CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Cultural Diversity Changing the Workforce



Cultural Diversity Changing the Workforce

Introduction

Culture is the way that people from different groups interact, interpret experiences and behave. Cultural changes arise slowly and transcend from one generation to the next, unless impacting situations such as wars or technological advances occur. Technological advances, such as the Internet, satellite television and video conferencing, along with the globalization of businesses, are spreading cultural traits across cultures at a very rapid rate (Rodrigues, 2001). As a result of globalization, the organizations have confronted diversity, a fact of life that no organization can afford to ignore. Organizations must learn to welcome and incorporate diversity.

Body

Some people tend to think that cultural diversity is only a representation of different countries, but it is more than nationality. Cultural diversity can be observed in any group made up of people from different educational background or work experiences (Lewis, 2006). Different factors such as gender, language, religion, nationality, race, education, organization and politics among others can interact in a culture (Miller, 2000). Furthermore, Nine-Curt (1991) expressed that factors that affect project execution in teams are team structure (team oriented versus. individual oriented), verbal and nonverbal communication, space and touching differences and time zone differences. As a consequence of cultural diversity, organizations have been confronting structural changes.

Group exists when a relatively small number of people view themselves collectively as comprising an entity that is distinct from other entities. Whereas people have individual identities, those identities are produced through their participation in dyads (e.g., single parent-single child families), groups (e.g., families with three or more members), and larger collectives (e.g., organizations and societies). Dyads, groups, and collectives provide, among many other things, language and other salient symbols that shape people's perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors, including their view of themselves. Such influence explains, for instance, why people in strongly individualistic cultures privilege individual rights, whereas those in primarily collectivist cultures prioritize the needs of groups over those of individuals. In both cases, people hold their view because of what they learned as members of dyads, groups, and collectives although people have individual identities, those identities are produced through their participation in dyads (e.g., single parent-single child families), groups (e.g., families with three or more members), and larger collectives (e.g., organizations and societies). Dyads, groups, and collectives provide, among many other things, language and other salient symbols that shape people's perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors, including their view of themselves. Such influence explains, for instance, why people in strongly individualistic cultures privilege individual rights, whereas those in primarily collectivist cultures prioritize the needs of groups over those of individuals. In both cases, people hold their view because of what they learned as members of dyads, groups, and collectives.

The better a company adapts to the globalized economy and its trends, the more success they will enjoy against their competition. Project Management is known as the new concept and the wave of the future. It will need to evolve as the workforce continues to ...