Cross-Cultural Management in Uganda's Dam Project

This assignment analyzes the cross-cultural management strategies employed by HG Uganda in their hydroelectric dam project. The case focuses on Martin's actions, which include nepotism, bribing local officials, and engaging in tribal rituals to appease spirits. The analysis explores the ethical implications of these actions while considering their effectiveness in achieving project goals.

Uganda case study

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main body...................................................................................................................................1
Podcast........................................................................................................................................1
Reflection....................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Cross cultural management is very crucial and effective for the company and is required
to be taken in effective consideration that will help in handling the business operations that will
help in meeting the operational capacity of the organisation (Tjosvold, 2017). It lays a very deep
and crucial impact on the overall functional capacity of a business firm that is operational in
Uganda. The report will involve the scripted podcast on the various issues that are been faced by
the Hydrogenertation (HG) in Uganda. Other than this, it will cover the reflective account, in
support of the various podcasts that are been discussed above with the issues and solutions
identified in the podcast.
Main body
Podcast
Problem: Nepotism
Category 1: Organisational culture: Nepotism plays a very significant and crucial part on the
overall operations of the organisation that will lay a very deep impact on the operations of the
organisation. HydroGeneration will look after the appointing of Charles Martin on the project
phase of the dam project in Uganda. This indicates the presence of the nepotism in the
organisation. There may be many other managers, more efficient than Charles but the vice
president, James Green. But, the high efficiency of Martin to finish the assigned project on the
stipulated time frame and given budget showcase his effective management skills, which makes
him ideal for getting appointed as the leader of the team working on the dam project. His skill set
and ability to adopt the local culture and Ugandan ways of working make him ideal choice. This
will involve the Deal and Kennedy Model which will help the firm to develop a better share of
ideas about risk assessment and giving appropriate feedback.
Category 2: Leadership: The major reason being choosing him is that Martin has completed its
projects in preliminary phase and that too with high satisfaction level. He has effectively
managed it in stipulated time frame and in given budget, making him eligible to get selected for
project (Berry, 2015.). Other than this, Mr. Green has seen that martin can perform all the task
like establishing the office, hiring the work force, getting the items cleared through the customs,
keeping a check on dam sight and maintaining the operational principles, philosophy and values
of the organisation. Besides this he will also look after the functioning of keeping of records. He
will use the behavioural approach of leadership at HG Uganda. This approach will help him to
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have a better idea about the functions he needs to perform and the better behaviour with his
subordinate will help him to have a better relationship and understanding with each other.
Category 3: Motivation and HRM: Martin will look after the better handling of the work force
consisting of foreigner engineers and local workers. Besides this, he will help the site engineers
to get settled and comfortable with local lifestyle. He will motivate the work force to complete
the work in the stipulated time to gain higher productivity and have a better share of the
operations that will help in better handling of the different operations in a better way (Berry,
2015.). Besides this, Martin will look after the interviewing, selection, training and managing of
the workers or the human resource that is been owned by the organisation. He will also maintain
the cross cultural ethics. The organisation will work with multicultural team.
Problem: Corruption
Category 1: National culture: The corruption can lay a significant impact on the overall
operations of the company in a country. Thus, martin will see through the effective handling of
the different functions of HG Uganda and its dam project (Bird and Mendenhall, 2016.). Other
than this, he will look after the maintaining of the ethical practices that are been taken in
consideration by the organisation. Although, the nation is highly corrupted, he will not let his
organisation to get affected by the national culture to get affected by it. The Schein's layer's of
culture will help in better growth and development of the organisational structure that will help
in better handling of the different operations and handle the business operations of HG Uganda
in a very effective way.
Category 2: Communication and Negotiation: Martin will look after the better hand;ling of
the different business operations that will help the HG Uganda to have a problem free work
environment. Martin will use the intercultural and cross cultural practices that will help in better
management of various functionalities. The effective intercultural and cross cultural theory
communication and negotiation process with the foreigner's, local authorities, tribal communities
and the custom department, will help to carry out the business operations of the organisation.
Category 2: Diversity: the diversity plays a very crucial part and will help the firm to handle the
business operations in a better way. As Uganda is one of the densely diversified country with
various religions, cultural groups and tribal communities live together (French, 2015.). Thus,
Martin has to effective impact on the different operations of the organisation. As per the Cox
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model, HG Uganda has a pluralism and multicultural model or structure and helps in effective
management of the different business operations taken by the organisation.
Category 3: Ethics and CSR: Martin will look after the practising of the ethical and elaborative
work ethics and principles that are been set by the organisation. This will help it to have a better
idea about the different operations and will motivate the work force and other employees to work
in a better and ethical manner As per the Friedman theory, the company's and the corporation
have to maintain their ethics that will help in better handling of the different operations that will
lay an impact on the operations of the HG Uganda. Also, the firm will see through the CSR
process (Bird and Mendenhall, 2016.). The location of dam is highly susceptible to floodings due
to dam, the firm has to follow the ethical measure of providing the effective compensation and
other rehabilitation facilities to the local tribes. The HG Uganda will work through the Adams
