INTRODUCTION
Globalization has impacted the world economy positively; this has in turn increased the multinational corporations in a large way. Consequently, this has increased the migration of human resources across the globe. Therefore, in order for Europe to continue in business competitiveness with other world business organizations, there is a need for them to fetch the right human capital for their business ventures. Effective cross cultural management is important and communication within countries is critical for one to work efficiently to form a strong global union. We face cross cultural practices in our day to day life. However, in this dissertation we shall major on cross cultural management in business context. The objective of this paper is to analyze working in cross cultural environment and the cultural adjustment in working in cross cultural society. Students attend a lot of lectures that discuss different topics. In the process, they acquire a lot of theoretical knowledge about their discipline. However, a question that remains to be answered is whether the students can apply the knowledge in their duties once they finish their studies in school. A practical approach to studies is a valuable part in developing an all rounded student. The student who successfully completes this research will understand his major better and gain knowledge on how he can apply it in the market. The student will collect first hand information from a professional and use the results to gauge himself and get an idea of the impact of the course he chooses in his life. To collect information, an open questionnaire will be administered to the interviewee.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Most importantly, the major challenge affecting expatriates is working in a society that is culturally different from home culture. A cultural difference in different nations still remains a challenge and can pose problems in business field. The major challenges of working in cross cultural environment and communication include; language barrier, cultural differences and difficulty in adjusting to the local culture. However this can be fought through educating the compatriots on the culture of the local community. Business anthropology can be enhanced to cater for the cross cultural management issues.
The notion on culture was not well exploited until the 1970s when in the 1980s the Dutch researcher introduced business anthropology historically for the first time in his book culture’s consequences. This opened a gateway for scholars to come up with a curriculum on business and cultural diversity. From his work in business anthropology many experts have come up with scholarly materials on cross cultural business management and communication. The most well known that came after the Dutch researcher is the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE).
Culture is believed to be a mental programming in which the human attitude is distinguished by the difference in behavior of one member as compared to another. The culture is experienced through behavioral differences and assumptions about certain phenomena. Mental programming is a learnt way of life and depends on ones attitude and assumptions. However, culture interesting to learn and attractive to the society, but the fatal cultural stereotypes create divisions amongst the nations and are normally dangerous. This is an assumption that one culture is superior to the other.
However, conflict or what is commonly known as culture shock occurs normally in collective mental programming inter-relates and assumptions being different. This leads to unexpected thoughts and the behavior is taken as unacceptable in that context. On an individual level this shock is experienced similarly regardless of ones tribe, religion, race or region. The main determinant in mental programming is the value. Value is known to be the tendency to prefer one condition to another. One prefers one value to another through analysis of the best behavior that is better to them than all others.
The general adjustments for an expatriate include factors such as the cost of living, healthcare, housing condition, type of food available and dressing. Evidently, after one adjusts to the local culture, the benefit for appreciating the local cultural practices is huge. One will always gain friendship with the residents. Their efficiency and effectiveness in their career also improves largely. This creates a new world for the expatriates and helps them to appreciate their new way of life they become more competent and can therefore finalize their assignments within the stipulated time. This has in the recent years increased business interactions globally. There are numerous theories that explain the concept of motivation. Prominently, motivation is explained using the Maslow hierarchy of needs theory and McGregor theory of X and theory Y. Maslow hierarchy of needs outlines that human needs including physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization fosters or motive human being in achieving the set goals. This theory particularly outlines that employees will be motivated as the level of needs increases. On the other hand, the theory of X and Y is based on a negative and positive side of the human nature. The theory X perceives workers as lazy or need management guidance to achieve set objectives. However, the Y theory is based on the positive side of willing and committed workers. The first theory concerned about the level of human needs is more strategic in motivating workers.
For this piece of work qualitative interview methodology is preferred based on interviews. This method was agreed on because it gives the interviewer an opportunity to extensively discuss their experiences in a cross cultural management environment . It also enhances gathering of comprehensive data and information from the past experience. This allows detailed research in which all factors influencing cross cultural management practices.
Literature review in this piece of work is very important since not many scholars have done research on this topic. It emphasizes on the factors to consider for effective business in a cross cultural environment. This is necessary because the Global Business expansions have refocused from domestic human resource practices to global business human resource expansion. Consequently, this has created problems for human resource practitioners who find the challenge for hiring employees in a cross cultural environment.
SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE INTERVIEW PARTICIPANT
The participant must be an expatriate with experience from a global NMC. This helps to eliminate expatriates with minimal experience on a cross cultural working environment who may deliver in appropriate feedback about the experience. In addition the expatriate must have undergone cross cultural management training on, before or after their arrival. The participant should have time to explain on expatriate adjustment and job efficiency being the major challenge in overseas jobs. For the best interview results the expatriate should have lived in a cross cultural environment for more than two year having been able to do and complete his assignments. This eliminates guess work which may affect the quality of the interview.
Meanwhile, the participant should be well informed to give him time to prepare. The attitude should be maintained as positive eliminate any doubt or fear from them. This will help in ensuring credible, accurate and true feedback is got. The participant was requested on a voluntary basis. An impromptu interview may lead the participant panicking and being unable to give the accurate responses.
