The Development of Future Career - Essay Example

HOSPITALITY ACROSS CULTURE MANAGEMENT In hospitality industry, which international skills, knowledge, behavior and experience could be an advantage in the development of future career? Introduction Relative to developments in globalization, the subject of cross-cultural management has become prevalent with executives in all business platforms combining efforts and resources for its research (Hofstede, 2001). Diversity, popular in most corporations, evokes the need for the research as it can be advantageous when management teams implement excellent strategies to deal with people from backgrounds with distinct cultures, beliefs and practices (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). It is among the core ways to success as of today’s corporate world. All industries, including the hospitality industry recognize all aspects of cross-cultural management i.e. multiculturalism. This facilitates the combination of efforts, skills, knowledge and experience by people from different cultures with business success being the core objective. Appreciably, the hospitality industry has made vast advancements in a short period prompting the urge to work and communicate efficiently with groups from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds (Branine, 2011). Naturally, a diverse workforce has individuals and groups with distinct cultures and ethnic practices with elements such as views, ethics, insolences, assumptions and prospects very different. Generally, the hospitality industry is among the most affected by the diversities, especially since its practices revolve around cross-cultural management. This prompts the need to analyze and come up with solutions to counter these challenges by aligning organization goals and performance with the prospects of the consumers, workers and suppliers from different backgrounds. Acknowledging these dissimilarities, relative to multiple cultures, creates a firm foundation to evaluate the situation. It facilitates the comprehension of needs, assumptions and prospects of consumers and other parties making it easier to meet the prevalent urges. Resolutely, cross-culture management teaches that culture can apply in achieving cooperation, development and solidity in organizations. With focus on the hospitality, this essay explicates skills; knowledge, behaviors and experience than can be advantageous in the development of careers in this practice i.e. those that can apply in overcoming skirmishes, dissolution and corporate failure. Discussion Cultural Intelligence Basics Relative to the nature of cross-cultural management, the best skills, knowledge, behavior and experience that could be advantageous in the development of future careers in hospitality revolve around understanding Cultural Intelligence (CQ). Based on Arora and Rohmetra’s (2010) explication CQ entails the ability to exploit the knowledge and skills across state, ethnic and culturally diverse workforces. The overall understanding of Cultural Intelligence principles gives management and leadership teams a selection of perceptions that could apply efficiently, in diverse environments through understanding and management of consumers, individual employees or groups. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) entails the extensive application of skills and suppleness when it comes to comprehending culture, acquiring knowledge from interactions and eventually, setting your thoughts to be more considerate of the different diversities (Van Dyne, 2010). This facilitates the development and progression of knowledge, skills and communication, particularly during interactions with people from different cultures (Thomas &Inkson, 2003). Customarily, identification of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) focused on three parts i.e. knowledge, mindfulness and behavioral skills; however, developments in relative areas led to more divisions. The knowledge part involves general comprehension of behavior. Mindfulness entails being attentive and active in cross-cultural environments. Finally, the last part was about identifying the best behavior from an excellent collection of behaviors applicable in dissimilar cross-cultural occasions. Recent studies act as a development of the earlier divisions of CQ making it efficient in the progression of future careers (Van Dyne, 2010). Essentially, CQ does not apply as a facilitator of competitive advantage alone, with sufficient energy; it can apply as strategic approach to cross-culture for individuals and corporations (Earley &Ang, 2003). In the hospitality industry, knowledge Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is a chief source of skills required when dealing with individuals from distinct backgrounds (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). As aforementioned, research on CQ has led to additional developments with new divisions being; meta-cognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavior (Ang et.al, 2007). This approach creates a better understanding of CQ elements, particularly those that could apply for hospitality practitioners. Meta-cognitive focuses on people’s thoughts with and without knowledge on culture. Understanding this aspect enables individuals such as me to acknowledge dissimilarities prevalent in others relative to preferences. Typically, meta-cognitive facilitates communication. This is very essential for the hospitality industry, acquiring knowledge on consumer preferences, particularly those from different