... 1.What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? My interpretation of diversity is to show variety. In our country we are made up of multiple forms of diversity whether it is race, culture, beliefs, work place upon many others. I believe diversity to be valued as if there was no diversity there would be no growth in our country. Everything would be the same, we would look the same and there would only be one perspective on life. To have different and a diverse number of perspectives ensure growth. We need diversity in our society it is essential for these reasons. 2.What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is when one holds their own culture hiring than any others. They believe that they are far more superior than anyone else. I feel that it is great for one feel so deeply and be passionate about their culture but to diminish others is not the way to go. To do that would be detrimental because when people do have such a strong connection with their culture and get knocked down for it by someone that feels they are more superior can really bring someone down as that sometimes is what they think makes them who they are. So to take that away from someone or put it down would be very detrimental to not only one's feelings they have with their culture but affect them psychologically. 3. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration means someone is leaving from a country or wherever that may be that they...
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...competition and the continuing growth of international firms (Tikhonova, 2012). In foreign countries, legal and political systems as well as the economy are essential to have knowledge in as it explains how political systems, laws and regulations and economic differences affect international business opportunities. Although these factors are vital in understanding the foreign environment, it is not as broad as culture. Culture is a factor that includes several aspects that range from different dimensions which on a broad level includes linguistic, regional, religious and ethnic dimensions (Reference for Business’s website, 2014). Fundamentally for an international firm to endure success in emerging markets it is relevantly important to have full understanding of consumers and their cultural differences. In order for a firm to reach their full potential and succeed in an emergent market they need to have the ability to adjust and connect to the markets within, in which can be effectively achieved by learning international differences that emerge from different cultures. Social life in the twentieth century has become so extensive it has forced all means of interaction to examine ethnicity and its dimensions. Individuals from all around the world are more accepting of the different...
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...Value Orientation of Indian and U.S. Respondents: A Study of Gender, Education, and National Culture Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, Nova Southeastern University Randolph Pohlman, Nova Southeastern University Introduction Value theory states that what a person truly values will drive his or her actions and behaviors in the workplace (Pohlman and Gardiner, 2000). Using the value theory as a foundation, we wanted to know whether Americans and Indians are focused more on completing tasks or maintaining relationships. It is important for managers, leaders, and working professionals to reflect on their relationships with people of different cultures and examine how differences in context can lead to cultural misunderstanding for overseas employees living or working in India or the United States (Cavico and Mujtaba, 2011). This paper analyzes the relationship similarities and dissimilarities between American and Indian respondents. It is almost impossible for a manager or a company to succeed in today's global workplace without relevant knowledge and understanding of issues that pertain to their employees' age, education, gender, and culture (Mujtaba and Cavico, 2010). Mujtaba and Balboa (2009) explain that context indicates the level at which communication occurs outside of verbal discussion. Understanding the effect of the differences in context provides a knowledge base and cultural intelligence that can help provide not only strong teams but also more over effective business relationships...
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...Globalization has always been a long disputed topic among critics. Until now, there is no concrete evidence that could deem whether globalization has an absolutely positive or negative impact on cultural diversity. It depends on individual perceptions. However, if I were to say, I believe that globalization does not post a threat to cultural diversity, but instead, help spread of indigenous culture, give people more freedom of choice, and furthermore generates greater cultural diversity within societies. With the avail of modern technology, there are more means of communication for people to freely express ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. In addition, globalization also lowers barriers between countries, making it possible to spread culture via websites and online community. Globalization raises awareness of both domestic and foreign culture, which in turn could help prevent prejudice and conflicts that may arise from cultural misunderstanding (Tandon, 2004). Evidence could be seen that even though, our world is in the stage of globalizing, there are still many religious conflicts. Imagined what would happen if globalization does not take place, you might unintentionally offended someone either by words or actions, thus leading to cultural misunderstanding. Though some people might argue that globalization post threats to cultural diversity, but “the forces of globalization are actually encouraging the proliferation of cultural diversity” (Lynton, 2007). McDonald did not only...
