Characteristics and Contributions of a Multicultural Organization - Coursework Example

Characteristics and Contributions of a Multicultural Organization Name Institution Date Multicultural Organization Abstract. Different regions in the world provide conducive environment for business-minded individuals to explore their talents in various sectors. Opportunities are also available for leaders who are ready to discover their strength in leadership so as to bring about the dynamism and uniqueness in business. With the world experiencing a lot of immigrations and embracing diversity of people from all over, there is a great vacancy to empower organizations. This can be achieved through proper selection and recruitment of the individuals with the necessary skills and expertise from different parts of the world to foster the needed change in institutions hence creating a multicultural organization. The paper aims at highlighting the advantages of having a multicultural organization and factors that strengthen it. Globalization Introduction A multicultural organization is one that comprises of various human aspects in the organizational chain, right from the top management level to the lowest labor force level. A multicultural organization is whereby people from different cultures, race, religion, nationalities, gender, ethnic and minor groups, are included in the work force. It also works in cooperation exuding no aspect of prejudice and discrimination. Nevertheless, employees can have personal negative issues which can affects the organizations end results, but its positivity weighs more bulk. Such an organization places itself at a competitive edge ahead of the others in the market as it has all that it takes to succeed. Moon (1997) argues that with people from different backgrounds, different unique talents, skills and abilities are executed bringing forth not only diversity but also strong ideas hence contributing to globalization in business. Among the benefits that an organization achieves are: high innovations, better marketing opportunities, high skilled labor, easy trading, international business forums, exchange programs and social relationships. Such organization also creates a forum for communication as language barrier is broken due to all learning a common language that enables them to communicate effectively and understand each other well, for a common objective to be fulfilled. Acceptance of citizens from other countries gives an organization a better chance in selling themselves to the rest of the world. For instance, a company wants to start a branch of its own in a different country. It does not know the terrain of the country neither is it familiar with the culture and the language of the people. Such a situation is whereby an employee from that origin comes in handy to save the situation. Since he is conversant with his country, he is able to direct the organization through the right procedures and communicate on their behalf to persuade the countries officials in letting them setup whatever they require. This is because of one, they might have confidence in him because he is one of them and secondly unlike the rest, he is able to communicate in a language they understand better (Moon, 1997). Different religions play a big role in organizations behavior. Each religion differs from the others as they follow different doctrines and norms. This is what contributes to a similarity in the organization. Muslim women dress differently from the rest, with “ hijjabs” covering their whole body. This dressing has been embraced by money in the work places but not necessarily putting it into practice. Instead, Management in different organizations has cautioned their female workers to properly dress themselves up with fitting attires that are not tight. This is to promote decent dressing and avoid attention and distractions during working hours. Asians are known to be world widely business oriented especially, those from the India. This is not because they have a lot of funds to do so, but because they have skills that may be termed “supernatural.” Right from their continent to America, Europe, and down to Africa, they own big Investments. An organization said to have an Asian involved more so in the management level, is to have an asset of success. These people depict high standards of working skills and abilities. Probably they usually work out the visualization of the organizations future and apply their conceptual skills to the maximum. Capitalizing on their abilities in an organization is usually their key goal. According to Johnson (2013), creating a conducive working environment in an organization is not only contributed by offering food and clean surfaces, but also by creating socialization among the workers. This gives them a better chance to know and understand each other. To promote this, organizations need to organize tours to create time for workers to mingle. From this they get to know the core values of different cultures, their pros and cons, beliefs and practices among others. This makes one draw up a limit so as to avoid tampering with what does not go in line with their colleagues’ practices and traditions. It also encourages intermarriages between different cultures hence promoting better relations in organizations as people embrace and appreciate different cultures. Locally, people outside the organization are usually comfortable with services being given to them by people of their background. Their choice and preference is mostly based on the understandability of language and traditions. This is where the minority marginalized communities should be considered most. A