Some following points could be support to my view: ● Communication becomes more effective The boost of Internet usage fostered the emergence of a global culture where people can easily
- - COURSE: INTERNATIONALMANAGEMENT: MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES (INE - 3223E*) FINAL ASSIGNMENT Instructor: MSc Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai Name of student: Cao Thi Que Date of birth: 12/08/1999 Student ID: 17050638 Hanoi, 2020 [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] Course: International Management: Managing Across Cultures (INE - 3223E*) Student Name: Cao Thi Que (Student ID: 17050638) Word count 3238 (Excluding Title Page, Table of Contents and Bibliography) Module coordinator MSs Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai Date of submission: 30/06/2020 Plagiarism statement “I confirm that this assignment is entirely my own work and has not been submitted in full or in part for any other course within or outside UEB I confirm that all references are duly acknowledged.” Signature: … [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] PART 1: QUESTION (1) As our world has become more globalized and digitized, will culture differences decline as a roadblock to international management, or will they continue to be a major barrier? Defense your answer and provide some examples of MNCs management practice Answer: In my opinion, I believe that in contemporary society, the globalization and digitalization tend to decline culture differences and take advantages to international management Some following points could be support to my view: ● Communication becomes more effective The boost of Internet usage fostered the emergence of a global culture where people can easily access information that allows them to understand the socio-cultural context of their co-workers Modern technological devices allow us to communicate with others without face to face contact, which may reduce contextual barriers To survey precisely our ideas or feelings to foreigners is quite difficult because of the languages barriers and our diversity culture Instead of directly communication, digital cross-cultural communication (via e-mail, social networks, messengers, etc) significantly simplifies language barrier problem compared to face-to-face communication ● Simplify international leadership processes Hesse (2018) discovered that “digitalization moderates the influence of contextual and conditional changes on the outcome of leadership, and facilitates leaders’ communication practices and thus affects the outcome of leadership” Digitalization enables new levels of transparency, e.g., of business results; it offers ubiquitous internet connectivity and information access as well as devices on an advanced level The managers in headquarter can track subsidiaries’ business activities in time Team leaders can hold meeting online via zoom or MS Teams platform with entire members attendance because of ubiquitous internet connectivity Online interaction also tackles time-consuming problems in transportation to the meeting place ● Effective diversity HR management by modern analytical tools Workforce analytics can help HR managers to analyze and understand changes throughout the employee life-cycle, and even predict what will happen in the future (Lal, 2015) There are five areas in which workforce analytics can be particularly useful: Workforce planning: Analytics can provide the capability to analyze every stage of the employee life cycle, from hiring to retirement It all starts with planning the workforce strategically The management and improvement of business performance HR managers who plan based on available data and insights can craft recruitment policies and optimize staffing levels [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] Learning and development: Learning and developing new skills, training, trainee induction and orientation form a key part of all HR road maps HR managers can assess varied learning offerings and which are suitable for which tier of employees Retention: Retention of employees and their overall loyalty to the organization are the key to organizational success and long-term profitability Analytics of data and information of the workforce collated regularly will provide HR executives with greater talent insights and information when needed Compensation: Analytics can help to monitor payroll costs, variable compensation and overtime spend ● Digital transformation helps companies build suitable communication strategies with their clients The emerging role of social networks is another factor fostering the importance of digital communication People now use social media more often than corporate websites when searching for information on a company, brand, or product (Men & Tsai, 2014).In addition, companies build effective communication strategies with their clients from all over the world that demands cross-cultural communication skills Fewer Cultural Barriers Many people perceive culture to be the root of communication challenges When people from two different cultures try to exchange information, the way they speak, their body language or their mannerisms can be interpreted differently by the other person The way people approach problems and how they participate in communities is all influenced by culture.1 Globalization has made it possible, for example, for someone in Japan to understand how someone in the U.S goes about their day With television and movies, cultural barriers are becoming less prevalent Being able to communicate effectively and frequently with colleagues