Managing Cultural Differences in International Teams: Nando's UK

This report investigates the impact of cultural differences on team performance within the fast-food industry in the United Kingdom, focusing on Nando's. It defines cultural differences and explores their effects on employee performance and organizational growth. The research identifies methods used by Nando's HR managers to manage these differences and suggests strategies to motivate employees from diverse backgrounds. The literature review examines existing research, including Hofstede's 6-D model, to understand cultural impacts on organizational growth. The research methodology employs an interpretivism philosophy with a qualitative approach, utilizing thematic analysis of data collected from primary and secondary sources to provide in-depth insights into managing cultural diversity within international teams.

HOW CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN
INTERNATIONAL TEAM AND PROJECTS
CAN BE MANAGED
The management of cultural differences in the

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the study................................................................................................................
Research aim and objective...........................................................................................................
Research questions.........................................................................................................................
Significance of the study................................................................................................................
Literature review............................................................................................................................
Research methodology...................................................................................................................
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................

Topic: To investigate the manner in which cultural differences can impact on team performance
in fast food industry of United Kingdom. A study on Nando.
Background of the study
Cultural differences can be defined as various belief, language, practice and expression of
different individual that are working in the organisation for accomplishment of desired goals. In
another words, different people have different culture, way of speaking and many more so it is
difficult for human resources manager to formulate a particular strategy that could be used to
handle international team and project.
Nando is South American multinational fast food chain that specialised in flames- grilled
peri and peri styles chicken. Furthermore, the company has been initially founded in 1987 in
Johannesburg having around 1200 outlets in more than 30 countries that are used to delivered
qualitative services to customers.
The purpose of research is to gather information related to the way Nando’s manage cultural
differences in the workplace
Research aim and objective
Aim
To analysis issues and methods that are used by organisations for managing staff from different
cultures in fast food industry of United Kingdom. A study on Nando`s .
Objectives
 To understand culture differences.
 To analysis the impact of culture differences on employee’s performance and growth of
organisation.
 To identify method that are used by human resource manager Nando`s to manage culture
differences for fruitful outcome.
 To suggest strategies that could be used by manager in context of culture differences to
motivate employees to work for benefits of organisation.
Research questions
 What is meant by culture differences?
 What is the impact of culture differences on employee’s performance and growth of
organisation?

 What are the method that are used by human resource manager Nando`s to manage
culture differences for fruitful outcome?
 What are recommendation related to strategies that could be used by manager in context
of culture differences to motivate employees to work ?
 Significance of the study
The study pertaining to “ the way Hr manager manage culture differences in the
company” is important to study as there are many multinational companies that have diverse
range of employees working in firm. They all have their culture, taste and preference so it results
in creating conflict between them, at the same time create hindrance in effective operation of
business in external environment. Furthermore, there is limited study pertaining to the culture
differences and the way it is managed by human resources so it will helps in extracting more
useful information (O'Keefe and et.al., 2021). HR manager will able to find strategies that could
be used by company to manage diverse people that belong to different culture for benefits of
organisation. Therefore, in short, the study will be useful for all companies, human resource
manager working in hospitality or any other sector to handle and manage culture differences for
international growth and expansion of firm.
Literature review
Literature review can be stated as search and evaluation of existing literature related to
the study in order to present useful information. In another words, it discuss about the published
information related to particular subject areas within certain time. For literature review, topic has
been narrow down, relevant literature has been searched and articles are being evaluated to
gathered necessary information.
From the view point of Lee and et.al., (2021), culture differences can be defined as
people living in nation or country have different culture I.,e belief, language and taste and
preference and many more. In society, there are various individual with different culture and
tradition, so it has resulted in creating conflict among them. Therefore, it pattern of behaviour,
thinking and belief of individual while living in society. Furthermore, author illustrate the
cultural differences within organisation results in creating barriers in effective completion of task
as employees conflict with each other related to various topics. So, human resource manager is
responsible for resolving culture differences in order to contribute in growth of enterprise in
external environment.

