International Differences in Motivation & Leadership Practices - Essay Example

The difference in the motivation and leadership practices arises from the difference of the culture, the upbringing and the pedagogy. The managers find that the motivational strategy that works for one group does not work for another group (Alderfer 24). The dilemma of the motivation is that all cannot be motivated in the same way. The present motivational theories that are adopted and applied across various companies and organizations and countries have one shortcoming. Most of the motivational theories have their origination in the west.

If a company or organization based in Qatar (Middle East) or Japan (East) decides to adopt the motivational theories of the west and applies them, then it runs into the risk of what is dose misappropriation (Dessler 53). This is the same kind of problem that is observed in case where the patient is administered the wrong dosage. The effect is either rejection of the approach taken to motivate the employees or the end result of the motivation approach become different from what is expected. This discussion endeavors to prepare a critical review of the leadership and motivational theories followed in USA, China and Saudi Arabia. . This is the reason individuals cannot perform well when they are put in teams.

The same individual can perform really well in an individual basis (Funder 42). There are three very particular factors in the work motivation and leadership styles; they are stress on market processes, stress on individuals, and giving more focus on managers rather than the employees or the workers. Moreover the American motivational and leadership traits are more focused on the individualistic performance rather than the focus on the collectivism. The other types of traits are giving more focus on the responsibilities of the follower than the rights.

Rather than focusing on increasing the commitment to duty, the focus is directed to hedonism. Other assumptions made give more importance to centrality of work and democratic value. It is less inclined or not inclined at all in linking business with asceticism, religion, or superstition. The birthplaces of the motivational and leaderships skills are in the west. The Eastern and the Middle Eastern countries have adopted the western originated leadership skills and practices and tried to mould it in their own way.

This is the main reason that the western originated leadership and motivational skills sometimes does not fit well with the Chinese culture. The Chinese culture or the Eastern cultures, does not preach individualism as in western cultures. The Chinese culture revolves around collectivism, rather than individualism. The identity of the group is more important, than the identity of the individual (Hackman 260). An example will help to articulate the point more clearly. In Western culture the idea is all about individualism, individual performance and individual