Collectivism
Brazil was a collectivism society, it is because the country has score of 38 of individualism it is direct reflect that means that in this country people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive groups especially represented by the extended family(Geert Hofstede.2001). Brazilians have a long-term commitment to their family groups. Most Brazilians live at home with their parents until marriage, then even once married tend to stay within the same neighborhood to remain close to the family(Communicaid.2010). Family loyalty is a distinctive feature of the Brazilian culture. These collectivist influences transcend the boundaries of the family environment and have profound implications for the quality of Brazilians’ performance in the workplace(top dissertation). Brazilians will never betray their relatives or family members, but they also risk facing tough workplace challenges, if their commitment to family becomes excessively strong
Power distance
Brazil has the greatest inequity of wealth distribution and authority of all business sector which mean that they as the high power distance country. While the inequality of income distribution among Brazilians has a previous history, the disparity has grown even greater since the 1980s. Consequently, most Brazilian business people seem quite comfortable with what they perceive as natural order of economic inequality(reference for business.1999). This often causes friction when Brazilian business people deal with their North American counterparts. Generally speaking, most business people in the United States or Canada are uncomfortable with class distinctions. Brazil, however, more than any other major business culture, professes to be at ease with these social inequalities. Most Brazilians view the world as a whole and the workplace in particular as innately unequal, and are more comfortable with these distinctions.Brazilian companies tend to have vertical hierarchies where managers at the top make most of the decisions(reference for business.2000). These positions tend to be dominated by men, but women are slowly gaining employment in executive roles. Differences in class are still prevalent in Brazilian society and business culture. Class is mostly determined by economic status and is reflected in the salaries people receive resulting in large disparities of pay and status. There are laws against discrimination and most class differences in business are subtle(communicaid.2010).
Masculinity vs Femininity
Brazil was a balance in masculinity and femininity society, place higher value on people, quality of life and nurturing. Other than that, they interpret sex roles more fluidly and places greater value on cooperative effort and service in their country so they ignore the gender differences most the time(reference for business). The Brazil also possess strong concern for social harmony and human relationships compared with American they has strong motivation for achievement, and consider work central to life(ldldproject. 2005).
Time Orientation
The Brazil was a long term orientation society, they tend to focus on relationships when comes to business. As Brazilians priority on relationships with others, it is basic to spend time and getting to know, either personally and professionally of Brazilian counterparts. The most important elements in Brazilian business culture is personal relationships. By cultivating them, and building trust, one chance of successfully doing business in Brazil will increase greatly. Curiously, it is common to see members of the same family working for the same company(PUCSP.1986). This is due to the strong importance placed on family relations. Brazilians prefer to do business with those they know and trust, what reinforces this characteristic. Relationships are one of the most important elements in Brazilian business culture. By cultivating close personal relationships and building trust, it will have a greater chance of successfully doing business in Brazil(communicaid.2002). The strong importance placed on family relations in Brazil means that often you will find a number of family members working for the same company. This is especially reinforced since Brazilians prefer to do business with those they know and trust(Geert Hofstede.2000).
High Context culture
Brazil is considered a high context culture, because the Brazilians place a strong emphasis on how a message is spoke rather than on the words used alone. For instance, for many Brazilians, the eloquence with which one presents one’s position becomes a part of the message(reference for business). For the rhetorical effect alone, some Brazilians may exaggerate a point but this is done in such a way that others know it to be an exaggeration(ididproject.1988). The Brazilian are more prefer implicit language and derive most information from the context of the communication rather than the actual code was used. Other than that, alludes to shared experiences in communication compared with the American was avoids allusions and connotation in communication. Business people from low context cultures like the United States, may misunderstand such rhetorical flourishes as dishonesty. As in other high context cultures, messages are also understood in terms of the full context of the communicators relationship with one another.
Time conception
Brazil is the polychronic cultures like to do multiple things at the same time. A manager’s office in a polychronic culture typically has an open door, a ringing phone and a meeting all going on at the same time. Though they can be easily distracted they also tend to manage interruptions well with a willingness to change plans often and easily. People are their main concern and they have a tendency to build lifetime relationships(ididproject.2002). Brazil and the United States are extremely different in the way each conceives of time, the United States is a monochronic culture. Brazil like, ranks personal involvement and completion of existing transactions above the demands of preset schedules. The United States, like other monochronic cultures, adheres to preset schedules that take precedence over personal interaction or the completion of the business at hand(reference for business). Considerable regional variance exists in Brazil regarding attitudes toward scheduling and time in general. The Southeast is considerably more time-conscious than, for example, the customary pace of life in the Interior or the northeast. Thus, the generalization of Brazilian attitudes toward time that follows must be balanced against these regional influences. Nonetheless, even in the more monochronic southeast, Brazilians tend to be considerably lax in comparison to their North American counterparts.
