Wednesday, August 26, 2020

11 Circle Expressions

11 Circle Expressions 11 Circle Expressions 11 Circle Expressions By Maeve Maddox A circle is a completely round plane figure. The way that a circle might be attracted from start to finish without a break makes it a ground-breaking image. The word hover happens in numerous English maxims, frequently as an image of completeness or redundancy. 1. the hover of life: the pattern of proliferation and endurance, from birth to death. 2. hover of hellfire: a position of discipline in the great beyond, from The Inferno. Dante depicts nine circles or zones in which spirits are rebuffed by the idea of their transgressions. 3. family circle: a showy term to depict the seating region farthest from the stage (otherwise known as â€Å"upper circle†). By and large use, family hover alludes to a person’s nearest relatives. The word circle can allude to any close gathering of companions. The articulation â€Å"inner circle† alludes to a little powerful gathering of individuals who run things in legislative issues, business, or something like that. 4. endless loop: in rationale, an endless loop results when a bogus reason is trailed by a genuine reason. When all is said in done use, an endless loop alludes to a circumstance wherein no advancement or improvement can be made. In some cases the articulation â€Å"vicious cycle† is utilized. 5. to totally dominate: to outperform with little exertion. Comparable term: â€Å"to run rings round.† 6. to end up at ground zero: to finish a progression of occasions; to return to one’s beginning spot. 7. to go around and around: to rehash a similar activity without showing up at the ideal spot. 8. to square the hover: to endeavor the inconceivable. Different articulations draw on the action word circle, â€Å"to put a hover around something† or â€Å"to move in a roundabout direction.† 9. to circle the channel: to be in transit out. The picture is that of the remainder of the water depleting from a bath. 10. to circle the subject: to abstain from saying anything explicit regarding a subject of conversation. 11. to circle the carts: to take a protective position. The picture is that of moving American pioneers masterminding their carts around as a blockade against assaulting Indians. Note: The articulation â€Å"to circle the wagons† is seen oftentimes in features and in articles about financial matters. The market analysts appear to see the American economy â€Å"as a post, a hover of carts, asâ it were, that can be promptly characterized and defended† (Robert Reno, Newsday). Contemporary American Indians frequently discover this articulation hostile. Here are a few instances of these articulations accumulated from the Web: Raising Backyard Chickens to Teach Children the Circle of Life In the event that the way to distribution is involved all the circles of heck, the main circle, I am letting you know, is the â€Å"not directly for me† or â€Å"didn’t interface with the voice† circle. Our earnest considerations and supplications are with the Paisley family and the more extensive family circle. The conditions exist for an endless loop including casting a ballot and community obligation, whereby nonvoters decline their faith in the significance of casting a ballot and in this way gotten less inclined to cast a ballot in future races. Beam Allen Running Circles Around Garnett, Pierce, Nets up until now Fifteen years back, Ana Patricia Botã ­n was pushed out of her senior occupation at Banco Santanderâ â by the banks administrator, who additionally happened to be her dad. On Wednesday, Ms. Botã ­ns profession ended up at ground zero, with her being named chairmanâ after her dads abrupt passing. To be reasonable and to bring the story round trip, huge numbers of Browns achievements had their sources in Browns organizations during the 1970s and mid 80s.â Washington state goes around and around over automaton guidelines. Benefits and Social Care for the Elderly: Trying to Square the Circle Orbiting the Drain: Can the Euro Be Saved, Or Is It Doomed? There’s been a great deal of talk this year about web based learning at Concordia. Leading body of Governors and Senate gatherings continue circumnavigating the subject. US speculators circle the carts, trust Fed rides to protect Need to improve your English in a short time a day? Get a membership and begin accepting our composing tips and activities day by day! Continue learning! Peruse the Expressions classification, check our well known posts, or pick a related post below:Inquire versus EnquireThat versus WhichWords Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Sales promotion campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deals advancement crusade - Essay Example The fundamental objective segment is contained basically of upwardly versatile working class cushy laborers keen on keeping up a specific status of progress who ordinarily as of now have all around characterized thoughts of what sorts of beverages are fitting for their situation throughout everyday life. As per Hugh Archibald, executive of the National Association of Cider Makers, â€Å"drinkers in England have a profound established impression of juice as a provincial ‘alternative’ drink† (refered to in C&C, n.d.). Perceiving an incentive in an item is a quality most Britons highly esteem, especially in the bigger urban areas among the prime segment gathering. Among these customers, picture is significant in assisting with building up this view of value. â€Å"UK buyers think about quality, they have a specialist information on natural items and what is beneficial for