Develop Global Mindset

It’s Time We Start Changing Our Mindset

(Make sure to refer Shyam Bhatawdekar Effectiveness Model: HSoftware at URLs: http://humansoftware.blogspot.com/ (Effectiveness Management: HSoftware) and http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/management-in-life-profession-family/6txz9nck6g3/3# (Effectiveness Management: HSoftware)

Change from local mindset to global mindset.
Mindset = Patterns of Thinking = Paradigm.
Sticking to wrong mindsets is constraining.
Shifting to right ones helps to succeed and grow.
Developing global mindset will give you competitive advantage in your organization and in the world.

A ‘Global’ Mindset Means

We scan the world from a broad perspective.
Always looking for unexpected trends and opportunities to achieve our personal, professional, or organizational objectives.
It combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across cultures and markets with ability to synthesize across this diversity.

Globalization

Globalization means selling any where in the world and also making any where in the world: that’s the crux.
Now the world’s best organizations are everywhere and selling.
You also want to buy the best things.
Globalization has triggered severe competition for companies and for employees.
What we see right now is tip of iceberg.
More competition has yet to come.
Companies have no choice but to think and act global.
Do the employees have any?

Global Companies

So, the businesses are forced to shift from local, international or multinational outlook to “global” outlook and practices.
Multinational: National company with foreign subsidiaries. Clones of parent company. Subsidiary company manufactures almost everything in the foreign country, it sells there, buys there and employs people from there.
Global Company: Only one economic unit i.e. “world”. Selling, servicing, public relations and legal affairs are local. Parts, machines, planning, research, finance, marketing, pricing and management are conducted in contemplation of world market.
In “global” outlook companies, the employees could be from diverse back grounds: nationalities, ethnic beliefs, gender etc.
Global companies and their employees benchmark against the global products, quality, processes, business practices, prices, delivery systems, productivity.
Global companies and their employees manage diversities of all kinds.

Attitudes to Build Global Organizations

Ethnocentrism: Culture is considered only from the standpoint of the country manufacturing the product.
Polycentrism: Here the mindset is that the organization wants to be a good local company (in the host country).
Geocentrism: The main theme is the worldwide approach in both, the head/corporate office and also in the subsidiaries.
Cybercentrism: This mindset is all about real time vision of market realities without any limitations to the physical size to operations and growth.

Four Types of Managerial Mindsets

Defender: Finds other people and cultures intimidating. He also wants protection from the outside world to prevent others from exploring home market.
Explorer: Even though the headquarter in the home country is in control of the business, this mindset allows movement into other markets. He vigilantly studies the new cultures and markets in search for new products, customers and services. He makes sure that headquarter continues to handle all decision making.
Controller: He is more home country oriented to the extent that he will like to apply systems that work well domestically at the units abroad.
Integrator: He possesses the most broadened global mindset. He has the expertise to understand other business cultures and can manage diversity. He is capable of setting up world wide networks and strategic alliances of distributors, customers, developers, suppliers etc.

Characteristics of Global Mindset

Knowledge: Broad perspective, extensive knowledge.
Conceptualization: Analytical skills, understanding of global influences.
Flexibility: Open minded, willing to change old habits.
Sensitivity: Accepts different values and beliefs.
Judgment: Self confident, previous experience.
Reflection: Aware, strives to learn.

Benefits

Helps managers seeing possibilities when opportunities arise and share best practices with the surroundings.
Speeds up the cross-country sharing of information.
Enhances the capability of risk-taking.
Gets products on the market in shorter time.
Facilitates the convergence of local adjustments with global standardization.

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