Investigating Cultural Differences in International Teams: Nando's

This report investigates how cultural differences impact team performance within the fast-food industry in the United Kingdom, focusing on Nando's. It explores the meaning of cultural differences, their impact on employee performance and organizational growth, and the methods used by HR m...Read More

HOW THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN
INTERNATIONAL TEAM AND PROJECTS
CAN BE MANAGED BY HR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the study..............................................................................................................3
Research aim and objective.........................................................................................................3
Research questions.......................................................................................................................3
Significance of the study..............................................................................................................4
Literature review..........................................................................................................................4
Research methodology.................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

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 by
Johnaanesburg having around 1200 outlets in more than 30 countries that are used to delivered
qualitative services to customers.
The purpose of research is to gathered information related to the way in which human
resources manager resolve cultural differences in international team and project for growth and
expansion of firm in international market.
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 .
Objectives
 To understand culture differences.
 To analysis the impact of culture differences on employees performance and growth of
organisation.
 To identify method that are used by human resource manager Nando`s sto resolve 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 are the impact of culture differences on employees performance and growth of
organisation.

 What are the method that are used by human resource manager Nando`s to resolve
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 for benefits of organisation.
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 retail 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 Lanati and Venturini (2021), hofstede culture model can be used to
understand the way culture impact on overall growth and development of organisation. 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.
Furthermore, another authors Hofstede’s Cultural Framework, (2021), in support has
illustrated that Masculinity vs. Femininity is also element of Hofstede culture model which
helps in understanding whether there is distinct gender roles and more concentration of material
achievement or not. So, most of the organisation need to focus on femininity I.,e ensuring quality
of life of employees, providing them equal opportunity to work. Long-Term Orientation vs.
Short-Term Orientation , in long term orientation, firm gratitude efforts of each and every
employees that has put hard work for growth and expansion of company. Along with that
persistence efforts has been made by the company to inspired individual to put their maximum
efforts so that company can retained differentiate positioning in external environment. While the
last element that is present in model is Indulgence vs. Restraint, out of which company needs to
follow indulgence that is give freedom to people openly communicate and share information
with each other.
Plocher and et.al., (2021), explain that the Hofstede culture model is primarily helps in
understanding the difference in value and belief of work goals. In another words, it is useful as it
provides information about the culture differences thereby helps in finding alternative method
that could be used to overcome the same. In addition to this, the model is more practical to
management problem and contribute in effective comparison between the countries. Therefore,

it helps manager in effectively formulating strategy to manage, coordinate range of people with
different culture to work for benefits of the organisation.
On the contrary note, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, (2021), there is criticism of the
model that it does not provide valid information related to the country culture. As well as finding
of one company can't be implemented on overall culture for finding the culture difference and
method to coordinate people to work in team for achievement of end goals. At the same time,
flawed assumptions, simplistic and generalisation are various limitation of Hofstede culture
model that is used by company.
CIPD:
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
Research philosophy
It refers to the belief of 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.
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 an 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. The data would be analysed
through SPSS and thematic analysis. 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.
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 fromm
the responded.
Time prospect of research
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Identificatio
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Aim and
objectives
Literature
review
Research
methodology
Data
collection
Data
analysis

Submission
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.

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>
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