Culture and its Effect on Communication - Essay Example

Culture and it’s effect on Communication by Selection of the appropriate candidate and rejection of another candidate on one employment opportunity may be dependent on who can ‘fit’ well in the organizational culture. While this is understandable, the implications are that it carries ethical or cultural overtones that seek to find out whether an individual’s identity should be subjected to or moulded by the employing organization. In many ways recruiting globally is similar in most countries; the procedures and mechanics are alike even though the challenges that spring from them may be exaggerated. According to (Dmoch 1999) Standardized means of advertising are methods of advertising which have exactly the same concept and design except for the translation of the symbols or text. I come from Cyprus (Greek Part-Christian Orthodox) and most of the parts of this advertisement and the ones from my country are similar. A similarity that is imminent in both advertisements from companies in my country of origin and Waha Oil Company is the use of culture to determine eligibility of any person for a particular position. Culture can be defined as the sum total of all the characteristics of individuals stemming from beliefs, behaviour, institutions, language, religion and habits that come as a result of socialization. There are some fundamental cultural obstacles that any prospective employee has to adhere to as he proceeds through the process of being recruited internationally. Culture has continued to play a big role in the process of recruitment of International employees especially where one has to relocate. It is therefore of great importance for the candidate to understand the cultural background of the company they are applying for. The use of the internet as a tool for advertising as opposed to traditional advertisements is similar as well as effective in global recruitment and is effective in bringing forth interest from prospective international employees. The internet offers a lot of advantages to global recruiting including; Cost effectiveness in the time spent as well as money in the recruitment process. The internet also allows a wider geographical area access and therefore offers a bigger pool of professionals with the best credentials to choose from. This ensures recruitment done gets the best out of the pack. Application of different standards and levels of Education is also a similarity. Even though it is imperative that employers recruiting internationally know that it may not be accurate and justified to apply uniform educational standards across all nations. This is because educational standards vary widely from country to country. Section 2 The Oil and Gas industry is known to have numerous job opportunities due its complexity. It is therefore a goldmine for any prospective employee. Even though many of the smaller oil companies of the world have been accustomed to a formal recruitment process, many others have adapted to International techniques and standards of recruitment. These seem to work better in a world that has adapted to technological advances. For International organizations, the process of recruitment is extremely important. In order for these organizations to survive in a very competitive world they have to recruit people with the competencies they need. Competency profiles that reflect this are therefore paramount for the Human Resources and recruitment departments. In coming up with these profiles, however, organizations should be wary of the fact that management styles and techniques that may work in one country’s culture may not work in the next. Peter Drucker argues that as much as managers may have one way of doing things the world over, culture and tradition play a very big part in how they do it. Waha Oil Company is the largest oil producer in Libya based in the capital city of Tripoli and is owned by National Oil Corporation (NOC) in partnership with foreign partners who are US based International Oil companies ConocoPhillips, Hess and Marathon Oil. Waha Oil Company is a multicultural company which means that it incorporates different cultures in its strategies of both management as well as marketing. This diversity of cultures is essential for management decision making process. The gas and oil sector is the most important sector in Libya. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) which is the owner of Waha Oil Company was established in 1970, is state owned and is predominant in Libya’s oil industry. NOC is tasked with the work of carrying out exploration and production operations with other companies that are under petroleum investment agreements. NOC is also involved in marketing the oil and gas both within the country as well as internationally. (Sasi 2008) Libya is largely an Islamic country with Islam being the official religion. It is therefore imperative that any migrant worker willing to work in Waha Oil Company respect Muslims and Islam by accepting the fact that it saturates all societal elements. This is reflected in the marketing strategies of the company as well as normal day to day undertakings. Every year during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast and normal business hours are reduced considerably. According to (Bullock, pg 231, 2003) all marketers should be respectable and ensure civility during the Ramadan month. This