CollaborativeWork:
VanessaBriyithPalmaSuárez
JuanDiegoPáezPeña
SandyGianellaPrietoPeña
LauraKatherineJiménezGalindo UniversidadNacionalAbiertayaDistancia127018:International NegotiationStrategies
Professor’s
JavierGerardoVivasPrieto
October2025
Thephenomenonofglobalizationhastransformedhowcompaniesapproachinternationalexpansion.Foragiantlike GrupoBimbo,withoperationsin33countries,successnolongerrestssolelyonoperationalefficiencyorproductquality, butonitsabilitytonavigateandadapttoavastspectrumofbusinesscultures.
Thisphaseofthecoursefocusesonanalyzinginterculturalnegotiationandcommunication,criticalelementsforglobal leadership.ThroughthestudyoftheBimbocaseanditsstrategicalliancewithAT&T,wewillexaminehowtheadoption ofacultureofsustainability,apeople-centeredapproach,andtechnologicalagilitynotonlysolvedimmediatechallenges likethepandemicbutalsoservedasfundamentalstrategiesfortranscendingculturalbarriersindiversemarkets.
Thegoalistobreakdownthetheoreticaldimensionsofinterculturalityandapplytheselessonstogeneratepractical recommendationsaimedatotherLatincompanieswithglobalexpansionaspirations.
Student:VanessaBriyithPalmaSuárez
GeneralObjective
Toanalyzethecommunicationandculturaladaptability strategiesimplementedbyGrupoBimboinitsinternational expansiontodetermineeffectiveinterculturalnegotiation guidelinesthatserveasamodelforovercomingcultural barriersinLatincompanieswithaglobalpresenceor aspirations.
•Evaluatetherelevanceofinternationalbusinessculture, usingconceptualframeworkssuchasHofstede's,toavoid criticalmistakesandensuresuccessinglobal negotiations.
•Identifyanddescribethekeystrategiessustainability, customerfocus,operationalagilitydevelopedbyBimboto managediversityandinterculturalityinitsbusiness models.
•Provideconcreteandapplicablerecommendationsto LatinAmericancompaniessotheycanstrengthentheir interculturalcompetenceandimproveassertive communicationinthefieldofinternationalbusiness.
7.Whyisitimportanttoknowaboutthebusinesscultureintheinternationalmarket?
Businesscultureintheinternationalmarketplaysanimportantroleasitallowsustogainfirsthandinsightintothecharacteristics,strategies, relationships,internalstructures,dynamics,andinclusivesoftskillsoftheotherpartywithwhichweintendtoclosenegotiation.Thishelpsus avoidmistakesthatcanradicallyharmthecourseand,consequently,thesuccessofthenegotiation.
Tothisend,Hofstededividescountriesandtheirculturesaccordingtosixspecificcriteria,suchastheirdegreeofmasculinity,theirlevelof short-orlong-termorientation,theirtoleranceforuncertainty,amongothers,togainadeeperunderstandingofthebusinesscultureofagiven market. Thisconceptgoesbeyondthestudyofmulticulturalaspectssuchasclothingorgifts,asitreferstothecharacteristicsofacountry'sbusiness environment.Forexample,engaginginconversationwithaJapaneseexecutiveisnotthesameasengaginginconversationwithaSwedish executive,astheyapproachnegotiationsdifferentlyanddevelopdifferentleadershipstylesdependingontheircontexts,suchaspromotionor prevention.
SustainabilityandSocialResponsibility
Bimbohasdevelopedstrategiestoreduceemissionsandfossilfuelsatallits facilitiesaroundtheworldtoachievesustainability,whichhaspositionedthe companyforitsproductiveyetsustainablesystems.Thishasallowedittobe thefirstcompanyintheUnitedStatestouseelectricityentirelyfromrenewable sources.
Accessandcapacitytosupportaremoteworkforce
Thankstoitsabilitytomaintainconnectivityacrossallitsmanufacturers, Bimbowasabletoadaptsystemsthatweresuccessfulinsomecountriesand applytheminothers,achievingthesameresults.Thiswasevident,for example,duringtheCOVID-19pandemic,wherethecompanywasableto improveefficientsanitation,control,andisolationsystemsinChina,which werethenimmediatelyappliedworldwideasthediseasespread.
Bimboquicklyadaptedtofocusitsactivitiesontheconsumer,modifyingeach ofitsinternalbranchesaccordingtomarketconditionswiththesupportof allianceswithtechnologypartners,whichsignificantlyreducedadaptation problems.ThisnotonlystrengthenedBimbo'stechnologicalandresearchand developmentplatformbutalsoadaptedittotherealneedsofitsend customers.
