Literature Review
In today’s globalized corporate environment, having multi-cultural teams is commonplace for businesses (Stallard, 2020). The explanation underlying this phenomenon is regarded to be the rising movement of people and labor on a worldwide scale. Multicultural work groups are becoming more common, and the fast-changing work environment presents new issues for both managers and employees. Consequently, managers have a critical role in managing multicultural teams and recognizing and dealing with the issues that arise because of this. Executive managers leading multicultural teams confront unique obstacles, which this research attempts to solve by focusing on the solutions provided by those teams rather than the distinctions among the team members’ cultural origins. In other words, our purpose is to build a knowledge of the issues encountered by managers and the manner they tackle these challenges (Popli, et. al., 2016). As a result, this study will focus on managers, as they are more likely to deal with individuals from other cultures and face the issues that arise from these distinctions that are prevalent in multicultural teams. It is our goal to have a better understanding of these difficulties from the perspective of business leaders.
An important challenge that has been faced by the managers is ensuring effective communication with people from different cultural background. It Is The Job Of The Management To Guarantee That The Communicating With Target Markets Of Team Or Organization Is Culturally Suitable With All Members Of Team (Balakrishnan, et. al., 2021). (Balakrishnan, et. al., 2021). This involves maintaining equality by opposing any communication-based prejudice that relates with racial, ethnic, religious or gender ideas or conventions. Challenges that may arise in the area of communication are language barriers and incongruent communication styles due to differing cultures (Behfar, et. al., 2006).
The communication challenge that occurs when an individual speaks with an accent is a perceived communication difficulty (Kim et al., 2019). An accent can indicate that an individual is not a native language speaker, this indication can lead to discrimination by the listener which can negatively affect the team and their ability to communicate with one another (Kim et al., 2019). The stigma that is associated with a nonnative accent is that these individuals are not as intelligent, less loyal to the organization, and are rated lower in status due to a perceived inability to comprehend the native language (Kim et al., 2019). Nonnative speakers are not ignorant to these stereotypes (Kim et al., 2019). Nonnative speakers have reported feeling inferior and disrespected due to the loss of status that their accent brings. This loss of status leads to the nonnative speaker feeling embarrassed or frustrated. This embarrassment and frustration may lead to the nonnative speaker avoiding situations that could highlight their differences (Kim et al., 2019).
IFBNs have specific challenges as organizations by virtue since their goals stem primarily from a faith basis (Johnson, 2015). There has been little academic research conducted regarding faith-based organizations, even though faith-based nonprofits have long been supplying social services in the stead of for-profit entities (Hwang, 2012). According to (Bassous, 2014), Those who work for faith-based organizations have a distinct sense of purpose than those who work for non-religious groups. There is little correlation between monetary incentives and faith-based nonprofit worker motivation.
Cultural Challenges
According to Amaliyah (2015), There are several aspects that contribute to a person’s ethnicity and cultural diversity, including language use, religion, sexual preference, gender, age, and ethnicity. This can lead to a hostile work environment when employees are treated with hostility, prejudice, or disrespect. However, because today’s workplace is made up of people from all over the world, corporations see diversity and the problems it presents as essential. Many companies have a multiracial and multicultural dynamic because of the variety of their workforces. Individuals who harbor preconceptions and project those prejudices onto others in the workplace are predicted to occur as a result of the organization’s diversity. As a result, people of different ethnicities, religions, and civilizations are stereotyped. This can lead to a lack of cohesiveness, teamwork, and a host of other issues, such as bullying, scapegoating, and harassment. Harassment is characterized by acts or words taken against a person in such a way as to create a hostile, abusive, or intimidating work environment. Harassment can be based on an employee’s race, color, religion, or nationality. Aside from disability genetic data or social group affinity, other variables might be at play. Organizations in a diverse work environment cannot accept or allow these difficulties to flourish. As a result, businesses must take into account the implications that racial and ethnic diversity may have on the workplace.
There is substantial value for international markets and businesses in big firms’ ability to respond effectively to the uncertainty caused by cultural differences, according to Gaur et al. (2011). Considering that multi-cultural teams are on the rise, it is imperative that we examine the aspects that might help mitigate the negative consequences of cultural diversity while also improving its performance.
