The Importance Of Cross Cultural Management in the Sudanese Hotel Industry to Ensure Sustained Competitive Advantage

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ABSTRACT

In this study we try to explore the concept of cross-cultural management in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on cross-cultural management and its relation with sustainable competitive advantage. Finally the research describes various factors which are responsible for the success of cross-cultural management and tries to describe the overall effect of it on Sudanese hotel industry. The study used Rotana Al-salam hotel and Mecca Hotel as a case study.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends & family for support they provided & their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without which I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this thesis/dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this thesis/dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

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TABLE OF CONENTS

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ABSTRACTIII

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTIV

DECLARATIONV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1 Background1

1.2 Purpose of the Study3

1.3 Problem Statement3

1.4 Research Aims and Objectives4

1.5 Research Questions4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW6

2.1 Cross-Culture6

2.2 Culture of Sudan7

2.3 Impact of Culture on Employee's Attitude towards Work7

2.4 Workplace Diversity8

2.5 Workplace Diversity Management9

2.6 Theoretical Framework11

2.6.1 The Lewin-Schein Model11

2.6.2 Multicultural Theory13

2.6.3 Organisational Theory of Diversity14

2.7 Impact of Diversity on Organisations15

2.8 Sustainable Competitive Advantage18

2.9 Diversity as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage19

2.10 Conclusion21

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY22

3.1 Overview of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Approaches22

3.2 Overview of the Mixed Method Research Approach23

3.3 Benefits and Disadvantages of Mixed Method24

3.4 Research Method and Design Appropriateness25

3.5 Source of the information26

3.6 Sampling26

3.7 Data Analysis27

3.7.1 Qualitative Data Analysis27

3.7.2 Quantitative Data Analysis27

3.8 Access27

3.9 Informed Consent28

3.10 Confidentiality28

3.11 Validity29

3.12 Reliability30

3.13 Gantt chart31

REFERENCES32

APPENDIX39

Survey Questionnaire39

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background

The onset of globalization has drastically changed the way business is carried out in our modern world. The interdependence of international markets and introduction of new tourism based industries has resulted in the development of entirely new fields of study. Cross cultural management is dedicated to understand the effect that a multicultural workforce can have on the efficiency of any organisation's internal operations. By developing our knowledge of this field we can aim to take a proactive approach for handling the differences in various employees' perceptions in order to gain competitive advantage.

For developing countries, where there are high proportion of unemployment, literacy and relative poverty this is important as tourism might generate relatively more jobs for the relatively less qualified and unskilled employees compared to job prerequisite to other service industry.

Although tourism doesn't constitute a large proportion of the Sudan's economy at present, it would be a reasonable assumption to say that with the richness in cultural history and the breadth of the natural countryside this can change in the near future providing that the political situation in Darfur is resolved. Currently there are 77 hotels through out ...