Implications for Managers that Work with Different National Cultures - Essay Example

Management 7 June Implications for Managers that Work with Different National Cultures Introduction Cultural diversity is no longer an issue to be ignored by management and organizations across the globe. With more organizations and businesses going global, the management teams have to practice leadership that best suits the situation and environment. Regardless of the numerous rules and regulations that govern managers and employees in the work place, working has to basically be in accordance with the diverse cultures to appreciate the difference, and allow organizations or businesses to be effective in the market. There are both negative and positive repercussions on the management and managers brought out in the course of interacting with different national cultures, which end up causing changes in the corporate management functions and control. Companies need to hire employees from the local regions; meaning management could find face several challenges in their managerial roles, due to barriers arising from differences in national cultures, which come with their distinguished values that the managers or the organization struggles to identify with. Development of Effectual Cross Cultural Communication Skills As businesses are set up across the globe, and the companies intend to capture the market attention, managers have to be equipped enough to overcome the communication barrier that exists when they are taken into different regions, the cultures and languages of which are different from their local settings or previous organization environment. It is definitely very difficult for manger to work with colleagues who speak a different language, since the communication is interfered with. Miscommunication happens to be a common problem that human resource managers deal with while working with teams from different national cultures. It can cause conflicts in operation, employer or management and employees clash, or employees’ conflicts among themselves when not considered. Therefore, managers have to be aware and sensitive to the importance of effective cross cultural communication, and would need to consider adjusting behavior for management and employees, to promote cooperation in work and tolerance for different cultures among the workers. At times, managers may be in foreign nations or could be working with team members who have been allocated to the managers or organizations local settings. Some ways which managers can facilitate effective cross cultural communication entail practicing active listening, reading out the signs or symbols and watching out for cultural assumptions, accessing brief teachings or using language guides, understanding language of space, time and context (HCareers n. p.). Of late, dealing with such challenges has enabled management to use technology in order to facilitate standard communication; this could include groupware and websites for sharing of information and to improve communication (Jones and George n. p.). The implications for managers that work with different national cultures include: 1. Creativity and innovation Working in different national cultures provides opportunities for managers to think critically, first of all on how the organization’s operations and objectives could be accomplished, and how to motivate employees’ performance in the different cultures. The existing components and architecture of the organization may not always work best at all situations and cultures. Similarly, even the products produced by a company in a certain region may not perform well in different markets, due to different cultures the organization’s branches may be operating in. Sometimes managers prefer to have a specific brand for their products across the globe, but this only proves to be successful if the market perceives a good image of the brand and its quality of products. Therefore, managers need to assess the culture they operate in, study the consumption behavior, preference, and limitations to success of the existing products or services, before reaching a conclusion on the way forward. Such experience brings into the company exploitative and explorative innovations through the managers (Mayo n. p.). The national cultures possess lots of values, beliefs, and assumptions which managers notice as they work with different personalities and in different environments. Their thinking is shaped to use the opportunities existing to expand organization’s operations or provide a market need as indicated by the culture around. According to Kaasa and Kadi, the surrounding culture as a whole greatly influences individual creativity to initiate innovation in the process of coping with different situation in the different cultures (4-6). At times, there are available resources which are rare to find in certain locations. This is where managers can use these skills to make efficient use of such facilities and resources to generate more services or products, probably at a cheaper price for more company profits. Through critical thinking, evaluation of possibilities, creativity and innovation, managers acquire more experience and broaden their knowledge as they interact with the locals. 2. Conflicts and resolution When people come together in organizations, they have distinguished backgrounds that shape their values and beliefs; as a result, individuals would be having diverse personalities, which they would defend vigorously if violated. Managers working with different national cultures face intergroup conflicts repetitively, because it is often a pervasive challenge that can end up being a problem or an opportunity for growth. It does not only occur at the employees’ level, but exist even in the management level, especially in the middle and operational managers. Managers and their leadership style may be the cause of conflicts among different cultures, and the workforce from that identity with such cultures could respond varyingly by being aggressive, hostile, and uncomfortable to them. Issues such as power difference between the superiors and subordinates, misunderstandings, failing to meet expectations of the employees in different cultures, hard critics on the culture, and having to deal with dominant and minority cultures could cause perceptions of unfair treatment and discontentment within the teams and groups of different national cultures working in the organization, to develop conflicts (Runde and Flanagan 179-80). Regardless of being the cause or being faced by such challenge while working in different environments or cultures, managers have to use thorough strategies to solve the conflicts if they need business to cooperate, compete, and increase performance. Managers have to make critical decisions in negotiating to settle the conflicts by exercising tolerance and patience. Managers can use compromise, collaboration, accommodation, and avoidance strategies to solve existing conflicts (Jones and George n. p.). They can make arrangements to shift roles after a certain period among teams or groups of different cultures, distinguish roles clearly to prevent further conflicts, or even set programs where employees can learn to appreciate each other’s cultures. 