University Report: Diversity and Inclusion in Multinational Companies

This report examines the critical importance of diversity and inclusion within multinational corporations. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, defining workplace diversity and its significance. The report then provides summaries of two companies, Coca-Cola and Marriott Hotel, highlighting their policies and strategies for promoting inclusivity. It further explores various levels of multiculturalism within organizations, including monoculture, non-discriminatory, and multicultural levels, along with the concept of interculturality. The report discusses policies and strategies to promote effective multicultural teams, referencing frameworks like those developed by Richard D. Lewis and Hofstede Center. Finally, it offers recommendations for fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity, emphasizing cultural competency and seeking diverse perspectives. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the benefits of embracing diversity in the workplace.

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Diversity and Inclusion
Name:
Course
Professor’s name
University name
City, State
Date of submission

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Executive Summary
This report explores the importance of companies and especially multinationals to embrace
inclusivity and diversity at the workplace. The report shall also offer on ways in which
companies can promote effective collaborations among multinationals in terms of ensuring that
diversity is promoted in the company. There is also recommendations that have been provided in
this report.

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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Summary of two companies........................................................................................................................4
Policies and strategies to promote effective multicultural teams................................................................5
Recommendations.......................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................10
References.................................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Work place diversity refers to the existence of variety of differences in an organization. Diversity
encompasses, gender, race, age, ethnic group among others. For multinationals, diversity has
been an issue because it comes with different challenges, therefore, companies have got to
realize that they will be willing to spend more resources to manage diversity in the work place.
The success of a company depends on its ability to embrace multicultural diversity and realize
the benefits (Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, 2015). Today’s organizations are highly
diverse and therefore the ability to work in such an environment for the employees is critical for
the overall success of the organization. The values through out the organization drives the
organizations culture. There is the need to ensure that workers feel understood respected and
recognized. For employees to be productive, the need to feel that their concerns and ideas are
being valued and heard. These conditions motivate and provide momentum for a strong
performance in their jobs.
It is a major challenge for an employee to work in a multicultural environment, because other
employees have got different beliefs and conventions that are very different. These differences
between cultures sometimes lead to resistance to leadership because some do not understand and
trust each other (Kerwin, 2010). There are benefits that come with this type of organization, first,
diverse organizations get diverse talents and experiences and therefore there is plenty of diverse
solution that is offered in the organization.
Summary of two companies
The following are multi national companies that have created policies on workplace diversity in
Australia to promote inclusivity and diversity.

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1. Coca Cola
Coca Cola is a multinational that has a worldwide appeal. For this reason, the company
has a clear diversity and inclusion policy as it has realized that it benefits greatly from the
experience, skills and commitment of the diverse range of employees who work in the
company. In order to ensure that customers get the best services, the company has placed
a lot of emphasis on ensuring that all employees are treated appropriately and in a
respectful manner(Kerwin, 2010).. This has been aligned with the company’s values of
caring for the employees and acting with integrity.
The policy sets out to create a policy of respectful work environment in which no one is
discriminated against on the basis of Age, Disability, sexual orientation , gender or
gender reassignment,race, religious or political beliefs or any other characteristics.
This policy applies to all people working for the company including consultants,
advisors, employees , workers e.t.c. The policy covers al aspects of employment
including, hiring, training, promotion, appraisal, disciplinary and termination of
employment (Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, 2015).. The policy has created rights
that rae to be enjoyed by all employees and people who work for Coca Cola.
2.Marriot Hotel
Marriott hotel has valued inclusion and diversity since 1927, the foundation of the hotel
has been built upon the happiness and well being of associates and the company has
realized that embracing differences is a critical factor in it achieving success. As a global
brand with a desire to grow its portfolio globally, diversity and inclusion has been made a
fundamental in the company’s business goals and values. Marriott has identified three
pillars of employee wellbeing; One, is that the employee needs to feel good, second, is