ThetelecommunicationsadvancesBimbohasdevelopedinrecentyears helpedshiftthecompany'straditionalinfrastructuretowardaservicemodel withimprovedperformanceandgreatercostoptimization.Thisstrengthensits leadershipincountriesandmarketsbyleveragingeverythingthatcanbe usefulanddifferentiatesitfromthecompetition,suchastheinnovationand toolsmadeavailablebyoneofitspartners(AT&T).
Student:LauraKatherineJiménezGalindo
Inthecontextoftheabove,theculturaldimensionisthatwhichculturallyidentifiesvalues,socialnorms,habits,andbeliefsbasedonthesocialbehaviorofagroupofpeopleinfluencedbytheirbehaviorandwayof acting,inwhichitanalyzesthethinkinganddevelopmentofacommunity,wherethistypeofdevelopmentisascendantwitheconomicpowerthroughitsdevelopmentandotherfactorsinasocial,political,andtraditional manner.allofwhichleadstheinfluencedcommunitytooptforakindofunwrittengeneralregulationthatissharedthroughfamilyties.
Asfortheculturaldimensionsofnegotiation,thesecanbebasedontheauthorHofstede,whorepresentssixdimensions,whichareasfollows:powerdistance,individualismovercollectivism,masculinityover femininity,uncertaintyavoidance,indulgenceoverrestraint,andlong-termorientationovershort-termorientation.
Hofstede(2011)"Cultureisthecollectiveprogrammingofthemindthatdistinguishesthemembersofonegrouporcategoryofpeoplefromothers."
Theseculturaldimensionsbasedontheaforementionedauthorarementionedinanegotiationsothattheycanbeseenascentralthemesidentifiedincompaniestoprovideamarketstudythatisculturallyadaptedto thatregion,allbasedonthefollowingquote:
However,somethingthatshouldbeemphasizedabouttheabovequoteiswhatWisemenandMurphy(2009)mention:theleadingconceptofculturallayersiscontradictedbytheoverlappingnatureofanindividual's culturalbehaviorindifferentsocialgroups.
CulturaldimensionsapplytotheBimbocompanyinageneralandspecificway,takingintoaccountthatitoperatesin33countries,andthatitsneedtoapplyculturaldimensionsisclear.Theculturaldimensionsinthe
BimbocompanyapplyinthecontextthatBimbohasaworkhierarchythatlimitsthetypesofobjectivesineachmanagementactioncarriedoutinthecompany,beingclassifiedinthecompany'sorganizationalchart.
Intermsofindividualismversuscollectivism,Bimboapplieslaborrelationsinacollectivemannerinastrategicandcollaborativeenvironment.
Regardingmasculinityversusfemininity,thecompanyappliestheintegrationofamixedculturalenvironmentthatdoesnotlimittheabilitytomeetneeds.
Regardingtheapplicationoflong-termversusshort-term,thisisappliedintheBimbocompanythroughalong-termvisionofthefuture.
Andregardingtheavoidanceofuncertainty,thisisgeneratedstrategicallythroughthemanagementofextendedworkinghoursintermsofserviceandcontinuouswork.
10.Whatismeantbycommunicationininterculturalnegotiationandwhatguidelines shouldBimbotakeintoaccount?
Student:SandyGianellaPrietoPeña
Communicationininterculturalnegotiationreferstotheexchangeofinformation,ideas,andexpectationsbetweenpeoplefromdifferentculturalbackgrounds.Itgoesbeyondlanguage—itincludesvalues,behaviors, perceptionsoftime,hierarchy,anddecision-makingstyles.Effectivecommunicationhelpspreventmisunderstandingsandbuildtrust,whichareessentialinglobalbusinessrelationships.
ForGrupoBimbo,whichoperatesin33countriesacross4continents,interculturalcommunicationiskeytomaintainingsmoothcollaborationwithdiverseemployees,suppliers,andpartners.
GuidelinesBimboshouldtakeintoaccount:
Maintainopenandtransparentcommunication—avaluealreadyemphasizedinBimbo'scorporateculture ("Weplacepeopleatthecenterofeverythingwedo").
Promotetheuseofinclusive,respectfullanguagethatsupportsdiversityandbelonging,alignedwith Bimbo'sglobalcommitmenttoethicsandinclusion.
11.WhatcanyourecommendtoLatinocompaniestoovercomecultural barriersininternationalbusiness?