equity theory that will help in maintaining the wellness and equality of the organisation and help
in motivating the human resource of the organisation in a better and sustainable manner.
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Reflection
From the above analysis, it can be sad that James Green is not wrong in choosing the
Charles Martin as the in charge of the dam project in Uganda. His traits and characteristics to get
the work done effectively in the organisation and the project will help in the better handling of
the wide variety of operations that will help in better handling of the different operations that will
help in better gaining of the wide range of operational advantages over the functioning of the
HG's dam project in Uganda. As the location of the Dam is geographically strategic and is
required to be taken in effective thought process by the management of the firm before initiating
the project. I have found that the political conditions are uncertain and are highly corrupted. But
the major advantage for the organisation is that the local government has not regulated or
restricted the foreign investors and business firms to establish their firms in Uganda. On the
contradictory fact, the Ugandan government has strongly supported the dam and hydroelectric
power project. This can prove as the major advantage for the business organisation. Other than
this, I also learned that Martin will play a very deep and significant role in the operations that
will help in the better establishing and execution of the dam project by HG. He possesses the
appropriate attributes and traits that will help him to have a better share of the functionalities and
manage them in a better way. Besides this, he will use the various leadership models and theories
like behavioural theory and traits that will help him build a better relationship with its local as
well as foreign employee's and colleagues. It will also facilitate the better handling of the
operational capacity of the organisation and will support the effective handling of the different
operations that will help him to meet the operational capacity of the organisation. Besides this,
he will use the Deal and Kennedy model to maintain the effective organisational structure of HG
Uganda. It will help in effective flow of instructions and the better, leading from front leadership
style of Martin will help the firm to have a better share of the different operational functions that
will improve the overall functionality of the organisation (Thuita, 2015).
Besides this, the maintaining and following of the cross cultural policies and philosophies
at the work place will help in effective handling of the different operations that will help in
meeting the operational capacity of the organisation and handle it in a better way. Other than this
it will help in meeting the operational and personal requirements of the workers at the work
place. The Martin will also look through the better negotiation process with the local people and
authority in order to prevent the serious losses from the subsequent flooding due to the
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construction of dam. He will also try to eradicate and avoid any sort of differences and conflicts
between the foreign engineers and the local workers, in order to effectively execute the business
operations that will help the firm to gain an efficiency and finish off the project work in the
stipulated time range. I found that Green admits the fact of Martin being isolated and on certain
occasion becoming of no use to its co workers, but his skill sets and tendency to get the work
done will help the firm to have a better share of the profit margin, that will help the firm to get
the work done in better way. I feel that Martin has to get socialized with its colleagues to some
extent as the foreign engineers and workers will be moving with their family till the completion
period of the dam project. Thus, in this case, martin should be of the help to them for getting
settle down in alien location. As the business environment of the Uganda has increased to a great
extent, so does the corruption rate too (Thomas and Peterson, 2017). In this case, Martin can
provide the better handling of the different operations that will help in effective handling of the
different operations or functionalities. He will look after the adoption of nepotism to some extent
by appointing a relative of a local governmental officer or custom in charge in the HG Uganda to
get the clearances or providing better gifts and helps to the officers to get the permits and other
help in the dam project.
Besides this, Martin has to look after the cultural beliefs and practices of the local tribes,
residing at the location of project. As one of the leader of tribe consider the place as the home of
their sacred spirit. In order to get the dam build, he has to perform sacrificial rituals to get the
spirit appeased and get the dam build. Although Green consider it as a shameful act that can not
only impact the social structure of the Company in Uganda but also the brand image of the
company. Although, I believe that whatever Martin has done, is for the benefit of the project.
The authority must see through the fact that all the measures that are been taken by the Martin
including the Nepotism, bribing the local official and being a part of the tribal rituals to get the
permission and consent of the local tribal people to develop the hydroelectric power project and
dam at the cited location. Thus, the authority of the business firm should look after the fact that
he has fulfilled the tasks to get the project done in a very effective and professional manner.
Besides this, his efforts to maintain the cross cultural management will help HG Uganda to get a
better operational opportunities to perform their business functions in the future.
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CONCLUSION
Thus, it can be said from the report that the better handling of the cross cultural
management is very necessary for the organisation like HG to get its work done. Various issues
and their effective solution is been identified by the firm to get the dam project executed without
any glitch or restriction.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Berry, J.W., 2015. Global psychology: implications for cross-cultural research and
management. Cross Cultural Management. 22(3). pp.342-355.
Bird, A. and Mendenhall, M.E., 2016. From cross-cultural management to global leadership:
Evolution and adaptation. Journal of World Business. 51(1). pp.115-126.
French, R., 2015. Cross-cultural management in work organisations. Kogan Page Publishers.
Stahl, G.K., Miska, C., Lee, H.J. and De Luque, M.S., 2017. The upside of cultural differences:
Towards a more balanced treatment of culture in cross-cultural management
research. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management. 24(1). pp.2-12.
Thomas, D.C. and Peterson, M.F., 2017. Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage
Publications.
Thuita, Z., 2015. Cross Cultural Management.
Tjosvold, D., 2017. Cross-cultural management: foundations and future. Routledge.
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