According to GEERT HOFSTEDE– 6 dimensions can be used to understand the way
culture impact on overall growth and development of organisation. It is the assisted by other that
include six basic issues that actually society need to face in term of culture. This model has been
expressed on the scale of 0-100 and each dimension has been derived with an motive comprising
many or all the countries across worldwide.
Such as power distance index is helps in understanding the extend of inequality and
power are tolerated. Likewise, the company that have high power distance index have more
inequality and power differences, encourage bureaucracy within the organisation. So, manager in
order to reduce power inequality and culture differences needs to decentralized decision-making
responsibility and ensure equal power distribution. Individualism and collectivism is the
dimension that helps in understanding culture differences present in organisation. Employees
need to be motivated to place greater response to “We” as compared to i” as it will help in
influencing different individuals to work in team for achievement of end goals. Uncertainty
avoidance index is third element of Hofstede culture model, which helps in understanding the
level of tolerance of individual to uncertain situation or take risk in life. Low uncertainty
avoidance index ensure that employees of firm are ready to take risk, accept new and innovative
ideas to complete specific task or method. GEERT HOFSTEDE (2021), Masculinity vs.
Femininity is also element of Hofstede culture model, in which masculinity is understanding that
men are supposed to be tough and winning is important for both of the gender whether men or
women. While in the feminine society, gender is emotionally closed, there is no competitive
motivate between both of them. Long term orientation deals with the change that focus on
adapting as per the future circumstances. While in short term orientation only present is being
view, the work is being created in the manner so that provide moral compass and moral good.
Indulgence is element related to good things happening in life or is an culture in which each and
every individuals is free to do whatever it like. Such as enjoying with friends, make life sense
and many more interesting. On the other hand, resistance is culture in which individual feel that
life is hard to life and they have no freedom to live their lifestyles as per their choice.
It is highly important that the cultural professionals should have the adequate knowledge
regarding the concept of culture because it will lead to play an important role in the company and
making the culture and environment of the company to be positive. it is important that the

professional need to have understanding of this aspect so that the performance of the company
would be improved and enhanced (Culture and behaviour, 2020).
Organizational culture is one of the important aspect that will lead to have a direct impact
towards the organization. This is because with the aspect of organizational culture the employees
will be able to determine the culture of the organization that will assist them to make efforts
towards the organizational goal. In the same way with the integration of various professionals
including HR personnel an understanding of the organizational culture will be developed that
will lead to have a positive impact towards the organization and its employees. Leadership also
play an important aspect towards brining and integrating the different culture of the organization
(Organisational culture and cultural change, 2020).
In the same way it would be said that with the aspect of occurrence of culture change in the
organization the organizational development practitioners play an important role. This is because
management of change and its implementation in the organization is highly important otherwise
it may severely impact the firm (Organisational culture and cultural change, 2020). The aspect
of organizational culture and climate also counted as same thing because of its association with
the employees. But making an inculcation of various culture towards the organizational objective
is highly important for the growth and success of the company.
Research methodology Textbook : Saunders et al “Research methods for business students”
Research philosophy
It refers to the system of belief and assumption regarding the development of knowledge.
It can also be termed as reflection of values of the researcher that is adopted by the researcher. It
is of two types including interpretivism and positivism (Alharahsheh and Pius, 2020). With the
proposed research the interpretivism philosophy will be chosen so that qualitative data of the
research in the aspect of organizational culture would be easy to get evaluated. Since under
quantitative research an analysis of numeric fact and figure is involved which would limit the
research in making an analysis of qualitative aspect and non-numeric concepts. For this reason,
qualitative research is being chosen so that the concerned concept of cultural difference which is
related with the aspect of non-numeric concept will be able to get analysed in more detail and
adequately.
Research paradigm

It is a approach or the method that is being continued in the research and verified by
researchers. In the proposed research the interpretivism paradigm will be implemented so that the
non-numeric data about the culture along with its impact towards the team performance will be
easy to evaluated.
Research approach
It refers to the process through which the research will be made. It is of two types
including inductive and deductive. The proposed research will be made through inductive
approach in which the observation would be made on the data that will lead to the formation of
the theory.
Research strategy
It refers to the strategy that is being implemented in the research. it can be of two types
including qualitative and quantitative. The proposed research will adopt the strategy of
qualitative under which the non-numeric data will be analysed. This will lead to make the
research to have in-depth research.
Research methodology
It refers to the method that is being adopted in the research. With the proposed research
the methodology would include the following of qualitative research with the aspect of data
collection in which data will be collected from the primary as well as secondary sources.
Sampling method
Sampling is an important aspect with reference to research. The proposed research will be
made through the aspect of simple random sampling so that the participants will get equal chance
of participation and research will be made authenticate. A sample of 30 employees of the Nando.
Data collection methods
This is the important aspect that is related with the data collection. The data will be
collected from the primary as well as secondary sources. In the proposed research too the data
will be gathered from the primary as well as secondary sources so that the research would be
made more authenticate.
Data analysis
As per this aspect the collected data would be analysed. To complete the study, there are
the thematic analysis is used for the analysis of qualitative data under which themes will be made
and analysed. Data analysis is process of analysing and interpreting information that has been

