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Marketing Culture and Communication – Natalia Nazarchevici

CONTENTS

Part one: THE JOB

Job Advert………………………………..………………………………..………………

Scenario……………………………..………………………………..……………………

The Aesthetics Elucidated……………………………..……………..……………..…

Part two: SIVECO Romania and its Approach to Employment

Company’s Profile……………………………..………………………………..……………

Approach to employment………………………………………………..……………..

Discovering Morocco: a Cross-Cultural Analysis……………………………..…………...

Cultural Context……………………………..………………………………..………

Individualism/ Collectivism……………………………..…………………………

High/ Low Power Distance……………………………..………………………

Uncertainty Avoidance……………………………..………………………

Masculinity/ Femininity……………………………..………………………..…

Part three: THE ‘DO’S’ AND ‘DONT’S’ OF THE INTERVIEW

Value Orientations in Morocco………………………..……………………………

The Interview………………………..………………………………………..…………

Board………………………..………………………………………..……

Language………………………..………………………………………..…

Room Settings………………………..………………………………………..

Conduct and Etiquette………………………..……………………………………….

Dress Code………………………..………………………………………..

Time………………………..………………………………………..…………

Work Week ………………………..………………………………………..…

Verbal Communication………..…………………………………………..

Body Language and Proximity………………………………………………

Relationships…………………………….………………………………….

Business Cards Etiquette…………………………….……………………

REFERENCES

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Part one: THE JOB

Job advert

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Marketing and Communication Assistant- Morocco -

The RoleThis position is to facilitate all the marketing and communication activities of SIVECO Romania’s partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Education. Therefore, the main responsibility of the job is to maintain a strong relationship and to assure a smooth communication between Siveco Romania Marketing Division and the marketing team within the Moroccan National Ministry of Education.You will be directly subordinated to and provide support to Siveco’s Marketing Manager in Morocco, mainly with the adaptation and creation of the promotional and communicational material for the Moroccan market.

The Candidate University Graduate in Business or Marketing from an accredited institution; Evidence of extra-curricular activities; Cultural awareness and an international experience will be a strong advantage; Communicative, disciplined and, at the same time, to have lots of imagination in order to

find the best solutions for the local market; Native Romanian speaker, excellent verbal and written command of English and preferable

French.

The CompanySIVECO is the leading Romanian software house and one of the most successful software integrators in Central and Eastern Europe. SIVECO Romania offers a motivating working environment through proper training, ensuring the conditions for professional and career development, recognition of each member's contribution to the success of the company.

The ApplicationThe recruitment process will take place in two stages: an assessment group in Romania and an individual interview in Morocco. To request or to send an application, please contact Mrs Maria Minulescu at [email protected] quoting MCA/SIRO/MO. Please attach 2 copies of each relevant document when submitting your application.

Company: SIVECO Romania www.siveco.ro Partner: Moroccan National Ministry of Education http://www.men.gov.ma

Location: Rabat, MoroccoDeadline: 22nd March 2012





French.









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http://www.men.gov.ma/

http://www.siveco.ro/

mailto:[email protected]


Scenario

As a Romanian “Business and Marketing” graduate in Great Britain, passionate about

marketing, branding, and corporate identity, I decided to apply for a job in Morocco to further

explore my fascination for cultural diversity and nation branding. I have lived in 3 different

countries and I believe I have developed cultural sensitivity which is an important ingredient

for this particular job application. Having successfully accomplished the assessment group in

Bucharest, I am preparing for the final interview in Rabat, Morocco.

The Aesthetics Elucidated

Advertising space: To call native Romanian speakers, it was decided to place the job

advert into the local Romanian marketing and communication magazines (i.e. Campaign,

Marketing Week, The Marketer, etc.).

Language: The advert was written in off-shore English language to confer a universal

business perspective for all parties involved, especially to attract fluent English speakers.

Colour: It was observed that, as well as at home, in all its international markets and

collaborations, SIVECO Romania prefers to keep and standardize its brand identity

elements. Therefore, the colour used for the advert is green, similar to the one used in

company’s logo.

