Table of Contents
Diversity within workplace promotes a varied issues and concerns that are applicable globally. It also allows an individual travelling/relocating from distant place to a foreign land with acceptance, recognition, respect, diverse learning and teamwork. The differences of an individual are based on religion orientation, race, language, education, beliefs, native language age, gender and communication styles. Apart from having differences it also amplifies benefits within workplace. The aim of the study is to explore the varied opportunities to reflect onto cultural diversification, identification of incident, its significance accompanied with experiential knowledge in relation to cultural diversity. Cultural diversity that cultivates from differences within idea, thought, orientation and other aspects is also opposed to the domain of monoculture; the global monoculture that is akin to cultural decay.
The study explores the challenges faced within cultural diversity developing an experimental survey of self. It further reflects how in globally distributed software I have been experiencing issues in regards to diversification. It argues regarding workplace practices within the global software development company that I visited in New Perth, Australia. There are varieties of challenges I have faced in regards to cultural diversity that can be analyzed from various dimensions. The work environment of Software Company involves employees from Asian, European and other areas. Thereby, the affective and behavioral aspects of cultural diversity are discussed from an experimental viewpoint. The aim is to address the incident causing cultural diversity challenges that is managed within globally distributed knowledge staff and the action of emphasis.
The software company that I have currently been employed into has been undergoing issues regarding discrimination. I joined the company six months back in 2017. To my amuse I found services were limited to African Americans and also there were lesser supplies from company substituting minorities. In fact, the management has few minorities countable of 6. It consisted mostly of white-men. It caused me huge complexity and anxiety initially. This raised because of the presence of white-men over Asians or other community people. Within a month span of two, Manager Mr. Dorothy, receive two lawsuits for discrimination stating civil rights violations. Dorothy had settled the issue covering it up with $60 million. Having presence in the media had hidden the matter over a week’s time, without hampering the image of the Company. However, it did become lesson for all, resulting in appointment of diversity officer. In my context there were only five Asians, two from India, one from Bhutan (that is myself) and two from Nepal. Thereby, the constant report that was earlier ignored was now brought under limelight. The incident became persistence soon after my joining. On my fist day, I was looked upon being timid and tiny. It is also assumed that coming from a Cultural strong Background of Bhutan, makes it believe that we are not open-minded, with limited idea and thoughts, and unable to cope up with tech-speed. It happened so that on my second day I was called for a meeting with batch of 8 members. I was to put an idea regarding upcoming software to be run in Window 10. It was notable that besides not ridiculed of my idea I was not put emphasis on by my colleagues. The Asians had also reported of similar complaints. However, I was registered of the complaint and was promised if action against such behavior. It however, was not restricted and no action was taken upon the white men. But, the charge that Dorothy (CEO) had to pay a lifetime lesson to which she implemented mandatory diversity training sessions. It helped every individual to study sensitivity of different cultures and how one can empathize with cross-cultural aspects.
Under the lawsuit, few discipline standards were set against. It reviewed the complaints that were earlier ignored regarding discrimination. Manager was reported to undertake feedback from employees and perform questionable actions. Hiring and focusing on employment of minority employees became standard. Besides, there has been increase of 15% from annual purchases from minority-owned suppliers that also came into prominence.
All the changes under the supervision of Dorothy came under positive change and notice. Soon after people with brown skin, minorities or people of color were under recognition and integrated into succession plan. The mindset that was built due to prejudice that Asians and black skinned people are equivalent to minorities, lack of knowledge and skill and was subjugated gradually was minimized. It is to be realized that color cannot be ridiculed rather be taken as an identification. Besides, workplace diversification does not depend on color but the skills, knowledge and experience one carries. The incident did have positive influence on all. It benefited with fostering workplace diversity and allowed men who discriminated to value and honor diversity. Of course, I could not forget the source that led to these changes. The weeks that I was caught under teasing and bullying, disrespect and was shuttered based on my background and color. Today, if I am standing upright at my position owes much to the issue that had risen back then. It did bring positive light regarding Company’s management towards workplace diversity.
I have been a part of Asian society for 25 years. Bhutan has been cradling in the folds of Himalayas that have been protecting influence from external cultural influences. The population is not vast, that is bordered within the boundaries outlined by India on the south, and China on the North. Bhutan is known for isolationism maintaining resistance to foreign cultural integration and maintaining economic and cultural integrity. The government has the goal to preserve its cultural heritage and is taught to it citizens since childhood and at institution. In fact, very less number of people relocates to foreign country for education and employment. In maintaining the laws and jurisdiction, it has successfully preserved many aspects of its culture. It has been only a decade that tourism was permitted in Bhutan that earlier remained a country of its own celebrating independence culture (Forrest, Lean & Dunn, 2016). Thereby, settling in the culturally out-own and dynamic area of Perth became challenging.
