People: Wendy Hall

MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES

To MSU's long record of international success, add Wendy Hall, '85, who has emerged as an international expert in managing cross-cultures.

After MSU, Hall earned a degree in health economics in Geneva, Switzerland, followed by an MBA at Nijenrode University, The Netherlands, and a doctorate of economics (1993) at the Free University of Amsterdam. After working for Alcoa Aluminum Corp. and then KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where she was manager of corporate strategy, Wendy has carved a niche in managing the cross-cultural gaps in international business.

Indeed, she seems uniquely qualified. She speaks five languages--English, Dutch, French, Chinese and Japanese. Her most recent publication, Managing Cultures: Making Strategic Relationships Work (John Wiley & Sons, 1995), addresses an area that few have studied: how multinational companies can manage cultural differences. Wendy says she was inspired to write the tome during a bus trip in Egypt. 'At that time,' she recalls, 'no known research existed which treated the role of culture in partnerships. When companies cannot get along with each other, they often blame cultural differences.'

During the two-hour drive across the desert, she began to formulate how to manage cultural aspects of inter-company relations. 'In 1990 I received a job with KLM to work on strategic alliances, acquisitions and later, mergers,' she says. 'Every spare night and weekend for two years was spent preparing my Ph.D. research on the subject. Having one foot in theory and one in practice was a tremendous benefit.' Her thesis won several prizes, including one from Hewlett-Packard. And culture is now emerging as a hot topic in management circles.

A native of Pittsburgh, Wendy was active with the MSU Alumni Association's Student Alumni Foundation while at MSU. Though based in Europe, Wendy says she'd 'be thrilled' to have lecture opportunities at her alma mater.