In today's markets, international trends represent a large part of exchanges. In most cases, companies act on an international level: they try to sell their products all over the world in order to find new opportunity markets. They expect to find competition-advantaged resource providers on foreign countries. Besides, their interests for international purposes oblige them to take a huge implication in international business. By setting up their activities in several countries, they may employ local workforces, cope with local systems (legal, social, cultural), and participate in the world-scaled trends of businesses.
Taking over the famous sentence popularized by S. Walter, companies now "Think Global, Act Local". The fact that firms are completely participating in the globalized business tends to demonstrate that "global" is a source of revenue and is generating wealth. However, in several cases, companies may be encountering some disadvantages and important issues while being in the world-scaled economy.
Intercultural stakes appear to be one of the most important factors of company international implementation. In some cases, intercultural problems may appear and strongly jeopardize companies. For example, due to intercultural issues, Accor Hotels (a French leading housing company) decided to close two Hotels in French Antilles (in 2002) because of local staff behavior, strongly incompatible with tourism quality of services.
In other cases, intercultural situation may, according to several organizational analysts, be a generator of wealth. Intercultural idea sharing bears the possibility to bring a different way of doing business, working together.
In all cases, whether it proves to be a success or not, all companies working under global conditions have to cope with intercultural stakes.
GSK is a British-American company functioning in pharmaceuticals, was born from the merger between GlaxoWellcome (US) and SmithKline Beecham (GB).
The company today represents the second largest pharmaceutical institution in the world. Corporate research & development drives the growth of this multinational.
This international company is currently financially hosted by the LSE (London Stock Exchanges). It is the result of multiple mergers and acquisitions. Nowadays, GlaxoSmithKline continues to base its development on external growth: In 2001, GSK bought Block drugs, a New Jersey-based company specialized in dental care.
GlaxoSmithKline more recently took on an important role in controlling the H1N1 pandemic flu, as the company developed and manufactured a flu vaccine.
The corporate portfolio of medicines of GSK currently covers several domains: Anti infections, CNS (Central Nervous System), respiration, internal medicine, oncology, and vaccines. The company has also part of its activity dedicated to healthy food products and "over-the-counter" medicines.
GlaxoSmithkline strategy is to take a relevant position in several health care activities: core medicines (dedicated to physiological hazards), paramedicines and surgery-related medicines and services. The GSK Group wants to become an umbrella company of health care markets.
Tags: GlaxoSmithkline strategy,"Think Global, Act Local", SmithKline Beecham, "over-the-counter" medicines
[...] GSK top management took care of cultural well being within the company, by implementing a common process and organization. b. Worldwide diversity of culture in company GSK growth from 2000 to today was mainly oriented to global development: the company prioritized developing its positions and markets on foreign countries, especially on emerging countries (BRICs). However, cultural diversity resulting from this global development posed problems, especially on corporate culture. As an example, GSK objectives in 2000 were mainly oriented towards developing a welfare environment in terms of financial profitability: the company was exclusively dedicated to financial interests. [...]
[...] As a conclusion, we have two steps: Individual approach o Background : culture + personal background o Needs : Level of need[7] Group and complex systems approach o How does an individual work with another? o How do individuals work together? The last point to be referred is “corporate culture”: A set of beliefs and values which are shared and promoted (more or less) by members of a group, here, referring to a company. the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail' Attributed to Abraham Maslow A manager has to be prepared for any kind of issues that may crop up. [...]
[...] Glaxo Smithkline official website. GSK, n.d. Web Nov < http:>. out of line to improve access to medicines.” Oxfam International. Oxfam international Feb Web Nov < http:>. MOORADIAN, A. H. “Sanofi-Aventis to Acquire Majority Stake in Indian Vaccines Maker Wall street Journal. N.p July 2009. Web Nov. 2009. < http:>. Staton, Tracy. GSK sales move East, so do sales jobs.” Fierce Pharma 29 Oct. 2009: n. pag. Web Nov < http:>. Walter (2004) "Think Global, Act Local", Luath Press Ltd., Edinburgh, ISBN 1-84282-079-6 Complément d'enquête. [...]
[...] GlaxoSmithKline is also a good example of what intercultural approach can bring to people: this case may prove that the intercultural management model may be positive for: Company and investors Staff Consumers Works Cited Anthea Bull, Séverine Loinard & Maguy-Myriam Sulmona. “Intercultural Communication: Necessary management or unnecessary concerns Univeristy Paris Dauphine. N.p., n.d. Web Nov < http: article>. Further Investgation. France 2. Tourisme, tristes tropiques n.p., 9 Mar Television. “Corporate and Social Responsibility 2002.” Glaxo Smithkline official website. GSK Web Nov < http:>. Glaxo Smithkline official website. GSK, n.d. [...]
[...] The main assumption of the company is that taking care of people may make “people do more, feel better and live longer.”[13] Here are the core values of Glaxo SmithKline corporate social responsibility: Performance with integrity Entrepreneurial spirit Focus on innovation A sense of urgency Passion for achievement As an argument to support those values, GSK instituted studies measuring the level of social responsibility within the company. Firstly, it pursued a informal study within 10,000 to assess well the spirit and culture is being adopted”. [...]
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