ign investment in jeopardy. Sunoo suggests that American companies and their senior managers have a tendency to want to make change and issue orders as soon as possible after completing an acquisition. American managers also tent to base their trust in employees on their performance, behavior and reputation. American managers tends to define the quality of their lives in terms of their private lives. Sunoo explains that Australians tend to dislike being given orders particularly by a new manager and especially by a foreign manager. Australian workers prefer a collaborative approach to decision making. They tend to base their trust in managers and in co-workers on their individual sense of loyalty and commitment to their co-workers rather than to the management team or the company. Sunoo warns American investors should expect to see only gradual changes, and writes that one of the biggest mistakes American businessmen can make is to assume they can transform Australian workers attitudes and convert the Australian workplace into a model of American efficiency and success (Sunoo, 1998, 24).
Ray Fells in Labour and Industry (1998) adds that recent trends in Australian industrial relations have shown a tendency for both employees and management to recognize that negotiation allows management to exert its authority, and for company employees to demonstrate their collective power and bargaining strength. Fells warns American investors and American managers sent to run an Australian business venture that they can expect to be approached by employees informally rather than with deference or awe. It is not likely that Australian workers would be deliberately disrespectful or confrontational. Instead, Australians tend to be informal in their business relationships.
Fells adds that Australian employees will almost certainly consider themselves as the equals of the American investors and foreign national managers of this fast food franc...