International ambition

What will readers find at the World Business Culture website?

'Our site provides immediate advice, free of charge, on how to do business in 35 countries, looking at issues such as management style, meetings, team work, dress code, and women in business. We also provide some interesting background information on business structures, and useful facts and figures. Although individual country information may seem quite brief, we've deliberately designed content to be quick and easy to read, ideal for the traveller leaping on a plane in the next 24 hours, or for the trainee who has a long list of other things to do. There are many longer books available on each country covered, but we aim to provide an accurate digest of the most important points. Currently, the site is only available in English - German, Chinese and Spanish versions will be launched later this year. We also offer a cultural compatibility test, a five-minute process which reveals how well an individual will 'get along' with business colleagues from other countries.'

Is the site primarily for business travellers?

'Of course the site is very relevant for anyone travelling to business meetings, seconded abroad for a longer period, or who are even planning to emigrate. But the site is also very useful for anyone who deals with other nationalities on a regular basis, whether in person or just by phone or e-mail - which probably means almost every accountant, from the most junior to the most senior. Many of us now work in international organisations, often in teams which cross boundaries; we also have to deal with suppliers, customers, or clients who are located in other countries and so a better understanding of different business cultures can really help our daily working lives.

Another group finding the website useful are international business students - which again makes the site very relevant to ACCA trainees. These students want international experience but find it hard to gain while still training or in junior positions, or because the opportunity for travel is very limited in their part of the world. A basic understanding of other business cultures can help address this.'

Why was the website set up?

'For many years, I have run a consultancy, Global Business Culture, which specialises in cultural awareness for business. We work across all industry sectors and help clients - through targeted training and e-learning programmes - prepare staff for international business. One of our clients suggested an intranet-based version of the services we offered; we took this idea and developed the World Business Culture website in order to make the information more freely available.'

Have you travelled widely yourself?

'Yes, I was an expatriate for 18 years working as a change management consultant for major organisations in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Gulf States. Over the years, I came to appreciate the important impact local culture had on business, and the advantage the individual would have if they understood more about these differences. This inspired me to set up my own company.'

You give advice on 35 countries – how do you choose the countries to profile and research the information?

'Our country list selection is driven by user needs and feedback; currently it covers most of the major global economies in which international business is commonplace, but we are constantly revising and expanding the list of countries we cover. World Business Culture consultants write individual country entries, taking information from a variety of sources including research undertaken at our own workshops. We then ask local business people and ex-pats to review the material before it’s published on the site. It’s important to say that cultural descriptions are not black and white - we are happy to receive comments and not surprised when users sometimes disagree with what we say!'

What is the 'cultural compatibility test'?

'The test provides instant, personalised feedback on your compatibility with other cultures in a business context. The test is totally anonymous - all we need to know are the two countries which are being compared and your age, gender, and occupation. We then ask a number of questions on your personal attitude to issues such as decision making, leadership, working practices, and so on. By analysing the answers we can then show the degree of affinity between you and the country you are dealing with, showing where attitudes match and where they may be diverging.'

How can trainees use the test results?

'It’s very common, when working with clients, customers, or colleagues abroad, to sense that something isn't going quite as planned, but not really know why. The test will make you aware of any issues which may be relevant to other business cultures - short-term versus long-term for example - and also forewarning you of any areas which may be difficult. For example, most people assume they are more comfortable doing business in the US than in China, but by taking the test they may find that some of their attitudes are closer to the Chinese way of doing business than to the American. And although the results are specific to the individual, they can be used in team-building exercises or in group discussions on areas of conflict or confusion which may have affected business dealings in the past.'

Help World Business Culture help you

By taking the cultural compatibility test on the World Business Culture website, trainees will be helping to develop a next-generation test designed specifically for accountants. 'The test will remain anonymous,' explains Keith Warburton, 'but the data we gather will reveal valuable information on the accountancy profession and its attitude to international business - for example, the countries accountants most need to know about, common attitudes to business issues, and the areas in which cultural clashes are at their worst. As well as revealing some interesting statistics, it will also allow us to capture data which we can use to build a test tailored for the international accountant.'