...Introduction "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." -Michael Jordan When talking about accomplishing success in any type of organization, we must mind the essential role of team working. A team that provides high performance is one of the most important assets for a company. But even if an organization has the best talents in its field, it is not enough unless their aptitudes are incorporated into collectively performing unit. Turning an average performing into high performing team can be done by utilizing the strengths of each team member and the cultural diversity of the entire group. In the contemporary world we live, it is very common to work in multicultural teams. These teams are perceived as highly potential based on the perception that the greater the diversity, the greater the creativity and productivity of a team is. Yet, there are certain challenges that international teams encounter and that is why it is of great importance to be aware of the cultural diversity around the globe. Despite of how influential is our own culture on our beliefs and behaviours we must be aware that we are not coming from the one and only “valuable” culture in the world. People often tend to believe that their own values and beliefs are the only “right” ones as they are embedded in their particular cultures. We must be aware that each of us, each singular culture might shine in a different way, but that does not mean someone...
Words: 2059 - Pages: 9
...endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities. 2) Who is a charismatic leadership? Ans: Charismatic leadership is a leadership based on the leader’s ability to communicate and behave in ways that reach followers on a basic, emotional way, to inspire and motivate. 3) Define the term “transactional leadership”. Ans: A transactional leader is one who guides and motivates his follows in the direction of establish goals by clarifying role and task requirements. It involves exchange relationship between leader and the followers. It is a perception for mediocrity and that transformational leadership leads to superior performance in organization facing demands for renewal and change. 4) Differentiate between transformational and transactional leadership. Ans: | Transformational leadership |Transactional leadership | |Builds on man’s need for meaning |Builds on man needs to get a job done and make a living | |Is preoccupied with purposes and values, morals and ethics. |Is preoccupied with power and position,...
Words: 4081 - Pages: 17
...INTRODUCTION As we enter the 21st century, workforce diversity has become an essential business concern. In the so-called information age, the greatest assets of most companies are now on two feet. Undeniably, there is a talent war raging. No company can afford to unnecessarily restrict its ability to attract and retain the very best employees available. Although we all share many traits and needs, human beings are different and unique. While diversity has always existed, globalization, an increase in immigration, the sexual revolution and the output of the open formerly taboo subjects - such as living with a disability and gender preference - were placed in front -plan diversity of our concerns and the need to accept it. In the workplace, diversity encompasses elements that are evident, among other demographic differences such as gender, ethnicity and age, and more subtle differences, for example, the way we think or solve problems, social class or education. Because of the variety of backgrounds and approaches, it is not always easy for people to get along in the workplace (Diversityworld.com, 2014). However, it could be quite different. By learning to understand the challenges posed by differences and accept different points of view within your workgroup, you can use the strengths that represent a diverse team, in addition to expanding your horizons. Workforce diversity refers to organizations that are becoming more heterogeneous with the mix of people in terms of...
Words: 2686 - Pages: 11
...Our Strength Is In Our Diversity: Fact Or Fancy? Effective management of diversity is based on recognition of commonalities and awareness of differences. Role modeling behaviors of those who readily accept the differences could help alter the organizational culture, and thereby improve perfonnance outcomes. Globalization and diversity have increased the need for investigation into workplace attitudes towards diverse others. In a study of topical relevance, Strauss and Connerley (2003) explored the relationships between race, gender, agreeableness, openness to experience, contact and cognitions, feelings & behaviors. The Universal-Diverse Orientation (UDO) construct was employed as a measure of attitudes towards diversity. This metric has three components: realistic appreciation (cognition), comfort with difference (feeling) and diversity of contact (behavior). Based on a survey of 252 undergraduate business students from two different institutions in the US, the study found partial support for the hypothesis that women and non-Whites have more positive UDO attitudes. Gender plays a role only as a first step. Persons who rate high on openness to experience would have more positive UDO attitudes. Surprisingly, the findings did not support the view that people living in more heterogeneous environments would have more positive UDO attitudes. Contact, gender and race would interact with openness and agreeableness to predict UDO attitudes. Women had more favorable...