The way people begin a meeting differs culturally, as do their communication styles and techniques of communication. When it comes to timing, expressing input, and openly disagreeing, conventions differ. Minority team members sometimes feel neglected or undervalued as a result of ethnocentrism, which can lead to conflict in multicultural settings (Stephens, 2018). Hammond defines ethnocentrism as the awareness of a fundamental factor at work in human decision-making that opposes philosophical variety in subject matter. Ethnocentrism, or in-group preference, emerges as the dominating strategy in the model without resort to the generally expected processes such as exchange, reputation, compliance, or leadership. Cooperative action by ethnocentric might look selfless from the perspective of members of the in-groups, but the ultimate impact is to create a more fragmented society (Bennett, 2004). There is no way to infer a long-term trend toward a more equitable distribution of wealth, even if we assume pro-social motivations. Using Axelrod and Hammond’s model, it can be seen that there is an inherent tendency toward exclusivism in human decision-making.
Companies are adjusting their policies and tactics in order to attract and retain the best and brightest employees in today’s global economy. Workplace diversity is becoming more and more important to firms that are always looking to expand and maximize profits while competing for finite resources, talent, and market share. Analysts predict that, in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace, corporations and organizations will have to boost their investments in diversity programs and develop successful strategies (Schmidmeier, et. al., 2020). According to some predictions, companies with the finest WPD strategies would be able to attract a larger pool of candidates, increase recruitment, and reduce operating expenses. The profit margins of organizations with varied teams of people are 35% greater than those of homogenous enterprises, according to empirical study (Cletus, et. al., 2018).
Cultural Differences
Adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of global business necessitates embracing inclusiveness in the face of diversity, according to Robinson et al. Increasing productivity, maximize profits, and competitiveness in the ever-increasing competitive atmosphere of global company and organizational management will be facilitated by this approach to workplace diversity.
Employers can benefit from workplace diversity by seeing their employees grow and enhance their own personal development. In today’s increasingly diverse workplaces, employees have the opportunity to grow and succeed (Kadam, et. al., 2020). Personal and professional development may occur when employees are exposed to a wide range of cultures, viewpoints, and ideas in the workplace. It is because of this that diverse person may be used to test and create new ideas (Cheah, 2013). Emma, (2018), agrees with this point of view, stating that diversity improves the approach to debugging and problem-solving inside organizations.
Furthermore, Dhuppar (2015) discovered that diversity has the ability to bring together the strategic interaction and inherent weaknesses of individuals in an organization, which may be used to the benefit of the organization. In accordance with the study’s findings, the diverse abilities and strengths of individuals from a variety of backgrounds may be exploited to improve performance and productivity. A good illustration of how this might be accomplished is by combining the varied technical, managerial, and sales capabilities of different individuals.
Additional aspects of bicultural managers include greater cultural metacognitive skills enhanced multicultural effectiveness (Lee, 2010), and optimal cognitive diversity outside of intercultural training. Workplaces with a varied staff provide a variety of opportunities for interaction among employees and managers from various cultural backgrounds. Answering universal questions is difficult when faced with the wide range of human cultural traditions. Courses in intercultural communication teach students about culture from an anthropological perspective. Although if we don’t agree with them, we must be able to see the world from their point of view in order to accomplish our goal. Cultural identity is legitimized but not held to a higher standard by assuming a deep understanding of “relativism,” which also shows that it is just another part with one’s own identity (Karjalainen, 2020). Culture “mediators” and “blenders” are predicted by modern management theory to be the future generation’s managers (Zander et al., 2012). Many experts think that open-minded and adaptive managers are better qualified to cope with differences in culture than those who are dogmatic and strict in their approach to dealing with cultural differences.
Organizations may help native speakers develop empathy by putting them in the position of the nonnative speaker in role-playing exercises (Kim et al., 2019). Additionally, stereotypes about nonnative speakers might be lessened in the workplace if they are encouraged to value their accent and the uniqueness and authenticity it provides them. Last but not least, Kim (2019) proposes that both native and nonnative speakers be encouraged to utilize implementation intents, which are if-then sentences that can help employees suppress undesired emotional reactions and foster conscious communication.
An open forum for employees to voice their concerns should be provided by the group’s management (Kim et al., 2019). This helps native speakers and non-native speakers alike to feel more connected to one other. Members of a group can avoid forming a “we” vs. “them” mentality by utilizing their common empathy. When there is a breakdown in communication, the manager may also serve as a role model and help establish norms. Training native speaker methods for coping with misinterpretation in a positive manner might be part of this process.
