Cross-Cultural Challenges and Solutions: A Detailed Report

This report delves into the critical importance of cross-cultural communication in today's interconnected world, emphasizing its significance for both individual and organizational success. It begins by highlighting the challenges that arise when managing diverse teams, such as misunderstandings that can affect work quality. The report analyzes cultural differences using Hofstede's dimensions, comparing hierarchical versus egalitarian structures, individualistic versus collectivist cultures, masculine versus feminine societies, and cautious versus risk-taking approaches. It provides examples from various countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Denmark, the US, Netherlands, Korea, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Singapore, and Jamaica. Furthermore, the report explores different learning styles like Activists, Reflectors, Theorists, and Pragmatists, emphasizing the importance of understanding these styles for effective cross-cultural adjustment. The conclusion summarizes the diverse cultural norms and offers insights into how individuals can navigate these differences to foster effective communication and collaboration. The report also includes relevant references for further study.

WORKING ACROSS
CULTURE

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Cross-cultural communication is arguably more important today than in any other period of
human history. In order to work across culture individual as well as employee needs to have an
effective communication skill so that greater bond can be built and solutions to problems can be
efficiently analysed. This will also help an individual to achieve its personal as well as
professional goals and objectives. Present report will investigate upon an intercultural
communication problem. It will also reflect upon my ideas based on the issue faced by various
organizations and enterprises. Assignment will also emphasise upon various types of reflective
practices.
MAIN BODY
Organization who are engaged in promoting cultural diversity can face various problems in
handling and managing people from diverse culture, like for example several type of miss-
understanding can exist between employees. This can reduce quality of work which has been
done by them. In order to overcome this, I have analysed that understanding differences in
culture can assist organization in overcoming the intercultural communication problem faced by
them. Various comparison has been done by Hofstede, by their own culture and with culture of
others.
Hierarchical or egalitarian: From the article I have analysed that in some of the cultures
like Malaysian and Indonesian, hierarchical structure is followed. There is a difference in
between wealth of individuals (Malik and Mandin, 2018). In this culture, I came to know about
that employees each other’s cultural aspects but does not take initiatives to complete work by
themselves. They also have a formal relationship with manager. On the other hand, I realised that
different cultures like Australia and Denmark are more easily adjustable. In this culture managers
tend to communicate with employees, they socialise more with their workers which also
increases employee engagement.
Individualistic or collectivist: Individualistic culture that involves US and Netherlands, I
realised that most of the people over there think that rights of individuals and freedom of speech
are of utmost importance (Klein and et.al., 2019). In this type of culture, employees give more
importance to personal goals. They tend to achieve it in shorter duration of time. In this culture
personal goals are being encouraged. In collectivist culture which is being followed by Korea

and Colombia, the self centred approach is being discouraged. In this culture family has huge
impact on life of people and they tend to consider it of utmost importance than business. I also
gained knowledge that in this culture praise is given to whole team instead of individual
employee.
Masculine or Feminine: I realised that in masculine societies such as Brazil and Mexico,
male employees prepare the power structure. They tend to understand the expectations of their
managers and try to fulfil it. In order to stay motivated male workers also take short break from
work, so that quality of their work increases. I have also analysed that in feminine societies like
Sweden and Finland women employees focuses more on their personal life and relationships. In
this type of power structure, barriers are being resolved through negotiating with managers. They
follow a tendency where their main objective is work to live. I came to know that in this type of
work culture female employees has adopted flexible working hours’ system. They tend to take
longer holidays so that they can live up to fullest (Lu, Huang. and Bond, 2016).
Cautious or Risk Taking: Some of the cultures like Greece and Portugal are really cautious.
I analysed that in this type of culture religious feelings are of significant importance, employees
in this culture do not make use of new ideas and innovation is resisted among them. On the
workplace employees are being engaged in following strict rules and regulations. No flexibility
existed in this type of work culture. I also analysed other cultures like Singapore and Jamaica. In
this type of culture employees are motivated to take risk and bring innovative and creative
products and service sin market. They have less rigid rules and regulations and are more open to
change.
There are various types of learning styles and individuals need to have knowledge about all
styles so that they can easily adjust in organization who have employees from diverse culture:
Activists: I came to gain knowledge about them, these people are ready to gain new
experiences. Activists are open minded individuals who are enthusiastic to do something new
and creative (Steers and Sánchez‐Runde, 2017). All they do is handling issues by brainstorming
ideas and concepts. They tend to explore more opportunities, so that they can gain more
experiences.
Reflectors: They are those people who analyse situation and observe them from different
perspectives. I realised that reflectors are most thoughtful people, they are highly engaged in

doing discussion about problems which is being faced by them. They come up with most
innovative and creative solutions.
Theorists: These are the people who tend to be perfectionist. I realised that these individuals
are promptly involved in asking questions and observe actions of people. They enjoy observing
other people, by this they also gain experience which are beneficial for them in future.
Pragmatists: I have analysed that these are those people who always come up with new
ideas and thoughts. They like to take practical decision and come up with innovative solutions to
problems.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that different culture has varied norms.
Culture which has been followed by USA supports individual goals and objectives while in
Korea employees lay more emphasis on their family rather than there aims. Study has also
reflected upon culture of Greece and Portugal. In this they have rigid rules and regulations, and
new ideas are not being supported by companies. On the other hand, Singapore and Jamaica have
flexibility in firm, employers in this culture motivate workers to bring out more creative and
innovative products and services. Assignment has also explained about how individual needs to
have knowledge about all these cultural aspects so that conflict can be avoided.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Lu, Q., Huang, X. and Bond, M.H., 2016. Culture and the working life: Predicting the relative
centrality of work across life domains for employed persons. Journal of Cross-Cultural
Psychology.47(2). pp.277-293.
Klein, H.A. and et.al., 2019. Trust across culture and context. Journal of Cognitive Engineering
and Decision Making.13(1). pp.10-29.
Steers, R.M. and Sánchez‐Runde, C.J., 2017. Culture, motivation, and work behavior. The
Blackwell Handbook of Cross
‐Cultural Management.pp.190-216.
Malik, R. and Mandin, P., 2018. Engaging within and across culture. In Culture and Reflexivity in
Systemic Psychotherapy (pp. 201-221). Routledge.

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