Integrating Theory with Experience - Assignment Example

Structured reflection papers Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date Question 1 The experience Working as the principal finance assistant at a local manufacturing company more than eight years ago was not only an opportunity for me to learn from the best but also to sharpen my intellectual tools in how best to apply my theoretical knowledge into real life experiences. It was not surprising that under my leadership, the firm recovered more than quarter million dollars. A learning organization is always looking for ways to alter existing systems to integrate new and more productive changes and that is what happened during one occasion. One evening, when planning to close for the day, the finance manager called me into his office. He went direct to the point and said that the company was expanding and they needed to do some changes, which included introducing new accounting software in three days time, to help facilitate accurate storage and retrieval of essential financial information and minimize information duplication. Although I had basic computer knowledge I was limited in dealing with complex financial computer software and so what run into my mind was apprehension and worry that I would lose my job and anger for not being involved and so I made my concerns known to him. I thought I was valuable enough to be fully engaged in the process since I had worked hard and produced results. He was very categorical in mentioning that as an employee I needed to be versatile to changes and be ready for anything. Before the meeting ended, he assured me that the firm would take the employees within the department on a one-week training program. Despite the assurance, I felt, the process of change would have been better handled and told the manager so. The Manager appreciated my inputs and indicated that in the future, all relevant employees would be actively consulted and engaged in critical processes. Integrating theory with experience As described by Samson & Daft (2009, p. 56), a learning organization is where everyone is involved in identifying and solving problems, helping the organization to continuously experiment, improve and enhance its capability. The author notes that such an organization is not only goal oriented but also fosters participation and employee empowerment, focuses on team building and open information and leadership is pegged on shared leadership and strong adaptive culture. Even though the firm was performing relatively well, it lacked essential components that would sustain it to the future. As the principal finance assistant, I should have been engaged actively among other employees in solving problems such as information duplication. I should have prior to making the decision, be communicated to on the impending changes and trained or equipped with necessarily skills and knowledge to help me modify my actions to help achieve anticipated outcomes as proposed by the single loop learning theory by Argyris and Schon as discussed by Argyris & Schön (1978). Marslow’s motivational theory suggests that employees perform better when their needs are met as highlighted by Kreitner (2006). I do feel my needs for job security were not being met as the actions taken by the firm to make changes without consultations meant the decisions for my staying or being dismissed would easily be made without my involvement. According to equity theory, employees perform better when they feel their inputs are reciprocated equally as described by Pride et al. (2011). I felt I had proven my worth to be engaged in the vision and making the vision a reality, but the decision by the firm not to involve the team and me and failing to empower us effectively and in good time, I feel was not equal to the inputs the team and I had put in. However, the firm was quick to identify existing problems and efficiently identify ways of solving them, which aligns with the theory of organization learning where a firm is periodically reassessing its performance, experimenting and implementing new systems to help adapt to changes (Easterby-Smith & Lyles, 2003). The manager was willing to embrace my point of view and learn from me, which is a component to a learning organization. Personal reflection The experience was a revelation on my capability as a leader. Previously, I did not know I would stand very strongly on the things I believed in but when I felt the manager should have involved and equipped me more and he did not, I was not afraid to tell him and even show him the reasons why. I realized I am a good communicator. Despite the fact that I was worried about my job security and I was angry with the manager for not informing me in good time, I did not let it show or walk away un-contented. Instead, I took the time to make the manager understand the need for open communication, equipping employees with knowledge and engaging the team in making decisions and solving problems. Previously I did not understand that motivation is not only generated through financial resources but also in other ways such as communication, consultations and empowerment as echoed by (Kreitner, 2006). Surprisingly, my assumptions on theory of organizational learning were that it involves employees only. From the experience, I learnt that by a manager merely listening and embracing opinions given by a junior employee, it is part of learning and knowledge sharing. Were it not from the experience, I would presently give little regard to teamwork and engagement, which would make my work as a student and as an employee harder if not unfulfilling. Question 2 The experience The most outstanding cross-cultural experience I have encountered is when I took my cousin to Kenya, East Africa, to visit his