Assignment:
Part 1:
International managers at multinational corporations must learn about the host country's culture. For example, proper attire, timeliness and how to address their foreign colleagues. They also need to understand the differences in how people lead and work in comparison to those of their own country. They must be able to communicate with them at their level for employees to understand the meaning of their statements. The issue of how we communicate and perceive those communications is important. The German leader and the Indian worker had communication issue which led to a delay in a project and employee quitting.
Deresky (2013) notes "Managing people and processes in other countries requires a working knowledge of the cultural variables affecting management decisions and how to use that knowledge to adapt behaviors and expectations accordingly. This skill has become known as cultural intelligence, or cultural quotient (CQ)-a measure of how well a person can adapt and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings" (p. 73).
Communication across cultures is the ability to be aware of how people from different parts of the world communicate with each other. It is also important to confirm how they view relationships with their leaders. Is the leader the final decision maker or is collaboration how they are accustomed to solving problems? The manager/leader must study how the foreign employee communicates based on their social culture and norms. The cultural variables are attitudes; social organization; thought patterns; roles; language (spoken or written); nonverbal communication (including kinesic behavior, proxemics, paralanguage, and object language); and time (Deresky, 2013).
Part 2:
A manager's understanding of the business culture in other countries, is a critical role in the overall success of the organization. Deresky states "managing people and processes in other countries requires a working knowledge to adapt behaviors of culture variables affecting management decisions and how to use that knowledge to adapt behaviors and expectations accordingly" (Deresky, p. 73). It's key that the manager and the organization, prepare properly by conducting research in the countries native business etiquette to develop a respectable work environment for the employees that they'll oversee.
The same applies to foreign businesses conducting business in North America. They would need to be open to North American culture when it comes to business & leisure traditions. For instance, India has a population made up of mostly Hindus & Muslims. If an Indian ran company in the US has a business dinner or party with their American counterparts and employee's, they should open to the employee's eating specific foods, having a glass of wine, etc, and not think any different of that person from personal or business standpoint. Brazil for example, has a traditional business characteristic to being very close and maintaining eye contact with new business partners they meet (Derseky, p. 100). That could possibly make someone from the US feel uncomfortable & not truly understand that this a sign of respect. Through readings, I would ensure that managers and employee's learn about each other's culture leading up & throughout the business venture to avoid conflict.
Communicating across cultures is a skillset that managers &employee's alike, must understand to continually build the global organizations productivity. Kinsey states "worldwide business organizations have discovered that intercultural communication is a subject of importance-not just because of increased globalization, but also because their domestic workforce is growing more and more diverse, ethnically and culturally" (Kinsey, 2011). Top leadership should ensure understanding the various cultures within their organization is top priority. Doing this reduces the possibilities of employee's unknowingly disrespecting another employee of a different nationality, that could result in lowered employee morale, attrition and lawsuits.
Answer the 2 separte essays. Your answer must be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.