Preparing Leaders and Staff for an International Joint-Venture (IJV) for the High Technology Industry
(2014 – ongoing) in various industries

Challenge
A high tech Australian company is bought by an US corporation and requires help with preparing office staff for the Joint-Venture; Australian staff numbers have been halved and daily cooperation and relations with the US are deteriorating rapidly. There are differences in sense of humour and the Americans are not always welcoming to the Australian jovial approach to status and authority. A comment often heard is ‘they are all tall poppies, why do they have to take themselves so serious?’ Some of the challenges experienced are frustration about different US work practices, the focus of the US on expert knowledge, extreme task orientation and achievement.

Interventions:

1. Participants complete Training Needs Analysis to identify challenges, experiences and expectations of participants.
2. Face-to-Face training workshops
   – challenges and experiences (cultural due diligence)
   – cultural know-how to be able to map cultural behaviour and styles specific for USA and Australians
   – work practices to restore trust and create an environment of co-operation
3. Developing work practices following our reconciliation process (defining dilemmas and integrating cultural gaps)
4. Country specific knowledge to assist staff and management.
5. Participants complete Training Feedback Analysis and reports are shared with organisation and contact persons.

Results:
The ‘Preparing Office Staff For An International Joint-Venture’ training highlighted that although two countries might seem to share ‘Anglo’ roots, the national and corporate cultural differences can be rather substantial, standing in the way of success for both the USA Company and its Australian subsidiary. Identifying and sharing the challenges and experiences have led to in-depth discussion about more appropriate work practices, processes, and maintaining business relationships. As a results the teams seem to be much more relaxed to even occasionally crack a joke. Ultimately this has led to higher trust levels in the team, more sharing of information and more satisfactory productivity.