Business Relationship Report

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Table of Contents

The Stages
The Variables
The Cultural and Linguistic Requirements
Reference List

The Stages

Developing an efficient model of relationship in the context of business-to-business (B2B) cooperation has nowadays become one of the most challenging parts of running a successful business. Previously, the patterns of communication between partners and business stakeholders were rather rigid in terms of functioning and social influence, making profit the only desirable outcome of the relationship. However, over the past years, the paradigm of this approach has shifted towards a concern for ethics and mutual benefit (Jeong & Oh, 2017). Thus, when building today’s B2B relationship model, especially on the international level, there are many aspects to consider in terms of both cultural and financial peculiarities of the market in order to secure a long-term commitment.

In terms of the following report, a potential B2B model of cooperation between the UK and Turkey will be developed with the help of an examination of the stages required to ensure the relationship realization. Briefly speaking, the issue of personal protection equipment (PPE) import and distribution with the UK now need new approaches to supply and cooperation due to the influence of COVID-19 pandemic dissemination and Brexit. One of the most beneficial destinations so far is Turkey, considering the accessibility of price and supply costs. However, prior to making a final decision, it is necessary to dwell upon the possible stages of building a relationship, as they may affect the outcome of the endeavor significantly. To begin with, it is necessary to conduct a full-scale analysis of the international cooperation prospects, including:

Primary assessment – the stage of obtaining major background information on potential partners and secondary data evaluation;
Strategy development – the process of identifying some of the primary goals and expectations of the potential partnership while creating a portfolio of requirements from a potential partner;
Identification of potential partners – developing a shortlist of businesses likely to favor the following cooperation while providing the enterprise with necessary supplies;
Conducting a preliminary meeting – the stage of direct communication with the potential partners mentioned in the shortlist in order to define the most interested and beneficial ones;
Collaboration patterns engagement – the stage of assessing the patterns of regular communication with a chosen partner to establish mutually beneficial business management;
Periodic assessment – the stage of detailed planning of cooperation that ensures every project endeavor is both financially and ethically acceptable for all the stakeholders (Oliveira, 2017).

Once the following aspects are covered, the enterprise is able to address the actual stages of building an international partnership with a specific state, taking into account the five major periods:

Pre-contact;
Initial interaction;
Testing phase;
Mature stage;
Dissolution (Swift, 2016).

Considering the aforementioned details of partnership planning, it becomes evident that the very process of planning a successful B2B cooperation requires significant error in the early stages (Swift, 2008). Hence, it is the preliminary research and market assessment that later contributes to the long-term business handling between the enterprises. In terms of the following report, the aspects of international cooperation analysis will be considered for the PPE market in Turkey.

The Variables

Primary Assessment

To begin with, the core of the partnership issue should be outlined in order to conduct a critical assessment of the potential international cooperation. To build a successful and harmonious collaboration, it is necessary to analyze as much information as possible about future colleagues (Meyer 2014). thus, the chains of supply and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) have now become one of the major concerns of international commerce due to the rapid increase in the product demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Whereas a severe shortage of PPE across the states is primarily managed by the local governments and exploitation policies, the overall distribution of the product has become an asset for the global economy, creating many opportunities for the countries with developing economies to enter the trade patterns (Livingston, Desai & Berkwits, 2020). The UK, having handled a series of economic challenges over the past year, expressed the need to find new long-term partnerships outside the EU, paying much attention to the emerging markets that might enter the cooperation on favorable terms.

Considering the initial impression of the potential partnership, Turkey is indeed one of the most beneficial choices to be made in the following situation. The country’s economy represents the emerging market, showing a rapidly increasing pattern of state development and industrialization (Balasubramanyam & Togan, 2016). As a result, many developed states became interested in trade agreements with Turkey, considering the first cost of the goods produced and the potential profit from such cooperation. According to the latest trade reports, Turkey has recently started mass investing in real estate, oil and gas manufacturing, and construction works, thus increasing the domestic demand for PPE and overall medical equipment to secure safety in the workplace (TMR, 2016). Hence, the investment in PPE manufacturing across the state has increased the countries’ interest in cooperation with Turkey in supply management.