Words: 994 - Pages: 4
...Based on past experiences, how have you noticed trust being developed within a team or group? Realizing that I have been part of many team settings I could see how trust has played a role. I have had difficulties in trusting in others since I could remember. Even though I am great as a team player relinquishing full trust is very difficult. This is because many people have let me down. Saying you will do something and then do not follow through is not very conducive to being part of a team. The minute I let me guard down and try to relax and delegate, sure enough a task does not get done. Trust is developed with the actions of teammates and how well they follow through as well as communication. Often lack of accountability will break trust in any team. If something has gone wrong take responsibility and find a solution. An example where I had a co-worker prove that I could trust was I was due to go on vacation and it was time to place an order for medical supplies. Usually what I have been known to do is place the order while I’ve been away. This time she assured me that she would take care of it and everything would be fine. I was very reluctant to do so, but I did. I went on vacation and even though it was a large order and the clinic would be in bad shape if it was not done correctly or placed in on time I did not worry (well I always worry) about it. She called me the very next day to notify me it had been placed and emailed notification. I know she did not have...
Words: 748 - Pages: 3
...focusing on the level of the individual employee, the individual job, and the individual practice (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001), with the basic premise that improvements in individual employee performance will automatically enhance organizational performance. In the 1990s, an emphasis on strategy and the importance of HR systems began to emerge. Both researchers and practitioners began to recognize the impact of aligning HR practices with organizational strategy. HR has now emerged as a strategic paradigm in which individual HR functions, such as recruitment, selection, training, compensation, and performance appraisal, are closely aligned with each other and also with the overall strategy of the organization. This new approach of managing human resources has introduced a more strategic role of HRM in an organization. Globalizations, technological advance, changes in the nature of work, changes in workforce demographics are the factors that demand more strategic role of HRM in management. In order to play a more strategic role as a HR manager you need to involve in many tasks like creating strategy execution role, creating formulation execution role, creating a strategic HRM system, creating high-performance-work system, translating strategy into HR policy & practice, and creating a HR scorecard process. 2. WHY AS A HR MANAGER YOU NEED TO PLAY A MORE STRATEGIC ROLE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION TODAY? 2.1 Globalization The term Globalization has invaded the mind of every successful...
Words: 5688 - Pages: 23
...Team Charter Purpose and Values Empowerment Relationships and Communication Flexibility Optimal Productivity Recognition and Appreciation Morale Purpose and Values Empowerment Relationships and Communication Flexibility Optimal Productivity Recognition and Appreciation Morale Overview The Team Charter endorses the Syndic8 Team participation in the development of a team “blueprint”, roll out plan and championing the implementation and continual improvement of the team’s strategy, goals and objectives throughout Syndic8 with the purpose of meeting Syndic8 productivity, deliverables and quality goals. Objectives * Develop a strong team over time * Improve communication with all stakeholders about Syndic8 and its developments * Develop an effective plan for sustainable near future * Develop and implement a system to monitor and evaluate teams’ progress for purposes of corrective and preventative action / continual improvement by a predefined date * Define implementation targets and plans: * Timelines * People (roles, responsibilities, reporting structure, human capital, etc) * Communication Purpose Syndic8 Values * Positivity, Innovation, Integrity, Leadership, Good Relationships, Networking * Innovate = fun, excitement, great opportunities Syndic8 Vision To be a leading team delivering quality work for the PDBA program. Syndic8 Mission Through our work ethic and guided by our values we deliver more...
Words: 1883 - Pages: 8
...Cultural diversity advantages and disadvantages In the 21st century, work place diversity has become reality. With globalization taking place, diversification is the changing labor force in U.S. Increased emigration has mirrored into the workforce. According to Census Bureau data, immigrant workers made up 42 percent of the growth of the labor force in 2012 (Cohen, n.d). Managers now recognize that cultural diversity in the workplace is a challenge that must be addressed to lead an effective team. A culturally diverse workforce has many competitive advantages. Frist, by capturing cultural diversity, the company will gain an added value and competitive advantage over companies that have ignored this challenge (Gwynne, 2009). People despite their cultural upbringing, feel valued. By tapping into the human value of each individual, managers will gain an increased commitment and productivity, strengthen work relationships and retain the best employees. The second, benefit is business growth. Targeted audiences in a global market, come from multicultural backgrounds. Members with different multicultural background will bring ethnic authenticity (Gwynne, 2009). This means language skills, knowledge of business network and cultural sensitivity from their home countries. This is an added asset that the company can use to gain a competitive advantage into targeting a new audience. A third advantage to a multicultural team is the potential to gain new a consumer base at home...
