The Significance of National Identity - Assignment Example

Culture on Business Impact of Culture on Business Q1 -What is the significance of national identity as a source of individuals’ culture? Culture depicts the manner in which individuals from a regional area perform their economic and social activities. Culture is essential in the sense that it shows the customs and values of individuals from their subject areas. Culture is fostered by psychological motives amongst nations. The national identity considers broader perspectives within dissimilar countries. The national identity might be critical for the description of individuals concerning their countries’ cultures. Different countries encompass diverse cultures, but there are some countries, which have communities with a distinct culture. The whole world would tend to recognize the countries with unique cultures about their constituent communities. The overriding fact that everyone need to recognize is the fact that cultures hold much elements that modify the behaviors in different nations. The essence of the national identity as the origin of as person’s tradition might entail a boosting factor from the indicators. The indicators signify they perception of one country amongst the worldwide population. The people from dissimilar regions may get to know the occurrences from other parts through visits and media. Nonetheless, majority of the world’s populace are prone to travelling within their countries with only a few travelling to other countries. Therefore media plays a significant role of indicating the cultures from different areas of the world. Media has remained an outstanding source of information as opposed to the travelling since the majority of the travelers have little interest in the study of cultures. The lack of recognition of the study purposes amidst people may result from their travelling objectives. Most of the people may visit diverse places with either business or tour motives. Through the media, the whole world can learn about the cultures of a particular country. People would tend to master the unique customs and build interest in the specific country. National identity is critical in the determination of an individual’s culture because different nations have different emphasis. There are countries that have been recognized in the global scope due to their practices. Whenever the whole nation involve in a given practice for a longer duration, the inhabitants develop the behavior. The behavior amongst the members is the aspect that depicts their culture. A nation may pose as ethnic, which can only be verified through the individuals. The citizens are responsible for the practices in their country; they can promote activities in their countries. Other people from diverse countries would then rate the individuals through the notion based on their culture. National identity is critical since the individuals foster essential training within themselves on the essentiality of respecting other persons’ cultures at work. The national identity fosters the country’s interest and so that of the members. The members of a country have pleasure in doing what they like or the activity they perceive as the best. The identity is crucial because of its level of accuracy and can only be achieved by the natives. The results on the national identity pose what actually happens in the individual nations. Q2 -In what aspects of work and employee relations should international managers be aware of religious sensitivities? The international manager should be versatile and tolerant of diverse occurrences in the work place since there is the involvement of different people. The consideration of the employee relations can assist min boosting the welfare of the organization. The recognition of individuals’ religions may contribute to the initial contributors of harmony in the work place. Religion is one of the cultural aspects that are valued amongst many employees. The manager has to consider all perspectives of religion and ensure that equal obedience is applied to each phase. Concerning the employee relations, respect is fundamental every time throughout the working. The international manager should be aware of factors such as culture, time, and gender. There ought to be much stress on the posture during work and the type of work performed by each individual. The working conditions and the code of dressing amongst the employees should also receive equal regards. Most of the considerations for implementation by the manager rely on culture. Culture remains outstanding in the business. Time should receive consideration by the manager since it determines the span for every activity in the business. Employees would prefer doing specific tasks with appropriate span. There are cultures demanding that every activity has to be executed according to a cultural schedule. The cultures emphasizing on time as the determinant duration allocated for religion attention. Conversely there are cultures that do not recognize the essence of time or the schedule. Since every business requires order for success, a comprehensive schedule should be formulated to cater for all the employee demands. The schedule has to be clear in stipulating every time for specific activity and resting. The time aspect of work can lead to the sensation of the business with appropriate utilization. The employees’ gender and code of dressing should incorporate the best component of religious sensitivity. Different religions across the world accept specific code of dressing amongst their employees. Numerous religions do not accept the female to wear pairs of trousers. During the designing of the dress code policies in the business, the manager should ascertain all cultures and the religion stipulations to ensure that they are attained. In case the stipulations on gender responsibilities and dressing modes are not attained, there should be an alternative. The policies set should ensure a comprehensive accommodation of the employees. Some forms of work do not involve loose clothing especially in the heavy machinery workshops. Short- sleeves might be recommendable for safety reasons. The managers should regard posture, space of work and the working conditions of machines. Posture may affect an employee’s output in relation to comfort. Every individual would perform, maximally when comfortable in the work environment. Discomfort may result to diminished production and health risks. The machines should be efficient to promote ease and performance. The manager should facilitate all means of attaining the comfort and efficiency amongst the workers in the business. Good relationships amidst the workers and the administration are also essential in the business. Q3 -What are Hofstede’s culture dimensions? What correlations does Hofstede make among groups of countries and how valid are they for you? Hofstede’s dimensions of culture depict the efforts to determine the measurable components of culture. There are the dimensions which measure the nations with one distinguishing individuals. The dimensions incorporate masculinity, individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. The power distance incorporate, the degree to which the less authoritative in the nation admit the disparity and agree on the fact that power is distributed unequally. Greater power distance ratings show that the