MGT102A Essay: Global Citizenship, Culture, and Behavior

This essay explores the crucial role of culture in shaping behavior, attitudes, and responses within a globalized world, particularly from an Australian perspective. It emphasizes the significance of cultural awareness and acceptance in fostering a positive and inclusive work environment. The essay discusses the importance of recognizing and respecting cultural differences to become effective global citizens, highlighting the benefits of diverse perspectives and inclusive attitudes. It contrasts cultural approaches between the US and Australia, and also highlights the role of gender, time perception, and individual differences, emphasizing the need for cultural competence in a diverse workforce. The author reflects on their personal experiences with multicultural interactions to underscore the importance of understanding and respecting diverse cultural norms in order to be a successful global citizen.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Global Citizen
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note

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Culture plays a very important role to determine behavior, responses and attitudes at
work which contribute to the development of the working environment. Globalization has
enabled people to come together and work together, no matter what background or culture they
come from. People are not restricted to their native places and thus, they come across various
kinds of people and engage in interaction. In this essay, we would discuss, how important is
culture and influences people’s attitudes and behavior when they come in contact with people
who have different cultural backgrounds, especially from the Australian perspective.
It is important to become more conscious about the different cultures and develop oneself
to become more accepting towards the differences which exist. If we become more tolerant
towards the differences and become accommodative, working will become enjoyable. Everyone
individual would be encouraged to bring their creative offering to the table as they will feel
accepted and motivated in such a working space. In order to become global citizens, it is
important to identify the self is a citizen of the world and look beyond the ethnic and cultural
differences. The exchanges of thoughts and ideas, will, thus lead to better outcomes with the
exploration of knowledge and possibilities. I have had friends who are immigrants and come
from various cultural backgrounds, it has been interesting to learn about the differences and
practices and I have always found it to be enriching and enlightening to learn about the world
while interacting with them,
For a person to emerge as global citizens, it is important to reflect o oneself to become
more aware about the responses, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. A person can become a global
citizen when he or she is able to connect with the globalized world. I have realized, that is very
essential to respect the differences and be open to different beliefs, cultural norms and religious
practices which people have, especially having grown up in a multicultural society, in Australia.

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The knowledge and awareness allows a person to be more culturally competent in a global
environment and be able to accommodate people. Thus, understanding of the wider world is very
important to develop a more just and positive community, especially while working together.
This enables a person to be able to look beyond the differences to work together and become
successful. A person coming from a different culture, who has different practices and beliefs,
should not feel the treat of his or her culture being lost or inferior, while coming in connection
with others. The Australian culture is the amalgamation of different ethnicities and cultures,
which necessitates people to be accommodative to overcome the differences of beliefs, values,
perspectives and practices. Therefore, it is very important to learn from one another and have an
inclusive attitude, which will allows people to preserve their native identities as well become
global citizens of the world.
If Australian and American culture is contrasted, many differences can be traced in the
behavior and approach towards work and other aspects in life. Americans focus more on
professionalism and work rather than building relations, whereas, Australians give importance to
building relationships while working, which help them build better sense of togetherness to work
and achieve professional goals. Americans are very direct when they want to express their views,
while Australians tend to be sarcastic and might mean the exact opposite of what is intended.
People coming from other cultures might find the communication style very direct and blunt,
which is often regarded as politically incorrect. I believe, I should pay attention to these details
and try not to offend or hurt anyone’s feeling at work, which is a responsibility, while working as
a global citizen.
It is also important to understand that there are differences in attitudes and behavior liked
to gender, which must be paid attention to, in order to ensure that people do not find actions to be

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offensive or obscene. What might be an established practice or gesture in a specific culture, it
might be unacceptable to the other. The key differences of masculine and feminine attributes and
behaviors, should be known to better understand and perceive people at work. The values
exhibited by the feminine are different from the masculine, which often determine gender roles
and create a construct of societal expectations based on stereotypes. On the other hand, how time
is perceived across cultures matter as, to some, time is sequential, while to others it’s synchronic.
To some, it is limited in nature, which should be used effectively, while to others, it is a tool,
which depends on subjective usage. It is important to pay attention to these differences to be
aware. Australians tend to keep their private and professional lives strictly separate, for which
they are blunt to say no to extra work, after their work hours. It is because of the same that they
are happy to work extra, if need be, within their work hours. This working etiquette is quite
different from other cultures across the globe.
The behavior of a person is very much influences by his or her culture. Culture plays a
dominant role to determine the responses of people and how they react to situations and
circumstances, as they learn and acquire about how to behave from the culture. There can be
great differences of cultures for people coming from eastern cultures and western cultures, as the
established or expected behavior patterns and expectations are very different. Australia has a
multicultural society, which makes workforce in an organization diverse. People in their
workplace socialize and engage in casual conversations as much as they work. I believe, having
been brought up in the multicultural society and knowing different kinds of people, will help me
become culturally competent in a diverse workforce.
It can thus be concluded by saying, we must understand the importance of culture, in
order to emerge as global citizens who are competent and are able to undertake their roles while

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working. I have not had the privilege of working yet, but I believe, the knowledge will make be
capable to understand and respect the differences to become a competent global citizen.

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Bibliography
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