Graphics: Simplicity and minimalistic style of the graphics are probably the main key

words describing SIVECO’s online presence. Since there was no evidence of company’s

print materials, it was assumed that the online layout can translate very well into the

offline one. As a consequence, the framed advert will be minimalistic to represent

company’s style, but attractive enough to engage the reader.

Symbols: Green colour was found to represent the symbol of Islam and is also used in

Moroccan flag. Consequently, it is believed to convey implicit cultural

meaning for candidates and positive perceptions for Moroccan partner. On

the other hand, in Romania green symbolises hope, force, youth, and sincerity.

Both the employer and its partner’s logos are included in the print advert with the

intention to highlight the strong cobranded partnership, which shows the high status and

prestige of the job offered.

***

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Part two: SIVECO Romania and its Approach to Employment

However objective and uniform we try to make organisations, they will not have

the same meaning for individuals from different cultures.

(Frons Trompeanaars, cited in Neuliep, 2006)

Company’s Profile

SIVECO is the leading Romanian software house and one of the most successful software

integrators in Central and Eastern Europe. For the near future, the company aims at growing

to the status of regional leader and to continue its international expansion. It has already

proven expertise in developing and exporting software products and consultancy projects to

countries within the European Community, The Middle East, North of Africa, and CIS area.

The company was founded in 1992 and in 2011 recorded a 67 million euro turnover (SIVECO

website, 2012).

The attention of this paper is SIVECO’s partnership with the National Ministry of Education

of the Kingdom of Morocco. It started in 2009 when SIVECO won the biggest IT project in

the field of education in Morocco, for providing and implementing integrated IT solution

(eLearning) to the entire Moroccan educational system.

National Ministry of Education of Morocco (Ministère de l’Education Nationale du Maroc) is

a public institution which has gone lately through a large reform of its educational system in

the framework of its “Emergency Program” (National Ministry of Education of Morocco,

2012).

Approach to employment

The candidate for the “Marketing and Communication Assistant” position is employed by

SIVECO Romania in order to support its local partnership with Moroccan Ministry of

Education. Therefore, the advert was created by SIVECO Romania’s HR department.

However, due to the private-public nature of the partnership, adding the French bureaucratic

style of the Moroccan institution, the advert was reviewed and approved by the Moroccan HR

department. For instance, the requirement to provide copies of the relevant documents in the

initial stage of the recruitment process is a Moroccan classic requirement (especially for a

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public institution). For the current position, the potential candidate will follow the four stages

of the recruitment process, as presented below in Figure 1.

Figure 1: The recruitment Process

SIVECO adopted the Western style and dedicates to Careers an entire section of its website –

www.seveco.ro (Figure 2) – where it clearly states the type of people it wants to employ

(“who want to evolve, that are creative, and willing to change things for the better”), it also

stresses on “team work”, and proudly states that it “offers a motivating working environment

through proper training, ensuring the conditions for professional and career development,

recognition of each member's contribution to the success of the company” (SIVECO, 2012).

The lines above express Romanians’ faith in an ultimate positive result if working hard. In

addition, Strǎuţ (p.213) mentions that ”Most Romanians believe in God and the supremacy of

good over evil, even if their history of hardship has made them very patient and enduring

while expecting a final positive outcome”.

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ApplicationAssessment

Group (Romania)

Individual Interview (Morocco)

Offer

Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)Figure 2: SIVECO Romania Careers page (screen-dump)

http://www.seveco.ro/


On the other hand, National Ministry of Education of Morocco (Ministère de l’Education

Nationale du Maroc), does not provide any information regarding job/ career opportunities

within the institution. The website – www.men.gov.ma (Figure 3) – is translated in English,

French and Arabic, and looks formal, over simplistic, with an old fashioned interface. It give

an impression of a slow changing bureaucratic institution.

The partnership SIVECO Romania – Ministry of Education Morocco is a reality of today’s

globalised world, where organisations and their employees interact more often with people

and companies in other countries, and Carte and Fox (2010, p.1) argue that “the more national

borders their companies cross, the greater the scoop for misunderstanding and conflict”. Thus,

the awareness and respect for cultural differences while projecting our own culture in an

appropriate manner is tremendously necessary.

