Contemporary Management: Addressing Workplace Issues and Challenges

This report, addressing contemporary management issues and challenges, examines three key areas: technology and digitalization, diversity and inclusion, and globalization and multiculturalism, using BUPA as a case study. The report highlights technological challenges such as cyber security and the effective use of social media, proposing solutions like data security measures and employee training. It also discusses diversity issues, including cultural differences, age demographics, and gender-based salary discrimination, advocating for anti-discrimination and gender equality policies. Furthermore, the report explores the challenges of multiculturalism and communication barriers, suggesting strategies like adaptation, structural intervention, and management intervention to improve organizational effectiveness. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing these challenges to improve business performance and maintain a positive organizational image.

Running head: CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT
Contemporary Management: Issues and Challenges
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Topic 1: Technology and digitalization:..........................................................................................2
Topic 2: Diversity and Inclusion:....................................................................................................4
Topic 3: Globalization and multiculturalism:..................................................................................6
Reference List:.................................................................................................................................8

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Three major challenges that BUPA is facing in international business expansion are as
follows:
Topic 1: Technology and digitalization:
With the emergence of technology organization like BUPA is becoming technologically
and digitally advanced. With the help of automation technology the business experts are able to
maintain chronological database of the company. As a result, the managers are successfully able
to find out any database that helps immensely in evaluating business performances. However,
due to the lack of proper training and technological incompetency the business experts of BUPA
have to face challenges in implementing automation and digitalization at the workplace
(bupa.com 2018).
On the other hand, cyber security has become a major issue within business process of
BUPA. Due to the lack of implementing encryption method the business personalities are unable
to maintain confidentiality of data and information (Selwyn 2014). As a result, organizational
database are getting manipulated by unauthorized persons. In this kind of situation, the business
performance level is getting immensely hampered due to these kinds of challenges.
In addition, using social media platform as one of the most effective tools of promotional
method is a major challenge for BUPA. In social media platform the customers belonging to
international market are available (Gulati and Soni 2015). Business experts in communicating
with global consumers need to have multi-lingual competency and technological skill. However,
it is identified that business experts associated with BUPA are facing innumerable challenges in
utilizing social media vehicles properly for their promotional activities.

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After identifying the areas of challenges and business issues that the eminent
organizational personalities of BUPA have decided to find out the ways of overcome. In order to
avoid cyber security issue the experts should always focus on maintaining data security act
(Adjerid et al. 2015). With the implementing of encryption method the unauthorized persons
would be able to manipulate organizational data. As a result, there would not be any scope of
losing data confidentiality at the workplace. On the other hand, workplace digitalization is the
practice that can make the entire process of business systematic and least time consuming. In
order to avoid challenges regarding automation and digitalization the employees of BUPA are
given effective training for enhancing technological competency (Gulati and Soni 2015). As a
result, the employees would not have to face difficulties in handling sudden technological
barriers. On the other hand, they can easily operate advanced technology to make their delivery
of services faster.
On the other hand, in quest of overcoming challenges of using social media BUPA has
decided to provide a session on communication skills to their service providers. As a result,
employees with the help of their multilingual flexibility can give necessary and prompt responses
to their target audience (Selwyn 2014). Automatically, the communication between service
providers and service users would be very much effective and systematic. However, the major
issues highlighted in this part regarding digitalization and technology should be resolved as soon
as possible. Otherwise, the organizational experts would not be able to maintain systematic
workflow of business.

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Topic 2: Diversity and Inclusion:
As opined by Barak (2016) people who are associated with the business process of BUPA
are from different cultural backgrounds and psychological attitudes. People of diverse cultural,
racial and religious backgrounds have become an issue for the business organization. BUPA
provides effective healthcare services to the customers. While taking an effective decision
making the business managers of BUPA have to face innumerable challenges due to workplace
diversity. Employees’ psychological views and thoughts differ from one person to another. As a
result, business managers face difficulties in making participative decision (Guillaume et al.
2017). The flexible service method of the employees is immensely affected.
In addition, employees within the workplace of BUPA have to share equal values,
thoughts and beliefs. As psychology differs from one person to another they have to face
immense challenges in making a group conference successful (Saxena 2014). This kind of lack
of decision is reflecting on the performance level of employees as well. On the other hand,
ageing of population was a major issue in the healthcare centre like BUPA. After making an in-
depth survey analysis it is evaluated that 33% of the people belonging to 55-64 age group are
taking services from BUPA. As a result, young generation and children are getting deprived of
receiving effective services. In this kind of challenges the organization had to take effective
initiatives for making their service equal for every age group. Otherwise, it could have hampered
the reputation of brand image (Barak 2016). One more issue is highlighted within workplace of
BUPA is salary discrimination as per gender. The management is not maintaining gender
equality act at the workplace properly. Therefore, salary is getting discriminated highly between
male and female employees.