or friends across the planet helps people understand each other’s cultures a little better ● Example: a, Mcdonalds Thanks to globalization process, McDonalds has brought about the culture of fast food consumption and standardization of food and drink choices that it hardly makes a difference if customers visited their outlets in many other parts of the world In many years ago, Vietnamese people were accustomed to traditional dishes like rice and noodle It was difficult to find someone enjoying fried chicken or delicious hamburger But now, https://theintactone.com/2019/02/11/bc-u2-topic-2-impact-of-globalization-on-organizational-and-multiculturalcommunication/ [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] McDonalds have become popular and exist in every street in Vietnam Globalization makes people's tastes change and Western dishes are more familiar to us McDonalds has become a favorite food of many Vietnamese dwellers today b, Google Today many companies began administering annual employee-satisfaction surveys to improve human resource management A large of amount firms deal with most feedback tools A survey by Impact Achievement Group and HRmarketer discovered 48 percent of all respondents did not believe employee surveys provide an honest and accurate assessment, compared to 31 percent who thought surveys painted a true picture Some argue that employees are more apt to answer survey questions positively creating a sense that everything seems fine (at least on the surface) Employees who give falsely high marks might fear retaliation or feel a general disinterest toward a survey that takes time out of their busy work day2 But Google is totally different Google has used people analytics to improve the workplace across a number of studies In Project Aristotle, Google sought the perfect formula for creating effective teams Leaders looked at each team's performance metrics and then at perceptions of effectiveness itself People analytics acknowledges that abstract terms means different things to different people Through Project Aristotle, Google learned that executives equated effectiveness with productivity For employees, team culture was the most important measure of effectiveness Meanwhile, team leaders ranked ownership, vision and goals as the most important influences It can be seen that Google has taken advantage of modern management tools such as People Analytics in international human resource management in order to build effective working teams PART 2: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS Analyze the advantages and problems associated with managing a diverse and multicultural workforce a, Advantages: ● Employees from diverse backgrounds imbue organizations with creative new ideas and perspectives People from different cultures see the world in different ways They're raised to have different priorities, different beliefs in what's possible and appropriate, and they learn different methods of getting the job done They often are able to create a greater number of unique solutions and recommendations That's a big advantage when a international manager need some out-of-the-box thinking for the latest project https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284550 [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] ● A diverse workplace will help organizations better understand target demographics and what moves them A multicultural workforce can help their company expand into geographic and demographic areas that might otherwise be unfamiliar to your firm Workers from other cultures, for instance, have an intimate knowledge of the foods people enjoy, the music they listen to, even the styles and colors of clothing they find most acceptable ● Employers have more chances to cross-train workers and teams Diversity in the workplace creates teams where each person brings a unique strength to work every day Individuals can specialize in their career, which means their skills and wisdom can be passed along to other team members Everyone gets to learn and grow each day because there are higher levels of information exposure thanks to the varying backgrounds and educational opportunities each person accomplished This advantage also has a secondary benefit that involves cultural awareness When we can understand the complexities of other ethnicities and perspectives, then it becomes easier to find common ground This process eventually leads to a higher level of innovation and fewer silos and echo chambers ● Prevent group thinking When groupthink occurs, group participants come to believe that their ideas and actions are correct and that those who disagree with them are either uninformed or deliberately trying to sabotage their efforts Multicultural diverse groups often are able to avoid this problem, because the members not think similarly or feel pressure to conform ● Enhance relationship with customers It is commonly held that anyone will have insight into and connect better with others of the same nationality or cultural background, resulting in more quickly building trust and understanding of one another’s preferences Therefore, if the customer base is composed of many cultures, it may benefit the company to have representatives from corresponding nationalities b, Disadvantages Controversy in decision making because of many ideas Diversity in the workplace can create too many opinions Alder (2003) stated that overgeneralization and ethnocentrism is the cause of many culturally specific disadvantages Different perspectives create unique opinions and approaches to life that can create severe disagreements