Cultural Quotient in Organizations - Research Paper Example

Introduction Cultural quotient (intelligence) is imperative in every business today. This is considering the fact that there has been increased cultural diversity in the work place. People coming from different cultural backgrounds have different beliefs, norms, and values. For this people to work together, cultural tolerance is vital. Cultural quotient is defined as the ability to understand and appreciate the differences in beliefs, attitudes, values, and norms of different individuals (Earley 2002, p.271). Despite this diversity of culture, people with high cultural quotient are willing to work together to achieve the goals of a given institution. In the working environment, the motivation of the employees will be determined by whether they are respected despite their cultural differences or not. Different cultures are vital in a business since they create synergy in an organization. This creativity comes about owing to the fact that such employees have different experiences. Any manager who wants to ensure success in his/her own organization should have a high cultural quotient. They should have the ability to recognize the cultural differences in their workforce, and treat it as an opportunity to take the organization to the next level. However, establishing an organization cultural assists in blending of the different cultures for creating a harmonious environment to work. Cultural quotient and communication Communication is one of the most important tools in any given organization (Herskovitz 1999, p.87). It determines the success and achievement of the organization’s goals. The managers have the responsibility of ensuring that the vertical and horizontal communication takes place effectively (Johnson 2006, p.525). The former refers to the communication between the management and the employees. Horizontal on the other hand refers to the communication between employees. Communication is vital since it enables employees to interact with the management and amongst them. It also makes it possible for the employee to express their feelings especially if there is an issue that they want addressed by an organization. However, for health communication to be achieved, cultural quotient becomes imperative. The managers must be able to recognize the cultural differences amongst the employees and appreciate them. This difference should not be perceived as a source of conflict but as a way of achieving the goals of any organization. Communication is one of the main factors that may be destroyed when the manager fails to appreciate the cultural diversity (Hall 1999, p.202). The manager has different tasks that will enable him to fight ethnicity and racial prejudice in his/her organization. Firstly, there is need to focus on the main goals and mission of the organization. What is important is not where the individual is coming from but what they are able to offer once they are given the opportunity to work. Secondly, how the employees treat each other will largely be determined by the attitude of the management towards other cultural groups. For instance, if a manager has an impression that the whites are smarter than the blacks are, then this will be a source of problem that may cause the communication breakdown. This is because the attitude of the white towards the blacks in an organization will not promote the cohesion needed to work as a team. To foster communication, fairness will be of paramount importance. Promotion for instance should be done on merit and not according to the cultural background of any given individual. Racial and ethnic prejudice should not appear when such rewards are being conducted by the organization. This will assist in eliminating the impression that certain cultures are stronger than others are. It is the actions that are carried out by the management that determine how the rest of the employees treat each other. It is vital to establish a strong working culture within the working environment. This is also a culture that ensures that all the cultural differences of the employees are taken into consideration. This will enhance communication in an organization and therefore promote growth and development. Cultural quotient and employee motivation Employees are the main determinants of the success of any given organization (Pilon 2009, p.87). They determine the output level in any organization. They also have the ability to determine the quality produced in a business institution. However, the ability of these employees tom work hand and achieve the goals of an organization will depend on how they are treated by the management and the rest of the employees. The motivation of the employees to work may come from different sources. Most people think that big salaries are the main determinant of the employee motivation. While it may be one of the determining factors, it is not the main one. Research has indicated that the environment into which the employees are exposed play an important role in determining the success of such employees (Wild 2010, p.76). Employees are happy and energetic when they are appreciated. Employees would want to be included in the major decision making of any organization. This owes to the fact that any change that occurs in an organization affects the employees directly. However, whether or not such employees will be included in decision-making will depend on the attitude of the management towards them (Brooks 1999, p.76). With the belief that some members have greater ideas than others due to the differences in cultural backgrounds, the manager may fail to include some employees. Even when they are made part of the decision-making team, their suggestions, and recommendations may not be taken into account. This creates a feeling of inadequacy and isolations in some employees. They may also feel powerless and look down upon themselves. This feeling may be intense especially if such employees still hold the beliefs that certain cultures are superior to theirs. It may come as a way of confirming such unfounded beliefs. The unappreciated employees may withdraw themselves from what goes on in their organization. This may kill their creativity and innovation because they believe that they are not good like other cultures. It is the responsibility of the managers to ensure that all the contributions of the employees regardless of their background count. In the decision-making