Check out all the latest updates and get to know the New Business Challenge Ghana.
Preparations for study trip 2015
After being selected 2,5 weeks ago in Ghana and the Netherlands, the participants have been linked to their team members from the other continent. Since then, a lot of emails, WhatsApp messages and photos have been exchanged. Before the real life meeting during the study trips we started off with a preparation workshop in both countries on July 9th in Accra and July 10th in The Hague.
Cultural differences and similarities
The preparation workshop was devoted to understanding cultural differences and similarities. A team with 4 members from two different countries, how are they going to work together? The coaches have plenty of experience with intercultural collaboration, both in theory and practice. But with all their knowledge they cannot just teach what the Dutch and the Ghanaian culture is like. In general you could say that Dutch people always want consensus, but you cannot assume that every individual works that way. As one of the coaches states: ‘THE Ghanaian and THE Dutch culture don’t exist. The best is to be aware of the fact that there are prejudices and to be open and flexible’.
During a game, participants experienced themselves how difficult collaboration and negotiation can be when two groups do not communicate according to the same style.
Ready for takeoff
At the end of the day there was some time for a briefing on the upcoming study trips. Tickets are booked, accommodation is prepared and visas are arranged. After this last stop, everybody is ready for takeoff: First to the Netherlands (19-26 July) and then to Ghana (6-16 August)!