them. They comprehend that quality is important† (Vyse, 2005). On the off chance that Magners can situate itself as an item that offers higher caliber and in this way more prominent incentive for the cash spent, it can rehash its Ireland accomplishment all through Great Britain also. It will be the goal of this battle to support deals of Magners Cider in Great Britain to mirror a closer r elationship to the 24% piece of the pie right now appreciated in Scotland. To point out the natural idea of Magners Cider while as yet accentuating a cutting edge offer, a business crusade that centers around tending to present day issues and innovations ought to be used. To bring the focal point of the customer onto the apples utilized in the creation procedure, Magners can print up specific bundling that incorporates a unique apple symbol signifying a level of the business cost will be given to a children’s good cause gathering. For those customers who buy their juice fundamentally at the bars, particular apple special materials can be made that can distinguish those bars

Friday, August 21, 2020

Importance of Understanding Culture in International MA

Importance of Understanding Culture in International MA We can name several huge mergers that ultimately failed, and we can also point out several reasons for these failures. It could be that there is a lack of forward-thinking among the parties involved, or it could also be that not enough research was conducted to fully justify the merger or acquisition. In some cases, the two companies have completely opposing visions, and they do not really meet halfway, enough to merit business integration, or to make one work. Poor governance and weak leadership are also instrumental in single-handedly destroying a deal, and poor communication among the parties will only drive the nail even further. These are all true, even when we speak of MA on a larger scale, specifically international MA. © Shutterstock.com | Vector GoddessIn this article, we will explore 1) international MA and 2) the role of culture in international MA, take a look at an example of 3) Daimler with Crysler and Mitsubishi, and finalize with 4) contributing factors to cultural integration.INTERNATIONAL MAThe increasing activity in international markets is continuously stirring the global business landscape, tempting more and more businesses to get a piece of the action. Thus, they look into various international market entry strategies and entering into cross-border transactions, with their eyes set on creating, or being part of, a global network of businesses. It’s simple, really. Entry into new markets means greater opportunities, faster growth, and higher profit.The Wall Street Journal is touting 2015 to be the “biggest MA year ever”, with 112 deals announced in the beginning of December 2015, involving small to large companies from all over the world. Data providers said that the global MA v olume is now estimated at $4.304 trillion.Some of the international MA deals announced include the acquisition of London’s SABMiller plc by Anheuser-Busch InBev for $108 billion. The Belgium-based company is currently the world’s largest brewer, and SABMiller happens to be the second-largest brewer, in terms of revenue. Another international MA that is getting a lot of press is the acquisition of Pfizer Inc. of Dublin-based Allergan PLC for around $160 billion.Granted, these MA deals have only been announced, and whether they will succeed or not will be seen in the coming months. There is still that probability that the MA will not close, and it could be due to several reasons, most of which have been mentioned earlier.Some of the main reasons for failure of international MAs include:Lack of involvement of the owners, who are operating under the assumption that, once they hire professional advisors to oversee the deal, their work is done. That is not the case, because the adviso rs are only supposed to provide advice and assistance; it is the owners who must be directly involved every step of the way.Unrealistic expectations. On paper, the numbers may look good, and anyone looking at it may think that there is no way the deal will not succeed. However, due to lack of research and realistic analysis, the theoretical valuation may not coincide with the practical proposition of the benefits that are expected to arise from the merger.Poor execution of the integration process. Many think that the deal is done once the integration has been performed; they fail to consider the post-merger integration stage, where there are still critical areas that need to be addressed. After the merger, there may be inefficiencies that fail to be dealt with immediately, so the integration is not as clear as they would have wanted.Cost inefficiencies. It is possible for the companies undergoing integration to hemorrhage cash during the integration. They may end up investing more t han they can actually earn back in the long run, which is a sure way to make the deal fail. These may also arise from errors incurred during the negotiation process.But there is one factor that is seen by most as the most pervasive reason for failure, particularly in international MA: culture.THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN INTERNATIONAL MACulture, by itself, cannot be seen as a reason for international MA deals failing to close, or giving the results expected by the parties after the integration. What makes culture a stumbling block in many MA deals are the differences that arise during the integration.The term “culture” is not strictly confined to the set of