...How a Multicultural Workforce Might Affect Teamwork and Communications in Large Companies Bethany Ward, Nicole Ortiz, Brandi Cook Learning Team B University of Phoenix COMM/215 Linda Lawliss February 5, 2007 Large companies find a multicultural workforce essential because they have to do business effectively with many diverse cultures in order to be successful. Unique skills and/or lower costs become more accessible to companies when they broaden their work forces. However, in working with different cultures and backgrounds, many companies face difficulties and challenges they must overcome. Managing a diverse workforce is an important task for today’s corporations. The idea of a diverse workforce is not a new concept. “According to The History Channel, in the 1850’s, Chinese and Irish laborers were brought over to lay the tracks for the transcontinental railroad, which raised anger of those who had arrived a hundred years earlier”. (Cartby, 2006). No matter how angry people may get over diversity and new workers coming to America in search of a better life, it’s not going to go away. Ethnic backgrounds are just one dynamic of a diverse workforce. According to the Workforce 2000 study funded by the U.S. Department of Labor: “Immigrants, women and people of color accounted for 85 percent of the net growth in the labor force throughout the 1990’s”. (Cartby, 2006). This study proves the workforce of the future is going to become even more diverse...
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...Attention grabber. A tremendous challenge in organizations is learning how to efficiently diversify the workplace (Hostager & De Meuse, 2008). As we continue to emerge from the global recession the marketplace continues to remain extremely competitive. Even within this contentious environment, however, one could say organizations have become increasingly open minded about diversity. Competition is coming from all over, and because of this, organizations have to become more resourceful and seek for competitive advantages. Diversity has now become essential for management in order to ensure success. Diversity brings forth more creativity and it can have a positive effect on the way individuals work. People bring their cultural principles with them to work so it is important to identify culture orientation. However, because diversity is still somewhat a challenge, managers need to teach their employees as well as themselves the skills and abilities needed to work in a multiethnic environment. (Green, Lopez, Wysocki, & Kepner) This paper will highlight ways to create and maintain a diverse workforce, as well as the benefits and challenges of diversity as well as equal employment opportunity programs. Background For a long time “diversity has been one of the most controversial and least understood topics”. (Rohini, 2008 ) A recent survey conducted among human resources (HR) and diversity practitioners examined how they defined diversity (Society for Human Resources Management, 2008)...
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...various challenges. Strategic thinking is crucial in creating a coherent, integrative and unifying framework for making decisions particular regarding the direction in which an organization goes and the resources it plans to utilize (Goldsmith, 2009). In some way, strategic thinking utilizes external and internal data, perceptions and opinions. It is proactive, conscious and explicit while defining competitive realm for strategic advantage in the organization. Strategies are formed to improve the performance of an organization which means that the company will have to conduct something unique and different compared to that of the competitors. Whenever an organization develops a new strategy, it means that they are establishing change whether it is innovative or incremental. It means that managing to execute a strategy involves managing change. The business landscape of today is characterized by escalating diverse environments whereby some organizations operate in stable environments while others in environments that are not stable. This is the reason organizations needs to create a strong relationship between strategy and innovation to...
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...and appreciation” (Quotes for Unity in Diversity). What needs to be better looked at and applied is taking Scott A. hunt’s concept of unity through diversity, into the workplace. That process of incorporating diversity into the workplace has been becoming ever necessary over the years through rapidly growing domestic, global, and international business interactions. Though difficult as it may be sometimes, what diversity actually is and how it can significantly improve business and its interactions, in and out of the workplace, is what needs to be looked at. Josh Greenberg, president of the employee surveying company AlphaMeasure, Inc., writes on the benefits, challenges, and solutions to diversity in the workplace, “Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more. Diversity not only involves how people perceive themselves, but how they perceive others. Those perceptions affect their interactions. For a wide assortment of employees to function effectively as an organization, human resource professionals need to deal effectively with issues such as communication, adaptability and change. Diversity will increase significantly in the coming years....
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...more has turned the world into more of a “global village” (Saee 2005). While globalization has effected nearly every aspect of human civilization, it has created some very serious concerns for managers whose organizations and firms already are or are planning to be involved in business transactions that take place outside of their domestic environment. If companies and corporations want to be successful in today’s economy, then it is important for managers to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of different types of cultures, business ethics, and ways of leadership, and the implications that these differences will have on their businesses. In this paper, we will discuss the effects that globalization has had on managers with respect to culture, business ethics, and leadership. Culture Globalization has caused cultural diversity to become a fact of organizational life. In order for businesses to succeed, cultural diversity has to be taken into consideration when formulating business plans and strategies. Managers have also had to develop cross-cultural management skills, which are necessary to be able to manage employees and interact with clients of different cultural backgrounds (Saee...
