Alliance Experts

Introduction
The South East Asian economies are growing annually. Many Western companies see business opportunities in this region and are extending and focusing their businesses towards these emerging markets. If Western companies are starting new businesses in South-East Asia, they liaise with local partners and their staff.

Working, meeting, negotiating and corresponding with Asian colleagues or Asian business partners can be a minefield. A lack of cultural awareness can have has many levels of impact - from minor misunderstandings to a breakdown in inter-company communications or even a lost deal.

This toolkit offers you an important key for dealing with cultural differences, and employs generally two parallel approaches: developing self awareness of your communication style, and creating more understanding in your company and/or between your company and your international business partners.

Goal and results
The main purpose of this toolkit is to evaluate and constructively tackle the challenges cross-cultural differences can bring to your day-to-day business. We will create, in collaboration with your team, practical tools to reduce cross-cultural misunderstanding and encourage positive cross-cultural working relationships. If there is more understanding and appreciation of intercultural differences, it ultimately promotes clearer communication, builds trust and yields tangible results in terms of business success.

Methods
We strongly believe that every person can break down cultural barriers if they have the readiness to look reflectively at their own behaviour and communication style. We work using many of the principles of Neuro Linguistic Programming (the study of successful people) and Systemic Working (do you know and claim your given position in your organisation?). These principles are very strong and effective means with which to reflect on your own behaviour. We give you user-friendly tools to change it.