Cross Cultural Management Assignment Sample

Cross Cultural Management Assignment

PART-1

Reflective Blog

As a student at the university, I had many experiences which have educated me a lot about the vitality of cultural models in our regular lives. One specific case that derives to mind is when I viewed the movie "Outsourced" for the first moment (Karandashev, 2020). I was excited to study extra about the Indian tradition and how it was represented in the films. I also know that the film would deliver to light certain challenges and difficulties of cross-cultural interaction that I had faced during my phase in India and during my undergraduate studies.

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The Johns reflective model is a useful framework for reflection that consists of six key stages to reflect on the movie "Outsourced":

• Description of the experience: In the movie "Outsourced," the main character, Todd, is sent to India to train the employees of a call centre that has been outsourced to the country.
• Reflection: Watching the movie reminded me of a time when I worked for a global company that had offices in several countries. I was part of a project team and I often found it difficult to communicate and work effectively with them (Morente, Ferràs and Zizlavsky, 2018).
• Influencing factors: One of the main reasons for the communication difficulties was the language barrier. Additionally, there were also cultural differences that affected our working styles and approaches to problem-solving.
• Alternative actions: Looking back, I realize that I could have done more to bridge the communication gap and build stronger relationships with my team members. For example, I could have made more of an effort to understand their cultural background and the way they preferred to work.
• Evaluation: Although the project was completed successfully, I feel that the communication difficulties hindered our progress and could have been improved. By taking a more proactive approach, I could have fostered better teamwork and communication within the team (McNamara, et.al 2019).
• Learning: Reflecting on this experience has taught me the importance of cultural competence in a globalized workplace. It has also highlighted the need to be aware of and accommodating to cultural differences, such as communication styles and working norms.

In general, "Outsourced" is an emotional and enjoyable movie that high spot the personal duty of globalization and the vital of human relations in a quickly changing globe. I have covered many topics which are related to the movie "Outsourced." These involve cross-cultural interaction, leadership techniques, organizational culture, and revolution management. For my report, I plan to put my concentrate on cross-cultural interaction and leadership methods as they are the most noticeable themes in the movie.

Organizational culture

To study the cultural differentiation in the movie, I propose to utilize Hofstede's culture. This theory recommends that traditions can be differentiated based on six dimensions, involving power distance, masculinity, individualism, uncertainty, long-term orientation, and indulgence. I will utilize this theory to describe the cultural differences between the American and Indian traditions present in the movie (Smith, et.al 2016).

Leadership

As for the leadership styles, I will utilize transformational leadership to study the leadership method of Todd and his Indian co-worker. Transformational leadership is a style that spotlights inspiring followers to accomplish their goals (Lee, 2018).

In the beginning, Todd arrives in India with a transformational style focused on attaining specific aims and utilizing encouragement to motivate his workers to meet aims. He highlights the significance of following processes and systems, and at first, he is rather unconcerned about Indian cultural behaviours and practices. Generally, the movie shows Todd's leadership approach as growing progressively, from a more transformational style, as he studies to operate the difficulties of leading a group in a distinct cultural framework.

Communication and negotiation

Communication is a significant part of the movie as Todd Anderson, the leading role, is sent to India to train and handle a group of call centre workers. Firstly Todd struggles to interact effectively with his group members because of cultural variations and language barriers. But, as the movie grows, he gains to adjust his communication approach and better understand the traditional perspective of his group, which eventually leads to enhanced connections and better business results.

Negotiation is also an important topic in the movie, as Todd is assigned with negotiating an agreement with an Indian dealer to source resources for his call center. Yet again, Todd attempts to acknowledge the negotiation way and cultural framework of his Indian counterparts, however as he establishes relationships and acquires a better understanding of their viewpoint, he develops into more victorious in his negotiations (Bartlett, et.al 2016). The film focuses on the value of cultural awareness and flexibility in successful interaction and negotiation.

