Danone’s Wrangle with Wahaha

The book

Luthans,  F., & Doh, J. P. (2018) International management: Culture,  strategy, and behavior (10th ed.) McGraw-Hill Education, New York, NY  ISBN 13: 978-1259705076

This week’s discussion will focus on cultural negotiation using the case study about Danone in China (p. 255 in the textbook).

This  case is a cautionary tale of how important cultural differences are  when forming strategic partnerships or joint ventures with companies  from different countries. 

Our  content this week reflects on the impact of conflict on  decision-making. As a decision-maker within your organization, it is  important for you to deal with conflict in a skilled manner. Doing so  can create positive outcomes and provide opportunities for improvement  rather than undesirable results. 

After reading the case, reflect and write your paper on the following:

1. What was the problem in the joint venture that triggered the conflict between the two companies? 
2. What were the differences of each company’s understanding of their own respective roles and responsibilities in this venture?
3. Did any aspect of organizational culture or national culture affect this perspective? 
4. As a leader, what are some ways you can handle conflict when it arises?