Furthermore, according to Neuliep (2006) a company is similar to a culture: it possesses its

own values, internal formal and informal norms, operate in a particular environment, develop

its own perception views, engage in verbal and nonverbal communication, and build socio-

relations. In other words, it develops a personal organisational culture. Therefore, it cannot be

assumed that when interacting with other organisational cultures its business customs will be

understood in exactly the same way. Figure 4 (one page 7) highlights six key areas that

influence organisational cultures across globe (Neuliep, 2006, p.379).

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Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)Figure 3: National Ministry of Education of Morocco home page (screen-dump)

http://www.men.gov.ma/


Figure 4: Organisational CultureSourse: Neuliep, 2006, p.379

Discovering Morocco: a Cross-Cultural Analysis

In comparing Morocco with Romania, the Organisational Culture Framework will be used,

with particular focus on the Cultural Context and the Verbal and Nonverbal Codes (discussed

in part three). This comparison will take an etic approach (“what is general in cultures”,

Mooij, 2010, p. 61), and does not pretend to be exhaustive or completely free of

ethnocentrism.

Cultural Context refers to “an accumulated pattern of values, beliefs, and behaviours held by

an identifiable group of people with a common verbal and nonverbal symbol system”

(Neuliep, 2006, p. 411). Morocco is considered to be part of the Arabic cluster (Kabasakal

and Bodur, 2002) and its dominant religion is Islam. Therefore, its main Arabic cultural traits

and Islamic religion impact on countries’ social values and practices. More, French and

Spanish influences can be observed. On the other hand, Romania is part of the Latin cluster

and its population practice Orthodox and Catholic Christianism.

It is common that a company’s culture will emulate after its country’s culture. Many studies

(Bass and Burger; Alder, Campbll, and Laurent, cited in Neuliep, 2006) reveal that managers’

leadership style and business strategies are influenced by the cultural context and its values.

Further, the following areas will be examined:

Individualism/ Collectivism

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Organisational Culture

Cultural Context

Perceptual Context

Intercultural Relations

Verbal and Nonverbal

Codes

Soci-Relational Context

Environmental Context


High/ Low Power Distance

Uncertainty Avoidance

Value Orientations (discussed in par three of this portfolio)

High/ Low Context (discussed in par three of this portfolio)

In addition (but with caution) Geert Hofstede’s research (Figure 2) will be used to explore

Moroccan culture in contrast with the Romanian one, through the 5-Dimensions Model. The

researcher argues that it can provide us with “a good overview of the deep drivers of

Moroccan culture relative to other world cultures” (Geert Hofstede, 2012).

Individualism/ Collectivism

Analysing the nature of the relationship between an individual and its society or group would

place Morocco and Romania under the collectivistic wing.

Collectivism’s most relevant characteristics for this paper refer to (Triandis, 1995, in Dainton

and Zelley, 2005):

1. group needs, views, and goals prevail over the individual ones;

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Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]Figure 5: Hofstede, 5-D ModelSource: Geert Hofstede, 2012, [online]


2. the self is defined in relation to the group: “Knowing a person’s connections enables a

stranger to place that person into particular group; knowing where the person comes

from is the same as knowing who that person is”( p.77).

Additionally, Hofstede’s findings (Figure 5, on page 8) show that both countries score

relatively low on individuality (IDV).

Underlying motives:

Morocco: family and in-group relationships are at the heart of the society.

Romania: shaped by a collectivistic communist past.

High/ Low Power Distance

The Kingdom of Morocco is run by constitutional monarchy, and it is also a hierarchical

society where people from lower status perceive inequalities as normal and acceptable. More,

according to Carte and Fox (2010) in Arabic cultures “power in companies is held by a few

people at the top” that give directives.

Hofstede and GLOBE 61 study (in Kabasakal et al, 2002) come to support Morocco’s high

ranking on this dimension. Similarly, but with lower score in Hofstede’s research, is placed

Romania. For instance, in both countries, people address to each other relative to their social

and professional status usually with Mr. and Mrs., and the polite form of “you” are used

(Dumneavoastra in Romania and Vous in Morocco). However, superior might address with a

more direct form. Between friends and family personal approaches are common (Centre for

Intercultural Learning Website (2012).

It can be said that high power distance cultures tend to be collectivistic (Schmidt et al, 2007).

