Cultural Diversity Essay On Strategies Of Yielding Greater Productivity At Work

Question

Task: Individual Assignment – Research Essay

1. Analyse and interpret the diverse socio-cultural context in which global companies operate
2. Analyse and compare organisational behaviour across countries and cultures.
3. Apply advanced theoretical concepts and analytical skills to develop evidence-based decisions to address contemporary global management issues
4. Critically evaluate major cultural attributes, including communication styles, to inform management decision making.
5. Apply critical thinking, leadership and problemsolving to enhance organisational business operations and stakeholder management

Answer

Introduction:
The augmenting globalization happening across the world needs more communication amidst people from backgrounds of diversified sort. Individuals no longer work and live within an environment deemed insular; they are currently part of a global economy competing within a global agenda. For the same, non-profit along with profit associations necessitate in becoming more diversified in remaining economical. Exploiting along with benefitting from diversity within workplace is stated being a significant issue for the management. Managers and supervisors require identifying the ways within which the workplace is transforming and developing. Dealing with the factor of diversity is an imperative challenge within an organization, so managerial skills need to acclimatize in accommodating a work environment of multicultural kind.

Importance of Issues:
Diversity: The factor of diversity can be characterized as gaining knowledge, accepting along with valuing the disparities amidst people with respect to ethnicity, disabilities, class and age. Companies require embracing diversity and looking for means in becoming an inclusive association as diversity possess the potential in yielding greater productivity of work alongside competitive benefits. Managing the factor of diversity is stated being the key constituent of effectually managing people within a workplace (Jansen et al 2016).

Demographic transformations such as restructuring of organization, opportunity of equal legislation alongside women within workplace will need the associations in reviewing the practices of the management and developing fresh approaches that are creative too in managing individuals. Changes of positive sort will augment the customer service and performance related to work.

Challenges of Diversity within Workplace:
There are challenges in dealing with a work population of diversified sort. Sustaining diversity is much more than just acknowledging the disparities within people. It takes into account identifying the differences value, battling discrimination along with promoting the factor of inclusiveness. Managers might get challenged with loses in recruits alongside work productivity on the grounds of intolerance tagged with discrimination alongside legal actions and complaints against the association.

Attitudes of negative sort alongside behaviours might pose as barriers to the organizational diversity as they can damage the relationships within working and cause harm to the morale of the employees and productivity within work. Negative behaviours alongside attitudes within workplace contain stereotyping, discrimination alongside prejudice that should never be exercised by the management for recruiting, maintenance and practices of termination.

Barriers to cultural adaptations:
There are various barriers to the aspect of cultural adaptations which are:

1. Parochialism: The global operations of extending organizations are performed within an environment whose social structure is stated being different from the one within which the association is based. This new social method influences the responses of all the persons engaged. The employees who have been posted within a new nation portray a diversity of behaviours that is habitually true to their country and the citizens (Guillaume, et al 2017). They might fail to identify the major differences between their own cultures with that of the others. Even if the same is being done, they have a propensity to conclude that the impact of those disparities is not that important. In effect, they are presuming that the two cultures are identical than in actual manner.
2. Individualism: Some of the organizational workforce might be comparatively distinctive, signifying the fact that they place bigger importance on their personal welfare and requirements. At the level of extremity, individualism recommends that their activities needs being directed by the motto to focus on themselves before showing any sort of concern to the others.
3. Ethnocentrism: This has been identified as one of the probable barriers for easily getting adapted to another culture. It happens when people are influenced in believing that the conditions in their homeland are the best. This inclination is known as the criterion of self-reference, or otherwise known as ethnocentrism. Although this sort of thinking is stated being natural, it hinders the understanding of human related behaviour in other cultures along with attaining productivity from the local employees. For incorporating the local and imported social methods, global workforces require cultural knowledge of the local situations. Even with this knowledge, they require being flexible in incorporating the community of the interest related to the involvement of two or more cultures (Tjosvold 2017).
4. Cultural distance: As opined by Hajro, Gibson and Pudelko (2017) for predicting the level of adaptation that might be needed when staffs shifts his base to another country, it is supportive to gain knowledge on the cultural distance between the two nations. It is usually the amount or degree of difference between any two of the social methods, and the same might range from negligible to considerable. Whatever might be the degree of cultural distance, it influences the retorts of all the persons to the business. Staffs naturally have a tendency in being somewhat ethnocentric and in judging the conditions within a new nation in accordance to the standards of the home-country. Such issues will get magnified if the cultural distance is stated being great.
5. Cultural shock: When staffs enter another nation they aim to undergo a cultural shock, which has been identified as insecurity and uncertainty caused by coming in face-to-face with a diversified culture. They might not identify ways to act on the same, might fear losing the valuable aspect of self-confidence, or might develop into an emotionally upset individual. Some of the individuals isolate themselves only, while a few of them decide on returning home on the very next flight (Li et al 2016). This thing has been deemed virtually universal. It occurs even on the move from one advanced country to that of another. Some of the common causes related to culture shock are:
   • Different philosophies of the management
   • Attitude exhibited towards work related productivity
   • Separation from the relatives and colleagues
   • Unique system of currency