3. Changes in management practices Handling diverse cultures need mangers to accept that the leadership styles they have worked with in the past may not be suitable to manage situations and people in other cultures. In some cultures such as the western cultures, hierarchical management where most decisions are left to the superiors may not work because of the democratized leadership and experiences of the people. Managers have to make changes in their management practices and exercise contingent leadership to fit different situations and avoid conflicts between leadership and the workforce. Managers ought to select and implement effective management practices that best fit the national cultures outside the organizations’ original country (Erez 3). Similarly, in some situations, human resource managers have to be quite engaging to motivate the employees of the different cultures. It requires them to establish better ways of enhancing relationship between the management and employees in the internal and external organization environment, while placing limits to keep practices professional. Based on the cultural norms in the different nations, they should investigate procedures that are carried on in activities like recruiting and promoting, to avoid forcing their unwelcomed traits and skills that fail to comply with the cultural norms of the people. 4. Policies, rules and regulation challenges Most national cultures may vary in operation from country to country. Policies and events affecting work would vary with nationalities. Hence, as the managers come together, they have to consider certain factors and make room for employees to enjoy their rights as established by the law governing them. For example, holidays differ across nations, some have numerous holidays in a calendar year while others have few; this in turn affect the managers’ planning, implementation of activities, and coordination of general organization activities. The western cultures have established routines of working 24/7 hours, while in certain places like in Africa, it is not fully implemented. Such variations cause delays in productivity and varying profit margins for international organizations established in such distinguished localities. Rules and regulations governing trading and the rights of the people (employees, employer or consumer) could vary with regions and national boundaries. Export and import controls, quotas, tariffs, antidumping duties, environmental and health regulations, and labor rights among others require managers’ attention and respect in different cultures of host countries (Gonzalez 3).They are crucial factors that managers cannot ignore; otherwise organizations could close down or clash with the authorities for ignorance of the law. They need to be aware and understand how these foreign and international policies, rules and regulations imply, affect organizations operations and success, and the repercussions of ignorance. Incorporating these measures allows managers to plan ahead smoothly and evades occurrence of unplanned future expenses associated with the business that is held liable for mistakes established, to have developed from poor management of legal issues across boundaries and regions with various cultures. 5. Building strategic alliances It is very helpful for organizations performing in the same genre to merge and promote performance of individuals businesses. Some of the resources that a business needs may be quite difficult to acquire, while operating in financial constraints and while with other expertise that can be fully utilized given the unavailable resources, managers from different organizations can make negotiations for partnership that would benefit their business. The strategic alliances would enable the merging corporations to share rewards and risks, as per agreement made after pooling their resources together (Jones and George n .p.). Managers hence need proper negotiating skills to form and maintain the alliances. It is a major implication of management dealing with poorly performing firms that need to retain and expand their market share, and evade financial crisis. With the right information and working with other local, middle, and operational managers, top managers can reach a conclusion, with strong evidence to convince the stakeholders from various national cultures of the strategy. Alliances with foreign organizations eliminate the risks of merging with local companies that operate in similar economy. Partnerships with foreign firms reduce the strain experienced in a particular economy and provide a rescue partner in case of failure of the organization in the home country. Generally, what managers’ face working with different national cultures comes as challenges and opportunities, which if well managed and controlled, can be beneficial for the organization, rather than being problematic. Among other issues they face are agency problems and competing demands and interests of the diverse organization’s stakeholders. They need to carefully choose among the management styles, whether divergent or convergent, evaluate their implications before applying them, and understand the influence of cultural differences on employees to improve motivation and management. Works Cited Erez, Miriam. “Make Management Practice Fit the National Culture.” technion.ac.il. 2000. Web. 7 June, 2013. http://mechroom.technion.ac.il/~merez/papers/Lockehandbook-postedited1.pdf  Gonzalez, Librado E. How to Become an Extraordinary Manager. Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2011. Print. Hcareers. “Cross-Cultural Communication Tips for Effective Diversity Management.” hcareers.com. n.d. Web. 7 June, 2013. http://www.hcareers.com/us/resourcecenter/tabid/306/articleid/507/default.aspx Jones, G. R., and George, J. M. “Contemporary Management: Promoting effective communication.” mcgraw-hill.com. n.d. Web. 7 June, 2013. http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078112699/student_view0/chapter16/student_powerpoint_presentations.html Kaasa, Anneli., and Vadi, M. “How does Culture Contribute to Innovation? Evidence from European Countries” mtk.ut.ee. 2008. Web. 7 June, 2013. http://www.mtk.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id.../febawb63.pdf? Mayo, Santiago. “Organizational factors for Exploration and exploitation.” scielo.cl. 2009. Web. 7 June, 2013.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S071827242009000100005&script=sci_arttext Runde, Craig E., and Flanagan, Tim A. Building Conflict Competent Teams. California: John Wiley and Sons, 2008. Print. Read More