Uncertainty Avoidance

Belief in absolute truth, strict code of behaviour, structure, rules, precision and punctuality are

some characteristics of the high uncertainty avoidance (UAI) cultures (Dainton and Zelley,

2005). According to Hofstede (Figure 2), Morocco score high and Romania extremely high at

this dimension.

Masculinity/ Femininity

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Morocco, although less preeminent comparing to other Muslim countries, is defined by the

“roles men and women fulfil and create a masculine society”, where men are prevailing in

many aspects of life (Kabasakal et al, 2002, p.48). Besides the clear separations of the male –

female roles within the household, in the workplace, female started to gain space and head to

equality once the new democratic King arrived in 1999.

Somehow less rigid, but still remaining a relative strong masculine society is Romania.

Hofstede findings (Figure 5) demonstrate a medium high masculinity (MAS) for both

countries which goes against sex role stereotype at least for Morocco which is remaining a

strong masculine society where men are preferred over women in all spheres of life (GLOBE

in Kabasakal et al, 2002).

Ultimately, according to Edwards’ study (2007) in its intent to transfer similar employment

practices abroad, SIVECO Romania, will face cultural barriers which could influence or even

alter the process. The same author adds: “culturalism argues that MNCs bear the legacy of the

values and attitudes characteristic of the home country; transfer is shaped by this and by host

country cultures” (p.202). This is also very well encompassed by the quotation bellow:

“There is no culture-free theory of management. Managing other people is the

responsibility of people who, like everyone else, have been encculturated and

socialized into a cultural set of values and beliefs that governs their thinking,

emotions, and behaviours. Like communication, management is culture bond.

Moreover, managerial perceptions regarding the factors that lead to

organizational success vary across cultures” (Neuliep, 2006, p.377)

***

Part three: THE ‘DO’S’ AND ‘DONT’S’ OF AN INTERVIEW IN MOROCCO

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Every road has two directions.

Moroccan proverb

Value Orientations in Morocco

Religion: a vast majority (98%) of Moroccans are Sunni Muslims and Islam has an

enormous impact on social values and practices (Kabasakal and Bodur, 2002).

Family and Personal Relationships: According to Kabasakal and Bodur (2002, p.47)

“Islam promotes and maintains family and kinship relationships, creating a highly

collectivistic society”. Therefore, family and long-term in-group relationships are

extremely important in Moroccan social and business culture.

Respect: Dignity and self-worth are especially importance so Moroccan’s take notice of

how others perceive them. Shame is to be avoided at all costs, so Moroccans will often do

as much as possible to win the respect of others and to avoid arguments and confrontation.

Moroccans are conscious of their reputation and will do whatever it takes to ensure it is

not damaged and to avoid shaming their family.

The Interview

Board

The interview will take place in Rabat, Morocco, at the premises of the Ministry of Education

Marketing Department meeting room. The board of the interviewers will be mixed and will

include:

Maria Minulescu: the Romanian HR Manager, SIVECO Romania, Romania.

Andrei Lazarescu: the Romanian Marketing Manager, SIVECO Romania, Morocco. He

was relocated 2 years ago especially for this partnership.

Touria Al Hassani: the Moroccan Marketing Director, Ministry of Education, Morocco.

Saleh Bouchtat: the Moroccan HR Manager, Ministry of Education, Morocco.

Language

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The French language is primarily spoken in the business world in Morocco, yet it is a

secondary criterion for the current job due to the fact that the two parties maintain their

relationship using English (i.e. at the “eduVision 2020”, Bucharest, September 2011; and at

the “The African Education Summit”, Rabat, Morocco, July 2011). Furthermore, “the demand

for English is growing as Moroccans realise that while French will enable them to study in

France, English will present them with increased opportunities” (British Council, 2007).

Thus, the interview will be held in English.

As a pre-requisite, the candidate must be a native Romanian speaker as the job role requests

an impeccable understanding and communication with the Romanian team.

Room settings

It can be observed that the Moroccan representatives prefer closeness and are sitting next to

each other. They are known to be oral people and therefore are not noticed to take many notes

during the interview. On the other hand, the two Romanian delegates are very carefully taking

notes, not only to equally evaluate each candidate, but also to prepare reports for their

superior as Romania is far more hierarchical than Morocco. Everyone is served tea or coffee

as an expression of friendship or esteem.