characteristics or norms that differentiate one country or nationality to another (although national culture can also get in the way of MA, as will be discussed later). When we say culture in the context of international MA, it specifically means the cultural gap in the corporate or organizational cultures of the merging companies. Organizational culture refers to that set of values, norms and assumptions that govern how the people within an organization act, interact, and work on a daily basis.MA denotes a partnership, or a relationship that both will benefit from. In order for a solid relationship to establish, it is important to know who your partner is. Looking at their culture is one way to go about it.In order to understand the importance of culture awareness when it comes to international MA, let us look into its role, or how it shapes mergers and acquisitions.Culture â€" whether national or organizational culture â€" will give you a clearer understanding on a company’s way of doing business. Much of the daily and regular operations of a business are driven by culture, and you will be able to feel a bit more of the “pulse” of a business by first acquainting yourself with their culture.Understanding culture will provide explanations on what the target company does differently from the acquiring co mpany. But it is not enough that you know what the differences are; the most important part is understanding why these differences exist. By understanding their culture, you will be in a better position to figure out whether the two companies will be compatible, and also get an indication on the level of success of the MA.Since culture essentially refers to the way of doing things, it also means that it affects how a business is managed. Many cross-border MAs have failed, pointing to mismanagement as the main reason. However, when they dig deeper, it is often seen that the new manager had a management style that was deemed unfamiliar by the workforce. A classic example was the failure of the US’ Walmart when it attempted to enter Germany by acquiring two German companies â€" Wertkauf and Interspar â€" in 1997 and 1998, respectively. The Germans questioned the leadership of the American managers, because they simply did not understand that it is how the Americans do it.The culture of the target company is also indicative of the culture of the market being entered. If there is anyone who knows the market best, it is the company that actually operates in it. Therefore, one way to gain an understanding of the market is by looking at the culture of the company being acquired or merged with.DAIMLER WITH CHRYSLER AND MITSUBISHIAutomobile giant Daimler is a good example of international MA gone wrong, when it was involved in a couple of major cross-border or international deals: first with Chrysler, and then with Mitsubishi.DaimlerChysler AGLet us first take a look at one of the pivotal and most publicized international MA deals that went south due to cultural differences.The merger between Daimler and Chrysler in 1998 made waves in the global business landscape. Here, you have two of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world â€" Germany’s Daimler and United States’ Chrysler â€" merging as “equals”. It was even called by many as a “marriage made in heaven”. The result was DaimlerChrysler AG.In 2007, barely 10 years after the historic merge, the two companies decided to split, with Daimler selling Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management for over $6 billion.Cultural differences were identified as the main culprit of the failure of the $38 billion merger between these two giants. Apparently, there was a wide cultural gap in the two companies’ corporate cultures. Daimler’s was described as “conservative, efficient, and safe”. The Detroit-based company Chrysler, on the other hand, was “daring, diverse, and creating”.One difference that was cited was the attitude of the employees to hierarchy. Over at Daimler, they are used to having a clear and unambiguous chain of command. The ranking persons of authority are at the top, and they deserve all the respect from the subordinates below them. Chrysler, however, utilizes a more egalitarian approach, encouraging a team-oriented atmosphere among its people.This is bound to b e problematic for Chrysler, which is not used to having to kowtow to anyone in authority. There was also the fact that some were not entirely convinced that it was a merger of equals between the two companies. Some critics said that, rather than an equal merger, it was Daimler acquiring Chrysler, so there was an expectation that Chrysler should adhere to the culture of the former. This naturally led to mistrust between the groups of employees of the two companies. It certainly did not help any when the Daimler executives were seen as “high-handed” in imposing their culture on the people of Chrysler.There was also the difference between how the two companies viewed what is important to their clients. According to Daimler, customers value reliability in their automobiles, and they expect nothing less than the best quality. Chrysler, the daring and creative one, insisted that customers prefer more flash and style, so it put more emphasis on the designs and competitive pricing. As a result, they were not coordinate or cohesive on how the manufacturing process should go, resulting in division.Daimler and MitsubishiThis is a classic case of national culture causing differences between two companies in an MA. After the merge, DaimlerChrysler wanted to enter the Asian market, and what better way to do that