representation of the member such communities should be a first class priorities since such people are entitled to many resources and wealth but putting them into viable use is a problem as many of them are not learned and do not have the skills to do so. When assisted appropriately to their satisfaction and by their terms as long as it does not violate the organizations terms, it gives the organization an upper hand in competing and beating the others in the game. Challenges are a part of an organizations being. It makes them identity their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. When faced with a challenge, an organization should have placed a strategy to combat it to the bone and solve it amicably. A multicultural organization is at a position to solve challenges better as it has diverse personalities. Contributing to the ideas in solving the challenge, each has an opportunity to ones opinion on his solution. Having varieties of solutions from different cultures, one culture will definitely offer the best which will be applicable in that particular situation. Same as to opportunities, a best one will be found from the ideologies of the cultures and put in use (Chemers, Oskamp, & Costanzo, 1995). Studies have revealed that organizations steered by women are high ahead of those driven by the male counter parts. This clearly shows how women are equally good as men and in some situations even better than men. They are depicted as well organized, zealous hardworking in their executions. This is probably because of a God given ability to multitask hence handle a lot of duties at a ago. Thy too better handle problems adequately than men as they are patient and understanding. They apply their bet skills from their households to their work, placing their organizations at top ranks globally (Johnson, 2013). Promoting cultural understanding in favor of a company’s’ competence, is setting up competition among the employees. This can be done by rewarding hardworking competent workers and appreciating their good work. At one time promotion should be obvious so as to boost the others morale. This should be done without prejudice instead, strictly on lines of well discharged duties. Management should also encourage the human resource departments in training workers with better work skills both in communication and duty execution without leaving any groups. Nations are coming up to together to fight poverty through promoting global economy. Positive growth rate is important as it brings people of all nations to air out their solutions to solve crisis. A multicultural organization is usually ahead of such conferences as it already knows how to handle the outside environment surrounding it. Social corporate responsibility is something they always consider in their list of priorities to create a good social environment for both their workers and neighbors. A multicultural organization unlike the monolithic types, are advantageous in that they spend less money. Instead of hiring other staff and spending money on training, they gear it to other investments. This increases profits as turnover rates for employees is reduced. Monolithic companies experience a loss in profit as they have to spend on training new hired staff in their companies. Diversity in an organization promotes creativity among individuals. Employees with different abilities come up with innovative ideas that increase the rate of productivity of an organization. This displays their background history as they apply their experiences that are connected to their culture. This motivates the employees to work efficiently and effectively hence increasing the company’s production output. According to Johnson (2013), a multicultural organization stands a better chance in offering a wide range of opinions and services. This promotes better trade as an employee can take trade products of his company to his country since he communicates well in his language to citizens in his country that understanding him is not difficult. Besides, luring into accepting the products will be easy as they will be communicating in a common language. Vast opinions bring changes as employees embrace them quickly and simply due to different nature of backgrounds. Their approaches are different hence they help those with difficulties to adapt in the environment at a fast rate. Unlike the monolithic organizations, their ideas are same hence their approach does not help much since it’s not different from the others Conclusion. The embrace of multiculturalism has seen a global interaction and peace being promoted, as people are accepting each other as they are. Besides, they are respecting and appreciating different cultures. Due to this, with the application of a wide range of ideas and creativity in the market place, competition of different organization has hit a high note with different companies out to outsmart the other. Apart from taking the global economy growth, it has almost promoted international relations. References Johnson, R. (2013). The Advantages of a Multicultural Labor Force. Global post. Retrieved from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com. 22/10/2013. Chemers, M. M., Oskamp, S., & Costanzo, M. (1995). Diversity in organizations: new perspectives for a changing workplace. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Cox, T. (1993). Cultural diversity in organizations: theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, California: Berrett - Koehler. Moon, M. K. (1997). Understanding the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Organizations. Ft. Belvoir: Defense Technical Information Center. Read More