A Cross-Culture Communication Subject - Case Study Example

A Cross Culture Communication and it a Case Study Introduction Worldwide, the trend of cross-cultural enterprises, multinational corporations, and economic integration are in continuous global economic development thus playing a significant role. However, the expansion in overseas of corporates is always confronted with management and cultural differences their employees culture, resulting in absolutely different attitudes and perspectives in some of the basic issues for instance, management styles, business objectives, and the decision process. In other words, the cultural conflict in multinational corporations poses great challenges in business and, therefore, increase management costs (Lifang 2).The paper provides means/strategies that can help to solve some problems that have been facing Mr. Salih in XYZ multinational corporation. The strategies need approval of the corporate’s top management. In addition, the strategies were designed by the corporate head of human resource. Culture Dimension Globally, multi-national corporations are facing personal conflicts, business industry conflicts, and more clashes that results from differences in attitudes, sources of information, and, as well as differences in personality, perception ,values and ideology. However, although conflict can be a psychological and behavioral form of confrontation. These conflicts will have an effect on the quality of work environment, development of the corporation, management efficiency as well as survival of the organization if it is not handled properly. For instance, the empirical importance of Western style of thinking and the Asian interpretation mode of thinking in the corporate’s cross-cultural communication can always constitute result of conflict, therefore, business managers need to attach significant attention and importance to it. However, the national culture formation can also bring about a variety of solutions and also patterns of behaviors to challenges; thus, cross-cultural related conflicts have happened mostly. Behavior pattern is clearly explicit in the style of national culture that is a fixed structure and recognized by people in a similar group through direct communication. Diverse cultures result to a variety of behavior patterns. Similarly, different behavior patterns might show a big conflict. However, cross-cultural situation exerts a lot of impact on the management of the corporate in different means. They always play a function without being easily noticed. The moment people realize the form of influence they have, the outcomes have been formed already. Most corporates in the process of business management do ignore the function of cultural factors and their impact as well that lead to management challenges, and to some extent business failure. Best Practices from other Companies Undoubtedly, cultural diversity might not be something bad because they are nation’s unique characteristics. However, some differences had influences that are negative on the economic development and social, and this means they are intangible loss. Due to this, we need to minimize this difference. In the first place, the corporate products and services to be sold in different parts in the country would have to face diverse ethnic and regional sub-cultures that involve cross-cultural marketing (Chiappini 36). Therefore, there is need to design strategies to reduce conflicts among the employees. Cultural Analysis People with diverse cultural backgrounds do hold different codes of conduct and values. To manage workers from diverse cultural backgrounds, the managers are required to understand their values and needs, and their patterns of behavior. The first step is the establishment of an effective and efficient cross-cultural kind of business management, and that is the base of analyzing the coexistence of more than two cultures (Kennedy). Identification of cultural characteristics, in order for relevant measures to be taken to minimize cultural contradictions and conflicts hence promoting cultural integration. The key tool for analyzing culture is the culture sub dimensional system that is useful to members and employees from diverse sub-cultures who are working together. However, their origin cultures might have conflicts that are either formal or informal code of conduct. The formal specified difference mostly is referred as the diverse values for corporate workers with different culture backgrounds in the organization activities. Informal difference is the customs and habits in the corporate operation. Therefore, the different styles affect the management practices concept and result to differences and contradictions in establishing of common values (Oatey 340). To summarize all the departments, heads and managers should grasp the conflict management skills and enhance their capacities of dealing with all forms of cultural diversity. Certainly, the conflicts solutions always vary and should embark from the special details and then choosing the most corresponding solution. However, the first step for establishing corporate culture is the choice of the unique culture. A multinational corporation like XYZ need to first insist core culture of its own, and then take into consideration the local culture compatibility. Interaction and Communication In a worldwide environment, corporation managers need to have the capacity of interaction with a diverse of people. In order to attain this, it is better to be multi-lingual and to have a higher level of understanding cross culture. In addition, good skills of communication have a positive and better influence on a diverse culture. Diverse cultures need different style of communication. Some of the business executives are used to verbal communication in giving instructions, and in some other place more emphasis is on writing. Therefore, communication skills are essential: to relax, in a conversation, to be honest as well to be equal in reference to personality. Also, the proper application of humor would have outcomes that are positive. Additionaly, in a non-verbal communication there is a need of paying attention to facial expressions, intonation, and, to pay attention to dress, body posture as well as maintaining an appropriate distance. In other words, through the effective cross-cultural communication there are possibilities of resolving and minimizing cultural conflicts (Jing and Zhang). Integration of Corporate Cultures People from different cultural background have values that are different. It is factual that people are normally proud of their cultures. In an either consciously or unconsciously manner, they regard their culture as orthodox, and as a result they take other cultures as