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...Cultural Differences Christina Bacon Psych/535 March 16, 2015 Cindy Ojeda Cultural Differences There are different cultures that come into people’s lives and into the United States every day. Different cultures is what makes the world an interesting place to live, whether it be a person’s gender identity or their cultural identity, people tend to judge others on their gender and their cultural identity. This essay will discuss the multicultural concepts on both gender identity and cultural identity and will talk about understanding the cultural differences. Gender identity Dictionary.com (2015) defines gender identity as an inner sense of a person and whether or not they are male or female. This identity usually happens during early childhood and as a result of how the child’s parents raise them and the social influences that happen during puberty by the changes in hormones. When children reach their teen years they start to feel differently about themselves, teens ask themselves if they were actually supposed to be female instead of male and vice versa, and when others hear about it then that is where the differences come from. In the transgender culture they are accepted because other teens and young adults like them have gone through the same things, but in other cultures they are looked down on. In our culture we are called transgender or homosexual or heterosexual, etc. but in the world of the Native American they are called two-spirits. According to Jacobs...
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...Africa, Nigeria was its first destination. ABC Ltd. ABC Ltd., is a leading automobile assembling company based in Lagos, Nigeria. The company was incorporated in June 14, 2010. The company usually imports vehicles body parts and assembles them. It sells its products to the local market. Steps in unifying the different cultures between the two companies Having completed the merging of the two companies, the legal and financial aspect, culture clash pose a big challenge to the success of the merger. As the HRM of the XYZ Inc., the following are suggested steps to ensure that the two cultures work together to obtain the desired results of the two companies: 1. Set cultural integration agenda Organization’s culture can be defined as all the shared values, beliefs and behaviors that dictate how people do things in the organization. To integrate the two cultures, we first need to define cultural objectives in broad terms. And as the HRM, I have the responsibility to ensure that the objectives are realized. Setting the cultural agenda necessarily requires tough decisions to be made. This decisions involve whether the merger should adopt one firm’s culture or to integrate the two. The choice will depend on the one that will have a greater value of the deal. 2. Diagnosing the cultural differences that matter The second step is to pin-point significant cultural differences between XYZ and ABC. Diagnostics will identify and measure the differences among people, units, geographical...
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...Analyze the Home Depot case in the textbook and develop a response to the questions below: How would you describe the culture at Home Depot? The culture at Home Depot was a culture set primarily by the founders, Mr. Marcus and Mr. Blank. It was a culture marked by an entrepreneurial high-spiritedness and a willingness to take risk, a passionate commitment to customers, colleagues, the company, and the community, and an aversion to anything that felt bureaucratic or hierarchical. All of this led to the company’s success. Discuss the impact of the cultural change and the reaction of the employee. When the founders of Home Depot left and the new CEO Mr. Nardelli came along, employees found it hard adjusting. They felt an outsider would “GE-ize their company and culture.” The changes Nardelli brought about was dealing with immediate problems that weren’t readily apparent, shortage of experienced store & district managers as well as the challenge from Lowes, poor inventory turns, low margins, and weak cash flows. Nardelli laid out new strategies from the store, the centralized leverage buying power, reevaluation was done on store operations, detailed data transparent environment, store layout and employee training. Although Nardelli’s changes left some managers and employees resistant, and many of the top executive team left, some did see merit in his approach. Over time, attitudes slowly began to change. Nardelli’s changes and new strategies transformed Home Depot...