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the role of the company in the society. Putting people first , irregardless of their cultural
background has put Marriott hotel on top of global standings of companies that value
inclusivity and diversity(Clark, Putnam and Fieldhouse, 2014)..
One of the main values of the hotel is to maintain global diversity. At Mariot diversity
and inclusion in promoting family and unity is the key foundation of the company. The
management has created an inclusive environment that supports retention and
advancement after hiring and also developing an inclusive and diverse workforce ,.
Ownership, supplier base and clients.
Marriotts hotel has commited itself to inclusion and diversity which extends to global
markets , where the company works with local communities to create opportunities,
foster positive sence of well being and value differences. Some of the policies that
Marriott Internationla has adopted are known as diversity and inclusion. It has put in
place policies concerning multicultural people (Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner,
2015).. There is a language program for foreign workers. There was even a campaign
dubbed “For you, We’re Marritt” concerning the sexual orientation of people.’The Be
with us’ campaign sponsors LGBT rights and also the company has been a member of the
national gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
There is a misconception about what multiculturalism means in a company, and I think this
happens because, given the complexity of the topic, it is preferable to simplify it and leave it as
an inspiring statement within the values of the organization. Nowadays, almost all companies
face the reality of having collaborators or clients of different nationalities, to some degree we are

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all exposed to interact using codes that are not necessarily homologated and that can therefore
hamper a negotiation or working relationship.
Policies and strategies to promote effective multicultural teams
Monoculture Level: No matter how many nationalities are part of the workforce, these
organizations dominate the culture of the dominant group, which is usually the nationality where
the company originated. Although the company originated in a particular country, the greatest
number of managers and directors came from another country, and they with their modeling had
defined the monoculture of that organization (Parekh, 2011). Another general feature of these
organizations is that their decision-making levels remain in the hands of people coming from the
dominant cultural group. In some cases it even has explicit discrimination policies for these
positions.
Non-discriminatory level: It is an organization that complies with the regulations regulated by
law (where they exist) for the inclusion of minority groups, from the racial, gender and disability
point of view. Companies at this level have begun to implement some actions aimed at the
organization as a whole to pass from an ethnocentrism state and begin to appreciate the wealth
that exists in diversity. Even their culture has not changed but a process of awareness has begun
on the subject (Chybicka and Kaźmierczak, 2007) .

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Multicultural Level: Companies that have reached this level reflect through their behavior,
values and policies, the contributions and interests of the various cultural and social groups that
inhabit it. They are organizations defined by openness and integration, where prejudice has
disappeared because it is an uncompetitive practice and where skills and professionalism are
rewarded above race, cultural origin, gender or sexual preference. These organizations base their
actions in:
Acceptance of cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistic or racial differences and their positive
assessment. The coexistence in the company is made on a common basis and respecting different
trends (Thyer, 2010).
Defense and explicit claim of the right to difference, the right to be different in beliefs, ethnic
ascription, etc. The accent is placed on difference as a right, on the same level as other situations,
for example sex-gender.
General recognition of the equality of rights and duties.
Some specialists point out that there is an additional level and that of "Interculturality". The term
emerges in the educational field and receives contributions from sociology, anthropology and
psychology. This concept tries to overcome the shortcomings of the concept of multiculturalism,
which denotes a static situation, it tries to reflect, in a dynamic way, the interaction of different
cultures with each other. intercultural represent the revitalization of multiculturalism, providing
the necessary dynamism and dimension of interaction and interrelation between distinct cultural
groups (Kelley and Fitzsimons, 2000). This definition highlights the idea of synthesis, of the
creation of a new culture. Unlike the cultural fusion model, where there is a loss of one's identity,

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it involves the elaboration of original models coming from cultures that are incorporated into the
reinforced and renewed organizational culture. Precisely this is what organizations that have "
interculturalized ". Through the balance of elements of cultural diversity that integrate it, added
to the characteristics of the company have built a distinctive organizational culture that is able to
evolve every time the organization requires (Clark, Putnam and Fieldhouse, 2014).
Richard D. Lewis in his book "When cultures collide", groups cultures into three categories and
from there establishes a gradient of nuances for specific geographic groups. Lewis, notes that
cultures can be grouped into: Active-linear: Task-oriented, highly planned. In these cultures,
people consider it right to do one thing at a time and focus on deadlines. Examples: German,
Swedish, Swiss and Dutch. Leaders in active-linear cultures tend to be task-oriented (they seek
technical skills, value facts and logic) and results. Multi-active: People- they are very talkative.
Flexible with schedules and punctuality (Clark, Putnam and Fieldhouse, 2014). Meetings with
them tend to spread because the interaction is valued. Examples: Italians, Arabs, Spaniards,
Portuguese, Latin Americans. Leaders from multi-active cultures tend to be outgoing and employ
their ability to persuade and inspire. Reactives: Introverts, tend to listen and are respectful. They
like to concentrate on what the interlocutor says. They often speak in monologues and tend to
express their ideas using passive voice. Examples: Japanese, Chinese, Finnish and South Asian.
Leaders in reactive cultures are also people-oriented, yet they exercise leadership through
knowledge, patience, and control.
They demonstrate modesty and courtesy even when they are in charge and work to create a
harmonious environment that supports the work teams. As Lewis explains, these are observed
patterns, but they can not be considered an unwavering rule because each individual is the result

