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CULTURAL DIVERSITY & GLOBAL ECONOMY.
Term Paper ID:24690
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Essay Subject:
Impact of ethnic differences on global & national economies & corp. management strategies. Values, mindsets, regionalism, global webs, communication.... More...
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8 Pages / 1800 Words
4 sources, 9 Citations,
TURABIAN Format
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Paper Abstract:
Impact of ethnic differences on global & national economies & corp. management strategies. Values, mindsets, regionalism, global webs, communication.
Paper Introduction:
In the future, people of different cultures will draw closer together. This future is based on the existence of a New World Order in which economic forces, not culture, drive the global community. Nations are increasingly becoming interdependent, making communication between cultures an economic necessity.
The main focus of global economic strategy is maximizing international efficiency. Products are manufactured wherever in the world the lowest cost can be achieved. With global strategies, managers produce standardized products. These products are manufactured in world-scale facilities using globally integrating operations. Unlike traditional managers, who design their products for the home market first, global strategic managers conceive and design their products for world markets from start to finish. The existence of global markets
Text of the Paper:
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In the globaleconomy, large companies like Intel, Merrill Lynch, and MCI are joiningwith a host of foreign countries to engage in problem-solving, problem-identifying, and strategic brokering. The main focus of global economic strategy is maximizinginternational efficiency. No country is completely self-sufficient."[4] In today'sglobal economy, trade cannot afford to wear a national label. People of different cultures will draw closer together in the futurebecause governments of the global community are beginning to cooperateamong themselves. Incontrast, the typical Asian businessperson values systemic thinking, andpays attention to integrated wholes, not just the parts. Systemic thinkingplaces value on the context, not just the data. . In the process of adjusting, there are many conflictsthey must face, but the price must be paid. Bilingualism alsofosters a stronger and more positive identification of the immigrantpopulation with their traditional cultures. These products are manufactured in world-scalefacilities using globally integrating operations. "A Clear-Cut Case for Compromise." Management Today(August 1995): 72(2).McNamee, Mike. The existence of global markets requires a workforcethat possesses the ability to communicate with other cultures: "Cultureshock has been responsible for a 33 to 66 percent failure rate foruntrained American business people working abroad, as compared to only a 2percent failure rate for those with adequate cultural training."[1] Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity can help build trust and emphasizeshared, global value systems. In the modern economy, corporations often have so manyinterdependent subsidiaries throughout the world that the companies ceaseto think of themselves as belonging to one nation. Profitable firms create enterprise webs that connect with theirstrategic centers and branch out to other profit centers as well. An example is NAFTA (the North American Free TradeAgreement). Before the dream of cross-cultural solidarity can become a reality inAmerica, solutions must be found to encourage citizens to understand andwelcome the cultural changes that are becoming pervasive throughout thenation. These corporations dobusiness in any part of the world that gives them an advantage. International/multinational companies must considernational, sociocultural, and cultural variables. [2]William Werther, "Toward Global Convergence." BusinessHorizons (January-February, 1996), 3. In the future, people of different cultures will draw closertogether. [8]Mike McNamee, "Should the Census be Less Black and White?"Business Week (July 4, 1994), 4 . [7]Samovar and Porter, 254. They are oftentransmitted by nonverbal communication. Increasingly, global firms, whether they like it or not, will beforced to become part of world markets. Today, many product manufacturers use the label "Made in America."In reality only simple, uncomplicated products can still make that claim.For instance, an automobile that is assembled in Detroit is likely tocontain parts from all around the world. arguethat new categories are needed, both to reflect America's changingdemographics and to help new groups win more official attention andaid."[8] Increasingly, cultures are coming together in the United Statesbecause the country is a "cultural crossroad" for immigrants fleeingpolitical and economic crises. Also the terms"black" or "Indian" cause confusion because many Latin Americans are ofblack or Afro-Caribbean descent, or are Indian of indigenous background orMayan descent: "Interracial couples and many ethnic groups . Inmany cases these cultural adjustments breed hostility and vindication. Products are manufactured wherever in the worldthe lowest cost can be achieved. . Does "white" refer to skin color or is it used todescribe a predominant race (hegemonic- Anglo-Saxons)? Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1995.Werther, William. Domestic countriesoften attract managers and staff members from other countries. [6]Richard Lewis, "A Clear-Cut Case for Compromise."Management Today (August 1995): 72. In other words, the complex problemsthat arise in a global economy are too big for any single company totackle. Recent immigrants, those who have made the transition, and thehegemonic group must learn to compromise and respect each other's ethnicbackgrounds. [3]Samovar and Porter, 186. [4]Samovar and Porter, 222. Inthe effort to adapt to new customs and ways of living, Americans are facedwith losing some of their own cultural ideologies. By joining together, member nations can accesslarger resources, larger markets, and economies of scale: "Approximately169 countries are tied to an international system of economicinterdependence, with most of them having at least one asset needed byanother country. Differences in thinkingstyles between Americans and Asians demonstrate how immensely complexculture is. The major benefit sought through economic integration isfaster economic growth. Unlike traditionalmanagers, who design their products for the home market first, globalstrategic managers conceive and design their products for world marketsfrom start to finish. An example is steelmaking, which has evolved into aservice industry just like computer manufacturing is. Althoughthis attitude may seem unpatriotic, it is simply a fact of life thatAmericans must adjust to. [9]Werther, 3.