The most successful product of “Schokoladenmanufaktur GmbH” is the award-winning “Dark Surfin Chocolate” and can only be produced with the unique cacao beans of the island Halmahera. For that reason, there is an ethical issue by confronting two different national cultures: the German culture and the Indonesian culture, which mainly belongs to the Asian Continent. This essay discusses what needs to be taken into consideration when undergoing business internationally and focuses on analyzing the Ethical Issues and the dimensions of Trompenaar's model.
Table of Contents
1. Ethical Issues
2. The dimensions of Trompenaar’s model
Objectives and Topics
The paper examines the intercultural conflict between German management and Indonesian workers at the "Schokoladenmanufaktur GmbH," focusing on the friction between business objectives and cultural values to propose a collaborative ethical framework.
- Analysis of ethical concepts such as Utilitarianism and Discourse and Consensus.
- Application of Trompenaars' 7 Dimensions of Culture to resolve cross-cultural misunderstandings.
- Investigation of communication styles and their impact on work performance.
- Development of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy.
- Implementation of an Ethical Code of Conduct to foster mutual trust and success.
Extract from the book
1 Ethical Issues
The ‘Schokoladenmanufaktur GmbH’ is located in Bremen and sends its Assistant Procurement Manager and Senior Procurement Manager to the Indonesian island, called Halmahera. The most successful product, which is the award-winning ‘Dark Surfin Chocolate’ can only be produced with the unique cacao beans of the island Halmahera.
For that reason, there is an ethical issue by confronting two different national cultures: the German culture and the Indonesian culture, which mainly belongs to the Asian Continent. As Hofstede said: ‘Culture is always a collective phenomenon. It is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category from another.’ To go into more depth, this means that the key stakeholders are in one hand the two German Procurement Managers and on the other hand, the Indonesian workers, especially, the roughly 40 year old machinist, who is also the team leader.
In fact, the machines in Indonesia were not being operated properly, whereas, the workers need to be certain to follow the service specifications. If they are not applying the service specifications, the result will be wastage of the cacao beans, which would obviously mean a loss of money for the company.
The ethical values in this case are based on ethical concepts. In this case, it is not said that there is only one ethical value. Teleology ‘evaluates human actions according to their final causality or ultimate end’, which is here definitely the case. Moreover, it is called Utilitarianism, which focuses on the moral worth of an action, which is determined by its resulting outcome. This outcome would be the success of the company, meaning that if the workers of Indonesia are not doing their job correctly, the German Managers will not be happy as well and the success of the company failed. Therefore, if the workers are doing a great job, the greatest happiness for the workers, managers and the company can be achieved.
Summary of Chapters
1. Ethical Issues: This chapter analyzes the conflict between German managers and Indonesian workers using moral frameworks like Utilitarianism to highlight the need for a unified Code of Conduct.
2. The dimensions of Trompenaar’s model: This chapter applies Trompenaars’ seven dimensions of national culture to identify specific cross-cultural gaps, such as Sequential versus Synchronic time perception, which contribute to workplace misunderstandings.
Keywords
Intercultural Business, Chocolate Value Chain, Ethical Issues, Utilitarianism, Corporate Social Responsibility, Trompenaars Model, Cross-cultural Communication, Cultural Dimensions, Ethical Code of Conduct, Stakeholder Management, National Culture, Business Ethics, Global Management, Conflict Resolution, Team Leadership
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on resolving an intercultural business conflict at a chocolate manufacturing company by applying ethical theories and cultural models to improve management-worker relations.
What are the core thematic areas covered?
The work centers on business ethics, corporate social responsibility, cross-cultural communication, and the practical application of management models in an international context.
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to identify why communication failures occur between German managers and Indonesian staff and to propose a structured, ethically grounded solution to ensure sustainable company success.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author uses a case study approach, analyzing situational data through the lens of ethical philosophy (Utilitarianism) and Trompenaars’ 7 Dimensions of Culture framework.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the identification of ethical dilemmas, the failure of existing communication strategies, and the analysis of cultural differences using Trompenaars' model.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Intercultural Business, Ethical Code of Conduct, Cross-cultural Communication, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Why did the worker fail to show up for work according to the analysis?
The author suggests that the worker's cultural background, which favors indirect communication and relationship-building, clashed with the direct, "specific" style of the German manager, leading to a feeling of being undervalued.
How is the "Sequential versus Synchronic" dimension relevant to the case?
It is identified as the most significant cultural difference, as the German manager relies on strict punctuality and sequential project management, while the local workers may perceive time and events differently, causing friction.
What role does an 'Ethical Code of Conduct' play in the proposed solution?
It serves as a guideline to align employee behavior with company values, ensuring that all stakeholders, regardless of their cultural background, understand the operational expectations and professional requirements.
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- Julia Schneider (Autor:in), 2016, Intercultural Business Case. The "Chocolate Value Chain", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/354867