gathered through different sources to extract useful information related to the study. The themes
are being made as per the research question and objectives that clearly defined the data that has
been explained in the study. The proposed research will be made through the thematic analysis
under which the data will be analysed through the formation of the themes so that the detailed
analysis of the research will be made. Thus, the proposed research will make the analysis of the
data through the preparation of graphs and tables that is followed with the process of survey.
This will lead to make a detailed analysis of the data.
Ethical consideration
This is also an important aspect with regard to the research. The proposed research will
comply with the ethical standard through the signing of ethical form from the responded. In the
same way the ethical compliance will be made with the aspect of taking of free consent from the
responded. In the same way the concept of Axiology that deals with the researcher own values
and ethics along with the responded values and ethics in the context of research process is also
complied in the proposed research.
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CONCLUSION
As per the above proposal it would be right to conclude that the aspect of culture has a
direct impact towards the team performance. This is related with the different perspective and
culture of the people that may affect the overall performance of the team. It would be right to
conclude that the organization need to be cautious towards organizational culture in order to grab
success. In the same way, the concept of the research methodology and its various stages
including the research approach, philosophies, strategies and other concepts are also explained in
the above proposal. A detailed analysis of the views of various authors are also mentioned in the
research. A timeline describing the time period of the completion of the task is also summarized.
It can be concluded that the research related to GEERT HOFSTEDE– 6 dimensions has helped
in understanding that there is culture difference between the countries. Thus, effective strategies
need to be made by companies to understand the culture of each country, overcome the key issue
or conflict exist between them.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alharahsheh, H.H. and Pius, A., 2020. A review of key paradigms: Positivism VS
interpretivism. Global Academic Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2(3).
pp.39-43. < https://www.gajrc.com/media/articles/GAJHSS_23_39-43_VMGJbOK.pdf
>
Kuklenski, J., 2021. Cultural Diversity. In Diversity and Organizational Development. Emerald
Publishing Limited.
https://opentextbc.ca/organizationalbehavioropenstax/chapter/diversity-and-its-impact-on-
companies/
Lanati, M. and Venturini, A., 2021. Cultural change and the migration choice. Review of World
Economics, pp.1-54.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10290-021-00418-1
Lee, J. H and et.al., 2021. Linguistic and cultural perspectives on globalised design
education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 31(1). pp.165-
181.
https://www.researcher-app.com/paper/3492497
O'Keefe, P. A. and et.al., 2021. Should you pursue your passion as a career? Cultural differences
in the emphasis on passion in career decisions. Journal of Organizational Behavior.
https://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/newsroom/how-culture-impacts-the-emphasis-people-place-on-
passion-in-career-decisions/
Plocher, T and et.al., 2021. Cross‐Cultural Design. Handbook of human factors and ergonomics,
pp.252-279.
https://dropbox.design/article/5-tips-to-get-started-with-cross-cultural-design#:~:text=Cross
%2Dcultural%20design%20is%20the,copy%2C%20is%20translatable%20and%20localizable.
Online
Culture and behaviour., 2020. [Online]. Available Through:<
https://peopleprofession.cipd.org/profession-map/core-knowledge/culture-behaviour>
Hofstede’s Cultural Framework, 2021, [Online]. Available
Through:<https://opentextbc.ca/principlesofmanagementopenstax/chapter/hofstedes-
cultural-framework/>.
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Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, 2021, [Online]. Available
Through:<http://kgk.uni-obuda.hu/sites/default/files/Milica-National-Culture-and-Its-
Dimensions.pdf>.
Organisational culture and cultural change., 2020. [Online]. Available Through:<
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/working-environment/organisation-culture-
change-factsheet>
GEERT HOFSTEDE 2021, [Online]. Available Through < https://geerthofstede.com/culture-
geert-hofstede-gert-jan-hofstede/6d-model-of-national-culture/>.
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