HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR MANAGERS TODAY TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE?

Essay by dennischen8911University, Bachelor'sB, July 2014

download word file, 14 pages 0.0

Downloaded 2 times

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR MANAGERS TODAY TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE? (2500 WORDS)

When most people use the word culture, they think of people from different national backgrounds. National culture certainly does exist and they do play an important role in shaping the way people communicate. But there are other dimensions of culture too. Within a nation, regional differences can put a powerful influence on communication. Race, age and ethnicity can also shape behaviour. Still other differences can create distinctive cultures: gender, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, religion and socioeconomic background are just a few. All of these factors lead to a definition of culture as a set of values, beliefs, norms, customs, rules, and codes that lead people to define themselves as a distinct group, giving them a sense of commonality. It's important to realise that culture is not innate but is learned An understanding of culture, of how and why individuals and organisations act and think as they do, would only be possible if one will consider the cultural background of the environment, particularly the way people attribute meanings to the environment where they belong.

Through this, businesses will foresee the differences between their native cultures and in turn reconcile them, which in turn would maximise every opportunity present within their situation. With the dramatic increase in international trade and multinational corporations, the chances of interacting with people from different cultural and national backgrounds are greater than before. The world's increasing globalisation requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, profit and non-profit organizations need diversity to become more creative and...