The business world today continues to become more globalized, and most managers

Question

The business world today continues to become more globalized, and most managers will find themselves working with at least one team member from a different culture and/or in an environment with generational differences. What are the factors a manager must consider when attempting to lead a team that includes members from other cultures/generations? Why is it important to ensure differences are appropriately handled? Any examples of a misunderstanding you witnessed that was due to these differences.

Explanation / Answer

Like all other professions the business world is also undergoing drastic change. With the new strategy of globalization being the goal of any business enterprise, changes are seen with in the organization and outside. While expanding the territories of the business the company will be forced to hire the native of the region so that the company would have a global face and would be accepted in the market. In the due process the employees of the company may be of different culture and nationality. This diversity in the work place makes the company to acheive the strategic goals much easier. But handling the people from different cultures and putting them in one place would be a tedious job for a manager. The same message may be communicated differently to the people hailing from different cultures, this if not dealt properly would end up in loss of team work and eventually not attaining the goal of the company. Some of the cases can be discussed as follows. The western culture doesnot demand to be very polite by bowing or by giving respect in the workplace. They consider the collegues as equal. This is not the case with the Asian culture, they seldom raise voice against the superiors and are more keen in taking orders rather than discussing issues. The managers have to be careful while handling sensitive issues as how to communicate to them. In western culture one has to be straight forward and demand for what he thinks, he deserves. If he thinks he is ready for a promotion he should ask for it. It is not in the case of other culture where they keep waiting until the manager himself promotes them. If the manager is from a western culture he should know the nature of the employees and handle accordingly as some people would keep on waiting for their promotion and would leave the company if the promotion is delayed.

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