Developing a cross-cultural training program for L'Oreal's employees at the headquarters in Paris

Résumé du document

In the evolving world of interconnected societies and culturally globalized world economy, firms are developing outside the constraints of a particular national setting. The main aim of this training programme is to understand and improve the interaction of co-workers from different countries and diverse cultures around the world. These can be explored through effective cross-cultural training.

Cross-cultural training allows individuals of different cultural backgrounds in acquiring knowledge of both content and skills that will promote the effective cross-cultural interaction by reducing misunderstandings and inappropriate behavior. This report presents a training program for L'Oreal product Managers to facilitate a better comprehension of the cross-cultural implications in the business realm around the world.

What is Cross-Cultural Awareness?
Cross-cultural awareness has been explained by various authors using terminologies such as intercultural sensitivity, cross-cultural competence and cross-cultural adaptability. Johnson et al (2006) states, "Cross-cultural competence in international business is an individual's effectiveness in drawing upon a set of knowl¬edge, skills, and personal attributes in order to work successfully with people from different national cultural backgrounds at home or abroad''. Walker et al (2003) states that cross-cultural awareness is "managerial and leadership competencies coupled with an articulate comprehensions of cross-cultural competencies" required to manage network and structure in today's highly globalized business.

Extraits

[...] Our Managers The training program will be designed for the product managers of a French based multinational cosmetics company. L'Oreal is the world's largest cosmetic group with 23 international brands billion Euros in sales in 2008 and has over 67.500 employees worldwide. L'Oreal has built successful subsidiaries in countries across the globe operating in 130 countries (L'Oreal.com (2011)). The product managers are from all over the world and are responsible for strategy design and implementation for the company. The nature of their job requires travelling to various countries and knowledge about diverse cultures is essential. [...]

[...] The effect of the national cultures of the training participants also needs to be considered. National culture according to Hofstede (1980, 2001) refers to the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes members of one human group to those of another (Hassi and Storti, 2011). While national culture may influence the way in which participants conduct themselves in business, Holbeche (2005) presents a theory that within large international organisations, corporate culture may be paramount over national culture. Why cross-cultural awareness is important for L'Oreal? [...]

[...] It also develops a strong organizational culture for employees and provides cohesion (Wang, 2008). Cross-cultural training will improve employee's skills because they will be working with different nationalities in different countries, improving communication and understanding of the difference between reasonability and necessity (Branine, 2003). Moreover, the main content of cross-cultural training focuses on how to cultivate and inspire the passion of staff for cultural tolerance and reduces the friction that can occur between employees from different backgrounds, strengthening employees' teamwork skills (Branine, 2003). [...]

[...] Cross-cultural awareness for employees is therefore needed. Cross-cultural awareness is significant and crucial for employees at L'Oreal. It can help companies with a complicated organizational culture and enables individuals and groups to collaborate to achieve common business goals (Branine, 2003). The employees at L'Oreal adopt the culture of foreign environments and learn a different way of thinking; it is key for understanding different cultures (Branine, 2003). In addition, the employees receive the instruction or teaching from foreign managers which is an effective cross-cultural training tool. [...]

[...] Developing a cross-cultural training program for L'Oreal's employees at the headquarters in Paris Introduction In the evolving world of interconnected societies and culturally globalized world economy, firms are developing outside the constraints of a particular national setting. The main aim of this training programme is to understand and improve the interaction of co-workers from different countries and diverse cultures around the world. These can be explored through effective cross-cultural training. Cross-cultural training allows individuals of different cultural backgrounds in acquiring knowledge of both content and skills that will promote the effective cross-cultural interaction by reducing misunderstandings and inappropriate behaviour. [...]