Question

Discuss and analyze a situation where you worked on a team/project team consisting of diverse or intercultural team members. Consider the following points in your response:
a. What were some good and/or poor examples of communication?
b. Discuss any examples or interpretation of cultural differences as described in Hofstede's Cultural Values chart on page 46 of your text (e.g., individualism, time orientation, formality, etc.).
c. Was there anything that could have been done to make the communication more effective?

Answer 1

Explanation:

a. It is common that there are challenges in multicultural companies, communication can be a problem in companies where there are language barriers for example, which can cause significant communication noises that can cause misunderstanding and difficulty integrating a member of a culture different when joining a work team.

b. There are several different cultural values ​​that can directly influence the work environment, the issue of formality for example is a factor that differs from country to country, and the lack of formality of an employee for example can be seen as rude, invasive behavior or unprofessional, when in fact it may just be a cultural feature of countries where the work environment is less informal and more flexible.

c.  To make communication more effective, it is necessary to prepare the organization, that is, the development of policies, organizational culture and programs aimed at inclusion and respect for the different cultural values ​​present in the organization.

It is essential that the company prepare its managers and employees to receive workers from other countries, developing a favorable environment for the exchange of positive experiences, aimed at integration, collaboration and ethical behaviors.