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of their own experiences at home, school and society, so their behavior is unique and
differentiated(Kottak, 2015). Other tool that is used very frequently when planning a strategy to
mobilize to a company towards "interculturality" is the one developed by the Hofstede Center.
Distance of Power: it analyzes how people in each country accept hierarchical structures and
accept inequities under the view that authority is not discussed . Individualism: evaluates the
individual's perception of who should take charge of his destiny. In sociology they call this the
locus of internal control.
Masculinity: In societies where this value is high, the orientation is towards success and
achievement. On the contrary, when it is under orientation it is towards quality of life and
concern for the other. Avoiding uncertainty: Here is measured how society handles uncertainty.
Long-term orientation: Degree in which a society shows a pragmatic oriented perspective to the
future, instead of a conventional historical perspective, or a short-term perspective (Clark,
Putnam and Fieldhouse, 2014). With these two tools a consultant creates a map of patterns that
will guide him along with the values of the organization as well as the traditional behaviors of
the same where to focus on the work of joint construction of multicultural visions.
Recommendations
Promoting diversity is one of the ways to foster an open minded, global culture company. One of
the ways of promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity is by committing to boost cultural
competency. This can be through educating oneself. Employees should be encouraged to learn
about different cultural traditions and the ways to approach work with diverse people. The
second method to enhance diversity is by actively seeking new ideas and perspectives from
people who are from different cultures (Hollis, 2004). This shows that their perspectives are

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embraced and valued. Treat others how they want to be treated and especially those from
different backgrounds , each employee should be encouraged to treat others well. The company
may chose to observe holidays, traditions and celebrations and encourage colleagues to get
involved. It is also important to know colleagues from diverse backgrounds on a personal level
which deepens the other employees understanding of the different cultures and also promote a
welcoming and inclusive work place.
Conclusion
The two companies Coca Cola and Marriott hotels has embraced diversity and inclusivity in the
respective companies. They have enhanced this by making policies that enforce this culture in
the company. Benefits of multiculturalism The companies that have chosen to manage
multiculturality report benefits that at first are imperceptible but that gradually become important
differentiators of their competitors. Some of the advantages observed are: Easy to penetrate new
markets: An intercultural enterprise is facilitated to enter new markets, since many of the initial
cultural barriers have already been solved (Hollis, 2004). Improved work climate: Many of the
internal problems fail to exist when the values are shared. This means that employees feel a
better working environment, feel more comfortable and satisfied. This in turn helps reduce costs
as staff turnover decreases. Benefits when recruiting: Organization the multi-cultural teams that
have managed their multiculturalism aspect and usually succeed to hire more skilled, open and
unprejudiced staff. Increases innovation: The diversity and richness of well-managed human
resource contributes to more innovations as new ideas are brought in. Multicultural teams create
environments conducive to innovation and creativity (Kennedy, 2008). Level of multiculturalism
or interculturality in an organization is a complex task that requires in principle a firm conviction

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of the top management. It is not something that is achieved overnight but you can start by taking
small steps through working with small teams and gradually go encompassing the company in its
entirety.
References
Chybicka, A. and Kaźmierczak, M. (2007). Appreciating diversity. Cracow: Oficyna
Wydawnicza "Impuls.."
Clark, T., Putnam, R. and Fieldhouse, E. (2014). The age of Obama. Oxford: Manchester
University Press.
Hollis, K. (2004). Liberating voices. Carbondale: Southern Illinois Univ. Press.
Kelley, M. and Fitzsimons, V. (2000). Understanding cultural diversity. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones
and Bartlett.
Kennedy, D. (2008). Putting our differences to work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Kerwin, L. (2010). Cultural diversity. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Kottak, C. (2015). Cultural anthropology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Parekh, B. (2011). Rethinking multiculturalism. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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Thyer, B. (2010). Cultural diversity and social work practice. Springfield: Charles C Thomas
Publisher.
Trompenaars, A. and Hampden-Turner, C. (2015). Riding the waves of culture. London:
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.