Organizational structure

It is vital to remind that this movie is not about utilizing a movie production but considerably about expanding a call centre business from the US to India. The organizational structure represented in the movie is a well-known hierarchical structure, along with an understandable social structure from the American leader Todd to the Indian workers who address him. Todd is pictured as owning major power and control above the call centre company, and the Indian workers are assumed to track his directives and assemble the performance aims set by the organization (Lee and Lee, 2018). Yet, the movie also highlights traditional variations and communication threats that occur among Todd and the Indian group, at the end showing the significance of teamwork and understanding beyond cultures in attaining organizational objectives.

References

Bartlett, G.D., Kremin, J., Saunders, K.K. and Wood, D.A., 2016. Attracting applicants for in-house and outsourced internal audit positions: Views from external auditors. Accounting Horizons, 30(1), pp.143-156.

Karandashev, V., 2020. Cultural models of emotions. Springer Nature.

Lee, A.R., 2018. Exploring Intercultural Communication Themes in English Classes Through the Movie Outsourced. STEM Journal, 19(4).

Lee, C.S. and Lee, C.S., 2018. The Limits of Outsourced Soft Power. Soft Power Made in China: The Dilemmas of Online and Offline Media and Transnational Audiences, pp.125-154.

McNamara, R.A., Willard, A.K., Norenzayan, A. and Henrich, J., 2019. Weighing outcome vs. intent across societies: How cultural models of mind shape moral reasoning. Cognition, 182, pp.95-108.

Morente, F., Ferràs, X. and Zizlavsky, O., 2018. Innovation Cultural Models: Review and proposal for next steps. Revista Universidad y Empresa, 20(34), pp.53-81.

Smith, P.B., Vignoles, V.L., Becker, M., Owe, E., Easterbrook, M.J., Brown, R., Bourguignon, D., Garðarsdóttir, R.B., Kreuzbauer, R., Cendales Ayala, B. and Yuki, M., 2016. Individual and culture?level components of survey response styles: A multi?level analysis using cultural models of selfhood. International Journal of Psychology, 51(6), pp.453-463.

PART- 2

Research and analysis blog

The themes explored in 'Outsourced’

'Outsourced' is a movie released in 2006 that tells the story of an American call centre manager named Todd Anderson, who is sent to India to train his replacement after his department is outsourced. Throughout the movie, Todd faces various cultural differences, communication barriers, and managerial challenges while trying to adapt to his new surroundings (Bartlett, et.al 2016). The conflicts in the movie include cultural differences and managerial challenges that Todd faces while working with his Indian colleagues.

Some of the themes explored in the movie include cross-cultural communication, leadership techniques, organizational culture, and change management. The movie highlights the personal responsibility of globalization and the importance of human relations in a rapidly changing world. The cultural differences between American and Indian cultures are explored through Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, which differentiates cultures based on six dimensions, including power distance, masculinity, individualism, uncertainty, long-term orientation, and indulgence (Dressler, et.al 2018). Todd's leadership style evolves from a more transactional approach to a transformational approach as he learns to adapt to his Indian colleagues' cultural practices and values. Communication and negotiation are also significant themes in the movie, as Todd faces challenges in communicating effectively with his Indian colleagues due to cultural differences in communication styles. Ultimately, the movie shows how people from different cultures can learn from each other and develop mutual respect and understanding.

The name of the organization that is set up in another country

The organization in the movie "Outsourced" is called "Western Novelty," and it operates in the novelty products industry (Bass, Fenwick and Sidebotham, 2017). The movie tells the story of an American call center manager who is sent to India to train his replacement and oversee the outsourced operation of his company's customer service calls.