Literature Review:
Benefits of diversity within workplace:
Diversity is stated being useful to both the employers and the associates. Even though associates are self-determining within a workplace, admiration towards individual differences can augment productivity. The aspect of diversity within workplace can lessen lawsuits and augment opportunities related to marketing, creativity, employment and the image of the business. In an era where the factors like creativity along with flexibility plays a key role to competitiveness, diversity has been identified as a key aspect for the success of an organization. Also, the outcome should not be ignored (Hajro, Gibson and Pudelko 2017).

Required tools for managing diversity:
Efficient managers are attentive that skills of certain sort are essential for producing a successful and diversified workforce. First, the organizational managers require gaining knowledge on the aspect of discrimination along with its outcome. Secondly, the managers need to identify their own cultural prejudices along with biases. Diversity is not all about the divergences amidst groups, but instead about the differences existing amidst the individuals. Each individual is stated being unique and does not symbolizes a group in particular. Lastly, managers require willing to change the association if essential. As stated by Jansen et al (2016), organizations require learning the ways in managing diversity within workplace for being successful in future.

Regrettably, for success there is no single recipe. It relies highly on the ability of the manager in understanding what best suits the association in terms of group work and workplace dynamics. Dealing with the aspect of diversity is a process that is comprehensive for manufacturing a work environment which includes everyone. When producing a diversified workforce that is successful, an effectual manager needs to focus on the aspect of personal consciousness (Li, et al 2016). Both the associates and the managers requires being aware of their personal level biases. Thus, associations require developing, implementing and maintaining the ongoing training as a single day training session will not transform the behaviours of people. Managers require gaining knowledge that justice is not unavoidably equality. There are at all times exemptions to the rule.

Dealing with diversity is more about equal prospects within employment along with assenting action. Managers require expecting the fact that the process of change will be a slow one though they need to encourage the change process if the same is done for the good of the organization. Another key prerequisite when managing diversity is upholding a safer place for the associates in communicating. As stated by Ashikali and Groeneveld (2015) business meetings alongside social gatherings, where each member needs to listen and have the opportunity of speaking, are stated being good means of creating dialogues. Managers require implementing schemes like programs of mentoring in offering the associates accessibility to various opportunities and information. Moreover, associates should by no means be denied of constructive and essential feedback for learning about the errors along with success.

When an association makes an attempt in expanding its operations geographically to more than one nation, it aims at becoming an organization of multicultural sort. The biggest challenge to be encountered by the associations at that point of time will be unifying the organizational staffs from various cultural backgrounds. When employees of various cultures interrelate among each other continually, the outcome is multiculturalism. The employees making an entry to other countries requires adjusting their styles of leadership, patterns of communication and several other exercises for being fit with the host country’s styles. At times, the employees coming in from parent country nationals from the countries within which the home office is situated and at times they belong to a third nation. Both of these classifications of staffs are known as expatriates, as they belong to other nations. The association desires in creating a fusion of cultures of the staffs in order to ensure greater productivity is attained (Jyoti and Kour 2015).

