Leader Effectiveness in Multicultural Environments - Case Study Example

Cultural Metaphor Societies and nations identify with specific cultural beliefs and practices that help in defining the practices and preferences of the group (Boopathi, 2014). A cultural metaphor refers to any practice or activity that members of an organization, country or any other group commonly identify with in an emotional and cognitive manner. The paper seeks to study the society of India with the purpose of developing cultural metaphors in the Indian Society. It is imperative to understand three points for one to understand the society and culture in India. First, India is approximately fifty years old, which means the region was made of many groups connected by many similarities (Chhokar, 2012). Therefore, it is right to be viewed as a cultural unit. Second the physical boundaries between the different cultural entities within India varied with history. Third, the current India is an outcome of years of civilization characterized by many influences. The things that are currently viewed as a culture will change as time passes because the society is still in the process of evolution (Chhokar, 2012). Leadership Characteristics In India Indians take leadership very seriously; Political leadership is a major part of conversations in public places. Most of these talks are characterized by criticism and cynicism towards the current crop of political leaders. Leaders in other areas like sports also form part of public discussion. The Indian society has seen the rise of some effective leaders over time. The effective leadership exhibited by individuals like Maurya, Akbar, Asoka and Gandhi has affected the way Indians view leadership. Chandragupta Maurya is seen as the architect of the ancient empires in India. He ruled for 24 years in which he brought together small states and formed a very large kingdom (Chhokar, 2012). Asoka was a tyrant who had a change of heart and started promoting the doctrine of non-violence and care in India. Asoka is a perfect example of a leader who applied the principles of philosophy to leadership. Akbar exhibited leadership that aimed at bringing Indians together. He banished all forms of religion. He tried to consolidate different religions to produce a religion for all Indians. Gandhi is arguably the most famous Indian leader of the 20th century (Chhokar, 2012). He exhibited a unique leadership style that used material weaknesses to gain political and spiritual strengths. Gandhi is viewed as the “Father of India”, which is confirmed by his statues in many parts of India. Gandhi exhibited a leadership style that a mixture of qualities from charismatic, visionary, inspirational and value based leadership styles. Effective leadership style reflects value like concern for the task, cultural values, cultural needs and turbulent environment. In the Indian culture, personal relationships, dependency, care, family attachment and power distance have a significant on leadership. Political leadership is under criticism and cynicism (Chhokar, 2012). The use of community, castes, and religion to influence voting patterns discredits the politicals system. The people hold so much criticism for the current leaders while hankering for the past leaders. Business leadership is a bit different because the society some business leader who are admired by the masses (Chhokar, 2012). For example, the house of Tatas is admired by the public for the leadership qualities. The people crave for leadership that can empower, inspire and motivate people to achieve great things. Progressive leadership is a part of public conversations. Most Indians separate business leaders from political leaders. Political leaders are seen as more selfish, clever and exploitative than business leaders. On the other hand, the business leaders are viewed as visionary and charismatic individuals. Some of the business leaders are considered individuals who have gone beyond organizations and become admired leaders in the society. Outstanding Leadership The leadership styles exhibited Gandhi influences what most people view as outstanding leadership (Chhokar, 2012). Individuals refer to dramatic actions like Gandhi fasting to put an end to communal riots during the partition India. Outstanding leaders are expected to do extraordinary and unusual things, which are considered innovative, noble and progressive. Outstanding leaders should agents of change who challenge the status quo. They should be visionary leaders who exhibit qualities like perseverance, empathy, dedication, charisma and viewing people as human beings. An individual the ability to spot the right talents produces high output and exceeds the normal expectation is considered an outstanding leader. The basic requirements of leadership are integrity, self-confidence, and courage. Outstanding leaders should possess flexibility, which allows them to exhibit a blend of different leadership styles. The preferred leadership styles among Indians are characterized by moral principles, ideologies, boldness, assertive, and proactiveness (Overgaard, 2010). The leaders are judged based on the means and the end of any action. Poor Leadership The characteristics of poor leadership are the direct opposite of the qualities expected of outstanding leadership. Political leaders are used as examples of poor leadership. Self-service, exploitation, corruption and the view of human beings as tools are the qualities associated with poor leadership (Overgaard, 2010). The lack of vision, indecisiveness and the lack of clear guidance is associated with poor leaders. The lack of communication, charisma, change and action is associated with poor leaders. Dimensions of Culture Individdualism/ Collectivism Individualism/Collectivism is one of the dimensions developed by Hofstede to explain the values and preferences in a cultural group. Individuals describe societies in which the needs of the individual overcome the interests of the group. On the other hand, collectivism puts emphasis on the needs of the group and the achievement of collective goals. India has a score of 48 and is ranks 33, which makes it a collectivist culture. The relationship plays a very important role in India (Boopathi, 2014). The collectivist culture makes people view business relationships as sustainable connections that are there for the long term. Indians act as members of a group or organization. It is not strange for individuals to give up dreams for families. It is also common to find a whole family living in a big house and sharing almost everything. The members of extended families hold unwavering loyalties towards each other. Trust is key to business relationships. Most organizations focus on team accomplishments as opposed to individualistic societies that focus on individual goals. India has community families, which is a characteristic of a collectivist culture. Power Distances India scores very in the power distance