Student:SandyGianellaPrietoPeña
TohelpLatinocompaniesovercomeculturalbarriersinglobaloperations,thefollowingrecommendationsapply—manyinspiredbyBimbo'ssuccessfulinternationalexperience:
Investinculturalcompetence
Trainemployeestounderstandinternationalpartners' values,etiquette,andnegotiationstyles.
Encouragemulticulturalcollaborationwithinthe companytobringvariedperspectivesandreduce bias.
Developclear,assertive,andrespectful communicationadaptedtoglobalcontexts.
Establishglobalpartnerships
Formstrategicallianceswithlocalfirmsortechnology partners(asBimbodidwithAT&T)tonavigate unfamiliarenvironmentseffectively.
values
Bimbo'sfocusonethics,sustainability,andpeople hasearnedglobaltrust—amodelforotherLatino firms.
Negotiationsacrossculturesoftenrequiremoretime andunderstanding;patiencestrengthens relationships.
Leveragetechnologyforconnection
Usedigitaltools(VPNs,virtualmeetings,translationtech)tomaintainconsistentcommunicationacrossborders.
12.Thegroupmustpresenttheanswersinadigitalreportand1Conclusionaboutthecaseforeach student.
LauraKatherineJimenezGalindo
Inconclusion,theBimbocasehighlightstheimportanceoflaborlegitimacyasacompany,where throughits134,000associatesitmanagestotransformthemarketbasedonitsrapidexpansionin VPN,whichisasecuritysolutionthatconnectsemployeeswithassociatesefficientlyandremotely.
Thisisabriefexampleofcollectivismandworkforceassurance.
TheBimbocompanygenerallyappliesculturaldimensionsthat,initscase,generateoperational coverageofneeds,whilealigningtheabilitytoquicklynegotiatestrategicrelationshipsandcollective andinnovativecommitment.Inadditiontothis,theBimbocompanygeneratesgreaterprofitsfromits continuousservicecoverage,whilemakinguseofthelong-termmonitoringofitsvisionasa company.
Sinceitsfounding,Bimbohasbeenacompanycharacterizedbyitshighqualitystandardswithout neglectingitscorporatesocialresponsibility.Itscontinuousadaptationhasplaceditattheforefront ofthechangesbroughtaboutbyglobalization,whichhaveaffectedeachofitsfacilitiesaroundthe worldinsomeway.Forthisreason,Bimbohasbecomeanexampleofmultidimensionalgrowthand developmentinitsindustry.
VanessaB.PalmaSuárez
MyconclusionisthatGrupoBimbo'ssuccessinthecomplexinternationalarenaliesinits unwaveringcommitmenttoaphilosophycenteredonpeople,ethics,andsustainability.These corporateprioritiesactasthetrueinterculturalbridge,generatingtrustandcredibilitythattranscend specificculturaldifferences.Furthermore,technologicalagilityandthecapacityforrapidadaptation, demonstratedbyscalingVPNcapacityduringthepandemic,arecritical.IrecommendthatLatin companiesviewethicalvaluesandtechnologyinvestmentasstrategictoolsthatactivelyfacilitate negotiationandglobalexpansion.
Interculturalcommunicationisessentialforsuccessininternationalnegotiationsandbusiness operations.ForGrupoBimbo,theabilitytoadapttodifferentculturalcontextsandmaintainopen, empathetic,andethicalcommunicationhasbeenkeytoitsglobalexpansion.Thisexperienceshows thatLatinAmericancompaniescanovercomeculturalbarriersbystrengtheningintercultural competence,promotingpeople-centeredvalues,andencouragingdiversecollaboration.Inan increasinglyglobalizedworld,understandingandrespectingculturaldifferencesnotonlyimprove businessrelationshipsbutalsodrivegrowthandlong-termsustainability.
TheanalysisofGrupoBimboconfirmsthateffectiveinterculturalnegotiationisastrategicpillar,notasimpleoperationalrequirement.Culturalbarriersinglobalcommerceare overcomenotjustbysuperficialproductadaptation,butbyanintrinsicallyglobalizedcorporateculturethatplacespeople,ethics,andsustainabilityatthecenterofalldecisions.
Bimbodemonstratedthattechnologicalagilityandthecapacitytolearnfromoneregionandapplylessonstoanothersuchasglobalcrisismanagementbasedontheir experienceinChinaareasvitalasknowledgeofnegotiationdimensions.
ThefundamentalrecommendationforLatincompaniesisclear: investinginculturalcompetence,continuoustraining,andpromotingethical,diverseleadershiparethe keystogeneratingthetrustandcredibilityrequiredforanycompany,regardlessofitsorigin,tobecomeatrueleaderinthecomplexinternationalarena.
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