully solve the problem at hand. Stress Management Stress management is defined as, Your level of active effort to manage stressors in your life. (GCI, 2017) My score for stress management was seven out of seven. Although similar to nonstress tendencies, the stress management dimension evaluates in which ways stress is managed. The key factor is that time management and prioritization prevent the opportunities for stressors to arise in the first place. This is certainly an area of strength for me. In Germany, I put great effort into time management and planning in order to ensure that I would be able to accomplish what I needed. This planning helped to lessen the opportunities for things to go wrong and therefore lessened my need to rely on non-stress tendencies. 14

17 Culture Compass In the interest of better understanding my cultural tendencies in comparison to German culture specifically, I participated in a survey called the Culture Compass from The Hofstede Centre. The survey allowed me to select a country of interest (Germany), a home country (the United States), and my role (student abroad). Although I expected that I would discover differences between myself and German culture, I was most surprised to discover the differences between my cultural preferences and the general culture of the Unites States. Having lived exclusively in the United States for my entire life, I am curious about how my scores differ on certain dimensions. The Culture Compass measure the following dimensions: Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance Long Term Orientation Indulgence The survey gave me a score out of 100 on each dimension and compared it to the scores for German and American culture. It is apparent that the similarities and differences in culture impacted my experience working in Germany. Power Distance According to Geert Hofstede, power distance is, the extent to which the less powerful members of society accept that power is distributed unequally. My score on power distance was predictably low, 32. The United States score for power distance is 40 and 35 for Germany. In this dimension, my score more closely matched Germany than the United States. This parallels with my experience in the work environment at Edeka. In general, the power distance in the business environment in Germany is moderately low, as was the case in Edeka. Within the IT building I was working in, the supervisors were frequently engaging with their subordinates. I recall a specific conversation with a department manager about his views on equality in the work environment. His thoughts were that his employees should be able to frequently and actively criticize and question his decisions to derive the best possible outcome. As with all generalization about culture, there are exceptions. The department head of the IT building at Edeka was very formal with his employees and better fit the expectation I had in my mind for a German manager. The department head would enter each room dressed in business attire and would shake each individual employee s hand. It was apparent to me that the employees were formal in their interactions with the department head and were cautious of their behavior when he was around. This interaction reminded me that, although Germany has a moderately low power distance, there exists power distance in some situations, just as in the United States. The Cultural Compass indicated, There is a big chance that you may be surprised by the plethora of laws, directives, rules and regulations in your host country, which people prefer to 15

18 have irrespective of whether they will comply with them or not. (Geert Hofstede, 2017) This represents the preference for low power distance in Germany. I feel that having a similar score on power distance suited me to working in a German organization because it was easy for me to adapt to the cultural dimension and work environment. If I were completing a work assignment in a country with high power distance I may struggle to show the necessary restraint and respect for those of a higher status. Individualism According to Geert Hofstede, individualism is defined as, people only look after themselves and their immediate family. Whereas, collectivism is defined as, people belong to in-groups (families, organizations, etc.) who look after them in exchange for loyalty. For the dimension of individualism my score fell between the United States and Germany, a score of 78, which is generally high individualism. Individualism in the United States is high, with a score of 91. In Germany individualism is slightly lower with a score of 67. I believe that this dimension is in direct relation to the culture I was raised in. The United States and Germany tend to promote individualism and that one s family is the only important group that needs to be taken care of. My culture also teaches that the only people who truly will be loyal to you are those who are in your immediate family. Obviously, there exists some fallacy in this thinking, but it is the generally accepted way of thinking in individualistic cultures. In Germany, my expectations of individualism were met. At Edeka, there was not a collectivistic work environment. People often worked independently of others and did not often work in teams. In recognition of this problem, Edeka tried to implement an open office design within the IT building, however, the efforts were unsuccessful and the business culture was not able to adapt. Masculinity According to Geert Hofstede, masculinity is defined as, the dominant values in society are achievement and success. Whereas, femininity is defined as, the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. My cultural preference in the dimension of masculinity is somewhat in the middle with slight leanings toward feminine preferences. My score was 39. The score for the United States is 62 and for Germany is 66. I think it is important to define this dimension further, as we have surpassed a time what the factors of this dimension can be classified as only feminine or masculine. High masculinity represents a culture that places the most value on success and achievements. High femininity means that value is placed on caring for people and working toward a high quality of life. It is my opinion that the new generation in the United States are changing the culture to have more feminine preferences by demanding work-life balance and purpose driven work. I found this dimension to be rather complex within the German culture. From my experience and from speaking to German employees throughout my time in Germany, I found that Germans do indeed place high importance on success and achievement, but expect less work to go into that achievement than Americans. It perhaps may have been exclusive to my experience, but I came across individuals that had high expectations of themselves and lofty 16

