The Global Enterprise Test^SM

Here is a 10-statement test of how effective a global enterprise your current company is (or a past one was).  Please select one of the options for each statement and add up the scores shown next to your selection.  It is ok to skip some of the statements.
 

1.  At my company, when I work with employees or partners who are located in other countries, I

  (5 points)   - get to meet them quite frequently.
  (3 points)   - meet them occasionally.
  (1 point)     - rarely get to meet them.
 

2.  When I am sent on a business trip to a country I haven’t been to before, my company will

  (5 points)   - first extensively train me on all relevant cultural aspects.
  (3 points)   - encourage me to talk with someone who knows the country’s culture.
  (1 point)     - rely on my common sense to be effective.
 

3. The percentage of my company’s top executives who have previously worked in other countries is

  (5 points)   - more than 50 percent.
  (3 points)   - between 25 and 50 percent.
  (1 point)     - less than 25 percent.
 

4.  My company’s internal culture

  (5 points)   - promotes national cultural differences and embraces those of foreign teams.
  (3 points)   - is strong enough to balance out the influence of foreign national cultures.
  (1 point)     - is so strong that it mostly erases the influence of any foreign country’s national
                        culture.
 

5.  When starting an international subsidiary or partnership, management at my company will

  (5 points)   - be prepared to first spend significant time to build effective relationships.
  (3 points)   - recognize the need to build relationships but soon focus on results.
  (1 point)     - have very little patience for upfront relationship building.
 

6.  My company offers cross-cultural training for employees with international contacts, such as
      “Doing Business in Asia”,

  (5 points)   - frequently and for several different cultures.
  (3 points)   - selectively and only for a few different cultures.
  (1 point)     - rarely or not at all.
 

7.  When it comes to developing new ideas or products, people at my company

  (5 points)   - generally don't care whether the contribution comes from within or outside of
                        the company.
  (3 points)   - will occasionally accept outside solutions.
  (1 point)     - prefer to do everything themselves.
 

8.  My company’s efforts to make domestic teams work effectively

  (5 points)   - include exploring the cultural background of all team members.
  (3 points)   - focus on U.S. minority groups (e.g., African Americans and women).
  (1 point)     - are limited or nonexistent.
 

9.  At my company, having international experience from living in other countries is

  (5 points)   - often a strong career booster.
  (3 points)   - probably helpful for one’s career.
  (1 point)     - mostly irrelevant for one’s career.
 

10.  At my company, if disagreements arise with a foreign partner over the right course of action,

  (5 points)   - a mediator will identify a solution both sides can support.
  (3 points)   - each has a fair chance of winning the argument.
  (1 point)     - our top management will do what it takes to get it our way.

 

Test Result

Please add up the scores for each of the options you selected, then divide the total score by the number of statements you answered.  There are ten statements.  If, for example, you skipped one of them, then divide the total score by nine.

When ready, please  click here  to learn about your company's effectiveness as a global enterprise.