The Cultural Impact on Organizations-Free-Samples for Organization

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Impact on Organizations. Answer: Introduction The world is diverse in nature it is packed with rich cultures of the different societies around the world. Culture refers to the ideas, traditions, and social etiquettes of a particular individual, an institution or society. It also contains the art, literature, music and other creativity of the human intellect that is associated with the society an individual is in. Culture plays a very significant role in the life of an individual as from the very beginning as a child an individual is taught to behave according to the culture he or she belongs. For example, a British child is taught to use spoon and fork to eat while in the Indian culture a baby is taught to eat using the bare hands (Schwartz 2014). While creating customer segmentation the organizations keep in mind the cultural background of the target market as well because purchasing decisions are made on the basis of cultural practices. For example: the menu of Mc Donalds India do not include any Pork or beef items as compared to Mc Donalds in America. This is because of the religious believes that are prevalent in India where Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork (Knox, Marston and Imort 2016). Like a society every organization also has a specific culture among the employees which mostly reflect the image of the product or service, the brand and the owner. Each organization has a specific cultural. It is not possible to maintain a particular culture as there are over hundreds or employees working there, spending more than half of their days time being a part. So the effect of the numerous cultures coming together certainly affects the environment of the organization. That in the process affects the lifestyles and outlooks of the workers of the organization. By organization culture one would refer to the ideologies, beliefs, principles and values that each individual of an organization shares with one another. The culture is also a determining factor that directly affects the success of the organization (Alvesson 2016). Culture, specifically in large organizations with a big deal of internal momentum can be very stringent and difficult to bend. The inertia of an organization is built largely depending upon the size and strength of employees and the culture they bring in. strong organizations have the habit of moving in the direction they already have been moving in. So it is extremely important that the managers understand the requirement and use the knowledge to the benefit of the organization. The managers should be able to create cultures as well as change what is stagnant in order to ensure a positive, ethical work environment (Shaw 2014). Cultural Factors It is very essential to understand how culture is created in an organization before one tries or attempts to change the organizational culture. Altering existing components of culture is a knowledge that one should have, when it comes to the attempt to changing it. Organization culture reflects the following factors: the vision, ethics and other definitions of culture; the processes which monitor what goes on, for example, employee handbooks, etc; organizational structures; the power structures, for instance the structure that states who has the power to do what; the brand images, which reflect and represent the organization culture; the business rituals or settings in which the organization functions; these are few of the many elements of culture that capture the array of elements or components that managers use for influencing and changing the general culture of an organization (evans-lacko and knapp 2014). Implementing Cultural Change within the Organization There are few stages and steps to initiate and implement changes in cultural reforms. These are in co-relation with the factors that have been stated in the last segment. Ensuring clarity in strategic visions- This stands for ensuring that the vision statement and strategies altogether can be clubbed to create a single strong cultural statement. The vision must disclose and describe in particular the new culture effectively. The communicating aspects which are specific to certain cultural changes, even at the higher managerial tiers are also important. Leading by example- This means that the topmost management tier needs to exhibit the kind of culture they want in the organization. The kind of values they expect from the employees is what they need to practice and only then can the correct vibe resonate and affect people positively. Altering handbooks, hierarchy and other central components of structure would be an important step towards the change (Burke 2017). Following up if the culture is being practiced properly and terminating an employee if the principles are being breached. The process also helps in bringing in potential talents into the organization which will be helpful for the progress of the same. Also helping new candidates to adapt to the new culture is important. The managers should be aware of the kind of implications, most importantly. This is a long and elaborate process implemented mostly in large organization with a large workforce, which in turn exposes the employees to a wider cultural range (Alvesson and Sveningsson 2015). Impact of globalization on organization and culture When organizations or institutions operate on a global basis on an international level this is referred to as globalization. Every ambitious business entrepreneur wants to expand globally to set global footprints there are many advantages of globalization in this case but there are some barriers which the company needs to overcome for the smooth working of the daily operation of the business (Stromquist and Monkman 2014). Cultural difference among the employees, among the customers or in the workplace can be a problem but ones this problem has been coped b the organization the diversity in an organization can lead to innovation and creativity in the working of the business. Communication is one of the most significant barriers in cultural difference among the people associated with the operation of the business language is one of the medium of communication (Pieterse 2015). The management of an organization is expected