However, the concern that exists in the context of the following possibility is the question of quality standards provided by a potential supplier due to a major discrepancy between the health and safety standards approved in Turkey and the UK, considering that the latter is still obliged to abide by the rules defined by the EU. Thus, taking everything into consideration, it might be concluded that the primary assessment of Turkey as a potential partner resulted in a relatively positive impression in terms of the UK economy and partnership patterns.

Strategy Development

Due to the rapid innovation rate in the global market, one of the key ways to gain a competitive advantage is to create a working strategy that would encompass both the interests of the supplier and the distributor in terms of cost and ethical concepts. Thus, when speaking of the potential model of the UK-Turkey B2B cooperation, it is of crucial importance to outline some of the primary questions to address when elaborating a strategic plan to establish a partnership. The following questions might be defined as follows:

What are the primary regions for beneficial cooperation with the state considering the allocation of resources within the state?
What are the major tangible goals that are to be achieved from the following partnership from both a short-term and long-term perspective?
What could the enterprise offer to a potential partner for achieving the aforementioned results?
What are the timeframes of the following partnerships (including the indication of qualitative milestones within the timeline)?
Which cooperative strategies are compatible with the patterns of business management in the partner’s country?

Once all these variables are taken into consideration, the strategy pitch may be designed. The pitch will then help to identify the framework of expectations from the potential partners, including the identification of benefits the company is willing to propose for further cooperation. Thus, the stage that follows strategy development concerns the process of identification of potential partners.

Identification of Potential Partners

One of the most crucial stages in terms of relationship development is the process of outlining the shortlist of potential partners who would be willing to engage in a productive collaboration pattern on a long-term basis. Some of the major variables at the stage include:

The level of the company’s financial liability.
The overall company’s reputation in both the local and international market (the latter is implied when applicable to the unit).
Potential benefits of cooperation in both long-term and short-term perspectives.

Thus, once the following aspects are taken into account, the importer has more chances to secure a proper partnership on the international level with a company that would be interested in the mutual benefit. For example, when speaking of PPE companies located in Ankara, Turkey, it is of crucial importance to outline the companies, if any, that are willing to develop to the level of international supply management according to the safety and quality standards applicable to the importing state. Hence, such an aspect of the enterprise relies highly on its cultural peculiarities.

Preliminary Meeting and Collaboration Patterns

Once the company for potential collaboration is chosen, it is then necessary the conduct a full-scale meeting in order to make sure that the stakeholders have similar expectations from the collaboration. Thus, the most important variable during this stage is the preparation of a detailed meeting agenda that would cover all the essential partnership prerequisites. Another significant part of the following stage is a detailed plan development concerning the interactions between the stakeholders in the long-term commitment scenario.

Periodic Assessment

The last yet one of the most important stages in terms of international partnership development is the detailed evaluation of the activities that would take place during the collaboration. According to the researchers, the process of periodic assessment as an endeavor taken in order to monitor the process of cooperation execution contributes to both the process of general productivity assessment and the evaluation of the specific skill sets required to secure the partnership (Silberglitt, Parker & Muyskens, 2016). The major variable during the following process will then be the development of the tangible KPIs that would allow for conducting a sufficient qualitative analysis of the progress.

The Cultural and Linguistic Requirements

Taking into consideration the aforementioned peculiarities of commencing a business-related partnership on the international level, it might be outlined that defining a common ground between the stakeholder is a pillar, which ensures proper communication throughout the whole process. Thus, the cultural aspect of such an endeavor is a crucial constituent of the partnership development, especially when the matter concerns nations radically different in terms of working habits and attitudes to the business standards in general (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner 1999). According to the researchers, some of the most challenging parts of such cooperation tackle the issue of international management, as it is crucial for the company to provide all the stakeholders with equal opportunities for profit and employment regardless of cultural diversity (Frey-Ridgway, 1997). Hence, as far as potential cooperation between the UK and Turkey is concerned, it is necessary to dwell upon some peculiarities of Turkish manufacturing patterns in terms of cultural and linguistic requirements that might either facilitate or complicate the process of partnership development.

