Question

1. Explain the following behaviour by two employees and whether it is appropriate. Sam comes from a country where it is acceptable to wink at others.

Sam has done this as a habit all his life. When Sam arrived in Australia, he was reported for inappropriate behaviour at his workplace. Explain in detail to Sam what has happened.

Min hugs everyone briefly when they meet. But when Min was on a business trip to South East Asia, Min was told it was wrong to hug members of the opposite sex. Can you explain to Min what is the problem here?

2.

Answer 1

It is very common to see the diversity in the culture and the natural behavior of greeting or welcoming someone ,in different countries or in different regions. Even in same country there may be differences in the natural behavior when they meet or greet each other.

• Lets take example of a country which is rich in the diversity, India, Here people from some regions prefer handshakes to greet when they meet while in some places they prefer hand folded greetings .

• The culture and behavior varies with the age and maturity also, for example : in India children prefers to touch the feet of the elders as seek blessings as a form of greeting the elders . while the people of same age range prefer a formal handshake .This type of diversity can be seen in every region and every country. So , in these two given cases it is obvious that the two people "Sam" and "Min " to face objections on their behavior

Now, Lets discuss about both the cases one by one :

(1)   The first case is of Sam , who is resident of a place where it is common to wink at each other when they meet. It is in his natural behavior.

Although it is his natural and genetic behavior but it is not acceptable in the region of the Australia, where he in working now. It is obvious that the people at his workplace will report to the authorities about his behavior since they are not habituated to this behavior.they people around will feel uncomfortable of his behavior and will not be able to homogenise and math their synergies together to work together.

• So, In conclusion Sam should not feel disheartened by the reporting of the people at workplace and rather he should make them understand about the problem of diversity he has came from. And then he should assure them that he is trying to accept the culture and general behavior and is also adapting to the culture ,tradition and regional behavior of greetings or welcoming. So, by some time , he will be able to mix in color and culture of the place.

(2) : Next case is of Min,who is hailing from the place where it is very common and appropriate to give a brief hug to to all the people they meet , as a sign of greeting or welcoming or happiness.

But as she is now on a business trip to South Asia , where it is ok to give brief hug to the same gender but not to the opposite gender. Hence the people around her will feel uncomfortable with her behavior. That is why she was told that it was wrong to hug someone from opposite gender.

Since , she on a business trip she need to be more careful and more homogenous with the her behavior around the other members and should also behave or greet to them according to their tradition , it will be better for her professionally as well as personally.

• So, to conclude , she must be informed about the traditions and the cultures of the people or the members around her so that she can adapt to their behavior and tradition accordingly and can be a more professional in nature and behavior.