than by striking an alliance with one of the major players in the Asian automotive market?DaimlerChrysler started an alliance with Mitsubishi Motors and, right off the bat, the major differences between German culture and Japanese culture were causing conflicts. Daimler either did not care, or they were not aware, of the Japanese “way of doing business”.The Japan business culture was deeply grounded on trust, empathy and paying attention to how others are feeling. German business culture is more on the pragmatic side, putting more stock on facts and figures, and paying little to no heed to personal relationships.The Japanese workforce of Mitsubishi Alliance also did not take kindly to the people of Daimler barging in and giving orders as if they are in their home turf. The Japanese tend to be territorial, and this applies to business as well. Having complete strangers telling them what to do â€" in their own territory â€" clearly did not sit well with them.There was also a marked difference in the orientation of the two cultures in terms of their goals. The Japanese are more long-term oriented, meaning they are patient, so they were not easily swayed by the initial difficulties that besieged Mitsubishi Motors at the time. Daimler, however, was looking at the short-term. They saw the financial difficulties as indications that the company is not in good shape financially. Since they were not seeing immediate profits coming in, they saw no point in investing further. This resulted to the two companies being more distant than ever, leading to the dissolution of their alliance.In both cases, Daimler’s aggressive “it’s our way or the h ighway” attitude in leading posed problems, since they were imposed on cultures that were not used to it.CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO CULTURAL INTEGRATIONLike it or not, culture has a great impact on business. It also goes without saying that, in MA, cultural integration takes a lot of work. It’s actually quite a sensitive area that people engaged in MA must tread with caution. Here are some factors that would make cultural integration smoother, paving the way for international MA deals.Awareness of partner’s corporate and national culture. Knowing who your potential business partner is means looking into how they do business, and how their unique national or regular culture influence the way they do things.Leadership and leadership support. Understand how they lead, if there is a chain of command and how it works. This entails getting a feel of their business hierarchy, or how authority is established and followed through. It is also highly advised that the integration take steps to empower local management. Employees of an acquired company may be aware of, and accepting of the fact, that they have been acquired by another company, and that there are bound to be changes. However, it takes time for them to get used to new leadership and new leadership styles. By empowering local management, they will have a smoother transition, and help facilitate the integration.Skills and training. People governed by a certain organizational culture are likely to have a different way of acquiring skills and expertise. By knowing what these are, the potential partners will be in better positions to reconfigure the organizational framework that will best benefit the new partnership.Sufficiency and consistency of communication. Communication is one of the most important ingredients of a successful business. By bridging cultural differences, you are also encouraging the smooth flow of communication and, in the process, facilitating the buildup of trust between and among the emp loyees of the two companies.When undergoing global or international MA, there are possible two ways to prevent cultural differences from destroying a potentially successful merger or acquisition.Agree to set aside cultural differences. This is the aggressive tack, since it literally forces the parties to ignore the cultural issues that may arise.Allow the local business to run its unit, while keeping profit targets and strategy clear.Often, the acquiring company would want to maintain its own culture, or have its own culture prevail over that of the acquired company. This was what took place with DaimlerChrysler AG. Daimler wanted to enforce its organizational culture on Chrysler.Where did it go wrong? There are several possibilities, which include the attitude adopted by Daimler when trying to enforce its culture, and how it went about infusing Chrysler’s culture into its own.In the process of evaluating a potential MA, it is highly recommended that the companies thoroughly asses s the culture of their target company or acquisition. More specifically, they should evaluate whether the culture of the target acquisition is compatible with theirs. Not only will this smoothen the integration, but increase the chances of the merger or acquisition becoming successful and profitable in the long run.Whatever decision was made by the merging companies, it is important to choose only one culture, and commit to it. The parties should sit down and have a good talk about it, reveal the gaps that they are faced with and reconcile if there is a need to do so, and put the chosen culture into practice. Managing the culture actively is the next phase, and this is left in the hands of the managers and executives of the companies.Culture clashes are already a given in any international or cross-border MA. They could make or break the entire MA process. Thus, it is important to pay as much attention to culture as you do to other aspects of MA.