To begin with, it is necessary to define the criteria that help define how cultural prerequisites and language might influence the outcome of the partnership. Thus, the first aspect of the following report will be dedicated to the issue of linguistic requirements in the given context. It is generally believed that the notion of language is considered to be one of the most crucial aspects of any business communication type, as its aim concerns providing the proposition with an appropriate formulation. Moreover, the functions of language in terms of business management presuppose:

Defining hierarchies;
Exercising power;
Facilitating integration and communicative patterns (Brannen, Piekkari & Tietze, 2017).

Hence, it becomes evident that there is no chance to establish an efficient framework of international business cooperation without paying attention to some fundamental human social needs like language and ethical considerations. In fact, this seemingly defaults consideration in terms of business communication is frequently neglected due to it being excessively evident, making the business runners focus on something more sophisticated instead. Since every performance, dialogue, and action is employed with the means of language, there is a high necessity to define the one that would be convenient for communication for all the stakeholders or find ways to render the information through quality translation methods. However, the latter option is usually applied when talking about B2C direct communication that requires dealing with several languages simultaneously. Even when necessary, the method is also frowned upon due to it being costly for the company. Thus, when speaking of the current situation, there is no financial opportunity to ensure communication implying the use of two or more languages.

Thus, the following model of B2B communication presupposes a partnership between the UK and Turkey. It goes without saying that the following pattern of communication will always be in favor of using English, as this language is the most spoken one in the global context. Thus, there is no issue for the importer state in terms of language adjustment and workflow organization. However, when it comes to Turkey, the situation is slightly different, making an English-speaking business conduction model quite a challenge for the vast majority of local enterprises. According to the latest statistics, less than a quarter of the native Turkish population is a fluent English speaker, and the major emphasis is placed on the state youth and university students who come to study from other countries without extensive knowledge of Turkish and then continue living in the country (‘How widely spoken is English in Turkey,’ 2020). Considering the following data, it becomes evident that prior to making a decision about the partnership, the issue of language should be discussed within the preliminary meeting agenda.

On the one hand, such statistics seem sufficient in terms of conducting business with the country, as the major emphasis on communication is still placed on the management team, making it unnecessary for everyone within the enterprise to speak fluent English. However, when speaking of the specific field of Turkish PPE companies, the vast majority of them was primarily designed to ensure safety within the state workplaces. As a result, the manufacturing itself was oriented toward the local market, so the management itself might face a challenge when establishing such a fundamental communication means as language. For this reason, when speaking of the requirements estimated by the following partnership, it should be concluded that one of the major objectives of the importer enterprise is to ensure that the language of communication between management representatives is both financially and socially sufficient, providing future cooperation with the possibilities of growth and development.

Besides finding a common language to communicate, there are many factors that are to be considered when defining destinations for potential partnerships and professional collaborations. These factors might be united under the umbrella term known as culture. When speaking of both social and business aspects of culture identification, there is no definition that would encompass all the factors discussed. According to the researchers, only a few decades ago, the approaches to business management regarded no distinction between culture and social aspects of transnational corporations, as there was no need to find a link between one’s behavior and business endeavors (Moore, 2016). As a result, the final outcomes of the actions were not as near as successful as they might have been once one’s cultural identity and working habits were taken into consideration.

When it comes to the cultural evaluation of the local industry or manufacturing, there exists a variety of approaches aimed at outlining the most crucial characteristics that play a role in terms of long-term international partnerships. Thus, according to Hofstede (1995), the cultural evaluation of the state consists of the following six dimensions:

Power distance
Individualism
Masculinity
Uncertainty avoidance
Long-term orientation
Indulgence

There are other variations of cultural appreciation that use more dimensions, but many of them are based on the Hofstede method, so it is worth considering them (Hofstede 2006). Hence, each of the following aspects is aimed at defining the aspect of national culture that identifies the state residents, paying attention to their culturally shaped outlooks regarding interpersonal communication, social hierarchy, and patterns of collaboration with people of external circles. Thus, in order to realize the prospects of potential collaboration between the UK and Turkey, it is of paramount importance to conduct a comparative analysis considering the aspects of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model. The results of the following examination are as follows:

Power distance. In terms of the following dimension, it becomes evident that Turley is far more power-centered than the UK, which means that the business conduction across the state depends on the high level of hierarchy and obedience to the management. Although such a feature might be quite limiting in the context of the state’s internal development, the reliance on management is extremely beneficial for the importer, as they are dependent on the supplier’s delegation skills.
Individualism. Another radically different indicator may be noted in the dimension of individualism, which is higher in the UK. Thus, the Turkish worders have a better understanding of the “we” concept within the team, as they are socially implied to be members of a bigger community rather than self-centered individuals. Although the feature is, by all means, relevant to the importer state, the only issue that might arise in the process of partnership is the country’s high level of nationalism caused by a lack of self-awareness.
Masculinity. Such a confusing name of the dimension may be misleading, but it considers the people’s inclinations in terms of work and life attitudes and life goals. Thus, according to the data, Turkish residents have a higher tendency to do things they like rather than strive for being the best at something they do. Considering the difference in perception of these concepts, some difficulties may arise in the process of collaboration, as Turkey tends to be less competitive than the UK, creating different working habits.
Uncertainty avoidance. The following factor is one of the most crucial, as when conducting business cooperation, it is of crucial importance to know how all the stakeholders might respond to a managerial change. According to the statistics, Turkish workers feel quite stressed about any uncertainty and change introduction, making it crucial for the importing state to maintain constant follow-up communication throughout the partnership.
Long-term orientation. In terms of the following criterium, it may be outlined that both the UK and Turkey are on the same level of long-term cooperation perception, which makes it easier to define mutual expectations for the upcoming cooperation. Hence, while both state residents do not feel quite certain about long-term commitments, they will be able to understand the concerns of each stakeholder without suspicion and conflict emergence.
Indulgence. The last dimension is responsible for the factors that influence one’s ability to control individual desires and impulses, which makes nation residents either indulgent, impulsive by nature, or restrained. The latter describes the residents of Turkey, making them dedicated workers that tend not to be affected by their immediate personal needs (Hofstede Insights, 2020).

Taking everything into consideration, it might be concluded that Turkey, as a potential supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE), can be quite beneficial for the importer due to its financial and social prerequisites. In terms of the cooperation stages, some of the most significant variables include defining a precise strategy for cooperation and assessing the market in order to choose the most profitable and long-term option. As far as cultural dimensions are concerned, it should be noted that despite a series of cultural differences, Turkey could be a beneficial long-term supply partner for the UK.

Reference List

Balasubramanyam, V. & Togan, S. (eds.) 2016. The economy of Turkey since liberalization. Berlin, Germany: Springer.

Frey-Ridgway, S. (1997). ‘The cultural dimension of international business’, Collection Building, 16(1), pp. 12-23.

Hofstede, G. (1995) The Business of International Business is Culture in Jackson, Terence (ed.) Cross-cultural Management. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford

Hofstede, G. (2006) ‘What did GLOBE really measure? Researchers minds versus respondents minds’, Journal of International Business Studies, 37(6), pp. 882-896.

Hofstede Insights. (2020). Country comparison.

How widely spoken is English in Turkey? (2020).

Jeong, M. & Oh, H. (2017). ‘Business-to-business social exchange relationship beyond trust and commitment’, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 65, pp. 115-124.

Livingston, E., Desai, A. & Berkwits, M. (2020). ‘Sourcing personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Jama, 323(19), pp.1912-1914.

Meyer, E. (2014) The Culture Map, Public Affairs, London

Moore, F. (2016). Transnational business cultures: Life and work in a multinational corporation. London, UK: Routledge.

Oliveira, S.M. (2017). ‘Partner selection in international joint ventures: A framework for the analysis of factors relevant to the selection of partners’, The Marketing Review, 17(2), pp.199-215.

Silberglitt, B., Parker, D. & Muyskens, P. (2016). ‘Assessment: Periodic assessment to monitor progress’, In Handbook of response to intervention (pp. 271-291). Boston, MA: Springer.

Swift, J. S. (2008) Foreign Language Competence and International Business: A Cultural Approach. Cambridge Academic, Cambridge

Swift, J. S. (2016). Understanding business in the global economy: a multi-level relationship approach. London, UK: Macmillan International Higher Education.

Transparent Market Research (TMR). (2016). Extensive automation of manufacturing process to dampen Turkey personal protective equipment market’s growth.

Trompenaars, F. & Hampden-Turner, C. (1999) Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business (2nd Edition). Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London

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