Words: 3063 - Pages: 13
...Does workforce diversity always result in better organizational performance? In today’s global competitive environment, workforce diversity became a competitive edge that helps firms better understand different cultures and different ways of conducting business globally (“Benefits and problems”). Taylor Cox emphasized that increasing workforce diversity for better organizational performance is still an essential business issue that receives great attention, as “most of today's small business owners and corporate executives recognize that attention to the challenges and opportunities associated with the growing trend toward culturally diverse work forces can be a key factor in overall business success”. Rob McInnes identified 7 factors that motivate companies to diversify their workforces: As a Social Responsibility: companies exercise corporate social responsibility role by diversifying their workforces and supporting their good living. As an Economic Payback: “diversifying the workforce, particularly through initiatives like welfare-to-work, can effectively turn tax users into tax payers”. As a Resource Imperative: companies shouldn’t be hindered from attracting best talents available in the markets because of discriminatory practices. As a Legal Requirement: law requires companies not to be discriminatory in their employment practices or they will be exposed to penalties, as “fines and loss of contracts with government agencies”. As a Marketing Strategy: companies...
Words: 2740 - Pages: 11
...Rev. Integr. Bus. Econ. Res. Vol 3(1) 382 Impact of Workplace Diversity Elizabeth Foma University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration P. O. Box 5169 UOG Station Mangilao, Guam 96923 efoma@uguam.uog.edu; drmayuk@yahoo.com Abstract Diversity is an important part that all employees have to deal with at one point during their careers. There are many positive aspects to diversity in the workplace, such as exchange of ideas because of the diverse cultures of employees, the development of friendship without discrimination, workers learn to cope up with the diverse environment, stereotyping is eliminated, retention of employees are more likely due to healthy competition. On the other side, there is are negative parts which includes communication gaps due to language barrier and resistance to change. Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another, in which these dimensions can be visible or invisible. The existence of workplace diversity, within an organization, indicates that the workplace is heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity, in which employees possess distinct elements and qualities, differing from one another (Robbins, 2003). Key words: Race, gender, inequality, ethnicity, organizations, discrimination, lifestyle. 1. Introduction Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another, in which the dimensions can be visible...
Words: 4247 - Pages: 17
...department is most likely to collaborate with other company functions on outplacement, labor law compliance, testing, and unemployment compensation. True False 3. The three product lines of HR include a) administrative services and transactions, B) financial services, and c) strategic partners. True False 4. The amount of time that the HRM function devotes to administrative tasks is decreasing, and its roles as a strategic business partner, change agent, and employee advocate are increasing. True False 5. Advances in technology have allowed HR services to be offered more on a self-service basis than in the past. True False 6. HR functions related to areas such as employee development, performance management, and organizational development are outsourced most frequently. True False 7. Evidence-based HR provides managers with data to make decisions, instead of just relying on intuition. True False 8. Stakeholders of a company are shareholders, the community, customers, employees, and all of the other parties that have an interest in seeing that the company succeeds. True False 9. Companies are now more and more interested in using intangible assets and human capital as a way to gain an advantage over competitors. True False 10. A learning organization places the highest emphasis on completion of formal employment training. True False 11. The psychological contract describes...
