Chapter 6: Organizational Cultures and Diversity Shinning Knights: David Braverman Paula Caicedo Tyler Coats Brittany Layman Rudy Pacheco Miguel Romero

Types of Multiculturalism

Types of Multiculturalism Domestic- concerning different cultures within your home country Group- concerning different cultures in other countries. Types of Multiculturalism

Domestic Multiculturalism These days it is easy to encounter other cultures without even leaving your home country. The US labor force is expected to change dramatically in the next decade with a lower percentage of white males and a higher percentage of women, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Managers should draw upon this growing diversity when hiring employees. Domestic Multiculturalism

Group Mulitculturalism Diverse groups from around the world can be categorized as…. Homogenous groups Token groups Bicultural groups Multicultural groups Group Mulitculturalism

Members have similar backgrounds and usually interpret, perceive and evaluate events in similar ways. An example would be a group of German bankers deciding on an investment strategy. Homogenous groups

All members but one have a similar background. An example, would be Japanese retailers working with a British attorney Token groups

In which two or more members each represent two distinct cultures. An example, would be a team of Mexicans and a team of Canadians working together on an investment opportunity. Bicultural groups

In which there are individuals from three or more different ethnic backgrounds. An example would be teams from several different countries forming a joint business venture. Multicultural groups

Potential Problems with Diversity

A mixed workforce that provides a wide range of abilities, experience, knowledge, and strengths due to its assortment in age, background, ethnicity, physical abilities, political and religious beliefs, sex, and other attributes. Diversity

Diversity may cause problems in the workplace that can hinder a person or groups ability to take action, be productive and create an efficient and effective environment. Diversity

Potential Problems Mistrust of Other Preconceived Stereotypes Inaccurate Biases Inaccurate Communication Word Misunderstandings Situational Misunderstandings Different Perceptions of Time Mistrust- Japanese managers working with American managers. Japanese managers would often speak in their native language when talking among other native workers. American managers did not like this. Preconceived stereotypes- Workers from economically advanced countries having more knowledge than workers from less advanced countries. Inaccurate biases- japanese workers are becoming more freethinking, individual, and original. Word misunderstandings- british manager said “fornight” workers thought it ment 4 days, in britian it means 2 weeks. Situational misunderstandings- japanese workers often nod their head while listening to another individual. This does not mean they agree, they are showing attentiveness and being polite. So some promises cant be taken to heart. Different perceptions of time- a swiss, a french, and a british worker were doing a project and they could not agree on the amount of time to spend in each phase. Each thought a different phase needed more attention. But all agreed that the project needed to be done. Potential Problems

Diversity may cause a lack of cohesion due to problems rooted in peoples attitudes. The mistrust of others, preconceived stereotypes, inaccurate biases, and miscommunications are all potential problems associated with diversity in the workplace. Diversity Summary

Advantages of Diversity

The generation of more and better ideas. Culturally diverse groups can prevent groupthink, which is caused by social conformity and pressures on individual members of a group to conform and reach consensus. Diversity in the workplace enhances not just the internal operations but relationships to customers as well.

Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness

Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness Importance of Leadership in Managing Cross-Cultural Groups Dr. Carol Kovach conducted the research. If cross-cultural groups are led properly, they can be highly effective; if not led properly, they can be highly ineffective. Diverse groups are more powerful than single- culture groups. Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness

Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness Understanding the Conditions for Effectiveness Multicultural teams are most effective when tasks require innovation. Stages of Team Development Entry – find experienced multicultural managers focusing attention on the team members’ equivalent professional qualifications and status. Work – describing and analyzing the problem or task that has been assigned. Action – focus shifts to decision making and implementation. Entry - Difficult for diverse teams who are accustomed to working in different ways. For example, Americans, Germans, and Swiss typically want to get the job done versus getting to know each other first. Work – Easy for managers of multicultural teams, because they can draw on the diversity of the team. Action – Difficult phase because it often requires consensus building among the members. Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness

Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness Using Proper Guidelines Team Members Selected for task-related abilities. Recognize and be prepared to deal with their differences. Team leader must help the group identify and define its overall goal. Members must have equal power. Members must have mutual respect. Managers must give positive feedback on their process and output. Building Multicultural Team Effectiveness

Diversity in the workplace

Diversity drives economic growth A diverse workforce can capture a greater share of the consumer market Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates means a more qualified workforce

A diverse and inclusive workforce helps businesses avoid employee turnover costs. Diversity fosters a more creative and innovative workforce