As shown in the Appendix I, the individualism scores have a great difference between
China (20) and Sweden (71). The parent company in Sweden prefers group work that
can involve all departments into the discussion and make comprehensive decisions.
Shanghai company have already applied some of the “Swedish management” into the
company. Group work is also one of the forms of handing issues. However, the
essences of group work are not learnt by Shanghai subsidiary company: people just sit
together and wait for the decision from the managers. Staffs are afraid of expressing
themselves in the group. Some of the managers think “it is a waste of time asking
people’s suggestion when no one is willing to say.” (According to one of the
Shanghai manager, and also see in Appendix III).