Cross-Cultural Work Environments

Naeja Silar January 14, 2012 Leadership and Organizational Behavior Unit 1 Assignment Organizational Theory: Cross-Cultural Work Environments I will be researching a theory on the analysis of cross-cultural management style and structure. In researching this theory, it will help managers in a multinational company, or work environment, interact with employees of a diverse background. In understanding, and getting a better idea of how cultures interact in workplace environments, the manager can be more productive and avoid various types of confrontations that may ultimately hurt productivity. Analyzing the management styles and cultures of the world will enable managers to understand the ideas of different cultures. By understanding the reasoning behind each culture behavior, there will be less room for inaccurate generalizations, fewer generalizations will make sure managers, working in a diverse work environment have greater success. However, with the constant view of diversity in the workplace, all mangers should participate in a cross-cultural management training course, as well as employees. In researching this theory, the main focus is the business style of various cultures in the workplace environment. Examining different types of behavioral patterns will reveal the different cultural frames, and perceptions within a diverse work environment. Understanding the different perceptions of the different cultures will lead to close interpersonal relations, and productive communication. Cross-cultural management research is derived from the study of the behavior of people in diverse organizations. The United States has always been in the forefront of the development of management theory, practice, and research; because of the current internationalization of business in the United States, they should be leading the development of a cross-cultural perspective to management. (Adler, 1983) In the earlier studies of cross cultural management, the approach was to transfer advanced management practices, techniques, and methods. The field of cross-cultural studies on organizational functioning is a result of partial integration between the cross-cultural comparative management field and organization theory areas. The economic development approach to comparative management research is one of the early methods used for cross-cultural management study. It is found that managerial input plays an important role in achieving economic development, this approach focuses on the basic trends of managerial development, rather than the analysis of organizational practices. (Negandhi, 1983) The role of culture is said to be the most accurate approach to exploring and comparing management and organizational styles. One of the most basic issues in cross-cultural management research is to determine what extent culture impacts an individual’s behavior within the workplace. Various cultures emphasize dimensions differently, and these are demonstrated in contrastive managerial behaviors. Identifying the four aspects of culture that have specific implications for the workplace is a very important task, and these implications include power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, and masculinity. An example of each are as follows, power distance, leadership can be looked at as informal and loose, this is due to the fact that employees do not see their superiors as that far ahead of them on the social scale. Uncertainty avoidance measures the extent to which people in a organization tend to feel threatened by uncertain, ambiguous, risky, or undefined situations. The importance of individualism is the evidence suggesting that differences among this dimension of culture account for major differences in managerial assumptions and practices. On the dimension of masculinity, it is understood that the masculine cultures are defined as being assertive, valuing achievement, and loathing failure. On the opposite extreme, a feminine culture is characterized by the favoring of nurturing roles, interdependence between people and caring for others. In concluding this cross-cultural management research, its main focus is the description of organizational behavior within countries and cultures, and most importantly on the interaction of peoples from different countries working within the same organization or work environment. Increased multinational operations means increased diversity within the organization. In participating in this cross-cultural management research, and there would be a higher degree of interaction between employees and managers from different cultures. Reference Citations * Adler, Nancy J. â€Å"Cross-Cultural Management Research†, The Academy of Management Review, (April, 1983) * Hall, Edward T. â€Å"Understanding Cultural Differences† New York: Doubleday & Company (August, 1990) * Negandhi, Anant R. Cross-Cultural Management Research: Trend and Future Directions† Journal of International Business Studies, (August, 1983) * Kelley, Lane & Worthley, Reginald â€Å"The Role of Culture in Comparative Management: â€Å"A Cross-Cultural Perspective† The Academy of Management Journal, (March, 1981) * Hall, Edward T. â€Å"Beyond Culture† New York: Anchor Press, 1983 * Adler, Nancy J. â€Å"A Typology of Management Studies Involving Culture† Journa l of International Business Studies http://links. jstor. org