With the Chinese rapid industrial development, there became a need for importation of oil and minerals\r\n(that is, iron ore, bauxite, nickel, copper), which Africa have in great quantity. For that, China now\r\nbecomes Africaââ?¬â?¢s second largest trading partner after U.S. As a result of this, bilateral trade with Africa\r\nreached $114 billion in 2008, up from $65.9 billion in 2007. This was as a result of the governmentââ?¬â?¢s\r\nââ?¬Å?going global policyââ?¬Â, which encouraged Chinese companies to become multinationals, and therefore\r\nsupported a rise in Chinaââ?¬â?¢s foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa to $5.4 billion in 2009, up from a\r\nnegligible amount just a decade ago. In spite of Africa ââ?¬â?? China relationship, there appears to be culture\r\nrelated differences which need to be studied for greater mutual understanding. The objective of this\r\ntopic therefore, is more or less to minimize misunderstandings through an awareness of the priorities\r\nand expectations of business partners for greater world economy. In so doing, this study was able to\r\ndiscuss some differences in Africa and Chinese business cultures. It therefore explained the\r\nconnection between culture and business. It went on to clarify the differences between China and Africa\r\nby focusing on Hofstedeââ?¬â?¢s four cultural dimensions: power distance, individualism/collectivism,\r\nmasculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance and Bondââ?¬â?¢s dimension about long-term/short-term\r\norientation also called ââ?¬Å?Confucian dynamismââ?¬Â. The paper tried to explain their cultural differences in\r\nbusiness strategies, conflict management, decision-making risk-taking/risk-avoiding, decision-making,\r\nwork-group characteristics, and motivation systems. It made it known that whereas Chinese has\r\nsomething to do with guanxi (relationship) that helps them not to lose face in business, African never\r\nthink of such. The paper concludes that knowing another culture is a legitimate concern of businesses.\r\nMore than that, it is essential. Those who make effort to understand another culture gain knowledge\r\nabout how to behave in that culture. Otherwise, if one knows what people value and understand their\r\nattitudes, one would not unintentionally do something that offends and diminishes oneââ?¬â?¢s chances for\r\nbusiness success.
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