in-laws from the Maasai tribe. My cousin was keen to equip me with basic issues as should look out for. On arrival at home, we were settled in, women brought in all the food prepared still hot in the cooking pots, all men including boys gathered around the food, and they started feasting. Although there were both young girls and women surrounding us, none of them tasted the food. I was almost giving my share to a young girl next to me when I stopped since, I noticed the happy and contented faces women and girls wore as older women even tapped their son’s bellies to verify if they were full or they needed more. After all the men including young boys ate to their fill having had several servings, the women were given what remained to feast on. How could men treat their own daughters, wives and even women friends as such? Why were women not treated as equal? These were my initial thoughts before it finally dawned on me. Allowing the men to eat first was a sign of respect, love and appreciation since men were not only the providers but also protectors of the Maasai community and feeding them first ensured the community had strong men to provide and protect the community. Moreover, as men ate and women watched, it gave the women satisfaction about their cooking mastery. I smiled at myself fully understanding the unfamiliar gestures. If I had given out my portion, the women would have felt insulted as it would have signified my displeasure with their cookery and men would have seen me as less of a man. Through observation and instincts, I understood honour and respect in an unfamiliar situation as suggested by Moodin & P.U. (2007). Integrating theory with experience According to Earley (2003), cultural intelligence is the capacity for an individual to use logic and their observation skills to deduce unfamiliar gestures and situations and develop suitable behavioural responses. Based on the theory of cultural intelligence, I was able to not only notice what was odd from what I was used to but also, observe and effectively use my cognitive component to interpret the non-verbal signs shown by the women and do what was culturally right for the Maasai people present (Earley and Mosakowski, 2004, p. 141). I was able to rely on the theory of cultural intelligence to adapt across cultures and demonstrate by ability to observe, interpret and act upon a radically different eating custom and thus, function effectively within the Maasai culture (Earley & Ang, 2003). Components to the theory of cultural intelligence include emotional and physical components. Using the emotional component I believed in my self-confidence that by not offering the young girl my portion I was doing what was appropriate despite my cultural beliefs and reservations about the Maasai’s eating custom (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004, p. 142). Regarding the physical component, I was able to relate with the new gestures by mirroring the Maasai’s eating customs by fully adopting to their way of life, which was different from my own (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004, p. 141). Based on the dimension of individualism versus collectivism suggested by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, which describes the degree to which different individuals or cultures feel they ought to take care for and be cared by family or themselves as discussed by Johnston & C.U.S.B. (2008). I was able to appreciate the Maasai women who base their actions on collectivism, where they serve others before serving themselves. They see themselves as one unit of a whole as described by Johnston & C.U.S.B. (2008). By understanding the value dimension of the Maasai women to cater for other’s needs before they own, I was able to behave appropriately and embrace their eating custom. Personal reflection Before the cross -cultural experience I thought I could easily integrate within any cultural setting without difficulty if only I was priory taught on what I was supposed to do in various situations. Despite my cousin highlighting me on the basics, he could not have prepared me for the encounter, which made me realize that cultural intelligence is essential cause you can never be taught everything and sometimes it may require you to observe and interpret in order to act appropriately as supported by Earley & Peterson (2004). I further realized that I have a high cultural quotient since, in a span of a few minutes after the initial shock, I was able to deduce what was un-familiar to me and easily appreciate, relate and adapt as suggested by Crowne (2008). My initial thoughts were that the Maasai men were dictatorial over their women and uncultured, only to realize they were far from that, which taught me that to be able to understand others from a different culture, one should not judge them using a different cultural platform. In my daily interactions with people from a different culture from my own, I now take the time to understand from what point they are coming and not merely dismissing them as stereotypes or being judgmental. Question 3 The Experience While working as a finance officer at King Abdul-Aziz Hospital in Saudi Arabia where I was charged with managing the budget for the entire department, I was faced by an ethical dilemma. My key responsibilities at the hospital were to allocate budgets, manage all of the clerical and administrative workers in the hospital and carry out statistical reporting. On one occasion, when doing budget allocations for a supplier, immediately after I was employed, I unknowingly awarded the supplier more than one hundred dollars over and above the required amount, which I signed for approval. Immediately the supplier received the cheque, he noticed the error and he was quick to notify me but he proposed