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...forms of literary works give insight to the reader regarding one’s life’s struggles and achievements. These forms of literary works allow the reader to relate his or her own experiences to the problems and emotions related to the workplace. Literature communicates past and present changes which occur in businesses. These literary works represents the voice of the people. Past and present business literature assists businesses and its workers to better understand human nature, social and/or political issues and changes emerging in today’s workplace environment. Past literary works in business has focused on the worker and the workplace environment. Themes related to this era focused on ethnicity, equal rights, gender, and organized labor. Injustices and equality of factory workers, non union workers and women are a few examples. However, today’s literary works in business focus on ethics, values, development of new technology, interpersonal and personal conflicts and environmental concerns. Computers and new technology is causing difficulty with people keeping his or her jobs. Companies are globalizing for cheaper labor and downsizing to save money. Some companies want to have a larger profit but pay very little to its workers but continue to expect quality work. This helps the poor oversees but it puts American workers at a disadvantage. This technique results in an increase of unemployment. Changing relationships between literature and business from the past to present...
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...Write a 1,000- to 1,500-word detailed analysis, explaining how these issues and cultural considerations affect your division and the strategic plans. Regarding the cultural issues my suggestions are (3): age, ethnicity, and gender. Diversity in the workplace below: With human connection, combined with community involvement is how Starbucks has managed to continue their commitment to upholding a culture where diversity is valued and respected. Diversity as a concept focuses on a broader set of qualities than race and gender. The importance of committing to diversity in the workplace will indicate to your employee’s that you promote diversity and respect their differences. The organization will also benefit by taking advantage of the different thoughts and ideas in their strategic growth and planning process. Starbucks has always recognized diverse contributions can create a positive work environment that maximizes the potential of all employees. “The dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to: age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, educational background, geographic location, income, marital status, military experience, parental status, religious beliefs, work experience, and job classification." Starbucks is constantly working on improving their new hire process. They are dedicating a great deal time and effort in employee and customer diversity. The organizations management team visions Starbucks in...
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...workplace, such as exchange of ideas because of the diverse cultures of employees, the development of friendship without discrimination, workers learn to cope up with the diverse environment, stereotyping is eliminated, retention of employees are more likely due to healthy competition. On the other side, there is are negative parts which includes communication gaps due to language barrier and resistance to change. Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another, in which these dimensions can be visible or invisible. The existence of workplace diversity, within an organization, indicates that the workplace is heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity, in which employees possess distinct elements and qualities, differing from one another (Robbins, 2003). Key words: Race, gender, inequality, ethnicity, organizations, discrimination, lifestyle. 1. Introduction Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another, in which the dimensions can be visible or invisible. The existence of workplace diversity, within a workplace, indicates that the workplace is heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity, in which employees possess distinct elements and qualities, differing from one another (Robbins, 2003, Buckingham, 2012 ). Also Hazard (2004) defines workplace diversity as a broad range of differences that influence how people...
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...so-called information age, the greatest assets of most companies are now on two feet. Undeniably, there is a talent war raging. No company can afford to unnecessarily restrict its ability to attract and retain the very best employees available. Although we all share many traits and needs, human beings are different and unique. While diversity has always existed, globalization, an increase in immigration, the sexual revolution and the output of the open formerly taboo subjects - such as living with a disability and gender preference - were placed in front -plan diversity of our concerns and the need to accept it. In the workplace, diversity encompasses elements that are evident, among other demographic differences such as gender, ethnicity and age, and more subtle differences, for example, the way we think or solve problems, social class or education. Because of the variety of backgrounds and approaches, it is not always easy for people to get along in the workplace (Diversityworld.com, 2014). However, it could be quite different. By learning to understand the challenges posed by differences and accept different points of view within your workgroup, you can use the strengths that represent a diverse team, in addition to expanding your horizons. Workforce diversity refers to organizations that are becoming more heterogeneous with the mix of people in terms of gender, age, race, and education background (Robbins, 2009). A diverse workforce for instance, includes gender, age, ethnicity...
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...management and manage the work of non-managerial individuals who are involved with the production or creation of the organization’s products. They’re often called supervisors but may also be called line managers, office managers, or even foremen. They are directly responsible for the work of operating (nonmanagerial) employees. a. Titles often include the term, “supervisor.” b. Factors changing the jobs of first-line managers include emphasis upon worker participation and teamwork and the use of computers to regulate many activities formerly regulated by first-line managers. c. The jobs of first-line managers are likely to change toward a greater emphasis on dealing with internal human relations. Middle-level managers are those managers beneath the top-levels of the hierarchy and directly supervise other managers below them. It includes all levels of management between the first-line level and the top level of the organization. These managers manage the work of first-line managers and may have titles such as department head, project leader, plant managers, or division manager. a. Typical titles include “manager,” “director of,” “chief,” department head,” and “division head.” b. Middle managers are mainly responsible for implementing overall organizational plans so that organizational goals are achieved as expected. c. They plan, allocate resources to meet objectives and coordinate and link groups, departments, and divisions within a company. d. They monitor and manage the...