Analysis:
As organizations continue to extend their operations across the borders along with the global marketplaces becoming more reachable for the smaller and larger businesses alike, 2018 was a year that brought more prospects to work globally. Cross-cultural and multinational groups are equally becoming a common affair, signifying the fact that businesses can attain benefits from a diversified knowledge base that is one the rise along with fresh methods to business issues. Nonetheless, alongside the benefits of proficiency and insight, global associations also encounter probable stumbling blocks when it is about cultural and global business. In identifying and gaining knowledge on the ways culture generally affects the global business the aspect of communication needs to be taken into account (Ashikali and Groeneveld 2015).

Communication: Effectual communication is indispensable to the success of any business undertaking, but is stated being predominantly critical when there is huge risk of a message getting lost within transition. In many global companies, English has been identified as the de facto business language. However, the stress should not be on the language one speaks, rather the way the message gets conveyed. For example, while people from Finland might value the aspect of directness alongside conciseness, professionals from an Asian country like India might present themselves in more indirect manner and might be nuanced within their communication process. Adding to that, whilst fluency in English might offer a boost to the professional agenda in global terms, gaining knowledge on the significance of delicate non-verbal communication within cultures is stated being uniformly critical within the same (Jyoti and Kour 2015).

The factors that might be a commonplace in one culture- be it a direct eye contact or a firm handshake could turn out to be an offensive gesture to the foreign clients coming in from different culture. Where feasible, it is important in conducting extensive research much in advance related to the professional communications with the individuals from various cultures. It is important in being perceptive to the aspect of body language, and if any doubt arises, it should be asked then and there. While steering the aspect of cross cultural communication might come as a challenge, advancing towards cultural differences with openness, inquisitiveness and compassion might assist in putting everyone at ease.

Diversity climate and workgroup communication: Studies have been scarce on interpersonal communication within a diversified workplace. Examples of such contain Jansen et al (2016) who finds an affiliation between the aspect of team diversity along with the usage of greater information, and as opined by Ashikali and Groeneveld (2015) ,within workplace, the cultural minority staffs communicate very less about topics of personal sort, and more on the issues related to work than the majority staffs. A dynamic viewpoint has been presented by Jyoti and Kour (2015), who is of the opinion that the minority staffs adjust their strategies of communication for matching their ideal bond with the majority group, otherwise known as the dominant group. The author Lambert (2016) is of the opinion that the factor of interpersonal communication within diversified associations is being affected positively by the professed equality among the groups.

Unexpectedly, such processes have been connected seldom to the climate variables. In some of the papers that have reflected on the factor of diversity climate, communication within workgroup is recommended as a probable underlying procedure leading to diversity upshots, but not empirically computed as a variable of separate kind. On the contrary, the variables of communication like openness of communication within leadership have been revealed combining with the positive outcomes of diversity, though not with the creation of diversity climate. It can be stated that not much is known regarding the way diversity climate associates to the process of communication within diversified workgroups, and how the same might affect the outcomes within diversity in turn (Guillaume et al 2017).

Impact of culture on participating within the managerial decision-making process: The perception of ‘Managerial Decision-making Process’ and mainly the degree to which the same has been shared by the subordinates have convened an interest of greater sort within the management literature. Various scholars have developed various processes related to decision-making like Hajro, A., Gibson and Pudelko (2017) and their three styles of leadership that are namely ‘democratic’ where managers tend to make decisions taking into account the opinions of their subordinates and involving them within the process; in case of authoritarian- the managers make relevant decisions all by themselves without consulting anyone; ‘laissez-faire’ within which managers permit their subordinates in making all the required decisions.

As opined by Velten and Lashley (2018), they argued on the fact that within associations, the power distance factor shapes the amount of contribution within the process of decision-making. The same has been supported by Hofstede while comparing the US manager’s decision making procedure to that of their French counterparts. In his study he found US managers being consultative, scoring in-between within the dimension of Power Distance, while the style of the French managers has been identified as autocratic, and scoring highly on the dimension of Power Distance. Additionally, Hofstede clearly presumed this is the outcome of the cultural place within the Index of Power Distance.

Individual subordinates are permitted in participating within the decisions of the leader, though they remain the decision of the leaders on the Power Distance Index, where US has been found on mid-zone, in nations like France having higher Power Distances, individual subordinates do not wish to participate as a rule. Therefore, it can be stated that the dimension of Power Distance might shape the decision-making processes of the managers and the ways managers include their subordinates within the same.. Hofstede stated that this might shape the hierarchy structure that prevailed within large societies of Power Distance where the subordinates would be waiting for any sort of indication from the managers along with relevant orders (Li, et al 2016).