in the workplace So that it is very hard to make all consensus from team members, which leads to conflicts and arguments in making the final decision ● Different Styles of Collaborations [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] Reaping the benefits of multiculturalism takes a conscious effort, though Different cultures have very different styles of collaboration Many Asian and Central American cultures place a high value on developing a team consensus before moving forward U.S culture puts a greater emphasis on individual thought and action ● Organizational Culture Obstacles While global companies can certainly have a positive culture, building shared values becomes much more challenging with a workforce spread across multiple countries People's backgrounds often influence their values The U.S tends to have a strong time orientation, but Latin cultures often promote relationships and flexibility over time orientation Such differences can create conflicts among workers and make it difficult for human resources to implement effective culture-building systems ● Communication problems People from different cultures may not speak the same language as their primary communication option Hiring people from different areas can provide unique perspectives, but it can also cause issues with how co-workers speak with one another Even when the same language is spoken, there can be differences in the meaning of certain words or jargon understanding problems that can create confusion in the workplace What is P&G doing to develop and support a diverse workplace? a, P&G highly appreciates diversification ● Every year, this company proudly celebrate the rich cultures of our world during Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Pride Week, Many of their brands are advancing diversity and inclusion perspectives through accurate and positive portrayals in everyday advertising, and through calling attention to issues like racial inequality and LGBT + bias ● Stepping Up for Equality, Justice and Action: P&G’s brands are ongoing efforts to advance equality for all people, and especially, right now, for Black Americans who face racism, bias and brutality They have used their voice as a leading advertiser to shine a light on inequality, highlight bias, and spark dialogue that leads to understanding and action b, Develop diversity & inclusion in the workplace ● Global diversity & inclusion awards celebration: For the 6th year running, P&G recognized the outstanding work of P&G employees around the world who have progressed diversity and inclusion initiatives through innovation, value creation, and inspirational leadership ● Supporting flexible work and paid leave: P&G’s robust health care benefits, Flex@Work program, paid sick leave and paid parental leave provide flexibility [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] and resources to support employees through various life circumstances, from becoming a parent to taking care of elderly parents, managing unexpected illness, or working remotely ● Teaming up to drive diversity & inclusion: They joined 400 other companies through the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion and more than 50 global leaders through the Catalyst CEO Champions for Change to advance the conversations in our organization ● Recruiting and advancing diverse talent: They’re committed to attracting, hiring, advancing and retaining a diverse workforce, and they’re investing in unique programs to better understand bias and micro-aggressions, develop their diverse people and ensure every employee has a great manager ● Global supplier diversity: For more than 40 years, their Supplier Diversity program has been awarding contracts to women- and minority-owned businesses—including military vets, people with disabilities, and LGBT owners When their Supply Network reflects the diversity of their consumers, employees, and stakeholders, their community thrives c, P&G corporates with affinity groups all over the world: + Global Corporate Women’s Leadership Team (CWLT) + Gay, Ally, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender Employees (GABLE) + People with Disabilities (PWD) + African American Leadership Network … PART COURSE REFLECTION ● What did you learn from the course? I have learned a lot from the "Multicultural and Transnational Management" course but I was most impressed with chapters: Motivation across cultures and Leadership across cultures This is the first time I've learned the nature of motivation (internal and external) How to identify needs and how to motivate others to achieve goals for my organization About leadership concept, I am interested in the Leadership foundation, leadership behaviors and styles This course made me reflex myself because I have been working as a leader in my club When I coordinated projects, I didn’t have a chance to access this management theory But when I got to the content framework, I found it codified everything I did To be honest, If I’d never been a leader, I probably felt this course very cliché But now, I believe that the course is an opportunity for me to enhance the leadership skill In hindsight, I still didn't perform well in many aspects, sometimes I didn't even know how to solve my organization's problems This course is very helpful for me [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] In addition, this course provides a lot of valuable academic vocabulary Our class is also an environment for me to improve English Speaking so I am very excited about every lesson ● How you intend to apply this knowledge in the future? I love