Intercultural Team Challenges

2020 ◽  
pp. 233-254
Author(s):  
Philippe D’Iribarne ◽  
Sylvie Chevrier ◽  
Alain Henry ◽  
Jean-Pierre Segal ◽  
Geneviève Tréguer-Felten
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Multicultural Teams ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Work Contexts

Working in multicultural teams can be a challenge since members do not share the same cultural references. How can they reach an agreement when decision-making does not mean the same things to participants? How can expatriates empower local staff when managers and employees do not have the same empowerment prerequisites in mind? A Franco-Swedish and a Franco-Malagasy case illustrate these misunderstandings, which are emblematic of the misperceptions that emerge in bi-national work contexts. Training in intercultural communication and awareness of cultural distances are not sufficient to overcome these misunderstandings. In addition, cultural misunderstandings are sometimes strategically constructed and often not even acknowledged as such. A better intercultural cooperation requires deciphering the participants’ universes of meaning.

Diversity Training in Organizations

2014 ◽  
pp. 1151-1165
Author(s):  
David McGuire ◽  
Nicola Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Diversity Training ◽  
Individual Identity ◽  
Multicultural Teams ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Hierarchical Levels ◽  
Valuing Diversity

Diversity training is an area of growing interest within organizations. As organizations and society become more culturally diverse, there is a need to provide training across all hierarchical levels to make individuals more aware of and sensitized to elements of difference. Managing and valuing diversity is becoming increasingly important to delivering higher levels of performance and creativity, enhancing problem solving and decision-making, and gaining cultural insights into domestic and overseas markets. As facilitators of diversity training, line managers are increasingly tasked with the important role of equipping employees with the skills and competencies to work effectively in diverse multicultural teams. Consequently, this chapter looks at the mechanics of how diversity is discussed and delivered in organizations. It explores the necessity of diversity training in safeguarding and respecting individual identity and in fostering more welcoming inclusive workplaces.

Decision Making Process in Intercultural Communication

2019 ◽  
pp. 300-334
Author(s):  
Emıne Nılufer Pembecıoglu ◽  
Hatıce Irmaklı
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Media Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Different Cultures

The society we live in and the culture we're surrounded by all have an impact on our decision-making processes requiring that media literacy skills start flourishing during the early years. Globalization changed the dynamics of the world and society by removing any limitations of time and space. Thus, different cultures and values encounter one another, which is why media literacy and intercultural awareness are becoming the key skills in today's world. This chapter aims to analyze the stages, reasons, and the choices of the decision-making process of individuals from different cultural backgrounds in an intercultural communication setting where they were given certain problems for which they were expected to find solutions in a limited amount of time. The chapter mainly discusses the notion of “tolerance” and “judgement”: how one positions her/himself in an intercultural environment and how s/he approaches a problem with the awareness of cultural differences.

Cross-Cultural Decision-Making in Healthcare

2018 ◽  
pp. 276-298
Author(s):  
Tomasz Komendziński ◽  
Emilia Mikołajewska ◽  
Dariusz Mikołajewski
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Common System ◽  
Personal Experiences

This chapter describes how people are connected to each other through a common system of encoding and decoding messages. Opening the European gate has made intercultural communication omnipresent, and this includes health care. Internationally-based tasks need new, culture-aware medical practitioners. The challenges, barriers, and solutions in the aforementioned area based on the personal experiences of the authors. The chapter concludes that in spite of personal experience, intercultural tension continues to be a major hinderance to patient healthcare services.

Cross-Cultural Decision-Making in Healthcare

2021 ◽  
pp. 1805-1827
Author(s):  
Tomasz Komendziński ◽  
Emilia Mikołajewska ◽  
Dariusz Mikołajewski
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Common System ◽  
Personal Experiences

This chapter describes how people are connected to each other through a common system of encoding and decoding messages. Opening the European gate has made intercultural communication omnipresent, and this includes health care. Internationally-based tasks need new, culture-aware medical practitioners. The challenges, barriers, and solutions in the aforementioned area based on the personal experiences of the authors. The chapter concludes that in spite of personal experience, intercultural tension continues to be a major hinderance to patient healthcare services.

Decision-making criteria and indicators for water and sanitation projects in developing countries

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Garfì ◽  
Laia Ferrer-Martí
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Multicriteria Analysis ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Basic Sanitation

Water and sanitation projects for solving the needs of small communities in developing countries are complex in nature and involve complex decision-making, which must consider technical, socio-economic and environmental dimensions. Multicriteria analysis (MCA) is a suitable decision-aid method that scores a finite number of options on the basis of a set of evaluation criteria. The main challenge in MCA is choosing the appropriate criteria and evaluation indicators to use for assessment. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive and wide list of criteria and evaluation indicators as a guideline in MCA of water and basic sanitation projects in small rural communities of developing countries. First, the paper details the general criteria to be considered in all the projects, which are classified in to 4 main groups: technical (e.g. local resources use, appropriate management); social (e.g. local community participation, overcoming discrimination of conflict); economic (e.g. low cost, employment of local staff) and environmental criteria (e.g. atmospheric emissions, water pollution). Then, it describes technical criteria to be additionally considered in each specific type of project: water supply (e.g. water needs, independent access), water treatment (e.g. constant resource availability, flexibility of use for different types of water) and basic sanitation projects (e.g. maximum number of people per system, effluent quality).