cultures, could be very efficient. Apart from enhancing communication, it creates a firm foundation to understand their needs and expectations. The second aspect, cognitive CQ, focuses on cultural beliefs and practices. This is extensively reliant on an individual’s knowledge level and involvement (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). This focuses on understanding ethics from different cultures and experiences from diverse societies. Acquisition of knowledge in cognitive CQ will facilitate fast identification of dissimilarities. This creates an environment with respect and quality reception of all consumers enabling the achievement of organization goals e.g. through fulfillment of consumers’ needs. Thirdly, motivational CQ focuses on confidence and self-involvement that separates a person from the rest. This becomes prevalent in cross-cultural situations that result to challenges. Understanding this will enhance one’s skills and can apply the knowledge in helping others through directives, novelty and provision of probable solutions (Peterson, 2004). It evokes energy to be active in a cross-cultural environment; typically, a source of efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, behavioral CQ fixates on communication skills application in cross-cultural settings i.e. verbal and non-verbal approaches. Despite the perception linked with this (i.e. only appealing to employees dealing with consumers), it is an essential conception in the hospitality industry since it focuses on general expression e.g. appropriate words for a certain culture, gesticulations or even facial jargons (Ang et.al, 2007). Utter comprehension of this concept can enhance the fluency of conversations and success of communication with consumers. Assertively, Cultural Intelligence (CQ) has more than the explored influences above; appreciably, the divisions make it easier to apply the concept but further evaluation reveals more approaches, particularly in the hospitality industry. For instance, some studies in CQ show that management teams can use it in the exploration and identification of hidden facets in culturally based behavior. This could apply for individuals and groups; moreover, having such knowledge as a hospitality practitioner is extensively beneficial (Adler, 2002). With the identification of these indifferences, it is easier to point out weaknesses and strengths of individuals and groups. Solving the weaknesses will not be complex thus augmenting organizational performance. On the international platform, managers and employees are able to know the best approaches for branches in certain nations, relative to cultures existing there (Robert &Sonny, 2002). Additionally, communication between involved parties (i.e. suppliers, employees, consumers, clients and partners) will have limited challenges (Bartlett, 1998). International practices are widely different from national and transnational practices in the corporate world thus, anyone dealing operating in this scope needs up-to-date knowledge on the essentials (Brotherton, 2003). Most articles and research focus on management alone but everyone else in the hierarchical structure of such companies is equally important. Focusing on hospitality practices, cross-cultural environments have more to them in addition to communication and overall interactions. Aspects such as organizational policies and principles must synchronize with the culture in a certain country or setting (Madhavan, 2012). Calibration and acknowledgement of this eliminates restrictions in daily activities and enhances practices involved in satisfying consumers. Moreover, the subject of culture also closely correlates with political and economic attributes as key elements of behavior. Cultural Intelligence is the chief approach to establishing the correlation’s influence on behavior. With knowledge on all the divisions, one can be able to identify these influences and explicitly apply them as part of the practices and policies (for management) (Schneider &Barsoux, 1997). Additional research show that cross-culture is an aspect of globalization and the best approach for the prevalent interactions and relationships is extensive knowledge on Cultural Intelligence (Thomas &Inkson, 2003). Based on their findings, these authors point out cultural differences are everywhere i.e. hometowns, the streets etc. This augments the need to acquire knowledge, skills and behaviors that will assist in making observation and effectively play predestined roles as a hospitality practitioner. As globalization continues to grow, so does the cross-cultural trend. Companies, employees and other involved people cannot evade it prompting the acquisition of relevant knowledge, which can apply in provision of better services to customers in hotels among other locations (Patterson, 2001). Concurrently, issues, relative to cross-cultures, are different and it depends on certain knowledge to identify them. The whole faculty, including management teams needs quick adaptation to the practices of certain locations. With high levels of knowledge on CQ, the adaptation process is less complex making it easy to identify the important issues on time. As a hospitality practitioner, decision-making and identification of challenges is among my core specialties; however, practices, values and beliefs from different cultures may act as hindrances (Thomas &Inkson, 2003). Knowledge on the divisions of CQ facilitates fast adaptation, realization of issues and different approaches that could lead to