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In order to overcome the identified issues some of the major recommendations are there.
People from other racial backgrounds and psychological attitudes can be provided proper
training session for enhancing their communication skill. In addition, the service providers are
instructed to provide their concentration to the people of different age group. BUPA is not only
made for old aged persons (Gulati and Soni 2015). People belonging to other age group can
easily use the services of BUPA. In addition, the organization has strictly implemented two
significant regulations at their workplace. One is anti-discrimination act and the other is gender
equality act. With the help of an effective anti-discrimination act people belonging to various
cultural backgrounds and attitudes can get equal respect and dignity (Saxena 2014). On the other
hand, gender equality act implies that both male and female employees should get equal amount
of salary.
These initiatives taken by the business authority of BUPA are highly significant for
overcoming the challenges happened at the workplace. Business organizations need to give value
towards employees as per their competency and skills. Salary discrimination as per gender
background is not ethical (Barak 2016). In this kind of situation, organization needs to take an
effective initiative of maintaining gender equality at the workplace. Otherwise, it would reflect
on the organizational image and reputation. After overcoming the challenges BUPA can regain
their business image as well.
Topic 3: Globalization and multiculturalism:
Multiculturalism is the systematic process of dealing with the people from multicultural
backgrounds and attitudes (Youssef-Morgan and Hardy 2014). In order to be associated with the
business organization people belonging to various cultural backgrounds and attitudes have to

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face innumerable challenges in providing services. Communication is a major barrier among
multicultural people that BUPA is facing immensely (Harmening and Lunz 2015). Due to
different accent and dialect people fail to communicate effectively at the workplace. In this kind
of situation, employees failed to share their views and thoughts with each other. In addition, due
to multiculturalism people face challenges in taking any urgent decision for psychological
barriers (Rice and White 2015). It affects the rhythmic business flow of BUPA.
In this kind of situation, the business leaders of BUPA are receiving a constant threat
while delivering the services within proper time. Due to different behavioural approaches from
employees the business experts have to face challenges in maintaining effective organizational
culture and behaviour (Harmening and Lunz 2015). It is already pointed out that communication
is a major barrier among multicultural people that BUPA is facing immensely. In this kind of
situation, the business profitability is getting affected day by day.
In order to defend this kind of static situation, the business experts of BUPA have
implemented effective strategy and policy within the services. The strategies include adaptation,
structural intervention and management intervention. Adaption is the method of adapting crucial
situations (Youssef-Morgan and Hardy 2014). In quest of adapting different situations employees
of BUPA are provided effective training and guidance. It is undeniable that people of diverse
cultural, racial and religious backgrounds have become an issue for the business organization.
BUPA provides effective healthcare services to the customers. An effective training would help
the employees in adapting crucial business situations (Harmening and Lunz 2015). As a result,
employees while making proper decision regarding business success can exchange their views
and thoughts.

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Structural intervention is another method of overcoming multicultural barrier. If the
employees are not distributed information equally the entire process of business loses its
systematic method (Rice and White 2015). Team shuffling is one of the most effective ways of
structural intervention. Team should be constituted with senior and junior employees
(Harmening and Lunz 2015). As a result, juniors can get effective support and cooperation while
handling difficult situations. Management intervention implies that managers need to make
participative approach at the workplace of BUPA. With the help of an effective participative
form of decision making style people from multicultural attitudes can get assistance from the
leaders. As a result, they do not have to face challenges in providing effective services (Youssef-
Morgan and Hardy 2014). These specific strategies are highly effective in overcoming
multicultural barrier at the workplace. As a result, business experts of BUPA do not to face
difficulties in running their business market in various geographical backgrounds.

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Reference List:
Adjerid, I., Acquisti, A., Telang, R., Padman, R. and Adler-Milstein, J., 2015. The impact of
privacy regulation and technology incentives: The case of health information
exchanges. Management Science, 62(4), pp.1042-1063.
Barak, M.E.M., 2016. Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage
Publications.
Bupa.com, 2018. International Healthcare Group. Available from https://www.bupa.com/
Accessed on 2018.
Guillaume, Y.R., Dawson, J.F., Otaye‐Ebede, L., Woods, S.A. and West, M.A., 2017.
Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace
diversity?. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), pp.276-303.
Gulati, R. and Soni, T., 2015. Digitization: A strategic key to business. Journal of Advances in
Business management, 1(2), pp.60-67.
Harmening, D. and Lunz, M.E., 2015. Increasing diversity in the workplace: first-year results of
a 10-year prospective study. Laboratory Medicine, 27(1), pp.25-27.
Rice, M.F. and White, H.L., 2015. Embracing Workplace Diversity in Public
Organizations. Diversity and Public Administration: Theory, Issues, and Perspectives, p.298.
Saxena, A., 2014. Workforce diversity: A key to improve productivity. Procedia Economics and
Finance, 11, pp.76-85.

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Selwyn, N., 2014. Digital technology and the contemporary university: Degrees of digitization.
Routledge.
Youssef-Morgan, C.M. and Hardy, J., 2014. A positive approach to multiculturalism and
diversity management in the workplace. In Perspectives on the intersection of multiculturalism
and positive psychology (pp. 219-233). Springer, Dordrecht.