19 career goals, but when we talked about what they were doing to achieve those goals it was highly dependent on other people. Uncertainty Avoidance According to Geert Hofstede, uncertainty avoidance can be defined as, the extent to which people feel threatened by uncertainty and ambiguity and try to avoid such situations. My score for uncertainty avoidance was 29, relatively low. The score for the United States is 46 and the score for Germany is 65. High uncertainty avoidance means that a culture tends avoid circumstances that are uncertain or unclear. Cultures with high uncertainty avoidance do not take risks as willingly as cultures with low uncertainty avoidance. Low uncertainty avoidance means that a culture is not derailed by circumstances that are uncertain or unclear and will tend to be more open to taking risks. In comparison to the United States and Germany, I have low uncertainty avoidance, meaning that I tend not to avoid situations based on the level of uncertainty. My experience in Germany indicated a moderate level of uncertainly avoidance. At Edeka specifically, people were hesitant to speak to Rena and me because we were outsiders and unknown. The people who we needed to speak with perceived some level of risk in communication company information with us and refused to do so, even at the direction of their supervisors. I learned from these experiences that it is important to convey the lack of risks and clarify that what is uncertain when working in a German business environment. The Cultural Compass indicated that this may be an area of difficulty for me in German business Culture. There is a big change that you may underestimate the time and energy required to create trust among you and your hosts. (Geert Hofstede, 2017) I experienced this difference in culture first-hand in my internship at Edeka. Long Term Orientation According to Geert Hofstede, long term orientation can be defined as, the extent to which people show a pragmatic or future-oriented perspective rather than a normative or short-term point of view. My score on long term orientation was a 60. The score for the United States is 26 and the score for Germany is 83. In this dimension, my score more closely aligns with German culture than with the culture of the United States. A culture that is high in long term orientation places high importance on goals that are longterm in nature and is focused on the future benefit over the short-term benefit. A culture that is low in long-term orientation places high importance on goals that are short-term in nature and is focused on the short-term benefit over the future benefit. My cultural preference is close to the middle, but leans more toward a long-term orientation. I learned from my experience at Edeka that people were much more likely to stay within the same organization for a long period of time, if not for their entire careers. This differed from my experience in the United States where people often only stay with an organization for a few years before moving on to another. 17

20 Indulgence According to Geert Hofstede, indulgence can be defined as, the extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses. Relatively weak control is called indulgence and relatively strong control is called restraint. My score for indulgence was 89. The score for the United States is 68 and the score for Germany is 40. First, I would like to point out that I do not agree with the result or the methodology of this dimension. The survey questions are phrased to ask whether or not we should be allowed to engage in various indulgent behaviors rather than if we do or do not engage in indulgent behaviors. Therefore, I feel that this indication is more so measuring power distance and is not an accurate indicator of indulgence. My thoughts are that I should be able to make my own decisions regarding things that impact my life. However, I generally tend to have restraint over my desires. I believe in having the free will to do as I wish with what I have, but the understanding that I am responsible for the outcome of those decisions. In German culture, indulgence is moderately low. I think that this coincides with the aspects of formality and a long-term perspective in the German culture. My first-hand experience was varied from person to person based on level of indulgence. Some people seemed to show high indulgence and others showed restraint. Overall, this cultural dimension fails to accurately classify an entire culture. Problems Encountered The main problem that I encountered during my internship was a disconnect between my expectations and the reality of the situation. I had expected to be tasked with a project that would be relevant and useful to the organization. The reality of the situation was that no one within the organization had any plan for Rena and me as interns. Part of the reason for this problem was out of our hands and part of the problem can be attributed to one of my weaknesses that I identified prior to the international experience. This weakness is my ability, or lack of ability, to influence others. This weakness is addressed in a framework known as Brake. In order to best explain my knowledge of this weakness prior to this experience, I would like to provide an example of my initial understanding of the weakness and how it might have affected my experience in German business culture. I understand influencing to be the ability to motivate or encourage others to act without relying on power or authority. I think in some contexts I am strong in this dimension, and in others I am weak. I need to be strong in this aspect in all contexts; therefore, it is something that I need to work to improve. The contexts in which I am weak in this dimension involve situations where the person or people I need to influence are those who I consider to be more powerful or those who hold authority. I do not lack that ability to influence per say, but the confidence to do so when there is a power balance not in my favor. I will need to be more introspective about this weakness to determine whether it is entirely a lack of 18

21 confidence against an authority or a concern about coming across as disrespectful. In addition, I know that my influencing ability could use improvements and practice in general. In the German culture, I may continue to struggle with this, especially with the presence of a language barrier. As German culture tends to be more formal, I may be out of line in approaching a superior with the intention to influence him or her. I also must keep in mind that German culture has low power distance, meaning that in most cases, people in a position of power or authority are able and expect to be questioned or challenged by others. These two aspects of the culture are carefully balanced and I will need to learn how to navigate situations such as this. (Wilson 2017) From this example, it is clear that the challenges I faced were directly linked to a weakness of mine. The problem was not caused by my weakness, but my weakness hindered my ability to address and solve the problem. Had I been more confident and able to influence those higher in the organization, I may have been able to make the experience more meaningful. I was, however, limited in my ability to communicate with those above me or even identify any specific individuals that would have been able to address the problem. Overall, the challenges that were presented, although unexpected, were learning experiences. Although I was unsuccessful in solving this problem, I was able to overcome the problem and make the most of this situation. Overcoming this problem was possible by leveraging on of my strengths, realistic optimism. Realistic optimism is a dimension in the Rosen Model. I addressed this strength prior to my experience in preparation for the internship. Realistic optimism is the ability to have a positive outlook within the limits of being realistic and logical. I would say that I am adept at this dimension. I generally have a positive outlook on life in both positive and negative situations. I always believe that there is room for improvement and that things will work out. I am also and very realistic and logical in my decisions. Sometimes, I think that I may be too logical in decision making because I rarely make decisions based on emotion, but I believe this will serve as a strength in the context of German culture. This is because German culture tends to more realistic, even pessimistic at times. The presence of pessimism may be startling to me at first, but I know that my ability to be nonjudgmental will help me to overcome my initial interpretations of the behavior. I understand that this dimension in particular is all about balancing optimism with being realistic and the ability to be flexible in situations that are extreme toward either side. This dimension will be necessary for my time in Germany. I will need a positive outlook to enjoy and learn from my experience, but I will also need to remain realistic for practical as well as safety purposes. I view realistic optimism as also having the ability to know when to trust a situation or the people in it and knowing when to be skeptical of a situation or the people in it. This may become even more necessary in the presence of a 19