Page 126 - Harnessing the Strengths

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DILEMMA 5:

SPECIFIC VERSUS DIFFUSE

Challenge
Peter Webber is in a monthly meeting to discuss the upcom-
ing business issues with the EMEA country managers. The
problem at hand is: continually increasing service costs.
What is interesting to note is that the southern European
countries (primarily Italy, Spain, and France) are in agree-
ment with their African and Middle-Eastern colleagues, in
their mutual desire to invest more in services for the cus-
tomer. The Dutch, English, and Scandinavian colleagues,
on the other hand, emphasize the need to pay more atten-
tion to the costs. Let the customer explain, for once, why a
whole series of antibiotics needs to be recalled on the basis of
one upset stomach and some minor side effects, even though
both Harvard and Cambridge have already stated that this
is one of the best medicines that can be used.
And, once again, Peter Webber faces a situation that
might more easily have been resolved if everyone had the
same cultural background. But this is not the case, and more-
over, it is about the expectations of the clients, which are also
very different. So what should he do in a region like EMEA
where these differences are making his job so complicated?

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