Development of Intercultural Skills - Report Example

Intercultural Management Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Evaluate the Importance of These Skills amongst Current & Future Managers in the Hospitality & Tourism Industries 3 Analysis and Evaluation of Models of Cultural Difference 4 Analysis of Own and Chosen Culture Using a Range of Models / Cultural Dimensions 6 Identification of Particular Issues Associated With Development of Intercultural Skills 8 Develops a Personal Plan for Further Development of Intercultural Awareness and Communication Skills in the International Hospitality and Tourism Industries 10 Evaluation of Own Intercultural Awareness and Communication Skills 10 A Realistic Plan to Further Improve In These Areas 11 Conclusion 12 References 14 Bibliography 17 Appendix 18 Introduction The concept of culture has gained widespread importance in the continuum of business in the recent times primarily due to the increase in the global expansion of business organisations. Diverse explanations have been made to define the concept of culture. However, in general, culture is defined as the complex set of perceptions, morals, beliefs, attitudes, custom, knowledge and any other habit or capabilities acquired by an individual as a member of society. Correspondingly, intercultural dimension represents the differences between the nations in terms of culture acquired by the citizens of the respective nation (Soares & et. al., 2007). Intercultural dimension also represents the relationship between the culture and micro organisational phenomenon including cognition, emotions and motivation, meso-organisational phenomenon such as teams and negotiation and macro organisational phenomenon such as organisational structure and culture along with the interrelationships amid these levels. It can be argued that people view the world from their own set of assumptions and beliefs. Correspondingly, the impact of national, regional and local, culture tends to be reflected in their assumptions and beliefs which vary from one nation to another by a considerable extent. It is thus crucial for managers of all business segments including managers in hospitality and tourism industries to develop intercultural awareness and skills in order to be successful in both domestic and global arena. These skills enable managers to interact effectively while working in abroad in a group with people belonging to different cultural backgrounds (Groeschl, 2003). The study intends to prepare a portfolio Reflective Practice Assignment (RPA) through which the differences amid United Kingdom’s behaviour and cultural characteristics will be ascertained with respect to Spain’s national culture. Evaluate the Importance of These Skills amongst Current & Future Managers in the Hospitality & Tourism Industries As stated earlier, it is decisive for managers in hospitality and tourism industries to develop intercultural awareness and skills in order to be successful in their own country and also abroad. The need for developing intercultural awareness and skills can be attributed to increasing challenges associated with intercultural communication process. In this regard, it can be identified that there has been considerable growth in the cultural and ethnic diversity of hospitality and tourism consumers across the world. Intercultural awareness and skills occupy considerable importance in the present global workplace due to the growing importance of achieving increased collaboration and coordination which has eventually lead to an augmented demand for stretching managers capacities to interpret, perceive and act in such a manner that would ultimately contribute towards the smooth achievement of the organisational goals and objectives (Bird & et.al., 2010). In addition, the greater need for staff motivation and industrial relations has also upsurge the prominence of developing intercultural awareness and skills amid the future managers in hospitality and tourism industries. Analysis and Evaluation of Models of Cultural Difference For the purpose of analysis and evaluation of models of cultural differences, the two models namely Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Trompenaars model of national culture differences which will be used in the subsequent section. Concerning Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, it can be observed that Hofstede has primarily identified four dimensions of cultural which include individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance and masculinity-femininity. In this regard, power distance is theorised as the level to which people in the culture accept unequal distribution of power. It deals with aspects such as the anticipations of subordinates and managers about the manner in which disagreements are manifested, decisions are made and opinions are expressed among others. Uncertainty avoidance relates with the degree of tolerance expressed by people to unstructured and ambiguous situations. People from high uncertainty avoidance culture are more enthusiastic and feel more anxious. On the contrary, people from low uncertainty avoidance cultures do not avert unstructured situations. Individualism and collectivism refers to the degree to which individuals place value to group works. People from high individualist culture are concerned about themselves and their immediate family members. In contrast, people from collectivist culture recognise the importance of others and group efforts. The fourth dimension of Hofstede include masculinity-femininity which postulates that the degree of value placed by people on success, achievement competition over cooperation, friendship and relationship building. People from masculine culture are more inclined towards achievement, success and competition while on the other hand individuals from feminine culture usually place value on