Multi Cultural Work Environment : Eric Essay

I have to start this paper off with a confession. I had hand surgery a couple of years ago and had to become a lefty for several months. The experiment would have been harder I know if I would have not gone through this experience. I am not a lefty but had to live as a lefty.so I can use my left hand to do more than the average right handed person. I have much appreciation for left handed people. The world is set up for right handed people. If you have to put in a light bulb you have to screw the light to the right. If you have to deal with anything mechanical you usually have to turn clockwise to insert and counter clockwise remove. I am a nurse and I had to learn to grasp really small objects such as

An Analysis of Cross Cultural Differences Between India and The United States of America in Terms of Business-Implications for Managers

When becoming a social work major, culture and diversity were themes expressed in each and every class. A good social worker must have the ability to be diverse. Therefore, cultural competence became a central theme. With that being stated, it is important to define exactly what cultural competence is. The National Education Association (NEA) defines cultural competence as having an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families. Cultural competence is a characteristic that is in great demand in social services and child welfare practices. More and more classrooms, doctor offices, etc. are becoming diverse.

Competencies that are necessary when working in a cultural diverse environment are, value in diversity, self-awareness of cultural, understanding dynamics within cultural interaction, and the institutionalization of dynamics within cultural dynamics. When valuing diversity, the organization should be respectful and accepting of the various cultural upbringings, traditions, communication and beliefs of others, thus providing a nondiscriminatory outlook of the individual (Van Roekel, 2008) Self-awareness of culture requires an individual to have an understanding of their own culture which is shaped by their interests, knowledge, experience, values, background, skills and beliefs. This awareness helps the individual to have an understanding of who they are, how they interact with others, and where they fit in with society and family and environment (Van Roekel, 2008).

Many employee included within the article have many different cultures and even personality and ideals. However some cultural issues will occur.

Cultural shapes how individuals experience the world around them. These experiences are a vital component of how services are both delivered and received. Gladding (2012) describes three key aspects of a multicultural leader. The first key aspect is to be aware of a diverse population and the effect on group work interventions (Gladding, 2012). To better facilitate a multicultural group, a leader

Globalization and technological advancement have dictated the need for managers to deal with multiple ethnic groups with different culture in their day to day interactions. According to Kulkarni (2012), cultures play critical roles in individuals, including values, beliefs, humor, worries, fears, hopes, opinions, attachments, and anxieties.

Today’s management in the workforce is composed of all types of people verses thirty years ago when white males held a majority of upper-management positions in companies. These positions are now held by a mixture of ethnic back grounds and women who hold just as many if not more management positions then men. Just by looking at the changes in management demographics shows how important it is for people to understand cultural competency in the workplace. Dr. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1999) stated, “Diversity is the collective mixture of whomever we have in our workforce characterized by their differences and similarities” (p.11). Managers and supervisors must understand the characteristics of a diversity mature individual; they also need to be

Dr. Hofstede performed a comprehensive study of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. In the 1970’s, as a Dutch researcher Dr. Geert Hofstede, collected and analyzed data from 116,000 surveys taken from IBM employees in forty different countries around the world. From those results, Hofstede developed a model that identifies four primary dimensions of differentiate cultures. These include: Uncertainty Avoidance (UA), Masculinity-Femininity (MAS), Individualism-Collectivism (IND), Power and Distance (PD). After a further study of the Asian culture by researcher Michael Bond in 1991, Hofstede added a fifth dimension in his theory, Long- and Short-term time orientation (LTO), also referred to as the Confucian Dynamism. His research has framed how cultural differences can be used in professional business transactions. Geert Hofstede 's dimensions analysis can assist the business person in better understanding the intercultural differences within regions and between countries.

The importance of understanding cultural, ethnic and gender differences by managers and professionals in a business setting is essential to make the work environment comfortable. In every culture there are basic standards of thinking, and acting and these cultural differences strongly influence workplace values and communication. What may be considered acceptable and natural in the workplace for one person may be unacceptable for another person. People from diverse cultures bring new ways of thinking, creativity and language skills needed to survive in today’s work force. In many

Culture in its many forms and approaches is a very popular subject researched by many authors. The definition of culture from Geert Hofstede, the most cited social scientist according to Powell (2006) comes as "the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of humans from another". (1982) He mentions that these differences exist in nations, geographic regions, generations, genders, social classes and many more. As Hofstede simply puts it, "the unwritten rules of

| * India scores high on this dimension, 77, indicating an appreciation for hierarchy and a Top – Down Structure in society and Organizations. dependent on the boss or the powerholder for direction, acceptance of un-equal rights between the power-priviledged and those who are lesser down in the pecking order, immediate superiors accessible but one layer above less so, paternalistic leader, management directs, gives reason / meaning to ones work life and rewards in exchange for loyalty from employees. * Real Power is centralized even though it may not appear to be and managers count on the obedience of their team members. * Employees expect to be directed clearly as to their functions and what is expected of them. * Communication is top down and directive in its style and often feedback which is negative is never offered up the ladder

Cross Cultural Leadership involves leaders that have knowledge of not only the leadership skills but are also aware of the cultural differences of different countries. Today’s best leaders realize that diversity sparks innovation, leads to better decision making, and spurs growth. Today, every leader needs to understand the complexity of diversity issues, learn to create an inclusive culture, and to support the development of minorities for higher-level leadership position. The goal for today’s leaders is to recognize that each person can bring value and strengths to the workplace based on his or her own combination of diverse characteristics. (Richard, 2011)

Among the list of things for managers to consider when dealing with multinational employees is Geert Hofstede’s work in Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. Hofstede’s work discusses the four “Value Dimensions” which include power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, and masculinity and how these four aspects of national value systems play a critical role in influencing relationships between employees with different social values. As intelligent managers who wish to expand their businesses across many borders, they must be highly aware of the differing social values in order to find ways to overcome these hidden cultural barriers. A wise approach to bridge the gaps between cultures is for

According to (Brett) the challenges that a multicultural manager faces are divided into four categories :