Importance of Understanding Culture in International MA

Importance of Understanding Culture in International MA We can name several huge mergers that ultimately failed, and we can also point out several reasons for these failures. It could be that there is a lack of forward-thinking among the parties involved, or it could also be that not enough research was conducted to fully justify the merger or acquisition. In some cases, the two companies have completely opposing visions, and they do not really meet halfway, enough to merit business integration, or to make one work. Poor governance and weak leadership are also instrumental in single-handedly destroying a deal, and poor communication among the parties will only drive the nail even further. These are all true, even when we speak of MA on a larger scale, specifically international MA. © Shutterstock.com | Vector GoddessIn this article, we will explore 1) international MA and 2) the role of culture in international MA, take a look at an example of 3) Daimler with Crysler and Mitsubishi, and finalize with 4) contributing factors to cultural integration.INTERNATIONAL MAThe increasing activity in international markets is continuously stirring the global business landscape, tempting more and more businesses to get a piece of the action. Thus, they look into various international market entry strategies and entering into cross-border transactions, with their eyes set on creating, or being part of, a global network of businesses. It’s simple, really. Entry into new markets means greater opportunities, faster growth, and higher profit.The Wall Street Journal is touting 2015 to be the “biggest MA year ever”, with 112 deals announced in the beginning of December 2015, involving small to large companies from all over the world. Data providers said that the global MA v olume is now estimated at $4.304 trillion.Some of the international MA deals announced include the acquisition of London’s SABMiller plc by Anheuser-Busch InBev for $108 billion. The Belgium-based company is currently the world’s largest brewer, and SABMiller happens to be the second-largest brewer, in terms of revenue. Another international MA that is getting a lot of press is the acquisition of Pfizer Inc. of Dublin-based Allergan PLC for around $160 billion.Granted, these MA deals have only been announced, and whether they will succeed or not will be seen in the coming months. There is still that probability that the MA will not close, and it could be due to several reasons, most of which have been mentioned earlier.Some of the main reasons for failure of international MAs include:Lack of involvement of the owners, who are operating under the assumption that, once they hire professional advisors to oversee the deal, their work is done. That is not the case, because the adviso rs are only supposed to provide advice and assistance; it is the owners who must be directly involved every step of the way.Unrealistic expectations. On paper, the numbers may look good, and anyone looking at it may think that there is no way the deal will not succeed. However, due to lack of research and realistic analysis, the theoretical valuation may not coincide with the practical proposition of the benefits that are expected to arise from the merger.Poor execution of the integration process. Many think that the deal is done once the integration has been performed; they fail to consider the post-merger integration stage, where there are still critical areas that need to be addressed. After the merger, there may be inefficiencies that fail to be dealt with immediately, so the integration is not as clear as they would have wanted.Cost inefficiencies. It is possible for the companies undergoing integration to hemorrhage cash during the integration. They may end up investing more t han they can actually earn back in the long run, which is a sure way to make the deal fail. These may also arise from errors incurred during the negotiation process.But there is one factor that is seen by most as the most pervasive reason for failure, particularly in international MA: culture.THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN INTERNATIONAL MACulture, by itself, cannot be seen as a reason for international MA deals failing to close, or giving the results expected by the parties after the integration. What makes culture a stumbling block in many MA deals are the differences that arise during the integration.The term “culture” is not strictly confined to the set of characteristics or norms that differentiate one country or nationality to another (although national culture can also get in the way of MA, as will be discussed later). When we say culture in the context of international MA, it specifically means the cultural gap in the corporate or organizational cultures of the merging companies. Organizational culture refers to that set of values, norms and assumptions that govern how the people within an organization act, interact, and work on a daily basis.MA denotes a partnership, or a relationship that both will benefit from. In order for a solid relationship to establish, it is important to know who your partner is. Looking at their culture is one way to go about it.In order to understand