relationships building, cooperation and friendships. Later, two more dimensions were added which included long-term orientation which signified the degree of value placed by people on the long-term commitment, and indulgence which relate with the degree to which individuals attempt to control their desires and impulses (Jones, 2007; Chow & et. al., 1992). Likewise, Trompenaars model of national culture differences consists of seven dimensions. The first dimension includes Universalism vs. Particularism which deals with the relation of people of a group based on rules and laws. The second dimension posits Individualism vs. Communitarianism that relates with the aspects of relations with others. The third dimension includes Affective vs. Neutral cultures, which deals with how the people express their emotions. The fourth continuum includes Specific vs. Diffuse cultures, which focuses on how people view their own lives. The fifth dimension includes Achievement vs. Ascription which describes the way people in the society relate themselves with accomplishment. The sixth dimension includes Time perception that deals with the past, present and future aspects as well as the way individuals structure their time and schedules. The seventh dimension that includes Relation to Nature relates with affiliation between people’s lives and their attitude towards environment (Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002). It is worth mentioning that theories and models of cultural differences have been subjected to considerable criticism. In this regard, Hofstede’s model of cultural dimension also has not been free of criticism. Notably, Hofstede’s model of cultural dimension has been criticised on several grounds including relevancy, cultural homogeneity, national divisions, and political influences, one company approach, out-dated and presence of few dimensions only. The most widely determined criticism against this model is associated with the assumption of Hofstede which considers the entire domestic population to be homogeneous while few critics have asserted this model to be too-old with few dimensions to describe the cultural differences which has been argued to be largely insufficient. Same criticism was made for the Trompenaars model of national culture differences (Jones, 2007; Chow & et. al., 1992). Analysis of Own and Chosen Culture Using a Range of Models / Cultural Dimensions In order to analyse the own culture i.e. culture in the UK and chosen culture i.e. culture in Spain Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Trompenaars model of national culture differences are being implemented below. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Power Distance Spain registers a score which can be deemed to be quite high (57) in this dimension which implies that it has a hierarchical society. People in the Spanish society accept hierarchical order and hierarchy in the organisation tends to reflect inequalities as well as centralisation of authority. On the other hand, the UK ranks low in this dimension which implies greater focus is provided by the people in the society towards equality (Tamas, 2007). Individualism As compared to other European countries, people in Spain can be seen to be placing value on group effort and team performance. On the contrary, the UK can be ascertained to be an individualist society. The people in this society are more concerned about themselves and their immediate family members (Tamas, 2007). Masculinity Spain is identified to score low in this dimension (42) which implies the country to be a feminine society. Correspondingly, less importance is placed on competition, achievement instead of building relationships and harmony is considered to be vital in Spain. On the other hand, the UK ranks relatively high (66) in comparison to the Spanish society which implies that people in the UK have success driven value system (Tamas, 2007). Uncertainty Avoidance Spain ranks relatively high in this dimension (86) which suggests that people in the Spanish society are likely to be governed by rules and regulations. On the other hand, the UK ranks relatively low (35) in comparison with Spain in this dimension which implies that people in the UK have less risk aversion attitudes (Tamas, 2007). Indulgence Spain ranks low in this dimension (44) which means it is not an indulgent society. According to this dimension, it can be asserted that people in this society place less value on leisure and fun. In contrast, the UK ranks high in this dimension which suggests that people in the UK place greater importance on enjoying life and engaging in fun (Tamas, 2007). Trompenaars Model Trompenaars model of national culture differences in the context of the UK and Spain is depicted below in the tabular format. Dimension Universalism vs. Particularism Individualism vs. Communitarianism Affective vs. Neutral Specific vs. Diffuse Achievement vs. Ascription Time perception Relation to nature The UK Universalism Middle Neutral Specific Achievement High Low Spain Middle Individualism Affective Diffuse Ascription Low High Source: (Kowol & Szumieł, n.d.) Identification of Particular Issues Associated With Development of Intercultural Skills Three broad issues have been identified associated with the development of intercultural skills which include motivation, team-working and communication (channels/NVB) conflicts and negotiation. These three issues in relation to culture are explained below in details: Culture and Work Motivation Developing a theoretical framework for a cross-cultural employee motivation study Various theories of motivation have been propounded by different scholars. In this regard, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s two factors theory can be considered to be important aspects. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is categorised into five sets of goals, which include basic needs, namely, physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. It has been argued that rewards are a prominent factor that drives satisfaction of the needs. In this regard, culture has been ascertained to affect the relative importance placed by individuals to rewards. Conversely, Herzberg’s two factor theory is classified into two categories including Motivators and Hygiene factors. Accordingly, it has been stated that the result of Herzberg’s theory is inconsistence across the different nations which has been attributed to differences in the cultural value system (Iguisi, O., 2009; Ting-Toomey, 2012; Kim & Kamalanabhan, n.d.). Culture and Team-working A team in a multicultural organisation comprises individual members of diverse origins from different cultural backgrounds, identities and values who work together in a group with the potential for conflict to escalate. It has been argued that culturally heterogeneous teams perform more effectively than culturally homogeneous teams when leaders in the organisation have good control over preventing the communication breakdown. Nonetheless, the effect of culture on team is claimed to be complex and subtle. The long-term sustainability of hospitality and tourism industry is largely dependent upon managers who have an understanding regarding cultural diversity and respect the same (Congden & et. al., 2009; Jurowski, & Liburd, n.d.). Multicultural team integration is often considered to be problematic in hospitality and tourism industries that restrict the achievement of the organisation’s goals. There are several factors that shape the functioning of multicultural team which include cultural norms, orientation of culture towards groups, cultural diversity and so forth which make it difficult for the managers in the hospitality and tourism industry to manage cultural diversity effectively, establish effective coordination and maintain high level of communication. It is thus crucial for managers in the hospitality and tourism industries to acquire adequate awareness regarding the issues that shape the functioning of multicultural team (West, 2004). Culture and Communication (Language) Communication (Channels /NVB) Conflict & Negotiation It has been argued that achieving accurate transmission of messages is quite difficult where the sender as well as received belong to different cultural background. In this regard, language is the most imperative constraint that restricts the effectiveness of the communication. Concerning hospitality and tourism industries, managers are required to deal with people belonging to different nations with different cultures which act as a barrier for establishing effective communication. Intercultural communication often causes misunderstanding, misevaluation, and interpretation (Rogers & et. al., 2002). In Spain, there are four official languages among which Spanish is predominant. At the same time, considerable amount of communication takes place during lunch and dinner. It has been further stated that culture has a significant impact on the negotiators’ frame. Accordingly, it has been observed that Spanish managers in hospitality and tourism industry perceive conflicts to be about compromise. Culture also influences the negotiation processes as well as outcomes. In this respect, Spanish individuals are observed to share the information through their arrays of offers and achieve strong relationship (Moseley, 2009; Jassawalla & et. al., 2004; Gulbro & Herbig, 1995.). Develops a Personal Plan for Further Development of Intercultural Awareness and Communication Skills in the International Hospitality and Tourism Industries Evaluation of Own Intercultural Awareness and Communication Skills In order to evaluate own intercultural awareness and communication skills Thomas–Kilmann’s Instrument of conflict mode has been implemented. The use of the instrument has offered significant insights regarding own intercultural awareness and communication skills. In this regard, I scored 9 in competing dimension (see appendix) which can be translated to 88%. This signifies that I scored the same as or higher than 88% of the 339 managers in the original comparison group in my use of the compromising mode. Compared to this group, my use of collaborating can be considered to be high. Similarly, in terms of percentile, I scored 7 (see appendix) in collaborating mode which can be translated to 45%. This implies that I scored the same as or higher than 45% of the 339 managers in the original comparison group in my use of the collaborating mode. Compared to this group, my use of collaborating can be considered to be average. Concerning compromising mode, I scored 5 (see appendix) which can be translated to 28%. This implies that implies that I scored the same as or higher than 28% of the 339 managers in the original comparison group in my use of the compromising mode. Compared to this group, my use of collaborating can be considered to be low. At the same time, I scored 10 in avoiding mode which can be translated to 94%. This signifies that that I scored the same as or higher than 94% of the 339 managers in the original comparison group in my use of the compromising mode. In comparison with this group, my use of collaborating can be considered to be high. Likewise, I scored 3 (see appendix) in accommodating mode which can be translated to 22%. This implies that I scored the same as or higher than 22% of the 339 managers in the original comparison group in my use of the compromising mode. Compared to this group, my use of collaborating can be considered to be low (Sebastian, 1997). A Realistic Plan to Further Improve In These Areas Areas of Development Anticipated Result Action Time Work Motivation To enhance the ability to adapt own behavior to different requirements and situations Recognising and analysing specific