process, all the employees should be given an opportunity to state what they think is right. Dismissing them will prompt other employees to look down on such employees. It is imperative that the manager realize the fact that the success of the organization is dependent on the teamwork. This means that every employee plays and important role in whichever capacity their dispense their duties. As indicated above, promoting the employees based on merit will be one of the ways through which they can increase their productivity. The manager ought to realize that the world of business has become a global village. This means that every culture will play an important role in ensuring success of any business. Cultural quotient and organization culture Globalization has played a major role in perpetuating the cultural diversity in the working environment (Barzilai 2003, p.98). As people from different countries to work in other places, they add new beliefs and norms to that environment. While the different cultures are imperative and therefore ought to be protected, it is imperative to note that they can also be a source of problems in any organization. This is the main reason why an organization culture has to be established. It is explained as the set of values, beliefs, and norms that govern how people work in any given organization. The managers realize that if employees were to be given the freedom to work and interact as they wished, there will be chaos in the working environment (Deresky 2011, p.90). For that reason, the managers have to establish an organization culture, which is not only inclusive but also geared towards the achievement of the goals of the community. However, when deciding what organization culture to use in any institution, it will be imperative that that the managers take consideration how the employees will be affected. Cultural quotient therefore becomes important in making the organization culture. For instance, certain organizations require employees to wear special attires while performing their duties. However, due to cultural barriers, some employees though qualified may not be confortable putting on certain attires. This is especially the Muslim women who may insist on wearing hijab. The management has to grapple with such issues, to balance between the individual rights of the employees and the need to maintain the organization culture. Some issues such as this may be important for the organization but may not be agreed upon by the affected people. This explains the fact that some organizations have given people the right to dress as their religion demands. This is the main reason why the organization culture ought to be reviewed from time to time. When this is done, it is imperative to ensure that all the employees are included when determining the rules and regulations that should govern an institution. Cultural differences should be the key to making such rules (Ankerl 2000, p.87). There are key employee rights that should be appreciated. This is especially their religious matters. As indicated before, it is imperative that every employee feel appreciated by being made part of the decision-making. Managers with high cultural quotient play an important role in ensuring that the rights of every employee are captured within the organization culture. It is by understanding and appreciating the cultural differences of the employees that the managers ensure everyone becomes part of production. Conclusion Cultural quotient has become a common phenomenon in many organizations. With the current increase in the number of diverse cultures in the working environment, there is need to ensure that everyone feels respected and appreciated. Cultural diversity should not be taken as a source of problems in the working environment but as an opportunity to realize the goals of a given organization. The managers are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that there is cultural tolerance in the working place. The biggest question is not where people come from but the values they can bring into an organization. People from different cultures have the ability to increase the synergy needed in any organization. This is the creativity that makes the organization gain edge that is more competitive over its main competitors. However, if the managers fail to have a high cultural quotient, chances are high that there will be communication breakdown. This on the other hand becomes difficult to achieve the goals of any given organization. Appreciating the diversity in the working environment is the only way through which the goals of any organization can be achieved. However, it is also vital to note that organization culture plays a major role in the ensuring that there is harmony in the work place. The bottom-line is that such an organization culture should be established taking into account the cultural values and beliefs of the current employees. Bibliography Ankerl, Guy. 2000. Global Communication without Universal Civilization. vol.I: Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations: Arabo-Mulsim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. Geneva: INU PRESS, ISBN 2-8815-004-5 Barzilai, Gad. 2003. Communities and Law: Politics and Cultures of Legal Identities. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Brooks, Amanda 2007. "The Two-Dollar Dance.” Utne Reader. Ogden Publications, Inc. September. Page 14. Deresky, H. 2011, and International Management: Managing across Borders and Cultures: Part 2 Chapters 3, 4 and 5. Earley, P. Christopher 2002 "Redefining interactions across cultures and organizations: moving forward with cultural intelligence". In B. M. Staw. Research in Organizational Behavior 24. R. M. Kramer. Oxford: Elsevier. pp. 271–99. Herskovitz, Melville J. 1999 "Some Further Comments on Cultural Relativism" in American Anthropologist 60(2) 266-273 Hall, Edward T 1999.The Silent Language. Anchor Books: New York. Pages 201-202. Johnson, James P.; Tomasz Lenartowicz and Salvador Apud 2006. "Cross-Cultural Competence in International Business: Toward a Definition and a Model". Journal of International Business Studies 37 (4): 525–43. Pilon, Juliana 2009. Cultural Intelligence for Winning the Peace. The Institute of World Politics Press. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-615-51939-5. Wild, J., Wild K., and Han, J. 2010 International Business - the Challenges of Globalisation: Chapters 1 and 2 and Chapter 16. Read More