Camaraderie and Conflict: Intercultural Communication and Workplace Interactions in South Korean Companies in Bình Dương Province, Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 832-847
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Hong-Xoan ◽  
Catherine Earl
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Interpersonal Process ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Workplace Interactions ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Depth Interviews

Rapid expansion of South Korean investment in Asia and Africa highlights a need to understand how local staff manage intercultural communication, particularly involving conflict with their superiors. South Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor and the Southern Key Economic Zone hosts the majority of 1252 projects and 70,000–80,000 South Koreans working in Vietnam. This paper reports on a mixed methods data set comprising 356 survey responses and nine in-depth interviews of Vietnamese workers at South Korean companies in Bình Dương province. According to workers, the main causes of conflict in workplace interactions with Korean managers are ‘differences in working culture’ – especially about workplace time use – and ‘attitude differences’. The most popular solution from both sides is to apologise. However, workers report frequently remaining silent when they are verbally abused. This research shows that intercultural communication is an ongoing and dynamic interpersonal process that is influenced by social, contextual and individual factors.

scholarly journals Intercultural communication within a Chinese subsidiary of a Western MNC: Expatriate perspectives on language and communication issues

Multilingua ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Wilczewski ◽  
Anne-Marie Søderberg ◽  
Arkadiusz Gut
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Multinational Company ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Communication Difficulties ◽  
Language And Communication ◽  
Communication Challenges

Abstract This study investigates Polish expatriates’ stories of encounters with local personnel in a Chinese subsidiary of a Western multinational company. A narrative analysis of the stories produced important insights into Polish-Chinese communication in an intra-subsidiary context. Low proficiency in the host language was a serious obstacle to expatriate socialization and a source of expatriates’ exclusion and social isolation in the workplace, which often led to stress, frustration, and negative attitudes toward collaboration with local personnel. Language-related issues prevented the expatriates from acquiring information from Chinese superiors, learning about problems within a team, and participating in decision-making. The findings of this case study relate to communication challenges in the Chinese subsidiary, expatriates’ accounts of how they overcame communication difficulties, and their reflections on what fostered and hampered intercultural communication.

Expatriate managers decision-making practices within the UAE: a qualitative study

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 856-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan AlMazrouei ◽  
Robert Zacca ◽  
Chris Bilney ◽  
Giselle Antoine
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Management Style ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Local Decision ◽  
Expatriate Managers ◽  
Contextual Environment

Purpose Managing across cultures is vital for international business success. Leaders need to make decisions in a way that suits the new culture in which they are placed. This paper aims to explore how expatriate managers in the UAE make decisions in respect to their contextual environment. Additionally, the study investigates the approaches expatriate managers use to adjust their decision-making and how they manage local staff in contrast to home country staff. Finally, the study investigates the factors that contribute to the situation-specific environment of the expatriate leaders’ experience. Design/methodology/approach Structured personal interviews of expatriates drawn from stratified sampling were used to discover the styles of decision-making that were effective in the UAE. Findings The consultative management style of management enhanced by a hybrid approach of melding the strongest aspects of the expatriates’ decision-making style with the strongest aspects of the local decision-making style met with much success managing in the UAE. Additionally, the expatriate managers’ expression of appreciation towards local staff provided motivation and encouraged cooperation. Moreover, it was found that expatriates can face difficulties in expressing their wishes and requirements accurately to local staff because of their unfamiliarity with the Arabic language. Practical implications This research provides practical guidance for expatriate managers charged with successfully leading organizations in UAE. It also offers guidance for employers seeking to recruit or employ appropriate management talent to UAE. Originality/value The paper concentrates on expatriate managers’ decision-making practices within the UAE.

Diversity Training in Organizations

2012 ◽  
pp. 273-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
David McGuire ◽  
Nicola Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Diversity Training ◽  
Individual Identity ◽  
Multicultural Teams ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Hierarchical Levels ◽  
Valuing Diversity

Diversity training is an area of growing interest within organizations. As organizations and society become more culturally diverse, there is a need to provide training across all hierarchical levels to make individuals more aware of and sensitized to elements of difference. Managing and valuing diversity is becoming increasingly important to delivering higher levels of performance and creativity, enhancing problem solving and decision-making, and gaining cultural insights into domestic and overseas markets. As facilitators of diversity training, line managers are increasingly tasked with the important role of equipping employees with the skills and competencies to work effectively in diverse multicultural teams. Consequently, this chapter looks at the mechanics of how diversity is discussed and delivered in organizations. It explores the necessity of diversity training in safeguarding and respecting individual identity and in fostering more welcoming inclusive workplaces.

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