BUSM4688 Cross-Cultural Management: A Personal Development Plan

This report reflects on personal intercultural effectiveness, identifying weaknesses in cross-cultural communication, particularly related to language nuances stemming from a Lao cultural background. The author applies concepts learned from a Cross-Cultural Management course, including cultural theories by Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck, Hofstede, and Trompenaars, to interpret these challenges. An action plan is proposed to enhance communication skills through cultural comparison, teamwork in diverse settings, and language classes, aiming to overcome communication barriers and foster effective cross-cultural interactions. This plan includes key activities for a 6-month period.

Cross-Cultural Management
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Introduction
Intercultural interaction is the most effective for performing various actions in the world
(Thomas, and Peterson, 2017). The major weakness in this sector that I face is the language and
the meaning of the word. This is the primary weakness that I face as a different culture have
different perception regarding a single word. I am unable to share my point of view or present
my thinking when am conversing with people from the different culture. My culture is Lao
which is having language pronunciation as well as vocabulary within the people of north and
south. The language of Lao has been borrowing from the Sanskrit as well as from the Pali in the
literature (Bird, and Mendenhall, 2016). This is the basic reason that I face a huge challenge for
communicating with the people of different culture. The weakness needs to be rectified for
performing an essential and valuable activity within the field. The paper provides the effective
reflection on the view of the cross-cultural management and also the way to maintain the
weakness of communicating with others. The paper also provides the effective action plan for
maintaining effective communication process in the cross-cultural management.
Reflection
The cross-cultural management course helps me to understand the various cultural activity within
the field. All these learning material from this course help me to develop my skill and provide a
suitable view of the cultural activity. My weakness is that I am unable to communicate
effectively with the cross-cultural people and in this, the course cross-cultural management
provides effective measures. In the course, the first activity is to get introduced to the cross-
cultural management then the second topic is to understand the nature of culture. There is
numerous culture in the world like mine is Lao and other people with other culture. Every culture
has different language and to understand the effective cultural theory (Tjosvold, 2017). Then
from this course, I have also learned about the cultural theory of Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck, then
Hofstede and Fons Trompenaar. The cultural theories provide effective knowledge on the cross-
cultural management (French, 2015).
Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck provides a view on human nature as well as the relationship to nature.
Hofstede provides an effective view of the power distance, then the individualism, masculinity or
the uncertainty avoidance of the culture. Then beyond the cultural framework, the effective view
is on the activity that is being performed by the cross-cultural management. One of the most
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essential and vital topic according to me for developing my weakness is to gather the knowledge
for working in the cultural diverse team. This course helps me to understand the effectiveness of
working in a team that is culturally diverse. This is the most effective and the suitable form of a
working function which allow developing valuable working function within the team. I have also
learned the effective usage of decision-making theory within the cross-cultural management to
provide the suitable view on communicating with the people from diverse culture. The course
also provides the effective knowledge of the communication process. In this, I have learned
about the effective communication through context, verbal as well as non-verbal way. The
process of cultural intelligence is also provided where self-evaluation along with the other
activities are effectively provided.
Interpretation
The weakness for communication in the cross-cultural management is due to various facts like
the personal issues, then the environmental issues or something related to the cross-cultural
management (Richter et al., 2016). The communication process is quite effective within the firm
and this provides a valuable working process to the staff members (Ramsey, and Lorenz, 2016).
Different theories also provide the view that the communication problem is the primary issue of
the people when they work in the cross-cultural team. I have this issue with me due to the facts
that my language skill is not effective and also due to my culture Lao which follows the
traditional language did not provide a suitable view on the facts. From the Hofstede theory, I can
effectively provide the view that this cultural system is quite effective for Lao. Hofstede theory
also provides the view that the communication weakness among the people is due to the working
culture and the various activity within the field. This process effectively helps me to learn about
the various actors in the field.
Working in the multicultural team became very suitable for me as this helps me to develop my
skill and my activity within the field. With the help of this process in the course activity, I can
eventually overcome my weakness as this is creating a barrier for me to expand my view and my
working process within the field. The most effective and the suitable working function in the
field to perform their activity provides valuable knowledge (Tran, 2016). Then the
communication with the other people of different culture theory is the suitable way to maintain
the cross culture view of the people. Communicating with the different people help me to
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maintain my activity in the field and also provide effective knowledge. The cultural intelligence
is another essential part of the communication process that helps to understand the effective
value in the process (Gelfand, Aycan, Erez, and Leung, 2017). This course is quite effective in
the field that helps me to understand various working process within the firm and to develop the
suitable communication process. With the help of this course, I have effectively provided the
valuable communication process.
Action Plan
Key Activities
Month
1
Month
2
Month
3
Month
4
Month 5 Month
6
Comparing the different cultures 
Course for learning different
communication process

Work in the diverse cultural
team

Actively communicate with the
team members

Managing the cultural diversity 
Effective language class for the
multicultural team

The action plan is being provided for 6-month plan to improve the communication weakness that
I have in the cross-cultural management. This action plan is effective for improving my
weakness and my communication process within the field. This is the most effective way to
maintain my activity in the cross-cultural management process.
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References
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 organizations. Kogan Page Publishers.
Gelfand, M.J., Aycan, Z., Erez, M. and Leung, K., 2017. Cross-cultural industrial-organizational
psychology and organizational behavior: A hundred-year journey. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 102(3), p.514.
Ramsey, J.R., and Lorenz, M.P., 2016. Exploring the impact of cross-cultural management
education on cultural intelligence, student satisfaction, and commitment. Academy of
Management Learning & Education, 15(1), pp.79-99.
Richter, N.F., Hauff, S., Schlaegel, C., Gudergan, S., Ringle, C.M. and Gunkel, M., 2016. Using
cultural archetypes in cross-cultural management studies. Journal of International
Management, 22(1), pp.63-83.
Thomas, D.C. and Peterson, M.F., 2017. Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage
Publications.
Tjosvold, D., 2017. Cross-cultural management: foundations and future. Routledge.
Tran, B., 2016. Communication (intercultural and multicultural) at play for cross-cultural
management within multinational corporations (MNCs). In International Business: Concepts,
methodologies, tools, and applications (pp. 1781-1811). IGI Global.
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