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...Understanding how culture affects Communication Comprehending the verbal and nonverbal meanings of a message is difficult even when communicators are from the same culture. When they come from different cultures, special sensitivity and skills are necessary. Negotiators for a North American company learned this lesion when they were in japan looking for a trading partner. The North American were pleased after their first meeting with representatives of a major Japanese firm. The Japanese had nodded assent throughout the meeting and had not objected to a single proposal. The next day, however, the north Americans were stunned to learn that the Japanese had reject the entire plan. In interpreting the nonverbal behavioral messages, the north American made a typical mistakes. They assumed the Japanese were nodding in agreement as fellow North Americans would. In this case, however, the nods of assent indicated comprehension-not approval. Every country has a unique culture or common heritage, joint experience, and shared learning that produce its culture. Their common experience gives members of that culture a complex system of shared values and customs. It teaches them how to behave; it conditions their reactions. The more you know about culture in general and your own culture in particular, the better able you will be to adopt an intercultural perspective. So today, I will outline some key dimensions of culture; look at them from various points of views and contrast with...
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...communicate and do business internationally, how the differences in the culture can impact a negotiation and the business relationship. First is what she calls "cognitive constraints." These are the frames of reference or worldviews that provide a backdrop that all new information is compared to or inserted into. Second are "behavior constraints." Each culture has its own rules about proper behavior, which affect verbal and nonverbal communication. Whether one looks the other person in the eye-or not; whether one says what one means overtly or talks around the issue; how close the people stand to each other when they are talking, all of these and many more are rules of politeness which differ from culture to culture. Ting-Toomey's third factor is "emotional constraints." Different cultures regulate the display of emotion differently. Some cultures get very emotional when they are debating an issue. They yell, they cry, they exhibit their anger, fear, frustration, and other feelings openly. Other cultures try to keep their emotions hidden, exhibiting or sharing only the "rational" or factual aspects of the situation. All of these differences tend to lead to communication problems. If the people involved are not aware of the potential for such problems, they are even more likely to fall victim to them, although it takes more than awareness to overcome these problems and communicate effectively across cultures. These communication problems are as well a reality in the workplace;...
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...Intercultural communication has been practiced for as long as mankind has existed. It is simply communicating across different tribes, different parts of the world, different language, and different ways of communication non-verbal – better defined – across different cultures. But when does one’s culture stop being an excuse for doing something that has always been done, and when does national culture matter? Culture: To be able to define the concept ’’culture’’ you have to be aware of the basic norms which you take for granted in your own behavior. You express culture in symbolic forms, whether you have a cross around your neck or a headscarf on your head. It is the result of a learning process through life, and it forms your values, behavior, ideas, ways of communicating (verbal and non-verbal) and simply the rules you are living by – all your do’s and don’ts . Take a look at the article ‘’given all we know of whales, why resume the slaughter?’’ from The Guardian Online, April 6, 2010 by Paola Calalieri, it suggests that ‘’we now live in globalized times’’ but even though we have made it more easy to communicate (Internet etc.) & to travel across borders, the borders are still there, meaning the culture is still different within each border. Many international organizations have tried, and some succeeded, to introduce international laws, like the WTO (World Trade Organization), NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and the Human Right Organization; also there is an...
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...------------------------------------------------- Associate Program Material Diversity Worksheet Answer each question in 50 to 150 words. Provide citations for all the sources you use. 1. What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? Diversity is basically a range of different things. Whether it is being diverse within languages one speaks, diverse in the clothes that someone wears or the style that they have, or even diverse as far as the type of group that one fits in. Diversity does not necessarily have to always talk about our backgrounds or ethnicity but rather the different things that we do and the ways that we do them. 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? The definition of Ethnocentrism is the evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture. This can kind of be broken down to as a sociological method where one has a specific idea that his or her own group or culture is better than another one. I think the media plays a big role on how we have a perception of certain cultures because of things that we see on television or hear in certain songs. Society is already grouped as to how we may feel we “fit” in these certain categories. 3. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration is the act of leaving one’s country or region with the intent to settle permanently in another. Immigration is coming to live in another...