solutions, simultaneously. Even though clients are at the forefront of interactions and service provision, relationship with my fellow colleagues is equally important, particularly those from diverse backgrounds (Patterson, 2001). Understanding this aspect will enhance teamwork, overall performance and development of our careers in the hospitality industry. Understanding the Influence of Culture on the International Hospitality Industry and Service Encounters As aforementioned, the hospitality industry is among the limited that deal with people from distinct cultures i.e. management teams, employees and even the consumers (Branine, 2011). This prompts people pursuing a career in that field to acknowledge the differences, in detail, especially when dealing with the consumers. This is the section where aspects such as linguistics and reception of a person’s perception and behavior prevail. Definitely, even with acknowledgment and identification of the cultures, some behaviors or practices that come out as abnormal for a certain group may be common for a certain culture prompting additional knowledge of what differs between the distinct cultures. Even though managers are at the forefront when it comes to dealing with such situations, I believe that as a scholar in the hospitality industry, it is a requirement that I not only in language but also in reading certain signals, particularly through advanced mindfulness (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). Certain gestures and expressions are significant signals that might influence the quality of service provided by hospitality practitioners. Moreover, this will enable my colleagues and me to apply the distinctions as an advantage in whatever practices we partake throughout our careers. In the hospitality industry, service encounters carry significant weight as the key determinants of corporate success, and in the international market, they act as a competitive advantage depending on how different companies approach them (Peterson, 2004). In cross-cultural management, there are potential ways to exploit the customer-employee interactions, particularly with the knowledge on the behaviors and other detailed characteristics of certain cultures. One way in which this knowledge and additional skills on certain culture (such as learning linguistics) can apply is by using them to meet certain cultural expectations on the international platforms. This entails doing comprehensive research on cultural values or other processes that might negative influence the perception of customers for a certain company (Branine, 2011). Typically, acquisition of this knowledge should not focus on the practices encouraged by a certain culture. Part of that research should be on practices discourage, provocative dialogue among others. As an essential for the development of a hospitality career, an employee or any other involved party should comprehend that their organizations need to embrace cross-culture management (Peterson, 2004). This could work as a strategy for attaining business objectives and influence the elimination of competition, which is a core challenge on the international platform. Nonetheless, business ethics encourage such approaches to diversity; they are an appropriate approach towards general economic growth. Past studies have evidence that cultural sensitivity influences the provision of quality service, a major requirement for the hospitality practice. Adapting cultural sensitivity, as a behavior, will enhance my ability to adjust service provision approaches in situations with diverse cultural needs and expectations as purported by consumers (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). On the corporate scale, the improvement in performance will result to generation of increased revenue, which will be due to the impression created on guests. Significantly, understanding both the influence of culture and service encounters in the hospitality industry is a combination that meets most of the prevalent aspects in the field. Through acquisition of additional knowledge of cultural characteristics such as language definitely makes the interactions more lively and effective. This creates satisfaction to both parties in the service counters i.e. employee and consumer (Peterson, 2004). Moreover, understanding different cultural dislikes and likes enhances sensitivity, malleability and the acquisition of even more knowledge. On corporate and individual levels, this is extensively rewarding, acts as motivation and can apply in the empowerment of oneself and other people in the industry. In most corporations and industries, change has always been a challenge for everyone in the hierarchical structures. However, in the hospitality industry, employees are subjects of change when they incorporate knowledge on cultural differences in the provision of service. As per the above explications, understanding these aspects in a wider context is more of an improvement to the Cultural Intelligence model and an integration of both concepts appears to be very promising in the development of hospitality careers (Thomas &Inkson, 2003). Evaluation of CQ and extensive understanding depicts knowledge, experience, practice and result as the most prevalent for the hospitality industry. Knowledge and experience goes both ways and hospitality practice has people with and without these aspects. Fortunately, the context of CQ and detailed-understanding approaches shows that those with knowledge and experience have positive influence. On the other