INTERVIEW PROCESS
For active participation in the interview it commenced and a brief personal introduction to familiarize the participant to the interviewer. This was critical to get rid of any doubt in the participants mind. It was followed by the interviewer acknowledging and appreciating the interviewer on the sacrifice of time and being able to avail in timer as agreed. After identifying both parties were ready for the actual interview it was time to get to the interview areas.
It was mainly focused on the general adjustment and their past experience in a cross-cultural management practices and the experience from the exercise. After critical examination of the response it was evident that cross-cultural training was a great factor that influenced the adjustment process. The training helped many expatriates in adapting and in effective working situation. This improved their communication skills and uplifted their working conditions with their fellows.
The training was the major source of information for expatriate to learn the cultural diversity in the local environment. They were able to adjust and perform their assignment within the stipulated duration. It was also evident that the training was the fuel to their effective communication together with knowledge gained in the communications skills curriculum. In understanding the clarity of the interview question it was asked whether the training added any value to their adjustment process.
The interview also included two open-ended questionnaires that asked on their arrival, training, adjustment and how efficient they work was progressively. Cultural differences were seen to cause variation in peoples’ values. For example Germans tend to believe more on analytic decision making, with little interests on brainstorming and in rapid decision making while Japanese workers are seen to be more patient and can stay in the company for long. The interview was through the questionnaire that was sent to the participants email address.
COLLECTION OF DATA
The interview process was carried out through an interview that included questionnaires sent to the selected expatriates who had a previous experience in relation to cross-cultural management and communication. The interview was semi-structured to give the participant the freedom to express all the factors that were to be considered. The questions were framed in a way that was cognitive to the topic of discussion. This ensured that all relevant areas were covered and desired questions answered.
The data collection was very systematic and easy to understand to avoid ambiguity in the participants’ responses. Improvement on the clarity was considered, adhered and followed in all consecutive questions. Emphasis were taken on the key areas which included cross-cultural training, adjustment, cultural diversity and differences, working environment, assignment completion and effectiveness in carrying out delegated duties. There was total cooperation between the interviewer and the participants which was accelerated by good relations between them.
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA
Through analysis of the data it was evidently seen that the cross-cultural training was important. The findings were grouped according to their specifications as follows,
- Self Efficacy
It was seen that their attitude on their ability to achieve given tasks motivates them to accomplish their objectives in their duties and also in their personal life. It was argued that people with low self efficacy did not perform to their expectations. This showed that expatriates with high self efficacy from the cross-cultural management training may face easier time in solving disputes occurring in foreign assignments, it in turn helps them adjust to the host cultural practices improving their performance in their duties. They argued that expatriates with high self-efficacy normally perform well through social networking.
- Cultural Sensitivity
The cultural sensitivity is the ability of a person to develop accepted emotion in understanding and adjusting cultural differences. Understanding cultural difference will help the expatriate to adapt to the new way of life hence improve on his assignment in the place of work, it is possible through reducing stress which may lead to poor performance. However, an accepted leadership behavior for global managers needs a clear understanding of the emerging cultural differences. The GLOBE focuses its mandate on global leadership behavior. European countries emerge best because they are widely diversified in their cultural practices.
- Previous international experience
Previous experience helps one adapt faster due to the past failures. Expatriates who had previous experiences will normally adjust easily than those without it. Some of the interview participants who had an earlier experience did not have difficulty in the adjustment process. The experience gained helped them identify the various cultural practices and as global managers were able to adapt to the local culture. However, past experience was not well argued out hence the need for more research on it since they had no enough previous experience.
- Expatriate adjustment
Working adjustment means the ability of the expatriate to be comfortable with his assignments while general adjustment was comfort from other non assignment practices including dressing mode, food, shelter, language and other life practices. If the expatriate develops good relations with the host nationals, they are likely to adapt to the new way of life and hence improve on their working and in delegating activities in the organization. Thorough logical decision and the training they were able to adjust with no serious problems. The duration the expatriate takes to adjust in the foreign country is proportional to the effectiveness in their duties. The faster the adjustment process the more one increased efficiency in their mandates. This article will help me in explaining the importance of professional business management in understanding the role of the society to a business. This article will help me in explaining the importance of professional business management in understanding the role of the society to a business.
- Thought to stay
The expatriates who had the thought to stay longer were able to adjust easier than those who opted to leave. Those who opted to leave prematurely were not able to adjust easily. The intention to stay had a great impact on their work as those who opted to stay longer performed better than those who were stressed opting to leave. Through the training they were able to adjust and stay longer hence intending to live longer in their foreign countries.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
In conclusion it was found out that there is a need for the cross-cultural management training before, on and after arriving in the host country or region. This will facilitate the process of adjustment and promote global human resource migration to increase trade and economy all over the globe. It is important to fasten the process of adjustment so as to boost management development and professionalism. This will enhance global business competitiveness. It will be a gateway to increased trade which will more so improve on international integration.
The human resource development agencies should carry out cultural exchange programs between regions, countries and internationally. This will improve migration from one region to another for human capital. Finally, the expatriates should always have a positive attitude to accept others regardless of them cultural beliefs, religion, race and color. There is a need for change of mindset that can fit in any culture globally. Personal development also goes hand in hand with desired qualities for a manager. The managers being seen as the head of the organization should mentor their junior employees to facilitate the integration process. This article also will help in explaining the importance of professional business management in understanding the role of the society to a business.
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