very strange. In this regard, it is important to eliminate race superiority in order to make exchanges in an equal manner. Gradually, there is need to establish unified values within the corporate that can determine behavior patterns of the peoples as well as providing guidelines for communication and identification of what is either wrong or right, bad or good, hatred or love. Peters Waterman who is an American management scientist exerted that all good corporates/ organization are very much aware of what they can claim for, and, therefore, they keenyl set up standards of the corporates values (Jingjing 33). Steps in Solving the Case Study Due to the urgent need of solving the problems facing Mr. Salih problem and preventing such problems from arising in the future the following should be urgently done by the Corporation: Setting up a Visionary Goal Setting up of a business goal that is beyond cultural and personal differences so as to increase solidarity and mutual trust that enables workers to further, eliminate bias at work station. However, setting such a goal is the key to fairness beyond the narrow interests of cultural groups. To achieve corporate objectives, attaching significance to one aspect only would not accomplish anything. The only way to achieve the target is through cooperation. However, for groups of the employees with cultural backgrounds that are different, communication can help to generate trust and understanding, and as well ultimately forming a cultural integration. Construction of systematic, multi-level, formal and informal types of communication, would ensure the flowing of information hence protecting the foundation for effective communication. The effectiveness of mutual understanding among employees’ and communication as well as the internal morale would have big impacts(Lifang 2). Preferred Intervention Mr. Salih problem need an urgent intervention; the following should be done: Conducting Cross-Cultural Training The corporate employees in Mr. Sali department need to face two adaptation strategies that are different. Firstly, cultural strategy to be followed need to be changed by the people. Secondly is changing the employees, however, it is a cultural strategy for innovation that is shifting to dynamic change from the passive adaption. This result would mean that transnational activities should become the localized activities in the host nation. With time, the most significant section is the learning process that is the way of familiarizing with the host nation culture (Lifang 2). The key training of cross-cultural involves language learning, cultural sensitivity training, cross-cultural communication, environmental simulation and conflict management. The reason of cultural sensitization training is to assist the workers to have an insight to their behaviors, and, therefore, enable them to cultivate good skills for solving problems and judging for example, Mr. Salih’s department team leader feeling that is counterpart from American t is not giving him due respect by addressing him by his first name. Therefore, the American employee would be able to realize he is rude to is counterpart if such cultural sensitization is conducted. It is quite essential to conduct cultural training for employees with diverse cultural backgrounds and increasing the adaptability of the corporate’s staff to diverse cultural environments, therefore, enhancing integration among people from different cultures (Lifang 2). Additionally, it is very crucial to carry out cultural sensitization training through role plays, lectures, situational dialogs, small group discussions, case studies, and field trips. However, these would enhance the response of the corporates/departmental staff’s to a different culture and enhancing their adaptation ability, thus promotes mutual understanding among the employees from the cultural backgrounds that are different. It is also important to establish business values that are common, which would assist to minimize conflict, in order for every employee to integrate their creativity into the corporate business goals and objectives. Finally, this would set up a great reputation in the global market and keep improving response capability as well as core competitiveness that would result in an invincible position/place in a fierce competition in rapid changing domestic market and international (Salminen 40). Either, one of the challenge is that it would be a time consuming activity when carrying out the sensitization. Implementation The corporate shared values and culture need sustained effort that is long-term. The support and recognition of all the workers and the senior most managers are important for the implementation of the specified work and intervention. The management personnel need to set up an example for the practicing of the corporate shared values and culture , establishing a relaxed and open atmosphere as well as providing various types of information that can enhance the employees recognition, so that the personnel can integrate well into the culture of the corporate. Conclusion To conclude, a companys management that is successful is not only seeking a common ground in diversity, but also are seeking to integrate. The actual sign of a business that is matured is mutually adapting and integrating on the basis of traditions’ cross-cultural and cultivate a common and overall corporate culture that can be accepted by all the corporate employees. It is very critical promoting the entrepreneurial spirit that transcends cultural diversity. Entrepreneurial spirit is mostly concentrated corporate culture. In other words, entrepreneurship is the importance and the key soul of enterprise culture in most part. However, once the spirit is unanimously agreed by all the employees with diverse cultural background, the employees enthusiasm would be mobilized, and the corporate shall have the infinite and vitality momentum. Work Cited Chiappini, Bargiela et. al. Business Discourse. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Jing, Jipeng and Haitao Zhang. Business Enterprises Information-Based Programming and Management. Peking Machine Industrial Publisher, 2006. Jingjing, Liu. "Cultural Shock and Integration in Cross-cultural Enterprises." Journal of Corporate Culture (2010): 27-43. Kennedy, Deal. Corporate Cultures. Shangai Science and Technology Literature Press, 1989. Lifang, Li. "The Cross Cultural factors in the Business Administration." Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Innovation & Management. 2011. 1-4. Oatey, Spencer. "Teory of Analysis and Identity." Journal of Pragmatic 39(2) (2007): 339-358. Salminen, Louhila. "The business Communication." English for Specific Purposes 15(1) (2006): 37-51. Read More