Cultural Comparison Between Brazil And Singapore

There are many country risks in Brazil, such as the waves of nationalization and privatization that Brazil went through in the 1990s. The country’s past, dictates that, this is a plausible threat to firms’ sustainability today.

The threat, however, has decreased ever since in Latin America. Today, for example, instead of nationalizing the country’s copper production, more than 80% of Brazil’s copper is procured by private companies, and the Brazilian government gains a royalty on it. Furthermore, these royalties and other Government earnings are invested transparently and responsibly into infrastructure, education, technology and regulatory reforms, playing a valuable role in strengthening Brazil’s political stability (Robles, Wiese and Baumgarten, 2015)

Cultural Differences Based on Hofstede’s Framework

Hofstede’s cultural framework describes organizational cultures in different regions based on the levels of six dimensions: 1) indulgence, 2) long-term orientation, 3) uncertainty avoidance, 4) masculinity, 5) individualism and lastly, 6) power distance.

Figure 1: Cultural Comparison Between Brazil and Singapore

Figure 1 represents that both cultures score a relatively similar score in each dimension except uncertainty avoidance, where Brazil scores extremely high, and Singapore scores considerably low. Brazil, therefore, seems to show a stronger commitment to minimize ambiguity and uncertainty in conducting business. Consequently, BTG should be aware, that Brazil’s rules, regulations and stakeholders reflect this culture (Hofstede, 1980).

2. Bread in Brazil

For an F&B firm to enter any country, it is crucial assess whether it fits with the local preferences. Fortunately, bread is one of Brazil’s staple foods and is referred to as "o pão nosso de cada dia" (our daily bread). In particular, Brazil is known for majorly consuming pão francês, or French bread. There are many local bread dishes include pão de queijo, pudim de pão and vatapá (Flavors of Brazil,