Paper Example on Enhancing Cross-Cultural Management: A Case Study of Hydro-Generation in Tanzania

Introduction

Cross-cultural management is the activity of facilitating and directing synergistic action and learning at interfaces where knowledge, values, and experiences are transferred into multicultural domains of implementation (Browaeys and Price 2016, p.35). Cross-cultural management focuses on monitoring the behaviour of human resources within corporations globally. It showcases the variations between the workers and their unique cultures that focus on improving their interaction and relationship within the firm to achieve the predetermined goals and objectives of the organization (Browaeys and Price, 2016). The case study under review entails a multinational power company based in the United States of America called Hydro-Generation with a project in Tanzania, Africa. It showcases the activities of the project manager, Brett Jones, who has successfully handled the primary phases of the company’s project on dam construction. However, the vice-president Steinberg has conflicting decisions on retaining the manager for the next phase of the project due to some contradictory actions undertaken by Jones to execute the completed stages of the project. This report shall encompass two fundamental problems identified within the case study, and they shall be tackled through three main categories. The report shall implement corrective measures to help the organization to manage its operations in a foreign market effectively. The two critical problems include poor leadership and organizational culture and opposition from the neighbouring communities within the construction site. The three topics to be discussed within the report are communication and negotiation, leadership and ethics, plus corporate social responsibility (CSR).

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Communication and Negotiation

Communication is the process of exchange of information and transfer of shared understanding between two or more individuals (Yukl and Gardner, 2017). It either elicits confidence or the information relayed to a person can be vividly understood and comprehended fully. Communication is an essential process required within an organization to ensure steady, cohesive forces and coordination in providing strong objectivity and accomplishment of predetermined goals, in the case study (Yukl and Gardner, 2017). In the case study, there is poor administration and uncoordinated organizational culture that results in disharmony within the firm. Leaders should be great communicators since they elucidate the goals and objectives of the firm to the subordinates. Brett Jones, the manager, is an American while the project is being conducted in Tanzania.

There are complaints from the employees that the organizational structure is disorganized. It is also evident that Brett Jones has poor negotiation policies and skills. In the bid to fight and stop the opposition from the neighbouring communities that find the river holy, Brett spends a lot of money to appease the spirits to ensure the spirits are at rest, and they can continue with their project. Brett Jones goes against the resettlement package development by Hydro Generation Company and spends $7500 plus animals in the form of sheep, goats, cows, and chicken for ambient working conditions. Despite this, there is still no improvement, which leads to Brett Jones paying an additional $10,000 plus he voluntarily participated in the ritual ceremony, which eventually led to the approval of their dam construction activities. He is also a poor communicator and has failed to guide the employees in executing their roles and responsibilities. Communication is critical in the execution of projects due to the deliverables of the projects.

Communication Accommodation Theory

The Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) establishes an extensive framework that helps in ensuring effective communication and matching the various environments and contexts (Browaeys and Price 2016, p.89). The theory helps in guiding individuals in incorporating adjustments to create, maintain, or decrease social interaction distance among parties (Browaeys and Price, 2016). This theory is crucial because it allows people to adjust their communication under foreign social environment, this theory shall guide Brett Jones to understand the needs effectively and wants of the natives plus the local workforce within the project (Browaeys and Price,2016). Through proper adjustment, the manager shall be able to execute policies well-understood by all and develop individual roles and responsibilities to increase morale and productivity within the employees. The theory focusses on enhancing intergenerational and interability context; hence, in terms of the language barrier, the theory shall help Jones effectively interact with the Tanzanians and ensure a productive working environment.

Distributive Bargaining Strategy

In terms of negotiation skills, the manager needs to implement effective theories on negotiation to ensure that the Hydro Generation Company does not make substantial financial losses during the execution of the project (Browaeys and Price, 2016). In such capital intensive projects such as the construction of dams, cost –efficiency is vital to establish a strong liquidity position of the construction firm. Therefore, strategies such as the distributive bargaining shall guide the manager in ensuring fewer losses for the organization. In this situation, the conflict is between the Hydro Generation company and the neighbouring communities in Tanzania. The manager needs to ensure the Hydro Generation uses minimal resources for the resettlement of the nearby villages is adequate.