the importance of culture awareness when it comes to international MA, let us look into its role, or how it shapes mergers and acquisitions.Culture â€" whether national or organizational culture â€" will give you a clearer understanding on a company’s way of doing business. Much of the daily and regular operations of a business are driven by culture, and you will be able to feel a bit more of the “pulse” of a business by first acquainting yourself with their culture.Understanding culture will provide explanations on what the target company does differently from the acquiring co mpany. But it is not enough that you know what the differences are; the most important part is understanding why these differences exist. By understanding their culture, you will be in a better position to figure out whether the two companies will be compatible, and also get an indication on the level of success of the MA.Since culture essentially refers to the way of doing things, it also means that it affects how a business is managed. Many cross-border MAs have failed, pointing to mismanagement as the main reason. However, when they dig deeper, it is often seen that the new manager had a management style that was deemed unfamiliar by the workforce. A classic example was the failure of the US’ Walmart when it attempted to enter Germany by acquiring two German companies â€" Wertkauf and Interspar â€" in 1997 and 1998, respectively. The Germans questioned the leadership of the American managers, because they simply did not understand that it is how the Americans do it.The culture of the target company is also indicative of the culture of the market being entered. If there is anyone who knows the market best, it is the company that actually operates in it. Therefore, one way to gain an understanding of the market is by looking at the culture of the company being acquired or merged with.DAIMLER WITH CHRYSLER AND MITSUBISHIAutomobile giant Daimler is a good example of international MA gone wrong, when it was involved in a couple of major cross-border or international deals: first with Chrysler, and then with Mitsubishi.DaimlerChysler AGLet us first take a look at one of the pivotal and most publicized international MA deals that went south due to cultural differences.The merger between Daimler and Chrysler in 1998 made waves in the global business landscape. Here, you have two of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world â€" Germany’s Daimler and United States’ Chrysler â€" merging as “equals”. It was even called by many as a “marriage made in heaven”. The result was DaimlerChrysler AG.In 2007, barely 10 years after the historic merge, the two companies decided to split, with Daimler selling Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management for over $6 billion.Cultural differences were identified as the main culprit of the failure of the $38 billion merger between these two giants. Apparently, there was a wide cultural gap in the two companies’ corporate cultures. Daimler’s was described as “conservative, efficient, and safe”. The Detroit-based company Chrysler, on the other hand, was “daring, diverse, and creating”.One difference that was cited was the attitude of the employees to hierarchy. Over at Daimler, they are used to having a clear and unambiguous chain of command. The ranking persons of authority are at the top, and they deserve all the respect from the subordinates below them. Chrysler, however, utilizes a more egalitarian approach, encouraging a team-oriented atmosphere among its people.This is bound to b e problematic for Chrysler, which is not used to having to kowtow to anyone in authority. There was also the fact that some were not entirely convinced that it was a merger of equals between the two companies. Some critics said that, rather than an equal merger, it was Daimler acquiring Chrysler, so there was an expectation that Chrysler should adhere to the culture of the former. This naturally led to mistrust between the groups of employees of the two companies. It certainly did not help any when the Daimler executives were seen as “high-handed” in imposing their culture on the people of Chrysler.There was also the difference between how the two companies viewed what is important to their clients. According to Daimler, customers value reliability in their automobiles, and they expect nothing less than the best quality. Chrysler, the daring and creative one, insisted that customers prefer more flash and style, so it put more emphasis on the designs and competitive pricing. As a result, they were not coordinate or cohesive on how the manufacturing process should go, resulting in division.Daimler and MitsubishiThis is a classic case of national culture causing differences between two companies in an MA. After the merge, DaimlerChrysler wanted to enter the Asian market, and what better way to do that than by striking an alliance with one of the major players in the Asian automotive market?DaimlerChrysler started an alliance with Mitsubishi Motors and, right off the bat, the major differences between German culture and Japanese culture were causing conflicts. Daimler either did not care, or they were not aware, of the Japanese “way of doing business”.The Japan