The organization's structure and culture

In the movie "Outsourced," the organization that is set up in India is a call center named "Western Novelty." The film portrays the structure and culture of the organization as being typical of many Western corporations, with a clear hierarchy of managers and workers. The company culture is characterized by a focus on productivity and efficiency, as well as a certain level of impersonality and detachment between management and employees. The company's structure is hierarchical, with the call centre manager, Todd, at the top, followed by supervisors and then the call center agents (Nicol and Dosser, 2016). There is a clear division of labour between these roles, with the agents responsible for answering customer calls and the managers responsible for overseeing their work and ensuring that targets are met. In terms of culture, the company places a strong emphasis on meeting targets and achieving productivity goals. This is exemplified by Todd's insistence on implementing a series of efficiency measures, such as monitoring agent performance and instituting a ranking system based on call center metrics. However, this focus on efficiency often comes at the expense of a more personal, supportive work culture, as is evident in the way that Todd and other managers treat their employees. Despite this, there are moments in the film where the company culture is portrayed as being more collaborative and supportive. For example, the call center team bands together to help each other meet targets and support each other through personal challenges. However, this is shown to be more the result of the individual efforts of the employees themselves rather than a company-wide culture (Nadkarni, 2019).

The values of this organization differ in terms of the national culture

In the movie "Outsourced," the values of the organization set up in India are cantered on efficiency, cost-cutting, and customer satisfaction. The organization is focused on achieving its business objectives, and its values reflect this priority. The organization emphasizes productivity and meeting targets, and it expects its employees to work hard and to be committed to their jobs. In terms of national culture, these values may differ from those of India, which is known for its collectivist culture, where the group's needs and objectives take precedence over individual goals (Dang, et.al 2021). Indian culture also emphasizes respect for authority, hierarchical structures, and the importance of maintaining relationships. While the organization in the movie may share some of these values, its focus on individual performance and meeting business targets may not always align with the values of Indian culture. Therefore, there may be some differences between the values of the organization and the national culture of India, which could lead to conflicts or misunderstandings between employees and management. The movie highlights some of these differences, such as the organization's push for efficiency and productivity conflicting with Indian workers' preference for a more relaxed pace of work.

Issues/problems identified in the movie with the CCM topics or theories

Some several issues and problems can be identified in the movie "Outsourced," including:

• Cultural differences and misunderstandings between the American manager and his Indian team: The manager, Todd, struggles to adapt to the Indian culture and customs, which leads to communication barriers and misunderstandings with his team. This is evident in several scenes where Todd makes cultural faux pas and his team struggles to understand his expectations (Sweet, et.al 2019).
• Language barriers: Todd and his team struggle to communicate effectively due to language barriers. Todd does not speak Hindi, and his team does not speak English fluently, which leads to miscommunications and mistakes.
• Resistance to change: Some of Todd's team members resist changes in their work processes, which creates friction and slows down productivity.
• Cultural differences in work ethics and values: There are differences in work ethics and values between the American and Indian cultures. For example, Todd expects his team to work long hours, whereas his team members value work-life balance.

Some of the CCM topics or theories that would explain the situation more clearly include:

• Cultural Intelligence (CQ): This refers to an individual's ability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings. Todd's lack of cultural intelligence is evident in his inability to adapt to the Indian culture and customs.
• Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory: This theory explains how cultural values can impact work-related behaviour. For example, Todd's team members may have a higher power distance orientation, which means they respect authority and hierarchy more than Americans do.
• Communication accommodation theory: This theory explains how people adjust their communication style to fit the context and the people they are communicating with. Todd and his team struggle to accommodate each other's communication styles, which leads to miscommunications and mistakes.
• Intercultural sensitivity theory: This theory explains how individuals can develop intercultural competence by increasing their awareness, knowledge, and skills related to other cultures. Todd could benefit from developing his intercultural sensitivity to better understand and appreciate his team's culture.