to take the responsibility of dealing with the cultural or langua ge differences among the resources. In order to do so there has to be a plan and a strategy on the basis of which cross cultural diversity is promoted and put to the advantage of the organization (Yankuzo 2014). Importance of language in a culture There are thousands of languages that are spoken worldwide. Globalization has enabled companies to operate from around the world which has enabled organization to globally accept a language of business which is English. For a business organization to operate there has to be a particular language that the organization follows to do any kind of transaction or negotiations. Globally English has been recognized as the language of business. In order to run a business every day there are several communications take place internally and externally which help in the day to day operations of the business (Pennycook 2017). English is also spoken and written differently in different parts of the world. Primarily there are two types of English that is accepted British English and American English. While speaking there are several accents of English that is used. To work for a business organization development of cross cultural communication skills are imperative. Cross-culture communication is a different field of study in communication management which deals with the nuances of the subject. Cross cultural communication is defined as the endeavor that is taken up to generate trade, bargain and arbitrate cultural differences by the usage of language, body gestures and body language. Disparity in the languages among the people automatically creates noise and difficulty in the communication process for international companies (Betancourt 2016). For a multinational organization that operates on an global level uses several language specific to the geographic location of the place of operation to communicate with the localities or to promote the brand in the language that is wide understood by the target market of that specific area. For example: a multinational organization like Colgate has its marketing and promotion done in English in America but then they have regional languages used in Spain or any other parts of Europe where the brand operates. While language is an essential part of communication gestures and body language are also important to communicate in an organization. Gestures and body language also depend heavily on the cultural background of the people. While the people who belong form China bow to show regards and to honor the presence of a person, American shake hands. A minimum cultural knowledge is important before meeting a person from a different culture because what may seem common in one culture may be regarded as peculiar or offensive in another. A firm handshake, direct eye contact, or kiss on the cheek may seem quite normal and a regular practice in one culture but people from different cultures may not like it. Keeping up with the cross-cultural communication can be a challenge; hence it is a good idea for professionals to be ready with the research. It is also crucial that cultural differences in a workplace may be approached with sensitivity and an open mind (Tenzer, Pudelko and Harzing 2014). Impact of religious culture on Organizations Much like language, there are also various religions that are followed in the world. Religion is one of the most important fundaments of cultural development of an individual. Religion can be referred to as the belief and faith of human beings on a supreme power. Religion lays down certain guidelines about how to lead a life these are transformed into cultural norms of the people who are religious or follow a certain religion (Weaver and Stansbury 2014). Religion of a nation state is heavily dependent upon the working of a firm in that particular country. It is one of the most important external business environments which have to be kept in mind by the management of the organization. Decisions and policies are also made by the organization keeping in mind not to upset the sentiments of any of the customers and employees regarding their religion. In a firm holidays and festivals are all dependent on the religious factor of that particular country in which the organization is operating. Marketing events and marketing strategies of an organization to promote the product or services of the organization is mostly dependent on the religious festivals that are celebrated in the country of operation. For example: companies come up with different promotional strategies during the Christmas in America or Makar Sankranti in India. Religion is one of the most sensitive aspects of an individual and it is the duty of the management to respect it and deal with it sensibly (Chua, Roth and Lemoine 2015). Social manners and habits impact on organizations Living in a society is what makes human being different form animals. Over the years of evolution of human beings creating and living in a social and harmonious environment is something that has enabled humans to have a set off guideline as to how to behave in the society. This is a very argumentative and subjective topic of discussion, but the basics are mostly accepted globally by all humans (French 2015). Culture has a huge role to play in how a person behaves in the society. For instance: greeting people, offering beverages to the guests, cloths that the people are all a part of social habits or manners. In many cultures people do not like physical proximity with the opposite gender like a firm hand shake or a kiss on the cheek. In many cultures gifting alcoholic beverages are also considered to be insulting or degrading (Samaha, Beck and Palmatier 2014). Models for effective cultural leadership The leadership of a cultural sector or a group is known as Cultural leadership. Much like culture it can be practiced and customized in many different ways. It includes senior managers and directors of the sponsored cultural institutions. It also comprises of the public officials who are working towards the development and execution of the policy for the cultural group. To be a good leader in a diverse workforce of an organization some of the qualities are required (Demirtas and Akdogan 2015). The leader should have a sense of curiosity to learn and to research about different