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-================================================= ======================================================= RESPONSE 1 Uncertainty avoidance is the study of different cultures to recognize the tolerance for uncertainty in understanding a society’s mindset. The predisposition to trust is not easy to form. When working in a business market there is a myriad of cultures, personalities, management styles, and environments to overcome to build a strong structure of trust. To gain trust takes time, commitment, and openness to forge a bond. Working with international companies needs to measure countries to one another. “Propensity to trust did not influence trust behaviors...trustworthiness perceptions influenced initial trust behaviors…trust behaviors influenced subsequent trustworthiness perceptions” (Alarcon, 2017) Confidence and the ability to make conscious decisions that are best for the company is the main objective. Before getting to this level of trust within the team members of an organization is to become familiar with your team members. I have contributed to a “Brown Bag” initiated for new software in our department and I have also participated in the Six Sigma program for our company’s outsourcing project and the dynamics of these groups varied from one extreme to another. A week on a Six Sigma project with three companies was a tough task and the outcome was a fallout. Research is the most important thing to focus on initially. The United States is low on the uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), which puts companies at a higher risk. “High uncertainty-avoidance Chinese managers usually lack the adventurous spirit and the mindset of taking risks. They attempt to minimize making immediate decisions during negotiation if they feel the circumstance is uncertain, which may deprive them of the opportunity to grab the opportunity and compete in the market. In most cases, they would like to make comparatively safer and less risky deals at the expense of business opportunity” (Wong Chi, 2016). Taking the time to do extensive research, instead of choosing the quickest or cheapest option at that moment will make the company stronger. “Thus, not only is there a critical need for additional longitudinal research on the trust process, but research is specifically needed to examine how theoretically-driven trust antecedents (e.g., propensity to trust and trustworthiness perceptions) impact trust behavior over time” (Alarcon, 2017). References Alarcon, G, Lyons, J. (2017, The effect of propensity to trust and perceptions of trustworthiness on trust behaviors dyads. Springer Link. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13428-017-0959-6#:~:text=Propensity%20to%20trust%20is%20an,Jones%20%26%20Shah%2C%202016). Wong Chi, V. (2016, June 10). The role of cultural differences in business communications. China Business Communications. Retrieved from https://cbkcuhk.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/the-role-of-cultural-differences-in-business-communications/ -================================================= ======================================================= RESPONSE 2 Uncertainty avoidance can have a great impact on the workplace. “Uncertainty avoidance refers to a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity quantify cultural differences across international lines and better understand why some ideas and business practices work better in some countries than in others" (10 minutes with, 2014). The relationship between trust and uncertainty avoidance is direct. The higher the uncertainty avoidance, the higher the propensity for trust in an individual. The lower the uncertainty avoidance, the lower the propensity for trust in an individual. Organizations that consist of a wide range of diverse cultures can find themselves needed to delicately balance the differing uncertainty avoidance tendencies from employees. For example, according to the article on Japan (Katz, 2005), this group will take a risk if backup plans are created and considered. This means there is additional work and time needed to build a sense of security to overcome the natural fear and lack of trust. I would recommend leaders wishing to foster innovation marked by varying levels of uncertainty avoidance to lead each person individually to meet their individual needs, while finding a way to foster a collective culture that both is acceptable by everyone, but also challenges them to broaden their own abilities. References 10 minutes with. (2014). 10 minutes with Geert Hofstede on Uncertainty Avoidance [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZF6LyGne7Q Katz, L. (2005). Article: On avoiding uncertainty. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://leadershipcrossroads.com/arti_oua.asp