DO: try to use the right hand only, as the left hand is considered unclean.

DON’T: decline the offer of drink, as it is considered discourteous.

Conduct and Etiquette

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the candidate

HRM MkD

Figure 6: Room settings


Dress Code

Although as a woman in an Arab country it is important to cover up, the business fashion of

men and women in Moroccan urban areas are extremely influenced by western style of

dressing (Kabasakal and Bodur, 2002; Carte and Fox, 2010). However, if visiting rural areas

it is recommended to comply with more reserved traditional style and cover “from the knee

(shorts or skirt) to the elbow (short-sleeved T-shirts)” (Morocco Explored, 2012).

DO: dress appropriate business style to establish your status. Yet, a more sober style

would be appreciated.

DON’T: use to many accessories (Morocco Explored, 2012).

Time

In the Arab world the relationships prevail over time and agendas (Carte and Fox, 2010;

Usunier and Lee, 2009; and Schmidt et al., 2007), and Al-Omari adds that “it is timing rather

than the time that is important”, in other words, “you follow the mood rather than the

schedule” (in Carte and Fox, 2010, p.15).

In Morocco the time is polychronic and it is seen as flexible and cyclical, and often people

“attempt to perform multiple task simultaneously” (Liu et al., p.110). It appears that the

religion impacted on the perception of time as Moroccans are not worried about delays using

habitually the phrase: “if God wills it” (Schmidt et al., 2007, p.251) or inshallah.

DO: be prepared to be kept waiting. Use the time to small talk to anyone you meet as

you could discover important or interesting things.

DO: take time to know the people in the interview board before starting the serious

matters.

DO: take time to prepare your audience, find the right moment, and soften a bad news

or answer.

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Monochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic PolichronicMonochronic Polichronic


DON’T: rush! It will undermine your position as “anyone in a hurry is viewed with

suspicious and with distrust” (Schmidt et al., 2007, p.251).

DON’T: panic if Moroccans will often repeat inshallah.

Romania’s relationship with time is somewhere in the middle.

Do not look at a watch or clock during the meeting.

Work week

It is common for Moroccans to work from Monday till Friday, as well as from Saturday till

Wednesday. In any case, some offices might close for 30 minutes, five times a day for

prayers. Moreover, during Ramadan, the entire business activities are less dynamic.

DO: respect the praying times and know that the Friday is the Holly day.

DO: verify and confirm the interview date and time, and

DON’T: expect total rigidity.

DON’T: drink or eat in public during the Ramadan period.

Verbal Communication

High/ Low Context

Although from very different cultural backgrounds, it is interesting that according to the 5-

Dimensional Model, Morocco and slightly less Romania, both are high-context cultures, and

in its contemporary business communications tend to be more implicit. However, Hall (1966,

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Written Spoken

Reserved Effusive

Low-context High-context


1976, in Dainton and Zelley, 2005) places Latin cultures in the middle of the dichotomy low-

versus high-context cultures.

Moroccans “expect you to be able to interpret what they mean from your knowledge of the

cultural values that lie behind the words” (Carte and Fox, 2010, p.170). Usunier and Lee

(2009) describe French communication as an alternation of “vague and precise”. Thus, it is

possible that the business communication practices are influenced by the use of French in

Moroccan business world. However, when translated/ adapted to English, the meaning might

be altered.

On the other hand, Romanians are "Latin people" and, therefore, like to speak with passion

and wave their hands and Tempers may flare easily and are not well hidden. Still, in a

business circumstances the tone tend to be more reserved.

Regarding the appropriate focus on talking and listening, both Latin and Arab cultures incline

towards a two speakers communication style - (effusive) - where interruption and overlap

demonstrate interest not disrespect (Usunier and Lee, 2009; and Carte and Fox, 2010).

DO: if given the opportunity, engage in meta-communication to establish the

appropriate style of communication.

DO: expect to encounter the power of the spoken word as (Carte and Fox, 2010) Arab

cultures have a strong oral tradition.

DO: follow the eye and body language to interpret the meaning of the verbal message.

DO: ask politely your questions.

DO: “be patient, listen hard, read between the lines, and ask questions to check you’ve

understood them correctly” (Carte and Fox, 2010, p.170).

