Cross-cultural Training for Global Virtual Teams - Research Paper Example

Today’s organizational landscape has greatly varied from years ago when co-workers are situated in one location separated most likely only by desks and walls. This norm is no longer absolute with the existence of multi-cultural and multi-national team members which require managers to have a better appreciation of how to improve communication and employee relations. This brings forth the necessity of cross-cultural-training (CCT) keeping in mind cultural awareness to develop a company’s global virtual team.

In this regard, Julia Brandl and Anne-Katrin Neyer in “Applying Cognitive Adjustment Theory to Cross-Cultural Training for Global Virtual Teams” stated that there must be mutual understanding of every individual’s perspective and for managers to adjust in order to address two main questions, “What are the challenges of cognitive adjustment when working in a global virtual team?” and “How does CCT influence the cognitive adjustment process to manage anxiety and uncertainty in global virtual teams?” (p.342).

There are two types of training discussed which are cultural orientation programs and cultural awareness training. The first revolves around the need to enhance knowledge about the other cultures to be able to manage anxiety and uncertainty. The article points out that this has a number of limitations since this in essence is restricted to the appreciation of cultural values. Global virtual teams will not automatically respond to “country-specific knowledge” instead of “in-depth knowledge of interpersonal interactions” because human behaviour does not consist only of culture.

Pre-conceptions make it difficult for members to adjust immediately when in the actual interaction. This becomes applied stereotypes that does not always work accordingly and thus tends to frustrate members, rendering cultural orientation program as ineffective (ibid, pp.346-347). Cultural awareness training, on the other hand, is focused on the goal of learning to adjust in various situations specially those which tend to be unexpected rather than being constrained on area specific interaction.

This type of training is geared at altering attitudes on information and the availability of alternative viewpoints when faced with unknown information and recognize it as an opportunity to familiarize with unfamiliar circumstances. Another important aspect of cultural awareness training is its acknowledgement that culture shock is a common part of adjusting to an unknown culture. This openness encourages the members to delve deeper and to formulate solutions insightfully (ibid, pp.347-348). This is what it aims to develop by instilling to the members the importance of developing sensitivity and acceptance to enable him to comfortably work with people whose cultures may be different from that of his own.

The newcomer is also obliged to do the same and be receptive of the situation to strengthen the virtual team. The article focused on the distinctions between cultural orientation program and cultural awareness training in relation to cross-cultural-training and how to deal with anxiety and uncertainty with a virtual team. The authors are categorically lenient on the advantages of cultural awareness training in encompassing all perspectives, not only geographic cultures, to develop the team. There are four implications to managers introduced.

First, cognitive adjustment must be considered and be given time. Second, thinking-as-usual is no longer the way to go and reorganization is inevitable. Third, because of the global virtual team training implemented by HR should be reconsidered correspondingly. Lastly, e-learning may be the best way to go to improve cross-cultural training to address the issues of the global virtual teams (ibid, p.350). BibliographyBrandl, Julia, and Anne-Katrin Neyer. "Applying Cognitive Adjustment Theory to Cross-cultural Training for Global Virtual Teams.

" Human Resource Management 48.3 (2009): 341-53.