Cross-Cultural Management Podcast Assignment: HG Case Study Analysis

This assignment presents a podcast analysis of a cross-cultural management case study involving Hydro Generation (HG), a US-based organization undertaking a dam project in Tanzania, Africa. The podcast identifies two key issues: local tribal rituals and a high employee turnover rate. It explores the impact of national culture, referencing Hofstede's cultural dimensions, and how it influences organizational structure and employee satisfaction. The assignment also examines the importance of human resource management (HRM) and motivation in retaining employees. Recommendations include restructuring the organization to align with local norms, establishing a dedicated HR department, and appointing a local communication manager. The analysis provides a reflection on the learning experience, highlighting the importance of considering cultural factors in international projects. The assignment also provides the references used.

CROSS CULTURAL
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PODCAST.......................................................................................................................................2
Overview......................................................................................................................................2
National Culture...........................................................................................................................2
Organizational Structure..............................................................................................................2
Motivation and HRM...................................................................................................................3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................3
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................4
REFELCTION.................................................................................................................................4
REREFENCES................................................................................................................................6
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PODCAST
Overview
Cross culture management is a study of management within cross culture context
(Beugelsdijk, Kostova and Roth, 2017). This case study is about Hydro Generation (HG) US
based organization who are building a major dam in Tanzania Africa. There are facing various
kinds of issues that are being faced by the organization. These issues are not only working as a
barrier for the organization in completion of the project but these issues are also affecting image
of HG at international level. There are two most important issues that are required to be focused
on by Hydro Generation, these issues are: Local tribal ritual and High turnover rate.
National Culture
National culture is one of the most important factors which is required to be focused on by
organizations as it can affect overall operability of an organization within that country (Semrau,
Ambos and Kraus, 2016). Nation culture helps in influencing organizational culture as well. If an
organization does not focus on national culture then it can impact their stability within that
country. HG was facing high turnover rate among their local employees. However, there were
various reasons because of which they were facing those issue and one of the issues was
misunderstanding nation culture. They had to follow a local ritual in order to convince and gain
support of local villagers but conduction of this rial was affecting overall image of the
organization because of which they were being criticized a lot. This was affecting their overall
organizational culture as well. This issue can be explained with the help of Hofstede’s cultural
dimension theory (Lee, Shiue and Chen, 2016). As per this theory there were six dimensions that
helps in explaining overall culture of a nation and way in which cross culture communication
take place. If this problem is being compared with this theory uncertainty avoidance of the
country is moderate i.e. people of that country feel threatened by unknown situations and try to
avoid those situations. Because of which organization was asked to appeased the sprits for
satisfaction of local villagers.
Organizational Structure
Organizational structure of an organization does impact employee satisfaction in many
different ways (Taras, Steel, and Kirkman, 2016). If organizational structure of an organization is
not appropriate then it can affect overall satisfaction level of the employees. HG was also facing
some kind of similar problem. Currently they had a Flat organizational structure because of
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which some of the local employees were not happy and complained that their organizational
structure was quite disorganized. Some of the employees even complained that no one seemed to
be in charge because of which they were not able to deal with the local employees. As a result,
they were facing high turn over rate among local employees. Not only local employees were not
satisfied with their organizational structure but their organizational terms were also general.
According to Hofstede cultural theory power distance index of Africa was also moderate i.e.
people of Africa were used to power hierarchy (Nazarian, tkinson, nd Foroudi, 2017). Due to
this difference in power hierarchy index, flat organizational structure was not accepted by the
local employees.
Motivation and HRM
Human resource management and motivation plays a vital role within an organization
and satisfaction of their employees (Jacquin-Berdal, Oros and Verweij, eds., 2016). This further
helps the organization to grow and achieve success. Lack of motivation and human resource
management was one of the biggest problems because of which HG was facing high turnover
issue. Terms of HG were quite generous as compared to local employers. HG was required to
focus on motivating their employees in order to increase their satisfaction level. Human resource
management plays a vital role in enhancing motivation and satisfaction level of employees. HR
managers have various kinds of practises that helps them to enhance their employee’s
satisfaction and motivational level. HRM also helps an organization to gain competitive
advantage, implementation of HRM in HG will not only help them to enhance their employee’s
motivation and satisfaction level but will also help in retaining the employees and reducing high
turnover rate of employees.