business culture was deeply grounded on trust, empathy and paying attention to how others are feeling. German business culture is more on the pragmatic side, putting more stock on facts and figures, and paying little to no heed to personal relationships.The Japanese workforce of Mitsubishi Alliance also did not take kindly to the people of Daimler barging in and giving orders as if they are in their home turf. The Japanese tend to be territorial, and this applies to business as well. Having complete strangers telling them what to do â€" in their own territory â€" clearly did not sit well with them.There was also a marked difference in the orientation of the two cultures in terms of their goals. The Japanese are more long-term oriented, meaning they are patient, so they were not easily swayed by the initial difficulties that besieged Mitsubishi Motors at the time. Daimler, however, was looking at the short-term. They saw the financial difficulties as indications that the company is not in good shape financially. Since they were not seeing immediate profits coming in, they saw no point in investing further. This resulted to the two companies being more distant than ever, leading to the dissolution of their alliance.In both cases, Daimler’s aggressive “it’s our way or the h ighway” attitude in leading posed problems, since they were imposed on cultures that were not used to it.CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO CULTURAL INTEGRATIONLike it or not, culture has a great impact on business. It also goes without saying that, in MA, cultural integration takes a lot of work. It’s actually quite a sensitive area that people engaged in MA must tread with caution. Here are some factors that would make cultural integration smoother, paving the way for international MA deals.Awareness of partner’s corporate and national culture. Knowing who your potential business partner is means looking into how they do business, and how their unique national or regular culture influence the way they do things.Leadership and leadership support. Understand how they lead, if there is a chain of command and how it works. This entails getting a feel of their business hierarchy, or how authority is established and followed through. It is also highly advised that the integration take steps to empower local management. Employees of an acquired company may be aware of, and accepting of the fact, that they have been acquired by another company, and that there are bound to be changes. However, it takes time for them to get used to new leadership and new leadership styles. By empowering local management, they will have a smoother transition, and help facilitate the integration.Skills and training. People governed by a certain organizational culture are likely to have a different way of acquiring skills and expertise. By knowing what these are, the potential partners will be in better positions to reconfigure the organizational framework that will best benefit the new partnership.Sufficiency and consistency of communication. Communication is one of the most important ingredients of a successful business. By bridging cultural differences, you are also encouraging the smooth flow of communication and, in the process, facilitating the buildup of trust between and among the emp loyees of the two companies.When undergoing global or international MA, there are possible two ways to prevent cultural differences from destroying a potentially successful merger or acquisition.Agree to set aside cultural differences. This is the aggressive tack, since it literally forces the parties to ignore the cultural issues that may arise.Allow the local business to run its unit, while keeping profit targets and strategy clear.Often, the acquiring company would want to maintain its own culture, or have its own culture prevail over that of the acquired company. This was what took place with DaimlerChrysler AG. Daimler wanted to enforce its organizational culture on Chrysler.Where did it go wrong? There are several possibilities, which include the attitude adopted by Daimler when trying to enforce its culture, and how it went about infusing Chrysler’s culture into its own.In the process of evaluating a potential MA, it is highly recommended that the companies thoroughly asses s the culture of their target company or acquisition. More specifically, they should evaluate whether the culture of the target acquisition is compatible with theirs. Not only will this smoothen the integration, but increase the chances of the merger or acquisition becoming successful and profitable in the long run.Whatever decision was made by the merging companies, it is important to choose only one culture, and commit to it. The parties should sit down and have a good talk about it, reveal the gaps that they are faced with and reconcile if there is a need to do so, and put the chosen culture into practice. Managing the culture actively is the next phase, and this is left in the hands of the managers and executives of the companies.Culture clashes are already a given in any international or cross-border MA. They could make or break the entire MA process. Thus, it is important to pay as much attention to culture as you do to other aspects of MA.