cultures that are practiced around the world. The research will enable the manager to understand the individual better which will in turn allow them to help the employee during the time of need. Tolerance and appreciation towards the diversity of any kind should reflect in the behavior of the leader. The leader or the manger should work towards developing a helpful and encouraging work environment that allows them to be approachable by the subordinates in times of special requirements like family emergencies, religious events and other times of personal importance. Promoting diversity through various benefits and incentive programs by the organization increases the popularity and goodwill of the organization among the employees. This increases the employee commitment and the productivity of the employee. The popularity and the goodwill of the company as well as understanding of a wide and diverse consumer base is possible with the help of a diverse workforce. Hence promoting diversity among the employee is a good idea for an organization. Diverse resources of the organization will help lend insight about the buying patterns, customer perceptions and needs within their communities (Rottig, Reus and Tarba 2014). A good leader should also make sure that no community, religion or culture is being deemed and looked down upon by any step or policies of the organization. They should also encourage harmonious environment among the diverse workforce. GLOBE Research Project Global leadership and organizational behavior effectiveness (GLOBE) research project includes a group of international sociologist and management intellects who study cross cultural leadership. The institution focuses on the study of relationship among the societal culture, cultural leadership and organizational practices. The latest study that has been conducted by the organization was in the year 2014 where hundreds of CEOs and thousands of senior level managers who belong form various types of industries in 24 different countries were studies by more than 70 researchers. The conclusion of the report has showed how much culture is important on societal leadership expectations and also the significance of matching the CEOs behaviors to expectations for leadership effectiveness. According to the model there are 9 ways to differentiate the approaches of leadership on a cultural background: Assertiveness: The approach should not be passive or aggressive it should have a sense of understanding and balance. Future orientation: The leaders or the managers of any organization are expected to have a far sighted knowledge base to form policies and make decisions for the betterment of the organization. Performance orientation: Reviewing, monitoring and motivating the employees work to develop the productivity of the resource. Humane orientation: The sense of understanding, empathy and apathy towards cultural beliefs, personal difficulties and other issues of the resources are significant. Gender equality: Equal opportunities for all genders are important because the talent of an employee or the productivity of a resource does not depend upon the gender of the individual. Uncertainty avoidance: The leader or the manager of any group should work towards avoiding any uncertainty. Power distance: The hierarchy in between the manager and the subordinates should not create a communication distance between the two groups. Institutional collectivism: The amount to which a business organization encourages and remunerates the collective distribution of resources and collective action. In-group collectivism: it is defined as the degree to which individuals express pride, loyalty, and unified behavior towards the organization where he or she works or towards the family (Chhokar, Brodbeck and House 2013). Geerte Hofstede model Gerard Hendrik Hofstede is a social psychologist has studied the relation in between the culture of the nation state and organizational cultures. In his study he has given a guideline for understanding the fundamental values in an organization. He has provided with five value factors to recognize national and regional cultural difference. Power Distance: Uncertainty Avoidance: There should be proper and clear guidelines as per the codes and ethics of the organization. These guidelines should adhere by all the employees including the managers. Individualistic: The author says that there is a strong emphasis on individualism. People want to be individually delegated and given certain benefits. Masculine: The societal differences among the employees are maximized focusing on the performance society Long Term Orientation: Concentration on any of the policies or decisions that are taken by the management has to be kept in mind and in terms of a long term vision for the organization (Minkov, Blagoev and Hofstede 2013). Edward T Hall model Edward T Hall is a renowned anthropologist who has studies the behavior and the cultural pattern of the society. His study of the high and low context cultural factors states that in a high context culture there are several factors that guides a person to understand the regulations of the culture as a result of which a lot of it is taken for granted. A person who cannot identify with the written rules of the culture will be in a very confusing position (Schein 2014). On the other hand in the low-context culture very less of the factors of the culture are taken for granted. In this case there is a less chance of misunderstanding especially with the people from other cultures. In his study he has also revealed that the communication or interaction between high context and low context cultures because of its contrasting nature if the cultures may lead to confusion and frustration (Oliver 2016). Impact of internet on culture Advancement of technology and the internet boom in the recent past has enabled cross cultural learning and integration. People are connected to each other across the globe with just a click (Sariyska et al. 2014) Conclusion The impact of culture is inseparable from a business organization as these are run by humans who are strongly backed by a cultural background. The culture an individual belongs shape his or her characteristics and other decision making criterion regarding every aspect in the future. 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