Recommendations
Here are few recommendations that can help HG to resolve their issues in a much better
manner. Some of the recommendations are as follows:
 First and the foremost recommendations that can help HG to resolve issues faced by them is
bringing change within their organizational structure (Jacquin-Berdal, Oros and Verweij,
eds., 2016). Currently their organizational structure is flat and as local people of Tanzania are
not used to this structure and cannot accept this structure. So instead of flat organizational
structure they can focus on a hierarchical structure which will help them to increase
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satisfaction of local employees. Hierarchical structure will help the organization to assign
someone who will be responsible and will be an in charge of all activities.
 They can also focus on developing a human resource management department. This HR
department will help the organization in enhancing their employees motivational and
satisfaction level. HR department can work on organizing various kinds of activities or
strategies which will help the organization reduce their turnover and retain employees such
as providing bonus, rewards, awards, recognition and many more.
 Appointing a local as communication manager who will focus on communicating with local
employees (Jacquin-Berdal, Oros and Verweij, eds., 2016). This will help them to resolve
their problems such as local tribal ritual problems as will help the organization to easily
displace 700 villagers by convincing them in an easy manner.
Conclusion
From the above assignment it has been summarized that there are various kinds of issues
that are being faced by an organization when they operate internationally. It is important for
organization to focus on those issues and main root cause of those issue so that they can analyse
main problem because of which various problems were arising. It has been analysed that
different nations have different culture that requires organizations to bring some changes within
their way of working, organizational structure and way in which they should address their
employees. It has also been analysed that there are various kinds of theories that can be used by
organizations to understand their main root cause issue which can further help them to resolve
any kind of problem which is being faced by them.
REFELCTION
The above podcast assignment helped me to understand that there are various kinds of
issues that are being faced by an organization when they work on projects internationally. There
are various factors that are required to be considered and worked on in order to complete the
projects without any issue or problems (Jacquin-Berdal, Oros and Verweij, eds., 2016). In this
assignment I have chosen Hofstede cultural theory in order to understand both the issues faced
by HG. This theory helped in understanding difference in Nation’s culture, ways in which
organizational structure can affect satisfaction of employees. This assignment also helped me in
understanding different ways in which such issues or problems can be resolved in a better
manner. There were various things within group that went well but there were some things that
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are required to be improved. First thing that went well within the group is understanding was that
each member of the group easily understood their main task and what were their roles and
responsibilities that they needed to fulfil in order to complete the task. However, there was one
thing that can be improved in future that is coordination. There was lack of coordination within
the group that can be improved in future.
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REREFENCES
Books and Journals
Beugelsdijk, S., Kostova, T. and Roth, K., 2017. An overview of Hofstede-inspired country-level
culture research in international business since 2006. Journal of International Business
Studies. 48(1). pp.30-47.
Jacquin-Berdal, D., Oros, A. and Verweij, M. eds., 2016. Culture in world politics. Springer.
Lee, J.C., Shiue, Y.C. and Chen, C.Y., 2016. Examining the impacts of organizational culture
and top management support of knowledge sharing on the success of software process
improvement. Computers in Human Behavior. 54. pp.462-474.
Nazarian, A., Atkinson, P. and Foroudi, P., 2017. Influence of national culture and balanced
organizational culture on the hotel industry’s performance. International Journal of
Hospitality Management. 63. pp.22-32.
Semrau, T., Ambos, T. and Kraus, S., 2016. Entrepreneurial orientation and SME performance
across societal cultures: An international study. Journal of Business Research. 69(5).
pp.1928-1932.
Taras, V., Steel, P. and Kirkman, B.L., 2016. Does country equate with culture? Beyond
geography in the search for cultural boundaries. Management International
Review. 56(4). pp.455-487.
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