Introduction
A major challenge of doing business internationally is to adapt effectively to different cultures. Steve Kafka, an American of Czech origin and a franchiser for Chicago Style Pizza has decided to expand his business to Czech Republic. This is a risky decision and Steve anticipates he will face obstacles as he goes about setting up the new pizza outlet at this new location, Prague. Though born in the United States, Steve has family and friends in the Czech Republic, speaks Czech fluently, and has visited the country of his origin several times. But in order to conduct business successfully, Steve needs to understand the culture of the Czech people, the needs and likes of the local consumers and the way they operate their businesses.
Differences and incompatibilities between U.S. and Czech Cultures
As Steve is setting up his pizza outlet in Prague, he needs to understand the cultural diversity, perceptions, stereotypes, and values of the Czech Republic and how they differ from the one in his home country U.S. The Czech decision-making process is lengthy. They have the tendency to use methodical and painstaking care with all business planning, and to consider all business dealings with meticulous specificity. One should be prepared for a lengthy timeline and attention to microscopic detail (CountryWatch). In contrast the American decision-making process, though it touches on all details, is faster. Forcing timelines or hurrying up on actions can be a major business risk. Steve needs to keep this in mind while doing business in Czech and be patient with their processes. For Americans direct eye contact is not necessary for the duration of a conversation, but moments of eye contact are essential to ensure one's sincerity. On the other ha ...