June 5, 2007

 

Cultural sensitivity the key for Norway to open export markets

 

 

Cultural sensitivity is the key to gaining export markets. researcher Gro Alteren from the BI Norwegian School of Management said.

 

Norway exports seafood to around 155 different countries throughout the world, and seafood is one of the country's most important export.

 

While Norway has dominance over certain markets, competition is rising. 

 

Norway's seafood exporters would be left in the dust if they were to rest on their laurels, she said.

 

While having an international presence, Norway sells a large portion of its fish to Denmark. However, it has not had much success forming longer term relationships with countries such as Russia, France, Italy and Japan, largely due to their different culture, Alteren said.

 

By going into challenging markets such as Russia, the industry gains the opportunity to become more professional within export markets, she added.

 

Alteren performed a study within the Norwegian seafood industry to see whether cultural sensitivity is a factor in developing lasting and strategically important trade relations within export markets. Her survey involved 111 companies exporting seafood abroad.

 

An exporter with well developed cultural sensitivity will have the necessary knowledge of the attitude, skills and experience that are required when handling cultural differences, Alteren said.

 

She outlines four areas which are important indicators of cultural sensitivity: experience and in-depth knowledge of the export country, candour and continual updating of the markets and customers, adaptation of business style and negotiation skills, and knowledge of the local language.

 

Her study also said that the ability to adapt one's business style and method to obtain new customers is a decisive element of success in countries that are culturally different from Norway.

 

Still, she cautioned that cultural sensitivity is not a thing to be learned simply from a course or training programme. First hand knowledge is acquired by serving different customers within the market and by making frequent deliveries and deals.

 

These would help a business develop a capability to adapt their business style to the customers they serve, Alteren said.