Question

What cross-cultural diversity issues have you observed in a past or current work place, and why is OB relevant to these issues? Include how different attitudes towards life and work, and how varying ethical norms found around the world, influence how business objectives are met. How could OB intervene and enable business objectives of your organization?

Answer 1

Cross cultural issues occur like arguments happening due to cultural life style/ personal/ professional habits or way of working/ thinking/ interpreting things among people. Everyone’s way of working differs from one to another. Many people come from different states/ regions and found it difficult to behave/ talk/ interact/ work with one another, which goes chaotic many times, resulting in cultural/ racial comments and dissonance.

If people keep arguing due to above differences, then team work gets hampered, results in less or negative productivity. People get grudges in their minds about others, which goes 24*7 along with them. The whole working ambience gets disturbed due to 1 or 2 or many such people. Many do it with intention and many unintentionally. Ultimate price has to be paid by the company or the whole team involved, as the business gets hampered. Many lose targets/ incentives/ even jobs due to such acts.

Organization behaviour teaches people how to avoid such conflicts in practical situations, how to manage or deal when such incidents happen or going to happen, to take necessary precautions. Moreover, OB talks about how diversity can bring a great advantage of working of different minds from different culture to generate innovative idea, new or better working styles and how to become more productive than before. OB tells people that diversity can be a boon and how it should be encouraged. More and more MNCs nowadays, encourage and hire for diversity. Businesses get advantage of local diversity to drive more businesses more efficiently and conveniently than before.