The issues/problems to be resolved Consider the theories/models covered in CCM

To resolve some of the issues and problems identified in the movie "Outsourced", several CCM theories and models can be applied:

• Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory: This theory can help in understanding the cultural differences between the parent company and the subsidiary country. To resolve the cultural issues, it is important for the organization to identify the cultural dimensions where there is a gap between the two cultures and to develop strategies to bridge this gap. For example, the organization can provide cultural training to its employees to help them understand and appreciate cultural differences.
• Lewin's Change Management Model: This model can be used to manage the change that the organization is undergoing. The model consists of three stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. In the context of the movie, the organization can first unfreeze the current situation by identifying the issues and problems, then introduce the changes necessary to address these issues, and finally refreeze the new behaviours and practices to ensure they become the norm (Hussain, et.al 2018)
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: This theory can be applied to understand the motivational needs of employees. The organization can ensure that the basic needs of its employees, such as job security and a safe working environment, are met, and then work towards fulfilling higher-level needs such as recognition and growth opportunities (Soni and Soni, 2016).

Expert management recommendations

Based on the analysis of the issues identified in the movie "Outsourced," the following management recommendations are suggested:

• Cultural training: The Company should provide cultural training to the expatriate manager and the local employees. The training should cover topics such as communication styles, work ethics, and cultural differences. By providing cultural training, the company can reduce cultural misunderstandings, which is one of the major issues highlighted in the movie. Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory can be used to guide this training as it highlights the differences in cultures across different countries (Donnelly, 2019).
• Collaboration: The Company should encourage collaboration between the expatriate manager and the local employees. This can be achieved by establishing cross-functional teams and promoting communication channels between different departments. The theory of the social identity approach can be used to guide this recommendation as it emphasizes the importance of building social connections among team members.
• Performance management: The Company should develop a performance management system that is fair, objective, and transparent. This can help in addressing the issues related to performance evaluation highlighted in the movie. Goal-setting theory can be used to guide this recommendation as it emphasizes the importance of setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals for employees.
• Incentive system: The Company should develop an incentive system that aligns with the goals of the company and motivates employees to perform better. This can help in addressing the issues related to motivation and productivity highlighted in the movie. Expectancy theory can be used to guide this recommendation as it emphasizes the importance of linking performance to rewards (Rosli and Rossi, 2016)

In conclusion, the recommendations are based on the relevant theories and models in CCM and can help in addressing the issues highlighted in the movie "Outsourced." The company can adopt a culturally sensitive approach that values the differences in national cultures and promotes collaboration among employees. This can lead to better performance and productivity for the company.

References

Bass, J., Fenwick, J. and Sidebotham, M., 2017. Development of a model of holistic reflection to facilitate transformative learning in student midwives. Women and Birth, 30(3), pp.227-235.

Bennardo, G., 2018. Cultural models theory. Anthropology news, 59(4), pp.e139-e142.

Dang, D., Dearholt, S.L., Bissett, K., Ascenzi, J. and Whalen, M., 2021. Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals: Model and guidelines. Sigma Theta Tau.

Dressler, R., Becker, S., Kawalilak, C. and Arthur, N., 2018. The cross-cultural reflective model for post-sojourn debriefing. Reflective Practice, 19(4), pp.490-504.

Nadkarni, A., 2019. Neoliberal Multiculturalism, Outsourced.In The Routledge Companion to Global Television (pp. 214-223). Routledge.

Nicol, J.S. and Dosser, I., 2016. Understanding reflective practice. Nursing Standard (2014+), 30(36), p.34.

Outsourced, 2006. Movie Link, (online). < https://www.imdb.com/video/vi4254580249/?ref_=tt_vi_i_1> accessed on 04.04.2023.

Pereira, E.C., Ferreira, A.P.S.D.S., Sato, A.P.S., Fischer, F.M. and Olympio, K.P.K., 2020. Home-based outsourced informal work by children and adolescents impacts sleep and leisure—a preliminary study. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, pp.32754-32761.

Singh, P., 2020. Representation of India in Hollywood: An analysis of Indian women.

Sweet, L., Bass, J., Sidebotham, M., Fenwick, J. and Graham, K., 2019. Developing reflective capacities in midwifery students: Enhancing learning through reflective writing. Women and Birth, 32(2), pp.119-126.