HRM 6645-XTIB Dr. Hoover

HRM 6645-XTIB Dr. Hoover 04/ 12/ 2024 What are the underlying cultural assumptions for Mr. Bernard, and how are these different from the basic assumptions of N’Diaye and Diop? Cultural assumptions must be defined to give one a better understanding of what it entails. Furthermore, to support its meaning, multiculturalism is explained as well. Cultural assumptions revolve around the beliefs and attitudes that pertain to such things as religion, gender, age, sexuality, social class, and work habits that are speculated as being part of the social practices of a particular culture (educationalstandards, n.d.). Multiculturalism is the co-existence of diverse cultures as it pertains to religious, racial, or cultural groups and its demonstrated habitual behaviors, social assumptions and values, patterns of thinking, and communicative styles (, n.d.). As stated, this is a multinational company, and as such many different cultures collide daily. There are two underlying cultural assumptions that Mr. Bernard makes. First, that Senegalese workers were not willing or capable of producing the numbers required to meet the increased production objectives of the company, and two Senegalese workers cannot be controlled unless there are structured work regulations. However, knowing the cultural working habits of Senegalese workers would have helped him to understand these assumptions are false. According to , Senegalese workers consider themselves intelligent, adaptable, hardworking, and loyal (pp. 17-19). In Contrast, Diop understanding his people knew that they could fulfill the agreement. He understood that his people respected a leader they could build a relationship with and trust. Furthermore, governmental studies of Senegal have shown that interpersonal relationships are of critical importance to the Senegalese society (, 2018). N’Diaye, having a close relationship with Diop and being Senegalese himself, knew the workers were capable of increasing production if the right leadership style and motivational incentives were applied. What would you do if you were Bernard’s boss, the managing director? Outside of terminating Bernard for his consistent failures, poor leadership, and complacency, the following actions should take place. First, he should have Mr. Bernard attend cross-cultural training. Cross-cultural training is extremely beneficial in terms of fostering an expatriate's appreciation for a country’s culture so that they can adopt appropriate managing patterns. Tung’s Model identifies five relevant pre-departure training categories environmental briefings, and cultural orientation, culture assimilators, language training, sensitivity training, and field experiences (Dowling, Festing, & Engle, 2019). Second, he should Hofstede’s study on cross-cultural management to better understand the effects of Senegal’s culture as it relates to its members' values and how these relate to behavior. By understanding how Senegal’s culture aligns with the femininity dimension, which contains preferences for life quality, modesty, and interpersonal relationships, the company could develop its cultural training to focus specifically on these topics to ensure organizational success. Lastly, use the GLOBE study to assess the effectiveness of leadership and behavior within the company’s culture. Once complete, the company can choose the best candidate that fits the leadership dimension of the culture (Dowling, Festing, & Engle, 2019).