is essence means that they should not conduct their marketing or any other business in a rude or impolite language. Social relations at work are highly encouraged in Libyan organizations which include the Waha Oil Company. It is of paramount importance to get involved in healthy relationships with both colleagues as well as leaders. This is because associations within and outside of work can be important elements in reaching effective communication among employees (Yousef, 2001). Recorded as the second biggest oil producer in Libya, the company was established in 1955 and has risen steadily to International standards despite the company suffering a setback through the US embargo that was imposed on it 1986. The embargo was imposed since its oil fields had been equipped with the use of US equipments. As a result of the small population and labour force, a huge number of foreign workers have been imported into Libya. These foreigners flowed into Libya soon after the discovery of oil. The highest work force demand was for both managerial and professional personnel. A number of cultural layers jointly affect the way an individual behaves in a specific cultural context. These layers include the organizational culture, national culture and professional culture (Usunier 2009). Culture has had huge influence on recruitment of employees in Waha Oil Companies. Of great impact on communication within an organization is the culture in which a person is socialized. Culture generally instils knowledge on behaviour when faced by different situations and how to react to different circumstances. The company had recruited 3,200 employees by the beginning of 2011. In general, the Arab world, of which Libya is a member country has strong standards of dressing which are modest. The country’s dress code and the observation of the Muslim culture is the most vital substance of observation for every person engaged in work in the country of Libya (Vandewalle, pg 67, 2011). According to (Geert Hofstede 1991) Individualism-collectivism is considered a main element of variability in culture put forth by theorists to explain the direct influence on behaviour for example through rules/norms that guide behaviour. Individual-collectivism also indirectly influences behaviour through attitudes, self esteem, values and personalities that individuals learn as they are socialized into their culture. Collectivists are normally considered albeit in gross generalization as more sensitive to tacit knowledge which include the history of an organization as well as its norms and knowledge that is orderly or embedded. Collectivists prefer high-context communication, where information is interpreted or deduced in the cultural context (Usunier 2009). In Libya, gender still remains a great concern area for harnessing the complete productive potential of the country. All over the world there has been an upward trend in participation of women in the labour force and remunerated employment. Unfortunately this has not been the case in most North African states including Libya where the gender gap in labour participation has not narrowed significantly. Every culture stipulates dissimilar for men and women. These come as individuals are being socialized. In most Muslim countries men are generally expected to be aggressive, confident and achievement oriented while women are expected to be soft, nurturing, submissive and responsible. In the Libyan societies gender roles are clearly reflected in the manner in which both sexes communicate in their behaviours. Waha Oil Company believes that the culture exhibited within an organization is very significant, and plays a huge role in deciding whether the work environment is healthy or hostile. Acknowledgement and acceptance of the organizational ethics of conduct can influence how people relate and behave. This in the long run contributes highly to effective communication within different ranks of an organization. This then encourages accomplishment of the organization’s policies and objectives, thereby granting satisfaction among the employees. According to Robbins & Coulter, organizational culture are the values, behaviours, beliefs or perceptions that contribute to the well being of employees within an organization. It includes the expectations, values and experiences that hold the entire organization together. Understanding of the organizational culture ensures less internal conflict and enhanced harmony in the organization. Organizational culture is considered a strong culture that resists organizational change in many aspects as indicated by (Twati and Gammack 2004). These organizational changes include matters of employment, professionalism, organizational decision making, communication and the general way in which the company relates. The aspect of silent language is also imminent in both the Libyan as well as Cypriot culture. As Hall noted, “Almost everyone has difficulty believing that behavior they have always associated with ‘human nature’ is not human nature at all but learned behavior.” The world over people speak in their own coded silent languages that they can interpret and regardless of the fact that unspoken language are mostly informal, the rules put in place to govern them are ironbound. A non local in Libya should therefore understand that the locals have worked out and integrated different behavior patterns into their subconscious. For example