hand, the practices are the roles of employees and additional input applied in making individual service-provision better. Thirdly, the results utterly relies on how I approach the other element in the model i.e. knowledge, experience and practice. However, the results include customer reactions, perceptions and effects on the organization, which could be negative or positive (Brown, 1991). Decisively, based on my comprehension of these approaches in the hospitality industry, employee-consumer reactions are the main determinants of the results. In any form of development, positive results are inevitable. In the international market, this is wider since experience and knowledge boost one’s practice, which the provision of quality service in multicultural settings. Depending on how you relate with the customers through the application of acquired knowledge on their culture the results are certain (Brown, 1991). These four elements are the core sources of other significant characteristics required in the development of my hospitality career. For instance, through results, experience and knowledge I can acquire motivation, flexibility, skills and the necessary behavior, which are all elements of growth Summary of Findings on Necessary International Skills, Knowledge, Behavior and Experience In the hospitality industry, the first aspect to internalize is that consumers have requirements that we should accommodate and address as hospitality practitioners. The only way to achieve this successfully is through depicting a confident attitude towards additional progression i.e. acquisition of detailed knowledge (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). I must be malleable in the service counters. Put service provision and the interactions as the key priorities. Acquire mandatory communication skills as a prevalent aspect in the international hospitality industry. Most importantly, development of careers in this field relies extensively on my overall perception of the differences. Acknowledging the differences as part of cross-cultural management in the hospitality industry platform. The nature practice incorporates cross-cultures thus as practitioners in the field, it is best if we heed the necessary approaches as advocate by CQ conceptions (Arora and Rohmetra, 2010). Sensitivity of culture among the employees enhances the quality of services provided. With knowledge on CQ, adjusting will be easier in aspects of service style as some cultures and customers opt for varying approaches when dealing with their needs (Mary, 1996). Unfortunately, other leading industries in globalization fail miserably due to the employee-consumer gaps. In the hospitality industry, having customer experience and relative skills narrows this group thus one can be able to use culture as part of the quality service influences. Recent studies depict that simultaneous achievement customer satisfaction and realization of organizational goals only takes place when employees and consumers have comprehensive knowledge on culture and services in the hospitality industry (Arora &Rohmetra, 2010). Collective combination of knowledge in these areas, relative to CQ divisions, simultaneously facilitates the satisfaction, loyalty and value of customers. On the other hand, overlooking skills, knowledge, behaviors and experiences regarding culture affects performance and acts as a restriction to meeting consumer needs and organizational goals (Hofstede, 2001). This alone explicates the need for Cultural Intelligence as it considers behavior, beliefs, values and other characteristics from different cultures. Points discussed might not provide utter solutions to cross-cultural issues but it creates a firm foundation to coming up with solutions and develop my career in hospitality gradually. Conclusion My focus, as a hospitality practitioner should be on understanding, particularly the cross-cultures and performance on the international platform. Misunderstanding does not occur among managers alone; it can be prevalent amongst employees or employee and customers (Branine, 2011). Generally, a greater part of hospitality is about service provision thus without communication and strong relationships, there are limited chances of success (Thomas &Inkson, 2003). Nonetheless, Cultural Intelligence proves to be effectual when managing cross-cultures. The divisions provide an easy breakdown and gives detailed approaches for the common situation. I believe knowledge on CQ will form a firm basis for the development of my future career. In addition to providing different approaches, some conceptions suggest ways to handle certain challenges i.e. conflict of values and beliefs from different cultures and the organization. A good example is the meaning of words and the context of words used in certain parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, hustling a person means persuading them for employment while in Latin countries; it applies as description for sexual harassment. Resolutely, in pursue of standard development for my future career depends mostly on my interactions and relationships with both employees and consumers. The CQ evokes the individual aspects I need to focus on i.e. knowledge on culture and behavior by individuals in workplace environments (Hofstede, 2001). Using the four divisions as the core guideline will facilitate additional knowledge, skills, behavior and experience enhancing my overall performance and progression in the hospitality industry. 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