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...various factors that contribute to the rising workplace diversity. These include increasing numbers of immigrants, company mergers and joint ventures in different countries, increased engagement of business consultants and temporary employees, international competition and the phenomenon of globalization, which has transformed the world into a global village. Globalization has occurred because of a combination of factors such as improved infrastructure, advancements in technology. Infrastructure and technology have not only provided cheaper means of communication and travel, but have revolutionized the speed at which individuals and businesses communicate with each other. Domestic companies are also spreading their operations to new territories across the globe in search of new markets or outsourcing some aspects of their production process. Management of employee cultural diversity, through the integration of suitable strategies plays a key role in improving the competitive advantage of the business, especially on the global platform. Globalization calls for specific approaches that promote harmonious working relationships within increasingly culturally diverse workplaces. Hansen (2002) observes that workplace diversity is critical to the existence of businesses and identifying key strategies to ensure harmonious working relationships among culturally diverse employees is integral to the survival of any business. Diversity in this case means the differences between individuals...
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...Managing Diverse Employee at Starbucks: Focusing on the ethic and Inclusion Abstract Workforce diversity is a reality of the modern times for every organization and managing it effectively can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how managers lead diverse employees in a global environment and what makes this company so unique. Effective management of diversity is not only employing diverse employees, but learning to appreciate, respect and respond to the needs, value, and beliefs of diverse employee and provide a positive work environment. Therefore, we will analyze the general environment and task forces that affect the diversity, as well as the challenges faced by Starbuck managers when managing diverse employees. Besides, the impact of diversity on the company performance will be subject of analysis through a value driven perspective. Lastly, we will identify some of the best practices for effectively managing diversity and propose some recommendations. Introduction One of the greatest challenges for managers today is managing the increase of diversity in the workplace. Diversity is defined as” dissimilarities or differences among people due to age, gender, race, ethically, religion, sexual orientation, education any characteristic that are used to distinguish between people. According to the Thompson (2005), organization who limits the kinds of people they are willing to hire, are limiting also the talent pool from...
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...within an organization that affect the way employees perform their duties. Defining these terms will help create an effective work environment. Organizational behavior is a study of how individuals, groups, and structure affect the behavior of an organization (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Because each organization is different the results of organizational behavior is different for every organization. The goal of every organization is to be successful and to be successful an organization must have employees who work together in an effective way. By studying the behavior of employees’ managers can determine what makes their employees more effective. By doing this managers are creating a more productive work environment. The organizational culture of a business is what guides the employees to be effective. Organizational culture is the beliefs, values, and actions created within the business that is shared by employees (Schermerhorn Jr., Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). The organizational culture of a business is diverse and can have either a positive or negative effect on the quality of performance of the employees. External adaptation and internal integration are two factors of organizational culture. External adaptation are methods employees use to reach goals and accomplish tasks, it also teaches employees how to deal with successes or failures....
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...INTRODUCTION 3 2. ANALYSIS OF THE COMPANY’S STRATEGIES and MANAGEMENT 4 a. The Financial Statistics 4 b. The Problems and Challenges 5 3. EVALUATION & CONCLUSION 8 WORKS CITED 10 1. INTRODUCTION Jollibee Food Company was established after the oil crisis hit the ice-cream prices since the family company was mainly based on ice-cream production and sales. After Jollibee, one member of the family, decided to diversify into sandwiches; the product started to gain popularity. “The Tans’ hamburger, made to a home-style Philippine recipe developed by Tony’s chef father, quickly became a customer favorite. A year later, with five stores in metropolitan Manila, the family incorporated as Jollibee Foods Corporation.” (Bartlett, 2001) The rapid increase in the number of stores after such a short period indicated how successful Jollibee’s decision has been. In three years, the number stores were doubled and Jollibee had 11 stores. However, together with this success, the problems also started to arise. The entrance of McDonalds into Philippines market was one of the main problems that Jollibee had to deal with. In 1986, when this battle was finally over, Jollibee had reached the number of 31 stores indicating the success of the company’s strategy. After the success of company in the country was proved, it was time to sail abroad....
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...Executive Summary Businesses as a rule consist of various structures, whether in its people, customers, or board members. With that being said, I have chosen to audit the diversity within the global organization: United Parcel Service (UPS). The diverse makeup of this company shows the assorted roles within each department from corporate management down to the actual labor force doing the work. Conversely, without proper management skills, managers could neglect to acknowledge the role of each part of the corporate structure. Consequently, a distinctive form of audit is necessary, an audit that can deliver information of how well UPS manages the diversity of its resources. In order to perform this audit properly, a set of sound quantitative and qualitative criteria is required. I will be evaluating the diversity initiatives of UPS, one of the most prolific package delivery service companies in the world. The assessment will indicated whether or not UPS has a sound ability of diversity management. Diversity Audit UPS Organizational Background I.1. Corporate History Currently, United Parcel Services Inc. is the largest package delivery company and leading universal provider of specialized shipping and logistics services in the world in terms of delivery scale. UPS delivered more than 10 million packages to millions of destinations in 200 countries, with over 462,000 employees in 2008. Initially UPS was established as the American Messenger Company in Seattle, Washington...
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