in Libya, negotiation is paramount to any business deal. If one is given the first price for a deal, he should be able to negotiate until it favors him. A non local may consider this first price to be too high or too low and leave it. Here, a clear miscommunication has taken place. A lot of interest and emphasis have been put in by scholars on these organizational changes and results from previous studies have indicated that all these elements may have a direct impact on the performance of an organization. Section 3 In general, the standards of dressing in Libya are very modest. The official religion in the country is Islam although other religions are tolerated. Nearly all Libyans ascribe to the branch of Muslim called Sunni which acts as a guide for spiritual matters among the citizens as well as a foundation for government policies. Its doctrines stress the combination of Islam and the country instead of taking the two as entirely different. Additionally, even those Muslims who have ceased to adhere to Islam preserve the Islam habits and attitudes. The official language is Arab which is the most spoken language in Libya. The second language can either be English or Italian.  It is therefore important for any prospective candidate to observe utmost respect to Muslims and Islam in general since it supersedes all elements of society. During the month of Ramadan all non locals are required to be proper and polite in their dealings so as not to offend anyone. In matters of gender, traditionally, the custom of secluding and veiling women called Purdah is a key element of the Libyan cultural life. Non local women are required to wear hem lines below the knee and should ensure their shoulders are covered properly They are also encouraged to carry head scarves in case there are certain situations that may arise that require that hair is fully covered. A great deal of debate and legal action has long centred on the roles and statues of women in Libya with observers suggesting that the government made efforts for women for the main reason of providing a source for labour where the economy lacked substantial numbers of workers. To note is that Libyan leaders have endeavoured to champion the rights of women and improve their condition but within the stipulated structure of Islamic and Arabic values. This has made the rate of change slower as these cultures are instilled within the same Islamic and Arab values. Non local men are expected to be modest in their attire when they come for interviews by putting on a jacket and a tie. It is regarded as improper to wear the above mentioned attire if one is a local resident. Candidates are required to shake hands with their interviewers using the right hand while women are required to wait for a local to offer their hand first. In addition, non local men should never offer their hand to a local woman. Time is of the essence in Libya and deals can take longer periods to be closed due to a lot of bureaucracy therefore a non local should practice restraint, be patient and observe maximum respect for the local culture. The greeting ‘Assalam o alaikum’ is the favoured opening greeting. Although Libyans do not generally observe punctuality they expect non locals to arrive on time for their interviews. Sending a polite excuse when you are running late for an interview is however acceptable. All academic as well as professional documents would be drawn up in Arabic language as well as in the candidate’s language for official use. Libyans consider it an offense to offer payments in return for kindness and a prospective candidate should restrain from this. Libyans are generally considered very generous and hospitable towards non locals. When in the interview session, it is imperative to maintain an eye to eye conversation with the interviewer as this will show respect and mutual trust. In the Libyan business culture, negotiation is considered a key asset for gaining honour and respect. The candidate should be able to negotiate any offers given politely since Libyans are known to be master negotiators not only in terms of finance but for other non monetary incentives. A candidate should expect to be addressed by their first names as opposed to their surnames during the interview by the Libyan interviewer. This should not come as a shock as Libyans generally prefer using informal names. In his definition of culture, (Hofstede 1991) states that culture is the “software of the mind" that leads our daily connections and exchanges. “Every person carries within him or herself patterns of thinking; feeling; and potential acting which were learned throughout their lifetime. Much of it has been acquired in early childhood, because at that time a person is most susceptible to learning and assimilating. As soon as certain patterns of thinking; feeling and acting have established themselves within a person’s mind; (s) he must unlearn these before being able to learn something different; and unlearning is more difficult than learning for the first time.” (Hofstede 1991) Cultural issues surround recruitment and selection in Waha Oil Company, in their requirements for the right candidate they indicate that one has to be able to relocate to Libya and adapt to the culture and that’s why they seek someone who is well conversant with their culture. Recruiting globally is an emerging trend that is being hugely adapted by international organizations. Candidates