disparities of power and riches have been permitted to accumulate in the community. The societies with higher rankings of power lengths are characterized with the ability to restrict their citizen’s growth economically. However, the nations with little distances of power do not emphasize on the citizens’ mobility restrictions. Such societies embrace the empowerment of every member equally. Masculinity targets on whether the society recognize and implement the cultural aspect of masculinity that tends to operate on the male control. The dimension poses the male as the role models signifying authoritative achievements. A greater masculinity extent depicts a country as one experiencing greater degree of gender disparities. Traditions implying masculinity signifies the cultures where females are oppressed and the males dominate numerous opportunities of work. Low levels of masculinity in a country signify female empowerment and gender equity. Cultures wilt lower ratings of masculinity manifest equality in treatment of gender in all perspectives. Individualism targets the citizens’ ability to promote individual or collective accomplishments and relationships amidst the persons. Elevated individualism shows that the individual rights are vital and the members are not likely to unite. Lower individualism experiences in a country depict that the citizens embrace one another’s welfare. The societies with minimal individualism extents imply that the individuals act at the best of one another’s empowerment. The societies are likely to unite and operate collectively. The uncertainty avoidance index embraces the degree of uncertainty forbearance. Higher indices of uncertainty show that the country employs all mechanisms to avoid uncertainty. The countries that are intolerant to uncertainty have laws of numerous kinds and individuals have to orient to abide by the rules. Lower uncertainty index shows that a country is lenient and no strict adherence to the laws. The individuals from the lenient societies possess the tradition of little cooperation to the organizational stipulations. Long time orientations signify the country’s ability to embrace traditional values alterations. Higher orientation shows that the society upholds the traditions and may not promote the alterations. Lower orientation ratings show that individuals can readily change provided that the traditions do not offer obstacles to the necessity. Therefore, the societies change faster with the current requirements. Hofstede correlates countries to exist in two extremes. There are different cultures among the countries with two opposing elements. The correlation is relevant to me because they chiefly depict different character traits of the society members. People would always modify their behavior concerning the environment. The change in behavior would spread to the whole society basing on the significance of the change. Eventually, the change in behavior may result into a culture, which varies from one region to another. Q4 - Why do firms’ internationalize’? What are the implications of doing so for their role as employers and how will it affect your role in the future as an employee? The firms’ internationalization may be triggered with factors such as diversification, growth, employees, resources, and ideas. The main urge for the going international may result from a feeling that the step would encompass beneficial merits. Several firms may internationalize their services in demand for growth. The initiation of novel products in the international market can enhance the company’s gains and boost the number of customers. The growth of a company would demand increase in the production quantity since the internationalization accompanies an increase in the number of customers. Companies may increase their scope of output through adventuring different countries and launching their branches and products. The desire for advancement and recognition in the global arena is essential in the growth process. Firms would also become international to obtain substitute source of labor. Nevertheless, the cost factor is a main determinant in most of the employee- triggered internationalization. Companies may opt to venture into different countries targeting cheaper sources of labor. The companies may also be in quest of technical aid to uphold their competitive merits. The firms may always desire remaining at the top in the industry, both administratively and economically. Cheaper labor and proficient personnel would enable firms to attain their actualization points in different countries. Companies would focus on the international perspective in demand for resources. Firms would target resources from other countries due to two main reasons basing on either cost or accessibility. The internationalization targeting cost might emanate if the firm management realize that similar quality of the resources can be obtained from the targeted country at lower costs and in equal quantities. Firms can also target the advantage of obtaining resources necessary for their production in other countries where the resources are easily accessible. Companies would prefer locating their branches near the resources such as water, electricity and the raw materials to reduce the production costs. The quest of firms to obtain advanced work force and new initiatives would foster their quest for internationalization. Labor consisting of dissimilar personnel with diverse origins can result into new techniques in the industry. Different cultures promote diverse ways of performing activities. This can result into new discoveries that are of critical advantage to both customers and the employer. The businesses can also diversify their scope of services through selling to different firms in the global markets. The diversification can foster insight amongst the firms and promote their perceptions. The implication of the internationalization to the employers is the promotion of diversifications, spreading the risks and increased gains. The combination of different cultures in business would aid me in bringing up innovations to my work in the future. I would know how to handle different people and cultures in the work place. The internationalization would enable me to appreciate the advantage of working in either different country or with people from diverse cultures. As a worker, I would have the capacity of tolerating the ideas from colleagues as a result of diversification. I will understand the disparity in salaries in different countries. References Mead, R. & Andrews, T. (2009). International Management (Fourth Ed.). New York: Wiley Andler, N. (2002). International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, Fourth Edition, Cincinnati, OH: Southwestern Thomson Learning. Bennett, M. J. (2007). Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press. Brouthers, K., & Brouthers, L. (2001). Explaining the national culture distance paradox Journal of International Business Studies, 32 (1) 177-89. Johansson, J & Wiedershelm, F. (1975). The Internationalisation of the Firm: Four Swedish Cases. Journal of Management Studies, 12 (3) 305-22. Gudykunst, B. & Mody, B. (2002). Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. West Port, WA: Sage Publications. Bennett, M. J. (1998). Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. Intercultural Press, USA, p.97-111 Read More