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...to reach utopia, to have every single person viewed equally. Under the Bill of Rights, everyone is created equally. But how much of that statement is actually true? Are we all created and treated equally? Integration is a welcoming concept that is often frowned upon by other generations. The ethnic food, the summers of weekend feasts, the language, the traditions, the music, the religion, the dancing, and the clothing. These are all typical aspects of cultures around the world. Some take pride in where they have come from, their roots. Others, steer away from it. They do so for many reasons, society’s influence being the top reason. Portuguese people, also known as Lusitanos, believe they have a community within the United States, but how much of that is imagined? Do segregation and social spaces influence their views? What does it mean to be Portuguese, in a society that is constantly judging you? Growing up, I was always involved in my community. The members around me influenced me. I took pride in being a Lusitano. Whether it meant accompanying my family to the local feasts to learn how to dance, trying and learning to cook our famous ethnic dishes, learning the language at a young age, or practicing my religion as a Roman Catholic, I was always trying to boost my status in the Portuguese community. Learning the language helped a lot because I could now interact with both of the communities I was a part of, or so I presumed But not everything is as black and white as I thought...
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...In sociology a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. If a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture. Subcultures are social, with their own shared conventions, values and rituals, but they can also seem 'immersed' or self-absorbed - another feature that distinguishes them from countercultures. Subcultures can be distinctive because of the age, race, ethnicity, class, location, and/or gender of the members. The qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be linguistic, aesthetic, religious, political, sexual, geographical or a combination of factors. Members of a subculture often signal their membership through a distinctive and symbolic use of style, which includes fashions, mannerisms, and argot. I work for UPS and have worked there for over seven years. UPS is a world of its own. Every business has it's own style. UPS is in the business of linking people, cultures, and commerce, with diversity as an integral part of its global strategy. And with employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, there's no question that diversity is part of the social fabric at UPS. Diversity is leveraging our unique experiences and contributions because they add value to our culture and contribute to the success of our company. In today’s world, we understand that...
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...different culture and background. There will be miscommunication when we make the wrong assumption that others people’s attitudes and lives are similar to us. Communicating with colleagues using different native language might be a problem as well. Therefore, it is important for us to understand that not everyone will behave and communicate in the same way with us. Culture with collaboration and open communication will enhance communication in the organization. Trust and openness to express ideas and perceptions are very important. Barriers of communication that exist will affect the effectiveness of communication in organization. Level of effective communication will actually affect the level of satisfaction of members in organization. Satisfaction of the member will affect the whole operation of the organization. Introduction The following report will discuss and resolve the possible barriers in effective communication. It will include different ways in which to overcome the threats that pursue an important discussion, debate or conversation. This report can be useful for people writing reports on effective communication in and around their business or company. 1. Potential Barrier in communication (Cultural Differences) Cultural differences can cause many problems in an effective discussion, for example: If two people are trying to have a discussion and both speak different languages, it would be extremely difficult to communicate, in different cultures hand signs...
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...company, some of them have different sexual orientations and parental status compared to the employees already working within the company. The first few days has seen some awkwardness among the employees. A workplace should be a neutral environment where everyone feels welcome and comfortable to perform their job. However not all workplaces can be this simple and put together. Indie Software represents numerous workplaces that deal with this situation everyday. Whether you’re a new employee that is bringing something new or unknown to the majority or you’re an existing employee that is now surrounded by a new belief or value from a new employee it can be difficult in either situation but it really does not have to be and in this report we will learn how. Indie Software’s existing employees may be feeling uncomfortable because they have become so use to the same faces, the same beliefs, values, cultures and personalities. When someone becomes too comfortable and bit of change can be unsettling whether it is meant to be or not. The existing employees may feel uncomfortable because they’re not familiar with the way the new employees may act, speak or behave. Not everyone is educated enough to know that sexual orientation is a personal matter and every human being regardless of what they do behind closed doors should be treated the same, but unfortunately in this “not so perfect” world some people still get nervous or uncomfortable when faced with someone who is different...
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