are sought from different countries for international organization. Waha Oil Company also seeks candidates from different countries as is evident in the adverts posted on the internet. The advent of the internet has made this possible since potential candidates can connect and communicate with international organization from any geographical area. Some of the techniques applied include cloud computing or software that can easily be accessed through the internet to allow business processes within the globe. Recruitment and selection are also the basis for good worker performance and general positive organizational outcomes. According to (Ballantyne, 2009) the selection of workers does not work only to replace employees that have since left the organization but also to recruit new employees who can be of value to the organization through their performance as well as dedication and commitment to the general wellbeing of the organization. Northern Africa countries like Libya exhibit related standards of labour market characteristics. Libya has opened doors and encourages adoption of non locals to work in their country to bridge the gap that has been brought forth by the increased demand for labour. (Fasano and Goyal, 2004). It is paramount for anyone working in these culturally diverse organizations to understand and acknowledge the existence of cultural differences that already are existent. Of course one may not be able to know all the diverse cultures that are represented within the organization but it is very important to have awareness and try not to go against these cultures. The ability to manage human resources depends on the understanding of both the internal as well as the external working environments of the company. The internal working environment is generally the organizational culture while the external working environment can include the social cultural environment (which include power distance) and the institutional culture. Culture influences every single stage of the Human Resource Management from the selection and recruitment stage to feedback, evaluation, training and all the way to the last stage which is exit interviews. HR therefore plays a very big role in organizational culture since it is the recruited people working for the organization that are involved in embracing and developing the specific culture that is exhibited within the organization. Any alterations or additions to the culture therefore rely purely on the people. Locals may be well conversant with HR functions in Libya but foreigners may face a myriad of challenges and may require some form of communication of all the functions and their value to the country. Cultural miscommunication can cause a lot of problems and misunderstanding within the organization and therefore should be addressed promptly. REFERENCES Ballantyne, I. 2009. Recruiting and selecting staff in organizations. in S. Gilmore and Williams, S. (eds) Human Resource Management, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Basavaprabhu Jirli Editor in Chief, Diapk De, K. Ghadei and Kendadmath, G.C. 2003. International Conference on Communication for Development in the Information Age: Drucker, Peter F. 1972 Concept of the Corporation. New York: John Day, 1946; revised edition. Title of British edition: Big Business. London: Heinemann, 1946. Extending the Benefits of Technology for All. 07-09 January 2003 Eds. Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, (India). Dirk J. Vandewalle Dirk J. 2006 A History of Modern Libya. Cambridge University Press Dmoch, Thomas 1999: Der Einfluss der Kultur auf die Standardisierbarkeit erlebnisbetonter Werbung, in: Marketing ZFP, 21, 3, S. 179-195 Edward T. Hall. 1959 The silent language. Doubleday, 1990 Fayol, Henri. 1949 General and Industrial Management. New York and London: Pitman. Fasano, U. and Goyal, R. 2004. Emerging Strains in GCC Labour Market. Washington DC: The International Monetary Fund. French, Ray, John R. Schermerhorn, Charlotte Rayner, Gary Rees, Sally Rumbles, James G. Hunt, Richard N. Osborn 2008.Organizational Behaviour Grothusen, Klaus–Detlev, Winfried Steffani, and Peter Zervakis, eds. Handbook on South Eastern Europe, 1998. Hofstede, Geert 1991 Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Hofstede, Geert. 2009. Cultural Dimensions. Available at: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/ Jean-Claude Usunier, J. A. Lee 2009. Marketing Across Cultures (5th edn. Pearson).  Suleiman, M. M. S., Azzawi, M. A. M., & Jerjer, A. M. S. 2003 May. The impact of dimensions of transformational leadership in the management of organizational change. Paper presented at the International Scientific Conference of the Eighth Annual Change Management and Knowledge Society, Mosul, Iraq Sasi, T. A. 2008. Antecedents of human resource management practices: Case study analyses of the National Oil Corporation in Libya. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Tun Abdul Razak University, Kuala Lumpur. Sterman, J. (2000). Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World (1st ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Worsley, Peter, and Paschalis Kitromilides, eds. Small States in the Modern World: The Conditions of Survival, 1979. YOUSEF, D. A., 2001. Islamic work ethic: a moderator between organizational commitment and job satisfaction in cross-cultural context. Personnel review, 30 (1), 52–69. Read More