The Influence of Multi-Culture Effect on Organizational Culture and Communication

Multi-Culture Effect on Corporate Culture


Textbook, 2007

42 Pages, Grade: 90


Excerpt


Abstract

This research aimed at answering the following strategic question: in which way does the employees’ multi-cultural background influence the corporate cultural environment through the communication that is prevailing in a company?

Further to that the following secondary questions are to be dealt:

- Does communication result to conflict or conflict resolution?
- What is the problem represented to be?
- What presuppositions underlie the conceptions concerning the communication process?
- What effects are produced by such representations?
- How are subjects constituted within the communication?

The questions were answered by different personnel working at various levels of the hierarchy chain and of the all departments of an enterprise.

Keywords:

Multi- culture; Organizational Culture; Communication; Content Analysis.

1. Introduction

Every corporate entity no matter of its size, location, and industry sector, has to continuously intensify by developing and upgrading the value of the merchandises offered to customers, in order to sustain a competitive advantage (Barney, 2008). Further to that, the companies need to be profitable in order to keep on existing (Brown and Kaka, 2003). In addition to the previous points, we must keep in mind that companies are stimulated by the two types of company environment, present. These environments are:

- the external environment which includes:
- the market the company is activated in,
- the customers with their constantly changing needs
- the flow of information transmitted,
- the stakeholders that has to be carefully defined and assessed,
- the economic situations,
- the political situations,
- the social situations and
- the technological situations and,
- the internal environment which incorporates:
- the employees,
- the contractors and sub-contractors,
- the suppliers of goods and services,
- the strengths and the weaknesses etc. (Kelly and Bowles, 2006).

The objective of this book is to present a topic relevant to the way the employees’ multi-cultural reality of the company environment, influence the corporate culture, and the way it is changed through the communication processes that are prevailing in a company.

In summary, the view taken in this book is:

a. in every company a specific corporate culture prevails, in which particular values are embedded characterizing the culture of the corporate entity,
b. the corporate culture is conveyed in the forms of communication that prevail in the company and,
c. in each corporate entity the values and the forms of communication are combined in a unique pattern of communication.

The research of the present book focuses on the corporate culture prevailing in a company, and examines,

(a) In what way employees form different groups and origin cultures communicate with each other in order to achieve the corporate goals and how they view each other and
(b) Whether the pattern of communication can be modified in order to facilitate conflict resolution.

1.1. Defining the Problem:

Communication Pattern:

- In this research book, the focus is on the forms of communication and the communication pattern between differently cultured originated employees of a given company.
- Managers are concerned with routine and short-term projects, deal with production, routine work, rationality, and efficiency (Bryman, 1986).

2. Material and methods

The methodology used during the present study is described in some detail below.

2.1. Research Strategy

The present study is an exploratory, qualitative research project. An interpretative approach will be assumed “combining the facts creatively in order to stimulate explanatory suggestions to the issue” (Remednyi, Williams, Money, Swartz 1998: 284).

The present research approach is used in order to “determine the link between understanding and action, which is seen as indirect, mediated through people’s thinking, values and relationships with each other” (Fisher, 2000:15).

Furthermore, in an interpretative approach “every event studied is a unique incident in its own right.… there is nothing other than phenomena and the essence of a phenomenon is understood intuitively” (Remednyi, Williams, Money, Swartz 1998 : 35). It enables the author of the present book and researcher to “conceptualize on the basis of the evidence available and the pattern emerging from it’ (Remednyi, Williams, Money, Swartz 1998: 68).

2.2. Content analysis

Content analysis is a research method that uses a set of categorization procedures for making valid and replicable inferences from data to their context and can be used to analyze communications (Fisher, 2000).

The purpose of a content analysis, is to audit communication content against objectives, identify intentions and characteristics of the communicators, reveal the focus of individuals, and groups, describe trends in communication content, construct and apply communication standards, examine attitudes, interests and values of groups, and code responses to open-ended questions in surveys (Berelson, 1971).

2.3. The Research Questions

The research of the present book is focusing on the corporate communication prevailing internally in a large multinational company.

The overall strategic question to be answered is:

- In which way does the multi-cultural origin of the employees influence the corporate culture through the communication that is prevailing in a company?

The secondary questions the present study is answering are:

- Does communication result to conflict or conflict resolution?
- What is the problem represented to be?
- What presuppositions underlie the conceptions concerning the communication process?
- What effects are produced by such representations?
- How are subjects constituted within the communication?
- What is the hierarchy chain of the all departments of an enterprise activated in multi-cultural environment?

2.4. Research design

The specific research of the present book was designed in such a way as to provide some valuable data for the purpose of assisting the top management of the multinational company to conduct the necessary amendments of the either the corporate culture or the hiring strategy in the future.

2.4.1. Research Techniques

The following techniques will be used:

a. Semi-structured Interviews.

b. Observation (of the communication process)

2.4.2. Research Setting

The chosen organization is one of the largest soft drink producers in Europe. It is operating in 28 countries with a total population of more than 500 million.

Its product line includes carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks, juices, water, sports and energy drinks, and ready – to - drink beverages such as teas and coffees.

The company is promoting a high performance culture across all markets to meet and exceed the expectations of customers and consumers, and to deliver value to shareholders.

2.5. Practical and Ethical Issues

The author of the present book and researcher will assume the role of an “academic” towards the specific research paper. The researcher will have no involvement except as someone who has been allowed access in order to gather information for research purposes.

The advantage in this case is that the researcher will be seen as a harmless outsider. It should be noted however that the researcher is a past employee of the company, and therefore not a total outsider.

Familiarity with the conditions prevailing in the company in question will facilitate the research and help interviewees to open-up especially as confidentiality and anonymity will be ensured.

The main disadvantage is that the research may be seen as a low priority issue.

2.6. Expected Contribution

The topic of the study may be of interest to the following stakeholders:

- Managers, especially senior managers who want to ensure smoothness of operations as a means of achieving efficiency
- Professional associations, trainers and developers, who may take note of the results or incorporate useful findings in their program,
- The academic community, including researchers, teaching professors and business students,
- The researcher as a practicing manager or professional.

[...]

Excerpt out of 42 pages

Details

Title
The Influence of Multi-Culture Effect on Organizational Culture and Communication
Subtitle
Multi-Culture Effect on Corporate Culture
Grade
90
Author
Year
2007
Pages
42
Catalog Number
V292718
ISBN (eBook)
9783656898146
ISBN (Book)
9783656898153
File size
612 KB
Language
English
Keywords
Multi- culture; Organizational Culture; Communication; Content Analysis
Quote paper
Professor Dimitrios Kamsaris (Author), 2007, The Influence of Multi-Culture Effect on Organizational Culture and Communication, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/292718

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