----------------------- 9 The typical American businessperson relies mostly on inductivereasoning based on analysis. Communication Between Cultures. Race andcategorization of racial groups are socially determined rather than rootedin biology, as most people assume. For instance, the term "white" meansdifferent things to different people. In some cases, ethnic aspects ofdistinction antagonize people. Among the categories in use are:American, North American, White, Black, African-American, etc. This future is based on the existence of a New World Order inwhich economic forces, not culture, drive the global community. To achieve this compromise and respect requires a collectiveeffort, but the results will be beneficial to all. "Toward Global Convergence." Business Horizons (January-February, 1996): 3(7).----------------------- [1]Larry Samovar and Richard Porter, Communication BetweenCultures, 2nd edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1995), 22 . Regional groupings result fromagreements between nations in the same region to cooperate in variouseconomic matters. BibliographyLewis, Richard. National variablesinclude a host country's economic system, legal system, political system,physical system, and amount of technological know-how of the labor force.Sociocultural variables include religion, education, and language.Cultural variables include values, norms, and beliefs that affect theattitudes of workers, which in turn affects their individual and groupemployee job behavior: "We remind you that culture is all-pervasive,multidimensional, and boundless; it is everywhere and in everything."[3] Value orientations, some of the most powerful elements of culture,lie beneath the surface of everyday interaction. With global strategies, managers producestandardized products. The existence of global webs has led to the rise of multinationalcorporations. Ethnic sensitivity is essential to dealing with the diversity ofstudents who enter the higher educational system. Although cultural differences may seem difficult to adjust to, theemerging New World Order mandates such an adjustment. "Should the Census be Less Black and White?" Business Week(July 4, 1994): 4 .Samovar, Larry and Porter, Richard. In any culture, a dominant set ofvalues prevails. Individuals must think about developing the skills associated withthe global manager because globalization affects real people in their dailylives. For the light-skinned people ofLatin America (those with European backgrounds), the term "white" sends aconflicting message. The approach and words used to identify certainethnic groups is far from accurate. This reasoning involves the breaking down ofproblems into small chunks that can be organized into straightforward cause-and-effect relations and developed into general principles of action. More and more people are working overseas. People have to develop and use global strategicskills because global success requires striking a balance betweencapitalizing on resources and needs within national boundaries and theability to imagine a borderless economy: "The world is moving to a uniformsociety, shaped by a young culture, free markets and similar economicstrategies."[2] Culture involves every aspect of an international organization'sdaily operations. When fleeing theircountries, the least of their worries is "cultural clash." They arewilling to forgo some of their own customs to facilitate their adjustmentto their new homes. These immigrants risk their lives in anattempt to secure a better life for their families. A prime example isCalifornia: "More than a third of all California children do not speakEnglish as their primary language, and in Los Angeles, election ballots nowcome in seven different languages."[5] These changes have been perceivedas a positive contribution to the educational system and society ingeneral, but some people persist in viewing ethnic diversity as a burden totheir lives. The United States, for example,has traditionally been a self-contained, continent-sized market. The global economy differs from that of the past for many reasons.The global economy is characterized by a web of business relationships.Traditional categories like "manufacturing" or "service" industries arebecoming obsolete. This agreement eliminates trade barriers between the UnitedStates, Mexico, and Canada. The best known and most successful regional grouping is the EuropeanCommunity (EC), but it is only one of many. In their efforts to adjust, itis only fair that some of their culture is also accepted into the "meltingpot" because everyone must compromise and feel accepted: "Changes in theworld's economy and sophisticated methods of communication are breakingdown barriers and creating a global, neutral society."[9] All Americansbenefit immensely from the contributions of ethnic diversity; some of thesecontributions include language diversity, colorful customs, and richhistory. But amajor development in world trade since World War II has been the growth inregional groupings, with the nation-state fast becoming a thing of thepast. Nationsare increasingly becoming interdependent, making communication betweencultures an economic necessity. As aresult, Mexico's economy strengthened and it will soon become the UnitedStates' second largest trading partner (behind Canada). In some cases bilingualism is viewed negatively,e.g., as "foreign accents" or "poor English skills." On the other hand,bilingualism is viewed by others as a positive contribution and an asset.Bilingualism is a reflection of the diversity of cultures in America whichbrings increased social interaction for its citizens. An important value orientation relates to differences in thinkingstyles. People must transform their traditionalmindsets to global mindsets. Due to the large numberof recent immigrants to California from Mexico, Central/South America andAsia, there have been many drastic cultural changes in the lives of new andold Californians. In some instancesAmericans must compromise some of their own cultural customs to accept theenrichment of new ones: "In any situation, intelligent, meaningfulcompromise is only possible when one side is able to see how the other setsout its priorities and understands how culturally-affected notions ofdignity, conciliation and reasonableness come into play."[6] One of the greatest contributions of ethnic diversity in the UnitedStates is bilingualism. Because America is at the center of global change, its universitiesare fast becoming more multicultural and multilingual. Andmanagers in the United States now realize the importance of having amulticultural workforce. [5]Sandovar and Porter, 162. The resulting enhancement ofself-esteem makes these immigrants more successful in their careers anddaily lives: "Even when students have a knowledge of the English language,the almost exclusive use of mainstream American English in United Statesschools may create cultural conflicts because the languages they have knownsince birth are ignored or repressed."[7] A barrier to cultural cohesiveness in the United States israce/ethnic categorizing. The improvement intrade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico has spurred economicintegration in other parts of the world. Major cultural adjustments sometimes create conflictingand painful situations for the "new Californians." Although some "newCalifornians" have made the cultural transition, the hegemonic group mayexperience discomfort having to adjust to the new wave of immigrants. Cultures are clusters of related values. The key isdeveloping a broader perspective. The United States played a key role in helpingMexico through a recent economic collapse that it experienced.
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