As explained by Lambert (2016), within collectivist cultures, the requirement of participating in the process of decision making is relatively strong. Additionally, for the collectivists, “in-group individuals” are stated being important, putting emphasis on the relationships deemed harmonious within their team. Therefore, it can be stated that they would be preferring methods of making decisions promoting such kind of harmony, like laissez-faire style. Moreover, Hofstede supported the perception that the dimension of Individualism-Collectivism might have a real impact on the contribution within the process of decision making. Even if hierarchy is being promoted by a society and consequentially positions the manager as the sole decision-maker, if the stated culture is collectivist, subordinates will discover means of participating within the process of decision making.

Problem solving strategies in developing organizational performance and improving customer satisfaction: Strategies related to problem solving are stated being common place within business and it is significant that the correct tool is being used for the specific problem in hand.

Process development along with effectual strategies of problem solving is stated being two weaknesses of many organizations plying their trade globally. As stated by Velten and Lashley (2018), every association has issues and the difference between the outstanding companies with the ones performing average is the extent to which they react to various issues when such things crop up. More significantly, how well such companies put to bed the risen issues and rest them in a manner so that they do not crop up in future. While thinking of aspects like strategies for solving issues, one can be pardoned for summoning tools for in-depth analysis along with a myriad of statistical methods, though Kaizen’s vision along with the classification and eradication of anything that is stated being the disparity to the standard (Lambert 2016).

Various well-known continuous development road maps should be used by the organizations in meeting the requirements of the stakeholders along with developing their performance such as PDCA, but in core, the factor of solving issues is mainly about the following:

1. Identifying the issues
2. Identifying the actual causes
3. Brainstorming the solutions
4. Selecting the proper solutions

Concluding Recommendations: Dealing with diversity within workplace presents the HR professionals within various challenges. Such challenges can be mitigated if an association makes an effort on concerted sort in encouraging an environment that is heterogeneous in nature via supporting a tolerance culture, open communication alongside generating strategies of conflict management in addressing the issues that might crop up during any point of time.

It is important for the organizational managers to put a lot of emphasis on communication. Schemes, processes alongside rules of safety and other significant information might be designed in overcoming the barriers related to culture and language by using pictures and interpreting materials wherever applicable.

Another aspect can be in encouraging staffs to work within diversified groups. Diversified group teams let the staffs value each other individually and can assist in breaking down notions of preconceived sort along with cultural misunderstandings. Cultural diversity essays are being prepared by our management experts from top universities which let us to provide you a reliable essay help online service.

References:
Ashikali, T. and Groeneveld, S., 2015. Diversity management in public organizations and its effect on employees’ affective commitment: The role of transformational leadership and the inclusiveness of the organizational culture. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 35(2), pp.146-168.

Guillaume, Y.R., Dawson, J.F., Otaye?Ebede, L., Woods, S.A. and West, M.A., 2017. Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace diversity?. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), pp.276-303.

Hajro, A., Gibson, C.B. and Pudelko, M., 2017. Knowledge exchange processes in multicultural teams: Linking organizational diversity climates to teams’ effectiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 60(1), pp.345-372.

Jansen, W.S., Vos, M.W., Otten, S., Podsiadlowski, A. and van der Zee, K.I., 2016. Colorblind or colorful? How diversity approaches affect cultural majority and minority employees. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 46(2), pp.81-93.

Jyoti, J. and Kour, S., 2015. Assessing the cultural intelligence and task performance equation: Mediating role of cultural adjustment. Cross Cultural Management, 22(2), pp.236-258.

Lambert, J., 2016. Cultural diversity as a mechanism for innovation: Workplace diversity and the absorptive capacity framework. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict, 20(1), p.68.

Li, C.R., Lin, C.J., Tien, Y.H. and Chen, C.M., 2017. A multilevel model of team cultural diversity and creativity: The role of climate for inclusion. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 51(2), pp.163-179.

Tjosvold, D., 2017. Cross-cultural management: foundations and future. Routledge.

Velten, L. and Lashley, C., 2018. The meaning of cultural diversity among staff as it pertains to employee motivation. Research in Hospitality Management, 7(2), pp.105-113.