Words: 12538 - Pages: 51
...Running head: MANAGED DIVERSITY MANAGED DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT IN A MULTI-CULTURAL WORKFORCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES A MASTER’S CAPSTONE RESEARCH PAPER Presented to Professor Robert B. Donaldson Division of Public Administration Problems in Applied Public Management In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Administration College of Business and Public Administration Governors State University By Shari Denise Holloway Winter 2007 Approved: ____________________________________________ Dr. Robert B. Donaldson Date: TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………….....4 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………...….5 WHAT IS DIVERSITY ……………………………………..........................................6 WHAT IS WORKPLACE DIVERSITY ………………….………………….….…….7 Corporate Culture and Diversity ………………………………….……………9 DIVERSITY POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE………………14 Workplace Discrimination ……………………………………………………14 Glass Ceiling ………………………………………………………………….15 Affirmative Action…………………………………………………………….16 Equal Employment ……………………………………………………………17 FROM VALUING DIVERSITY TO MANAGING DIVERSITY …………………...18 MANGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE: A Multicultural Approach ………………18 DIVERSITY FACTOR (THE ISSUES)………………………………………………21 Cultural Collision ……………………………………………………………...
Words: 6971 - Pages: 28
...create a high functioning team to yield the greatest results by combining the individual specialized skills of its members to achieve a mutual goal. The global economy has created the opportunity to assemble a high functioning team with individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds. According to Aghazadeh (2004), “Creating a diverse workforce provides tremendous opportunities for companies and individuals to tap the ideas, creativity, and potential contributions inherent in a diverse workforce”. While a team may possess the necessary talents and skills, the success, failure, and level of productivity in which the team operates is based on its ability to effectively incorporate the diverse perspectives of its members. According to Aghazadeh (2004), “A company must value diversity. The main objectives of valuing diversity include awareness, education, and positive recognition of the differences among people in the workforce”. Therefore to yield the desired results, the manager must commit to cultivating a culture that embraces diversity. In the case of Team New Jersey, the stereotyping of team members is having adverse effects on the team’s success and their ability to embrace cultural differences. Before drawing conclusions that addressing cultural differences would be the solution to Harpreet and Arash issues, I would conduct individual team member interviews, observe group interactions between them and other team members, and review previous work performance reports before...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
...in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/job.724 Diversity and organizational innovation: The role of employee involvement YANG YANG1* AND ALISON M. KONRAD2 Management Department, the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Department of Organizational Behavior, Richard Ivey School of Business, U. of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada 2 1 Summary This study examined the interactive effects of workplace diversity and employee involvement on organizational innovation. Using a sample of 182 large Canadian organizations, we found a three-way interaction between level of employee involvement, variation in involvement, and racioethnic diversity on innovation. In organizations with high levels of employee involvement, high variation in involvement was associated with higher involvement levels among racioethnic minorities, resulting in a stronger association between diversity and innovation. Furthermore, the association between White employee involvement and innovation was significantly more positive under the condition of high involvement among racioethnic minority group members. Thus, ensuring high levels of involvement among members of historically marginalized racioethnic groups enhances the innovation effects of employee empowerment systems. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Keywords: gender and racioethnic diversity, diversity management, employee involvement level, employee involvement variation,...
Words: 13522 - Pages: 55
...ABSTRACT Workplace diversity exists when companies hire employees from various backgrounds and experiences. Many companies see workplace diversity as an investment toward building a better business. Although workplace diversity provides many benefits, it also poses many challenges to employees and managers. To reap the benefits of workplace diversity, employees and managers must understand the challenges and know how to effectively deal with them. Diversity is commonly interpreted in relation to ethnicity, gender and culture. Diversity also captures the differences and similarities between individuals and group, encompassing race, ethnicity, gender, culture, age, sexual orientation, religion, language, education, family status, physical and mental ability. These demographic variables are related to other important diversity characteristics such as values, attitudes, interaction styles, physical and cognitive abilities and non-work commitments. The impact of diversity is both positive and negative. The research questions was: How can diverse workforce affect the organization? Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction 4 Background of the Study 4 Statement of the Problem 4 Purpose of the Study 5 Research Questions 6 Chapter 2. Literature Review 6 Chapter 3. Methodology 12 Data Analysis 12 Final Results 14 References 15 CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND Today, globalization has become...
Words: 3487 - Pages: 14
