Cross-Cultural Management and Nepotism: A Reflective Report

This report presents a reflective analysis of a group project focused on cross-cultural management, specifically examining a case study related to a dam construction in Tanzania and the issue of nepotism. The student utilizes the Gibbs reflective cycle to evaluate their experience, detailing the stages of description, feelings, evaluation, conclusion, and action. The analysis covers the student's role in the group, the challenges encountered such as workplace conflicts, and the lessons learned regarding communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution. The report concludes with an action plan for future projects, emphasizing the importance of hierarchical communication and proactive strategies to mitigate potential issues. References to relevant literature are also included.

REFLECTION

Table of Contents
PART 2............................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Gibbs reflective Cycle......................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

PART 2
INTRODUCTION
Cross culture management mainly reflects influence of societal culture over management
practices (Adekola and Sergi, 2016). It also shows impact cultural and societal values on
individual within the company. In the first section, nepotism has been taken as the main issue of
the case study provided on construction of dam in Tanzania. The overall project associated to
this was performed in the group in order to complete it effectively within the provided time
frame. The overall experience related to this has been explained with the usage of Gibbs
reflective cycle.
Gibbs reflective Cycle
Gibbs reflective cycle was given by Sir Graham Gibbs in the year 1988. through this
cycle, the respected professor wants to show that individual can learn more effectively by
performing the work this can be also be seen as “Learning by Doing” (Markkanen and et. al.,
2020). It is an effective way through individuals can easily evaluate their own performance and
find out that how effectively they have performed the task or any kind of improvement is
required in the same. With reference to the present case, I had made use of this framework to
effectively evaluate my overall experience related to the same project which had been performed
by me in the group. Gibbs cycle is consist of 5 stages which are explained below along with my
own experience related to same.
Description: This is the first stage which provides clear explanation about what was
happened (Snowdon, 2018). I have worked for the podcast which was related with the provided
case study on Brett Jones in Tanzania. The overall work was performed in the group in which
each and every team member has been assigned with the specific work along with the provided
time frame. While working with the group members, my specific role was perform overall
research associated work that means I have to gather all information and further analyse them in
detailed manner for drawing valid outcome over the same. Along with this, it can be further said
that for executing my overall work effectively I have acquired several strategies for gathering
maximum information on the proposed topic and attain success over the same in effective
manner. Here, my main focus was to acquire information associated with nepotism so that I can
develop understanding over it and find out how it is being practised in Tanzania.

Feelings: This is acknowledged as the second stage of this reflective cycle which clearly
states that how individual was feeling at the time of performing particular work (Oham, Pestano
and Allen, 2016). This can be positive or negative, as it completely varies from person to person.
In context of my own experience related to the group task, it can be said that I was highly excited
in the starting time as I got opportunity to perform the work in group and develop my
understanding as well as learning with one another support. After accomplishment of the overall
project, I now feel that every activity conducted during the continuation of the work was
moderate as every thing which was planned was not performed in the same manner but it has
supported me and my team members to perform the same work in rightful manner.
Evaluation: It is the third stage of the overall project which provides description about
the situation from which individual has gone through. It also specifies what was good and bad
about the situation (Hilliard, James and Batt, 2017). Also, the overall experience related to
podcast work was in favourable condition as work among the team members has been divided
according to their strength. This has supported each and every individual to perform the work in
adequate manner. Also coordination among the team members was satisfactory which has
provided remarkable support in finding out favourable and risky factors associated with the
podcast. Also, it can be further said that each and every team member was communicated with
one another at constant basis. At one end the interaction was highly good and contributed in the
completion of the project in quicker manner but at another end this have also created lots of
issues as well. The issue experienced by me while completing this project was development of
disputes and conflicts at workplace. This have directly distracted concentration level of team
members as they were now engaged in non worthy activities.
Conclusions: It is fourth stage of reflective cycle which states overall outcome of the
project in effective manner (Von Solms and Nel, 2017). With reference to my experience
associated to the group project for podcast, I have realised that the overall experience associated
wit the same was good but it could be improved in more lucrative form, if will get opportunity
to the perform the same kind of work in the near future. From my experience I have realised that
I have faced issues associated with the conflicts and disputes. The main reason behind this was
difference in interest as well as perception of team members while performing work in the team.
Also, there was non effective leadership approach faced by us which have also created issues
among the group. From my overall experience, it can be said that if I will get opportunity to

indulge into similar kind of task in the near future then I will focus on ignoring past mistakes as
it has realised me lot of things. The overall experience related to the project has developed my
communication, time management, inter-personal skill, team working, dealing with conflicts and
disputes at workplace etc. From this, it can be said that the overall learning related to the project
will help me out in using these developed skills. Also, team working skill has realised that
equivalent contribution of whole team can easily contribute in accomplishing project goal in
quicker manner and also help in learning every day while working together.
According to my own learning I have realised that when I was working at individual
level, I was not able to attain project outcome but now when I have learned how to work in a
team I got more number of opportunity as I have good back up support from the team members.
Apart from this, it can be further said that for overcoming overall issues related to disputes and
conflicts among the team members, I have decided to use hierarchical form of communication in
the near future whenever I will get importunity to perform the same kind of work. This would be
used as the core strategy as it maintain communication gap among employees. Also, it will
provide structure the whole team that will directly contribute in the reduction of conflicts among
team members.
Action: This is the last stage which simply shows how adequately individuals can
acquire appropriate action plan so that they can effectively perform similar kind of activities in
the near future (Thomas and Peterson, 2016). With reference to my own case, I will make list of
all issues as well as problems that have been experienced by me at the time of completing the
project. In this list, I will also mention several strategies and guidelines that would be followed
by me before starting the new project associated with the podcast and script. It can also be said
that this action plan will help me out in ignoring the mistakes which have been faced by me in
the past. As a result, I will be able to complete while project effectively and accomplish its
outcome in the provided time frame.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Adekola, A. and Sergi, B.S., 2016. Global business management: A cross-cultural perspective.
Routledge.
Thomas, D.C. and Peterson, M.F., 2016. Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage
Publications.
Von Solms, S. and Nel, H., 2017, December. Reflective learning in engineering education: A
case study of shell ECO-marathon. In 2017 IEEE International Conference on
Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) (pp. 274-278). IEEE.
Hilliard, D., James, K. and Batt, A.M., 2017. An Introduction to Reflective Practice for
Paramedics and Student Paramedics.
Oham, C.A., Pestano, C. and Allen, J., 2016. Social enterprise and the wider community: one
possible model. International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 4(2),
pp.172-181.
Snowdon, K., 2018. Humour in reflective practice. Journal of Paramedic Practice, 10(4),
pp.144-146.
Markkanen, P., Välimäki, M., Anttila, M. and Kuuskorpi, M., 2020. A reflective cycle:
Understanding challenging situations in a school setting. Educational Research, pp.1-
17.