Understanding Glocal Business: Anthropological views of Burma
People are (and objects are not, so much):
Intentional causal agents
Perceiving back
Similar to self
Self-conscious targets
Holders of crusial but nonebservable traits
Changeable
Known with indeterminant accuracy
Intrinsic complex
Requiring explanation
Sense of Self and Space (hugging, comfort zone)
Communication and Language (slang, dialects, accents, jargon)
Dress and Appearance
Food and Feeding Habits (Muslim, Jewish, Vegetarians...)
Time and Time Conciousness (exact vs relative)
Relationships (age, gender, status, degree of kindred, wealth, power, wisdom. Physical location of company. Cousins. School friends. )
Values and Norms. (law, order, job titles, maslow hierarchy of needs)
Beliefs and Attitudes (Chrisitianity, Buddhism, Hinduism)
Mental Process and Learning
Work Habits and Practices.
Understanding Glocal Business: Anthropological views of Burma
1. Go There and See –method
Understanding Glocal Business
Global + Local = Glocal
Is it so simple?
Variation points?
Cultural aspects?
People?
Ilkka O. Lavas – Serial Entrepreneur
Laurea 3.3.2014
International Week
2. Ilkka O. Lavas
• 2 books about entrepreneurship
• Partner, board member, investor
– Portfolio of 14 businesses
– 10+ aquisitions done
– 3 exits
• Young Entrepreneur of the year
2009 in ’Southern Finland’
• 35years, 2 boys, 1 wife, 1153 fb
connections, 1035 linkedin
conns, twitter @lavas
6. Company Etymology
company (n.)
mid-12c., "large group of people," from Old French
compagnie “
society, friendship, intimacy; body of soldiers" (12c.),
from Late Latin companio (see companion). Meaning
"companionship" is from late 13c.
Sense of "business association" first recorded 1550s,
having earlier been used in reference to trade guilds
(c.1300). Meaning "subdivision of an infantry
regiment" is from 1580s. Abbreviation co. dates from
1670s.
7. Why understanding the people and
local culture is important
Who is our customer?
• Customer may be a person but also a
company. In company there is still person.
• Customer is always person with personality.
• What defines personality?
8. Personality of world Citizens
•
World Citizens = 7 216 M unique persons
– Finns 5,4M
• Helsinki metropolitan area 1,3M
– You 1
– UK 63,23 M
• You 1
– Belgium 11,14 M
• You 1
– Nederland 16,77 M
• You 1
– Germany 81,89 M
• You 1
– Taiwan 23,34 M
• You 1
– Myanmar (Burma) 52,8 M
• Mandalay (Capital City of Myanmar) 1,23 M
(Metropolitan area 1,6M)
– Customer 1
13. Reaching tourists = $$$ €€€€
• The 1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) bridge was built around 1850 and is believed
to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world
• Construction began when the capital of Ava Kingdom moved to
Amarapura, and the bridge is named after the mayor who had it built.
• It features 1,086 pillars that stretch out of the water.
• It is used as an important passageway for the local people and has also
become a tourist attraction and therefore a significant source of income
for souvenir sellers
14. Don’t guess - Go there and see
Terms defined
Company = Many unique persons
B2C: Customer = unique person directly
B2B: Customer = unique person acting
his/her role in company
16. Unique people are not things
People are (and objects are not, so much):
• Intentional causal agents
• Perceiving back
• Similar to self
• Self-conscious targets
• Holders of crusial but nonebservable traits
• Changeable
• Known with indeterminant accuracy
• Intrinsic complex
• Requiring explanation
Source: Social Cognition: From Brains to Culture
- Susan T Fiske
17. Understanding local people /
Cultural Due Diligence
• Sense of Self and Space (hugging, comfort zone)
• Communication and Language (slang, dialects, accents,
jargon)
• Dress and Appearance
• Food and Feeding Habits (Muslim, Jewish, Vegetarians...)
• Time and Time Conciousness (exact vs relative)
• Relationships (age, gender, status, degree of kindred, wealth,
power, wisdom. Physical location of company. Cousins. School
friends. )
• Values and Norms. (law, order, job titles, maslow hierarchy of
needs)
• Beliefs and Attitudes (Chrisitianity, Buddhism, Hinduism)
• Mental Process and Learning
• Work Habits and Practices.
Managing Cultural Differences
By Robert T. Moran, Philip R. Harris, Sarah Moran
19. Burma, time trip 100years backward
• Educational System
• Kinship System(family
relationships and
education) & Association
System (Social grouping)
• Religious System and
Recreational System (leisure
time)
• Political System
• Economic System
• Health System
21. Child Labour
• Hunger is typical reason for working
– Work has direct influence on your healthy life
• Work is meaningful
• Kids enjoy to work, maybe sometimes too
much and they forget to study
• Evenings are dark, no proper light for studying
• If you start to enjoy working too early, there is
a danger that you will never learn to read.
30. Nightlife
• City is dark at 18.00, silent 21-22 and
awake at 5 on morning
• No TV, no Gaming machines, no parties
• Work is physical, no need for gym