“Riding the waves of culture,” describes how culture affects the process of doing business. In this book, Fons Trompenaars elaborates on different cultural elements.

One of such an element in describing a culture is in the way in which people accord status. Some cultures accord status to people on basis of their achievements, others “ascribe” status according to certain characteristics or properties – for example on basis of the level of education. The first kind of status is called “achieved,” the other “ascribed.”

Norway, the US, Canada are countries where the achieve-type-of-status is most common, whereas Austria, Spain France and China are examples of countries that are more used to ascribe status (based on the 1993 survey).

Trompenaars elaborates an example where the American Pay-for-Performance way of (sales) management was to be introduced in Italy – a country that was not quite accustomed to this practice. And this could lead to conflicts in cases where a young and willing sales rep could earn more than a senior employee.

... According t

One of such an element in describing a culture is in the way in which people accord status. Some cultures accord status to people on basis of their achievements, others “ascribe” status according to certain characteristics or properties – for example on basis of the level of education. The first kind of status is called “achieved,” the other “ascribed.”

Norway, the US, Canada are countries where the achieve-type-of-status is most common, whereas Austria, Spain France and China are examples of countries that are more used to ascribe status (based on the 1993 survey).

Trompenaars elaborates an example where the American Pay-for-Performance way of (sales) management was to be introduced in Italy – a country that was not quite accustomed to this practice. And this could lead to conflicts in cases where a young and willing sales rep could earn more than a senior employee.

... According

Norway, the US, Canada are countries where the achieve-type-of-status is most common, whereas Austria, Spain France and China are examples of countries that are more used to ascribe status (based on the 1993 survey).

Trompenaars elaborates an example where the American Pay-for-Performance way of (sales) management was to be introduced in Italy – a country that was not quite accustomed to this practice. And this could lead to conflicts in cases where a young and willing sales rep could earn more than a senior employee.

... According

Trompenaars elaborates an example where the American Pay-for-Performance way of (sales) management was to be introduced in Italy – a country that was not quite accustomed to this practice. And this could lead to conflicts in cases where a young and willing sales rep could earn more than a senior employee.

... According

... According to this “achieving” theory rewarding business achievements is self-perpetuating ... Only nations setting out upon an empirical investigation of ‘what works best’ and conferring status on those who apply it in business, can expect to conduct their economies successfully

In countries where a status is achieved, it is important to get things done. Doing is more relevant than being in the face of gaining a status. The status of the (Italian) senior sales employee has also been achieved but based on previous experiences...

There are many other examples where this cultural difference plays a role in business. But would it also influence article marketing? For example by the question -- when do I have “earned” the status of an expert? There are millions of readers who are served by a couple of thousand experts, but the reader should want to know -- is this particular author a real expert?

Your cultural background will most probably influence the way you value the article of the expert author.

If you -- as