Ethnocentrism
The entire culture of the company should support the use of a variety of languages. From their recruiting methods to their mission statements, global firms should make it clear that they are committed to a multicultural workforce. It communicates the message that prejudices about non-native speakers are no longer relevant by employing non-native speakers in all positions within the organization, from junior to chief officer (Kim et al., 2019).
Conclusion
It was found that multiculturalism fosters critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in employees, as well as employee development and growth, the unification of varied talents, corporate attractiveness, and the creation of new ideas and professional skills. As more and more companies and teams are formed from a variety of cultures, the importance of team integration will rise. When it comes to how an individual views their team, their methods of operation, and the tasks they take on, their personal culture plays a role. Building a multicultural team means making sure that everyone speaks the same language and that communication obstacles don’t exist so that the team can work as a cohesive unit toward the same goal of helping the business grow and succeed. As a result, each member of the team is treated equally and unbiasedly by management when they are given the freedom to do their best work.
References
Amaliyah, A., (2015). The importance of workplace diversity management. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research, 17(2), pp.175-182.
Balakrishnan, K., Harji, M.B. and Angusamy, A., (2021). Intercultural Communication Competence: Well-being and Performance of Multicultural Teams. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 21(2), pp.82-96.
Bassous, M. (2015). What are the factors that affect worker motivation in faith-based nonprofit organizations? Voluntas, 26(1), 355-381. doi:https: //dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11266-013-9420-3
Behfar, K., Kern, M. and Brett, J., (2006). Managing challenges in multicultural teams. In National culture and groups. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Bennett, M.J., (2004). Becoming interculturally competent. Toward multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural education, 2, pp.62-77.
Cheah, L., (2013). Why workplace diversity is important for every organization.
<https://mystarjob.com/articles/story.aspx?file=/2013/4/20/mystarjob_careerguide/12948229&sec=mystarjob_careerguide>
Cletus, H.E., Mahmood, N.A., Umar, A. and Ibrahim, A.D., (2018). Prospects and challenges of workplace diversity in modern day organizations: A critical review. HOLISTICA–Journal of Business and Public Administration, 9(2), pp.35-52.
Dhuppar, S. (2015). Managing Workplace Diversity Challenges and Strategies. International Journal of Research, 2(3): 346-351.
Emma, L. (2018). Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace. Workplace Diversity. Available from:
https://bit.ly/1jdaWY0
Hwang, S.J., (2012). Reinventing civil society: The emerging role of faith-based organizations.
Johnson, T.L., (2015). What’s faith got to do with it? Developing a theoretical model for the emerging faith-based organization: A case analysis. Cleveland State University.
Kadam, R., Rao, S.A., Abdul, W.K. and Jabeen, S.S., 2020. Diversity climate perceptions and its impact on multicultural team innovation and performance. Measuring Business Excellence.
Karjalainen, H., 2020. Cultural identity and its impact on today’s multicultural organizations. International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, 20(2), pp.249-262.
Kim, R., Roberson, L., Russo, M. and Briganti, P., 2019. Language diversity, nonnative accents, and their consequences at the workplace: Recommendations for individuals, teams, and organizations. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 55(1), pp.73-95.
Popli, M., Akbar, M., Kumar, V. and Gaur, A., 2016. Reconceptualizing cultural distance: The role of cultural experience reserve in cross-border acquisitions. Journal of World Business, 51(3), pp.404-412.
Schmidmeier, J., Takahashi, A.R.W. and Bueno, J.M., 2020. Group intercultural competence: Adjusting and validating its concept and development process. Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 24, pp.151-166.
Stallard, S.C., 2020. The Development of Multicultural Teams in the Book of Acts: A Model with Application to Urban North America (Doctoral dissertation, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary).
Stephens, A.L., 2018. The Impact of Conflict Management on Leadership within International Faith-Based Nonprofits (IFBN’s). Trevecca Nazarene University.
Weller, E.B., 2018. Multicultural Team Leadership: A Case Study. Seattle University.
Zander, L., Mockaitis, A.I. and Butler, C.L., 2012. Leading global teams. Journal of World Business, 47(4), pp.592-603.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