Leadership style of Brazilian
In Brazil, most the leader have a most common leadership style in the business practice which is coaching style and participative style. For the coaching which mean, is appropriated for people who have commitment. Coaching leaders define roles and tasks, but also explain the reason and why behind the guidance they provide. This style is appropriate for people with high motivation and low competence regarding a task. For the participative style which is used if people have experience but lack confidence or motivation(Dynergies.2011). Leaders use this specific style to involve the employees in the problem solving process. These are most desirable leadership behavior which is integration, persuasiveness and consideration.
Integration show the degree the manager maintains a closely-knit group and effectively resolves member conflicts within the organization. This dimension emphasizes on interpersonal relationships and the focus on the work group. A leader who are integrative is expected to take care for the others, promote teamwork, manage conflicts and create a friendly and collaborative spirit in the workplace(ESPM.2016). In Brazil, there is a strong expectation that leaders should be integrators who encourage teamwork, manage conflicts, are generous, friendly and inspiring, and effectively coordinate teams, clarifying the roles of team members and promoting the achievement of organizational goals.
For the persuasiveness, manager uses persuasion and arguments effectively, in addition to exhibiting strong convictions. It is associated with orientation toward the group and stresses the importance of relationship skills. A leader who is persuasive should act as enthusiasm, charm and diplomatic, be inspiring, resolve problems effectively, have a positive outlook on things and strive for win-win situations(forbes.2010). Although being part of the group, the persuasive leader is the one who has the last word and determines the team’s actions. In light of the accentuation that has been given to social perspectives as of late, there is no place for tyrant authority in Brazilian associations. In this regard, it can be seen that hierarchies are dissolving(commisceo.2010). The concept of equality will be increasingly practiced in Brazilian firms.
Moreover, consideration is understood as the level of a leader’s concern for the comfort, wellbeing, status and contributions of followers. Consideration also direct related to the focus group. A participative leader should be friendly, accessible, generous and welcoming, make the workplace pleasant, listen and put into practice the suggestions of team members and be concerned about the quality of life of the team members(ESPM.2010).
Ability recommendation
In order to success in Brazil culture, the expatriate should adapt in local about the cultural. There has several skill and recommendation for the expatriate to success in their culture. Firstly, the cultural sensitivity, it is defined as the expat ability to understand the culture in which they are living and working, and to fit into it, so that it can make the culture more clear in their mind. The expat has interest in the new culture, curiosity and passion to learn new things in their culture, try to fit into the new society, beside that also happy to understand and live within a different culture and the most important thing which is the respect was often mentioned(SESP.2011). Surprisingly, speaking a language other than English didn’t increase worker requirements abroad. Employees in both English speaking countries and non-English speaking countries expressed similar adjustment challenges(global broad.2009).
Other than that, the open mindedness, it is the expat ability to look at their new environment with a desire to learn about and understand it and an interest in seeing the things differently. Also willing to try new thing and accepting failure as a failure as a means to learn and improve were mentioned in the answers to the open response questions(SESP.2011). If the mind of expat is traditional minded it would be failure in other country of different culture. So that the open minded is very important for the potential expatriate toward other country.
In addition, the flexibility is the expat’s willingness to try new ways of doing things. Versatility and adaptability were the most much of the time recorded attributes when subjects were asked what made them fruitful before the five conjectured qualities were uncovered. One subject puts it this way, being flexible on the methodology, while remaining focused on delivering results within the allotted time is essential. Interestingly, many subjects listed both adaptability and flexibility as important characteristics. Clearly a distinction was drawn between the two by subjects. Expatriate work demands more social skills, perceptual skills, reasoning ability and flexibility to adjust than domestic work.
Lastly, in my opinion in order to success as the expatriate in Brazil culture to have a well research for the locals cultural and compare with the host and home country cultural differentiation. So that after compare, the expatriate can try and learn about the local culture and adapt to that. For instance, the expatriate can build relationship with locals and gain the real information from their during the conversation. Other than that, we can join the tour to the particular country it can gain the data from the tourist and share with them about home culture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Brazil was a collectivist society which is the people more prefer work together and integrated into strong and also they likely more teamwork in the business practice. They have commitment on their family group. Beside the they also the high power distance society, which mean they seem inequity to other member as the normal, no whether income or authority they also accept the unequal to other member in society. In the organization, the hierarchical is briefly mentioned and only top management can make decision. The Brazil was a balanced in masculinity and femininity society which mean that they mostly ignore the gender differences. Moreover, the Brazil was a long term orientation society, they put the relationships in priorities, they are not likely to deal with the strange business deal. By cultivating them, and building trust, one chance of successfully doing business in Brazil will increase greatly. Next, Brazil is considered a high context culture, they strongly emphasize on how a message is spoke rather than on the words used alone and they are not likely to straight to the point. In addition, Brazil was the polychronic culture, they can do the multiple task at the same time and also they seem the time as not likely important. Beside that , the leadership style in Brazil was the coaching style and participative style, although they are high power distance society but it is only when come to make decision, and they practice in integration, persuasiveness and consideration behavior. There have several ability to the expatriate to success in Brazil culture which is the cultural sensitivity, flexibility and open mindedness. Other than that, the expatriate can gain more data or information through joining the tour and build relationship with the locals.