The engineers and managers need to develop well-crafted work breakdown structures that shall help to communicate the roles of every employee on the worksite. The chain of command must be adequately defined to ensure enhanced communication throughout the remaining project phases. This shall result in time efficiency and excellent results in meeting the goals and objectives of the company.

Leadership

Leadership is the process by which an individual listen with enthusiasm, with an aspiring mind of making a decisive action, empowering and encouraging others responsibly and humbly to help them achieve the predetermined goals and objectives set (Yukl and Gardner 2017, p.109). In the case study, there are several leadership issues, especially in the administration role and guiding the subordinates in the implementation of the prescribed goal or objective. Organizational culture is the sequence of shared beliefs, ideas that govern the conduct of the workforce within the organization. Leadership and corporate culture provide a synergy that contributed to the efficiency and effectiveness in all operations undertaken by the firms (Yukl and Gardner, 2017). Two critical theories shall be incorporated in ensuring that there is effective cross-cultural management to provide secure and effective leadership plus ensure good relations with the members of the community.

Hofstede’s Theory of Cross-cultural Management

Hofstede bases the theory on individual national cultural dimensions, which are incorporated in five key aspects (Wisetsri, 2020). They include:

Power Distance

This entails the relationship between the management and the subordinates or people of a particular culture (Wisetsri, 2020). It defines the communication pattern and strategies implemented within an organization or society. Due to its high score of 70, it is evident that the citizens of Tanzania prefer the hierarchical order in which they are obligated to do as told. Therefore, the most effective organizational structure to be established by management is the bureaucratic structure.

Uncertainty Avoidance

This measures the degree to which an individual or people avoid activities or actions full of uncertainties (Wisetsri, 2020). Tanzania possesses a neutral position in uncertainties in the future; therefore, the leader shall have a tough time in knowing the responsiveness of the team.

Individual Versus Group Orientation

This characterizes the relationship between an individual and a group. It explains the links in cultures and how they interact (Wisetsri, 2020). The score for Tanzania is 25, hence the culture is collectivistic; thus, there is strong synergy among the workforce members as they all work towards the achievement of a unified goal. Accordingly, the leaders need to ensure there are strong, cohesive forces within the firm.

Masculine Versus Feminine Orientation

These express the nature of the societies within a nation whereby masculine societies are competitive while the feminine community is instead too caring (Wisetsri, 2020). Tanzania society is feminine; hence there is no sense of aggression or completion in the accomplishment of the assigned tasks and responsibilities. Therefore, the leader needs to implement a collective decision-making process that encompasses all the members of the organization (Hofstede Insights, 2020).

Short-term Versus Extended Term Orientation

This focuses on the goal orientation of people from a culture in terms of objectives and goals set (Wisetsri, 2020). Tanzania is a short-term oriented culture; hence its showcases high regard for the traditions and primitive ways. Therefore, the Hydro Generation Company needs to ensure that some of the cultures are embraced to provide a multicultural framework for peaceful and productive operation ability while executing the project (Hofstede Insights, 2020). It needs to establish a multicultural; corporate framework which allows the native employees to practice their religious traditions and beliefs despite having a holistic origin.

Through the Hofstede’s theory of cross-cultural management, it is evident that Tanzania holds its traditions firmly. Hence, the organization needs to incorporate some of the cultures despite its strong Christian background. The natives possess a strong affiliation with their culture, and this is a massive catalyst in their productivity. Encompassing a multicultural framework shall help in creating a suitable and conducive working environment resulting in fast delivery of the project deliverables within the set time frames. This shall reduce any opposition from the neighbouring communities since there shall be strong cohesion between them. In terms of internal business environment management, the leaders need to establish a bureaucratic corporate structure (Wisetsri, 2020, p.7336). Due to their substantial power distance as shown on Appendix 1, the project manager and engineers shall govern all the operations, and they should report to them rather...