Multicultural management

Résumé du document

As workforces become increasingly multicultural and businesses continue to expand overseas, the homogenous workforce has become a thing of the past. Managers today have to ensure that they are understanding and being understood across cultural boundaries. This situation implies that managers develop the skills necessary for effective cross-cultural interactions and daily operations in foreign subsidiaries. Moreover, domestic managers also need intercultural management skills because of increasing diversity in their own countries. Managers face such situations on a continuous basis, and they need to empower themselves with the various facets of managerial techniques. This paper will present the impact of the culture on the different roles of a manger such as: motivation, leadership, communication, negotiation and decision making. Then, we will discuss how to manage an intercultural workforce and avoid these cultural issues. Finally, we will study two intercultural management models, the Chinese and the French one, in order to anticipate how to effectively manage workforce in these countries and avoid cultural clashes.

Extraits

[...] Indeed, the interpersonal interactions between the leader and subordinates are subject to cultural influence. Consequently, being perceived as a leader and meeting subordinates' expectations result in greater leader effectiveness Communication Communication is the act of transmitting messages to another person who interprets these messages and gives them meanings[ix]. Therefore, both the sender and the receiver of the message play an active role in the communication process. Successful communication requires not only that the message is transmitted but also that is understood. [...]

[...] High masculinity suggests that most people would be more comfortable with the traditional division of work and roles; in a more feminine culture the motivation would come more from flexible roles and work network. High uncertainty avoidance suggests the need for job security, whereas people with low uncertainty avoidance would probably be motivated by more risky opportunities. In fact, not paying attention to these culture variables may result in a failure to motivate but also in the demotivation of the workforce. [...]

[...] Furthermore, according to the culture, the communication styles can be different. Indeed, one way in which cultures vary in terms of communication style is the degree to which they use language itself to communicate the message; if they communicate the message implicitly or explicitly. These two styles are characterized by a bipolar typology called high context, when it is implicit, and low-context, when it is explicit, communication styles.[xii] This point can be also linked to the Hofstede's analysis; to its individualism-collectivism index. [...]

[...] How can he be efficient? EXHIBITS Exhibit Hofstede's analysis Exhibit The communication process Exhibit The negotiation process Exhibit Cultural variables in the decision making process ENDNOTES When cultures collide: managing successfully across cultures, Richard D. Lewis p.25 http://www.umanitoba.ca/anthropology/courses/122/module1/culture.html [iii] Intercultural management, Nina Jacob, p.3 Cultural constraints in management theories, Geert Hofstede Cultural constraints in management theories, Geert Hofstede International management: managing across borders and cultures, Helen Deresky p.407 [vii] Essentials of International Management: a cross cultural perspective, David C. Thomas p.148 [viii] International management: managing across borders and cultures, Helen Deresky p.429 Berlo International management: managing across borders and cultures, Helen Deresky p.140 [xi]Essentials of International Management: a cross cultural perspective, David C. [...]

[...] Written Instructions: Writing down instructions ensures that a message or request is fully understood and allows people to reread them if necessary without asking and looking incompetent. Be Flexible: The good intercultural manager is a flexible manager. Understanding where potential obstacles lie in communication and adapting is good practice. For example, graphics are sometimes a more useful way of presenting information. THE INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT MODELS This third part will deal with the different ways of management that exist in different countries. [...]