DO: address to people with Mr Msr, or if asked to speak French, use the formal form

of "you" (vous in French) (Centre for Intercultural Learning, 2012).

DO: avoid negative feedback or direct confrontation.

DON’T: necessarily accept what Moroccans say have a literal meaning

DON’T: panic if you cannot understand what Moroccans mean (Be patient as “they

will classify higher the harmony of a relationship than “clarity or directness”, Carte

and Fox, 2010)

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DON’T: “take too many written notes during the meeting. If you do they may think

you don’t trust them” (Carte and Fox, 2010, p.171).

DON’T: worry if interrupted or if you want to interfere as “people who listen in total

silence make them feel uncomfortable” (Carte and Fox, 2010, p.171).

Body Language and Proximity

Due to the fact that Moroccan culture is high-context, collectivistic, it is rich in non-verbal

meanings which might be difficult to decode. It is similar to Romanian, which does not use

exact verbal messages, nonverbal communication behaviours, such as gestures, mimicry, and

intonation of voice.

People from Arab countries are known fall into “physically close” and “tactile culture” Carte

and Fox (2010, p.168) suggest that to not show surprise or embarrassment if they get too

close and that “handshakes can go on forever and you will have almost no personal space” the

authors suggest that rejecting these signs of warmth will make you appear cold and

discourteous” Carte and Fox (2010, p.168). Close friends or colleagues hug and kiss both

cheeks upon greeting

Arabs often look each other straight in the eyes because “they believe that the eyes are the

windows of the soul” (Harris et al, 2004, in Usunier and Lee, 2009, p.351). Moreover, similar

to Romanian culture, looking straight in the eyes denotes sincerity and an attentive attitude.

DO: handshake at the beginning and end of the interview, taking care not to grip too

firmly.

DO: women give first their hand for handshake.

DO: look straight in the eyes when talking. (Males should be careful when looking at

women)

DON’T: do not reject the signs of warmth, or express surprise or shame if they get too

close – you will look stone cold and discourteous.

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Physically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically closePhysically distant Physically close


DON’T: face the sole of the shoes towards anyone, “Muslims consider this to be an

obvious insult” (Usunier and Lee, 2009, p.349).

Relationships

According to Carte and Fox (2010, p. 177) Morocco is a “relative truth culture” which

indicates that “the circumstances indicates the way you behave”. The authors continue “your

loyalty is more to your group (eg family, clan, friends and company) than to a set of abstract

rules”

Schwartz’s values approach describes on one hand the Eastern European nations are “high in

harmony, conservatism, and intermediate in hierarchy/egalitarianism” and other hand, Islamic

countries are “high in hierarchy, conservatism, intermediate in mastery/harmony” (Guirdham,

2005, pp. 57-58).

DO: pay attention on creating and developing relationships and trust.

DO: accept or offer small or symbolic gifts

DON’T: criticise as it might not be taken light.

Business Cards Etiquette

DO: prepare to exchange business cards.

DO: make sure one of the sides is translated in Arabic or French it shows respect.

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Functional Personal

Flat hierarchy Vertical Hierarchy

Individualistic Group-oriented


A few last thoughts…

This portfolio tried to collect useful insights about the cultures in question. However, it has to

be mentioned that it is impossible not to generalise or assign stereotypes as each individual,

group and society is very divers. In addition, it is important not to forget that today’s

corporates leaders have accomplished their studies in many western countries and are very

likely to bring back home certain views and values, which consequently will affect the

manner in which they interact with other people or companies.

After enriching my cultural knowledge and awareness, I have decided to apply the SOPHOP

approach proposed by Carte and Fox (2010). The approach acronym stands for “be soft on

people, hard on points” which means that a person should “be able to nurture the relationship,

while still ensuring that you give no ground on the commercial issues” (Carte and Fox, 2010,

p.131). This strategy moulds very well into the Moroccan context as for them the personal

and business areas are interrelated (relationship-oriented will take attacks personally).

Therefore, as suggested by Carte and Fox (2010) I should try to control the way I express

myself. Considering the fact that I lived in the UK for the last 3.5 years, I believe I have

internalised the specific diplomatic British way of communication.

***

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