Cross-ultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cross-ultural Management - Essay patternThe opportunities presented by globalisation argon immense. The access to a global marketplace has been a big encourage to companies efforts to expand their business organization empires. However, aside from the consumption side with access to much buyers, companies are also benefitting on the production side with regards to their capabilities to produce at lower costs. This has been made possible by their access to cheaper labor movement in the developing economies. This, however, presents companies with much challenges since these are people who, although like machineries are inputs for production, are much more difficult to cross. Hence, Mendenhall, Oddou and Stahl (2007) emphasizes the need to be able to handle the challenges presented by having a global workforce for managers in firms that operate globally. Companies must be able to face up to the challenges presented by the contrary culture of the assorted people that will be wor king with them.More so, the concept of having global operations in different countries will present HR practitioners with an array of culture and people necessitating the capability to be able to handle the different issues that will arise from such workforce diversity. This, however, is easier said than done for Hofstede (2001) warns that thither are more chances for conflict than synergy when different cultures are mixed. Cross-cultural management in that locationfore is very important since this is a pressing reality that companies wanting or are operating globally must face and gain if they are to survive and thrive in the global business environment. Cultural Challenge According to Hofstede (2004), thither are five cultural dimensions that HR practitioners and managers faced with cross cultural challenges throw out use to someway understand the differences that are characteristic of their global workforce. One of the possible sources of conflicts that must be understood ri ght on is the way people may view how power is distributed. Hofstede calls this the Power Distribution Index (PDI) whereby there is a bottom to top view of the inequality of the distribution of power. Hence, usually easterners identify strongly with their ethnic groups pith they find power in their groups or by being collectively identified with each new(prenominal) while westerners are more individualistic. Thus, this shows that these people must be treated differently. Also, there are the poles of masculinity and femininity which reflects to a person being assertive or modest. Looking at a comprehensive perspective, there is a significant difference among men towards women. Thus, companies operating globally ought to be sensitive to the angle of dip of their employees towards power as well as with the actuations associated with the poles of masculinity and femininity. The myriad of personalities that they will be handling can spell the difference between the success and failu re of their global endeavor since these employees are central to their business successes. It would be unwise to hire cheap labor if the company cannot get them to work harmoniously aggrandisement the risk of attaining poorer quality and even defects on their products. When conflicts abound in an organization, the results are seldom fruitful. Also, there is the aspiration to be risk averse or to be cautious and avoid uncertain situations. Hence, for cultures that have these tendencies, there are usually stricter laws and regulations in order for them to mitigate such risks and uncertainties. On the other side, there are cultures that are more lenient who are generally more relaxed and displays a high level of tolerance. Finally, there is the long term orientation (LTO) vis-a-vis short term orientation displaying the various tendencies of