attitudes and patterns of behavior of the people from other culture Week 1 Team-working To enhance The ability to understand intuitively what other people think and how they feel in given situations. By identifying the similarities and differences between the own culture and the other culture Week 2 Communication To enhance the ability to identify and use communicative conventions of people from other cultural backgrounds and to modify my own forms of expression correspondingly Learning language of the other culture. Analyzing the differences and similarities in our thoughts and emotions that eventually lead to behavior with other culture Week 3 Negotiation and Conflict Management To develop the ability to accept lack of clarity and to be able to deal with ambiguous situations constructively. Understanding and studying a country’s history, economics, geography, politics, religion and psychology factors for ascertaining the understanding regarding the culture. Engaging in cultural training Week 4 Conclusion It has been observed that culture plays an imperative role in the current business environment. Intercultural dimension reflects the relationship between the culture and micro organisational phenomenon including cognition, emotions and motivation, meso-organisational phenomenon such as teams and negotiation and macro organisational phenomenon such as organisational structure and culture along with the interrelationships amid these levels. The role of culture in the hospitality and tourism industries is considered to be vital as managers are required to deal with different customers from different cultural backgrounds. It is thus crucial for them to increase their capacity to perceive and interact with the customers from other cultures. It has been observed that culture of Spain and the UK varies to a considerable extent. At the same time, culture is ascertained to have a significant impact on certain factors such as working motivation, team working, communication, negotiation, and conflict management. In order to be successful in business successfully, it would be vital for managers in the hospitality and tourism industries to acquire considerable awareness and develop skills that would facilitate in effective interaction. References Bird & et. al., 2010. Defining The Content Domain Of Intercultural Competence For Global Leaders. Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 25 No. 8, pp. 810-828. Congden, S. W. & et. al., 2009. Cross-cultural Communication and Multicultural Team Performance: A German and American Comparison. Journal of Comparative International Management, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 73-89. Chow, C. W. & et. al., 1992. National Culture And The Preference For WagementControis An Exploratory Study Of The Firm-Labor Market Interface. Accounting organization and society, Vol. 19, No.45, pp. 381-400. Elfenbein, H. A. & Ambady, N., 2002. Universals and Cultural Differences in Recognizing Emotions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, pp. 159-164. Groeschl, 2003. Cultural Implications for the Appraisal Process. Cross Cultural Management, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 67-79. Gulbro, R. & Herbig, P., 1995. Differences In Cross-Cultural Negotiation Behaviour Between Industrial Product And Consumer Product Firms. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 18-28. Iguisi, O., 2009. Motivation-Related Values Across Cultures. African Journal of Business Management Vol.3 No.4, pp. 141-150. Jones, M.L., 2007. Hofstede - Culturally questionable. Oxford Business & Economics Conference, pp. 1-11. Jurowski, J. & Liburd, J., No Date. A Multi-Cultural And Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Integrating The Principles Of Sustainable Development Into Human Resource Management Curriculums In Hospitality And Tourism. School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, pp. 1-38. Jassawalla, A. & et. al., 2004. Cross-Cultural Conflict And Expatriate Manager Adjustment. An Exploratory Study. Management Decision, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 837-849. Kim, H. D. & Kamalanabhan, T. J., No Date. Developing A Theoretical Framework For A Cross-Cultural Employee Motivation Study. Indian Institute of Technology, pp. 1-12. Kowol, A. & Szumieł, E., No Date. United Kingdom: Communication, Negotiations and Cultural Background. Cultural Background, pp. 1-7. Moseley, A., 2009. Improving Cross-Cultural Communication Skills: Ask-Seek-Knock. Leadership Advance Online, pp. 1-11. Rogers, E. M. & et. al., 2002. Edward T. Hall and the History of Intercultural Communication: The United States and Japan. Keio Communication Review, No. 24, pp. 1-26. Sebastian, J., 1997. The Intercultural Mediation Project: The Bléré Experience. Berghof Occasional Paper No.15. Soares, A. M. & et. al., 2007. Hofstedes Dimensions of Culture in International Marketing Studies. Journal of Business Research, Vol. 6, pp. 277-284. Ting-Toomey, S., 2012. Communicating Across Cultures. Guilford Press. Tamas, A., 2007. Geert Hofstedes Dimensions of Culture and Edward T. Halls Time Orientations. An Intercultural Organization Development, pp. 1-4. West, M.A. 2004. Effective Teamwork: Practical Lessons From Organisational. John Wiley & Sons. Bibliography Andrews, T. & Mead, R., 2009. International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons. Adler, N. J. & Gundersen, A., 1997. International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour. Cengage Learning. Appendix Thomas–Kilmann’s Instrument of Conflict Mode Competing Collaborating Compromising avoiding Accommodating High 25% 100% 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 9 90% 10 11 10 9 8 10 7 8 80% 8 9 9 6 Middle 50% 70% 8 7 7 60% 6 8 5 50% 7 6 40% 5 6 30% 4 5 Low 25% 6 20% 3 4 5 4 10% 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0% 0 0 0 Read More