that we could always come to an agreement and share the extra money between ourselves on a 70-30 basis. The offer was enticing since at the time, I was only new and had not yet received my first pay and the hospital would not have noticed the missing money. My ethical responsibility and accountability as a finance manager compelled me to refuse the offer and instantly call and inform my superiors of my error and even expose the supplier for trying to swindle the institution. Taking the ethical decision to refuse the offer and expose my own wrongdoing to my superior despite the fact I was a new employee, was risky on my part since, I would have easily been fired from my position. My superior told me to give the supplier the phone since he was still in my office and his contract was terminated on the spot. My superior then instructed me to go to his office where he cautioned me to be keen on my work but he applauded my ethical stand. Integrating theory with experience Based on the utilitarian theory to ethical decision making, taking the money, would have generated the greatest good but for the least number since the hospital would have lost significant amount of money, which would have impacted negatively on the hospital’s operations and hence, affect negatively on the lives of patients (Houser, et al., 2006). By refusing the offer and informing my superior of the supplier’s conduct was an aspect of producing the greatest good for the greatest number since more people would benefit. This is because the money would be put to better use and at least save more lives and safeguard against the supplier trying to approach any other manager to facilitate any corrupt and unethical practices. Using the procedural justice in justice approach, I did not just report the supplier’s misconduct for me to look good as a new employee but I applied the rules fairly by also informing about my incompetence or error (Cropanzano, 2001). Kohlberg’s theory of moral development applies in this experience where I was able to live to the expectations of my superiors who employed me and I was able to effectively balance the concerns for myself with the common good, despite the consequences that I would have faced (Gibbs, 2003). My actions and decisions were not informed by immediate self gratification, I was able to not only comply with my professional code of ethics to be sincere, honest, reliable and transparent, but also look at the bigger picture and evaluate how my actions and behaviour would impact on my employer and the consumers, who in this case are patients. The choices I made were done within a span of minutes. Personal Experience One can never know what their actions and decisions they will make in a hypothetical situation until they actually are in real life situation that affects their wellbeing as a person and as a professional. From the experience, my inherent moral principles and outlook on honesty and reliability in my work and in my relationships are long standing. I proved to myself that I could walk my talk. Although it was not an easy decision as I may have put it, making the right or wrong choices and applying the rules fairly to oneself and to others boils down to personal integrity (Cropanzano, 2001). The utilitarian theory suggests that moral behaviour produces the greatest good for the greatest number (Sheng & Sheng, 2004). My initial assumptions were that utilitarian theory could only be applied in public service where the government leaders need to develop policies that produce the greatest good for the majority of people in the society. However, I realized that every ethical dilemma has an aspect of either self-gratification or the common good of all. It is my intentions that from my daily interactions presently and in the future, I can make the right decisions and at the right time, whether they affect me as an individual or not. References Argyris, C., and Schön, D. 1978. Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading MA: Addison Wesley. Cropanzano, T. 2001. Justice in the workplace: from theory to practice. Upper River Saddle: Routledge. Crowne, K.A. 2008. What leads to cultural intelligence? Business Horizons, vol. 51, pp. 391—399 Earley, P. C. 2003. Redefining interactions across cultures and organizations: Moving forward with cultural intelligence. Research in Organizational Behaviour, vol. 24, pp. 271–299. Earley, P. C., & Peterson, R. S. 2004. The elusive cultural chameleon: Cultural intelligence as a new approach to inter cultural training for the global manager. Academy of Management Earning & Education, vol. 1, pp. 100—115. Earley, P.C. & Mosakowski, e. 2004. Best practice: cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review, pp 139-146 Easterby-Smith, M. and Lyles, M.A. 2003. The Blackwell Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Gibbs, J.C. 2003. Moral development and reality: beyond the theories of Kohlberg and Hoffman. London: Sage. Houser, R., Wilczenski, F.L., Ham, M. & Ham, M.D. 2006. Culturally relevant ethical decision-making in counselling. London: SAGE. Johnston, H.J., & C.U.S.B. 2008. International leadership in cross-cultural environments: The relationship between national culture and corporate culture as it pertains to work ethic and corporations. London: ProQuest. Kreitner, R. 2006. Management. Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Moodin, M.A. & P.U. 2007. An analysis of intercultural competence levels of organizational leadership doctoral students. London: ProQuest. Pride, W.M., Hughes, R.J., and Kapoor, J.R. 2011. Business. London: Cengage Learning. Samson, D. & Daft, R. 2009. Management. Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Sheng, C.L. & Sheng, O. 2004. A defense of utilitarianism. New York: University Press of America. Read More