working in a multicultural environment so that the content in this course provide valuable knowledge, which is base-on for me to apply for the next programs and competitions such as Nielsen Case Competition or Management Trainee at MNCs I intend to work in a foreign company The knowledge surrounding leadership ability, negotiation and organizational management, are powerful tools to support me in pursuing the upcoming plans In the short term, I plan to take the IELTS exam and continue to improve leadership and problem-solving skills ● How did your group organize group assignment? First, our entire members join the group meeting and agree on common working rules Next, we chose a leader Team leader is selected according to criteria: volunteering and ability of the individual Because we have so many assignments in this course and there are many chances to presentation, on each lesson has just main presenters (Our group have members) ● How did you divide up tasks? We define the structure of each task including sections: Reading comprehension and searching content, making slides, summarizing and presentations After accepting duties from lecturers, we will meet online on MS Teams and press ideas to contribute to the outline Since the content is the most important part, all members must participate in the content search process Others such as making slides or presentation will be rotated between members to ensure fairness For example, today lesson I and Ha synthesize slides and presentations, the next session will be Hung and Mai The leader is the person who divides sections for people to research If the member wants to change the task, he/she should notify the leader to re-arrange Deadline completes the entire presentation set out 2-3 days before the official presentation During the mission, if someone have any questions, we will discuss via Messenger and MS Teams We work with the spirit of proactively completing our missions and helping each other in need ● How did you interact with your group colleagues? I interact with others members via Messenger and MS Teams Video call is set on Teams while text is on Messenger During the process of work, if I face any problem, I can contact the leader and propose an online meeting to call for help ● Did you work cohesively? Of course I always follow the group's deadline, submit assignments on time and check messages from everyone, participate in full online meetings In preparing for the final [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] presentation, Mai couldn't look up Samsung’s new markets Although this is not my mission, I was still support Mai to complete our assignment ● How did you rate your performance, particularly in comparison with your group members? I evaluate performance through the following criteria: ➢ Time I finished ➢ Is my assignment consistent with the theoretical framework in the curriculum? ➢ How the other members rate my work? ➢ Lecturers commented on my content To compare me with other members of the group depends on the overall rating of everyone We edit each other's slides before adding content to the template If there is any problem with the content, we try to fix it All members are evaluated by the whole team, so we think we decided our performance precisely ● What did you learn from learning online? MS Teams is a very good online working platform and it is much better than Zoom, Hangouts, Skype, I often have to work online so after this course, I’ve learned lots of tools to prepare for the professional meeting from MSc Mai, who is very good at MS Teams administration She knew how to create the new channel, survey forms, arrange document files, etc ● Do you have any recommendation to the lecturer? If yes, please specify ➔ Presentation time for each group should be not more than 15 minutes and need to be strictly tracked ➔ Lecturer should provide more case study as a private assignment, to parallel with teamwork assignments ➔ I wish you would organize more meeting or webinar with famous speakers 10 [CAO THI QUE – 17050638] REFERENCES Hesse, A., 2018 Digitalization and Leadership – How Experienced Leaders Interpret Daily Realities 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Lal, P., 2015 Transforming HR in the digital era: Workforce analytics can move people specialists to the center of decision-making Human Resource Management International Digest, 23(3), pp 1-4 Adler, N., 2003 International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior Men, L, R., & Tsai, W, S., 2014 Perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes of organization-public engagement on corporate social networking sites Journal of Public Relations Research, pp 417-435 Adler, N., 2003 International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior Theintactone, Impact of Globalization on Organizational and Multicultural Communication [Online] Available at: https://theintactone.com/2019/02/11/bc-u2-topic-2-impact-ofglobalization-on-organizational-and-multicultural-communication/ Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, How Google Uses People Analytics to Create a Great Workplace [Online] Available at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284550 [Accessed 30 2020] Peoplescout, Managing diversity in the workplace [Online] Available at: https://www.peoplescout.com/insights/managing-diversity-inworkplace/ [Accessed 30 2020] Future of Working, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in the Workplace [Online] Available at: https://futureofworking.com/11-advantages-and-disadvantagesof-diversity-in-the-workplace/ [Accessed 30 2020] 11