dimension. Power distance measures the level of expectancies that comparatively weak members of the society accept that power is distributed unequally. India scores 77, which is above the global average that stands at 56.5. The Indian society is highly hierarchical compared to European and Western nations (Boopathi, 2014). The distribution of power is highly unequal because it relies on family connections and acquaintances. The less powerful Indians tend to accept paternalistic and autocratic relationships. The caste system that started many years ago in India is associated with the high power distances index in the country. Less powerful members of the society highly depend on the few powerful members who possess great wealth and come from powerful families. The caste system has produced a rigid system that has ranked the members of the society. The effect of the caste system can also be felt in organizations were employees related according to established hierarchies. Junior employees are expected to show loyalty and dedication for their seniors. Uncertainty Avoidance It refers to the level of tolerance that a society associates with ambiguity or uncertainty. India has a weak uncertainty avoidance since it has a score of 40. It is ranked 66. A weak uncertainty avoidance means that Indians are comfortable and ready to face uncertain situations. The members of the society are pragmatic, which influences their solutions. The Indian system is not highly structured, which makes it flexible for the members of the society. There are many laws, which are taken lightly because people do not bother to know or understand them. Uncertainty is a factor that has been embraced by many families and groups in India. Masculinity vs. Feminity It describes the distribution of roles between genders in a given cultural group. Masculine cultures view men as the head of families who should exhibit assertiveness, focus, and toughness. They should emphasize achieving material success. Masculine cultures regard competitiveness, materialism, power, ambition and assertiveness highly. India scores 56 on masculinity, which means it is a masculine culture. Indian culture values recognition, challenge, progress and earnings (Schragle-Law, Samii, & Sharma, 2009). The number of women in Indian organizations is very low compared to the number of men. The women who possess high power positions are very low in number. Communication Context The communication culture has been influenced by many factors over time. The communication is high context. The business communication culture and general conversations are all affected by the caste system, which can be traced back to thousands of years. Communication between senior members and junior members of the society is one sided. Junior employees are rarely given an opportunity to express their opinions or give suggestions. Communication is influenced by context, which means politicians, businesspeople, and families use different ways to communicate. The non-verbal communication is a significant part of communication in the Chinese culture. Time The Indian society has a rich history, which has been characterized by civilization and population growth (Cullen & Parboteeah, 2010). Some of the things that recur in the history of India is poor leadership, religious prejudice, and philosophical leadership. For example, the stories of Akbar and Gandhi seem alike even they occurred at different times. They were both involved in saving India from oppressive rule. It explains the heavy preference for kindness and humanity in the Indian culture. The caste system has been India for thousands of years. It has influenced communication and distribution of power in the society. Space Indians value their personal space. They expect to be a minimum of arm’s length away from others (Cullen & Parboteeah, 2010). However, due to the high population people tend to be very close in public places. Gender and Characteristics The communication between men and women is influenced by the nature of their relationships. Typically, Indian women should show respect when communicating with men especially the communication between wives and husbands and fathers and daughters (Gupta, 2008). Universalism and Particularism Universalism is characterized by individuals who value rules more than relationships while particularism describes the people who emphasize personal respect (Bidgoli, 2010). The Indian culture is highly particularistic, which is evidenced by their focus on relationship as opposed to rules. Indians do not have trust in the laws. Relationships are viewed as binding connections that must be valued. Part Two: Indian Cultural Metaphor Based on the study of the Indian culture, it is true Indian culture is an onion”. An onion is made of different layers, which formed as the onion grows. The Indian culture has many layers, which stem from dressing, religion, and mannerism. These observable values are symbolized by the first layers. A deeper analysis reveals a collectivist culture that emphasizes unity just as the onion layers are joined closely. The different communities and religions are joined by similar history and origin. The relationship can be described using the hard part of the onion that binds all the layers. The first layer is observable. The second layer touches on communication and particularism. The third layer reveals the high power distance that is characteristic of the Indian society. The onion is bound by a common root, which is the same as the Indian culture. The practices and beliefs have all been influenced by time. A foreigner can use the onion metaphor to comprehend the make of the Indian culture. The availability of different layers means it would take time and concentration to through all layers of the Indian culture. The top layers are the most obvious values and practices. References Bidgoli, H. (2010). Handbook of Technology Management. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley and Sons. Boopathi, S. N. (2014). A Detailed Comparison of Finland and India through Hofstede & Globe Study. Global Review Research in Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Management: An Online International Research Journal, 1(1), 72-100. Chhokar, J. S. (2012). Leadership and Culture in India: The GLOBE Research Project. GLOBE Anthology Project. Cullen, J. B., & Parboteeah, K. P. (2010). International Business: Strategy and the Multinational Company. Routledge: New York. Gupta, S. (2008). Understanding Indian Culture & Bridging the Communication Gap. London: Subodh Gupta. Hofstedes Intercultural Dimensions. (n.d.). Retrieved from Kwintessential: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural/dimensions.html Overgaard, L. (2010). An Analysis of Indian Culture and Era of Globalization. Aarhus School of Business. Schragle-Law, S., Samii, M., & Sharma, N. (2009). Leadership Style of Indian Managers: A Comparative Analysis. Southern Hampshire University. Read More