The socio-cultural perspective is a theory has been studied in the domain of psychology (Shepherd & Lewis-Fernandez, 2016). It has helped to explain awareness of conditions neighboring individuals. It takes into study the thought process and behavior that are affected by people surrounding them. From the incident, I have been facing mental stress and anxiety. Sooner, I felt disinterested within the workplace and felt less significant. It is said that mental processes as shaped by one’s social and cultural factors. Within my workplace, the prejudices were under prominence even though there is work performed with amalgamation of skills. It made me realize that communication and true knowledge regarding culture differences need to be trained beforehand. It is important for employees to respect, understand, communicate, relate and cope with one another (Davis, Frolova & Callahan, 2016). Coping up with racial segregation that are made constant of racial and gender biasness became difficult and less welcoming. As per the theory, discrimination experiences has been witnessed and evaluated. Approx 11 Asians are bullied by white faculty at various Christian universities have been examined in this theory (Shepherd & Lewis-Fernandez, 2016). Of the 11 Asians, ten described experiences of being ill-treated in a different way owed to race, culture and gender.
On the other hand, Vygotsky’s ideas regarding diversity have been widely recognized. He signifies that social connections and culture involves debt on development of higher-order thinking skills in an individual (Shah & Barker, 2017).
Institutional Theory of Diversity Management helps to recognize the significance of social environment establish within an organization (Matlin, Yam, Mehta, Krief & Hopf, 2019). It is herein necessary to identify the structure within which it is built. It does not focus on the infrastructure but on its policy, stakeholders mainly behavior of employees. The governing elements establishing proper structure such as legislation, professional norms, rules, decorum, and policies need to be properly set and shared (Hatlevik, Guðmundsdóttir & Loi, 2015) . This conformity to the laws helps in building consistent performance and standard disciplines. The approach prioritizes laws as an employee can be terminated for violating the law.
Several phenomena can be taken into the occurrence of the incident. Firstly it is indebted to the prejudices prevailing within the society. Perth is becoming ethnically and racially diverse. Secondly, lack of knowledge regarding diverse culture and orientation. Besides, lack of training regarding diversification and civil rights and antidiscrimination laws resulted in such intolerance. Lack of action undertaken by senior management becomes the fourth factor. It was important for the senior management to make White men learn to embrace diversity and cater to its positive side of sharing thoughts, undertaking mutual skills and efforts and expansion regionally and globally.
Companies have not been focusing to promote diversity more successfully. It has been rejecting service to and from minorities. Manager became reluctant in recruiting more diverse employees and staff. Assuming that of 80 employees only 5 Asians within the premise cater to the proof. It was important earlier for HR managers to engage with employees in solving any problem. It is important for managers to encourage social accountability for change and recognize good will and collaboration among members (Forrest, Lean & Dunn, 2016). Mentoring would have helped engaging managers and erase their biases. Promotion and knowledge to embrace diverse in workplace would have been advantageous.
The issue that occurred with me in workplaces let me dealt with situations of social or cultural differences. Thereby after my complaint I went on to survey on reviewing company current policies and training. To this I found that there was area of loopholes that constructed such discrimination. By allowing employees to mentor one another would increase engagement daily on different activities would foster relations (Davis, Frolova & Callahan, 2016). It definitely would bridge the gap between employees of different race, culture and age groups.
To address the incident is to explore the cultural diversity challenges and how in such situation one needs to manage globally distributed knowledge. Being a tech-based dynamic company, it lays emphasis on manifestation of cultural diversity within and promoting global virtual work. Through the incident, it is to assess that how an incident can bring in positive changes. It is not expected to constantly undergo such discrimination, rather bring in efforts to eliminate it. Awareness and vocal actions may bring gaps within cultural diversity challenges. By raising voices, constant effort, and belief in one’s self will allow to overcome the obstacles of cultural
The changes brought in will develop convergent tasks of software development by slowly maximizing its values within divergent work activities. Thereby, allowing growth in thought, cooperation among employees, establishing stronger relations, promoting cultural diversification and recognizing its benefits. Cross-cultural sense making, awareness and knowledge sharing intends to build up a supple, competitive, and sustainable learning organizations (Betancourt, Green, Carrillo & Owusu, 2016).
The success and competitiveness of the company depends upon its vision and principles. Promotion to embrace diversity and recognizing benefits will reduce occurrence of incidents and issues. It is necessary for HR managers to timely examine and record workplace diversity issues. Each individual within the grounds of premise need to overcome rigid and biased perspectives, segregation, racism, cultural and language barriers. It is important to celebrate and realize unique experiences and perceptions of diversified people without subjugating them based on ethnicity and color. Keeping into consideration respect, equality and collaboration will strengthen productivity. Properly managed diversity within premise intends to leverage the strengths of employees and relations.
From the incident it is clear that cultural awareness and cultural diversity need to be taught under training session. Embracing unified ideas and thought can enhance skills for the future IS/IT labor force. It helped to understand that one need to fight for his position and not get demeaned of any discrimination. It is important to believe in one’s effort and experience to bring in productivity. Human resource practices need to adapt with sense-making approach for cross-cultural training. It will help building knowledge sharing Software Development Company being globally channeled need to acknowledge cultural diversity knowledge. This may result with fruitful effort, productivity using intellectual capital and strategic resources.
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