Using Cultural Differences to Determine Motivational Techniques
Delta State University

Choosing a motivational style is such an important aspect of the culture of a company. Not fully understanding the culture of a company can limit the potential success of employees substantially. Alternatively, when a manager creates a culture of both individual and collective human excellence, employee performance increases significantly. In negative, low-performing cultures, there is confusion about goals and roles, conflict among members, disempowerment, and not much listening. Examples of positive, high-performing cultures include those that have a common known goal, an open flow of communication, a passion to deliver results, and clear roles for decision making (Anderson & Anderson, 2010, p. 189). The question is: how do managers take the business culture from the negative, low-performing culture to the positive, high-performing culture? The answer is motivation!
All managers must discover what motivates their employees. Managers also must consider what pushes employees to maintain higher productivity, have increased job satisfaction, meet organizational goals, and strive to be competitive in the job market today. When a leader can understand what motivates his or her employees, then employees will invest in the improvement of the company (Adler & Gunderson, 2008, p. 184). As the business world becomes more global each and every day, managers must also begin to think more globally. This includes investigating which motivational practices work the best for different cultures. This paper will first describe in depth several highly-used motivational theories and explain why they are so important. It will then discuss the cultures of four different regions of the world, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It will explain how to use those