Mini Project #4 – Case Study
Prepared by Sylvia T. Boykin
December 8, 2019
Background/Introduction: What is Cross-cultural Training?
In many instances, one gets a sense of culture through television, traveling, educational settings, neighborhoods, or grocery shopping. The workplace is another yet another environment where there can be a diverse group of people. While diversity can enrich the workplace, it can also come with its share of complications. Culture differences can range from national to generational. Additionally, various cultural differences can interfere with productivity or cause conflict among employees. Stereotypes and the lack of knowledge about different traditions and mannerisms can lead to disruptions and the inability of some employees to work effectively as a team or to handle business dealings with potential customers in other countries (Ray, 2019). Thus, it is important that cross-cultural training (CCT) initiatives are made in the workplace, which is outlined later in this paper.
So exactly what is CCT? Depending upon who you ask, cross-cultural training (CCT) can be defined rather broadly. In a magazine article written in 2017 entitled, What is Cross Cultural Training?, it is noted that CCT is “any training that helps people overcome cultural challenges in work or in life when interacting with others whose culture, values and beliefs we are not fully aware” (“What is Cross Cultural Training?”, 2017). CCT centers on the dynamics of culture and cultural differences, such as business practices.
Want to know more information about cross-cultural training programs, components and delivery methods in the workplace, watch the video below?
https://study.com/academy/lesson/cross-cultural-training-programs-components-delivery-methods.html
Why Is CCT So Important?
The demand for CCT programs has grown in the past ten years as organizations have expanded their operations not only locally, but nationally. Conducting business in a cross-cultural environment requires an in-depth understanding of and clear communication with people from various cultural backgrounds and nationalities. CCT, for instance, can improve communication skills and softer skills such as emotional intelligence. It increases trust between people as it helps break down barriers (“What is Cross Cultural Training?”, 2017). CCT is also essential to help minimize potential cultural mishaps by overcoming biases and prejudices.
It is important to note that CCT is essential for all employees within an organization, regardless of the role they play. Some organizations make the mistake of providing training to just frontline workers and managerial or senior-level executives. The goal of CCT should be to create a workplace environment that is culturally aware across the board.
Journal Articles Summaries
1. Cross-Cultural Training: A Critical Step In Ensuring The Success of International Assignments. Pages 239-250.
More and more organizations have shifted their concentration on developing the necessary skills for success in the international marketplace to attain and sustain global competitiveness. This article centered on cross-cultural training programs for increasing the success and effectiveness of employees that are assigned internationally. Cross-cultural training for international assignments can be a complex undertaking that requires the efforts of skilled and experienced professionals. For ultimate success, cross-cultural training should be designed to support performance, adjustment, and development. So, what does this training look like for an employee given an international assignment representing their organization? Naturally, companies want to develop both the individual and organization to high areas of competencies to compete globally. For there to be a success by assignees, the following factors are required:
- Skills, knowledge, attitudes, and attributes to perform effectively in a different cultural environment.
- The ability to personally adjust to living in new locations to include accompanying family members.
- The understanding of how to maximize developmental opportunities while abroad.
In addition to necessary skills and abilities, cross-cultural training often requires a team of specialists to develop and deliver a program. For instance, the trainer in a cross-cultural program has the complex role of serving as coach, educator, facilitator, counselor, moderator, and cultural role model.
In conclusion, the article states that a well-managed and executed program can be a key intervention in promoting assignment success, averting failure, and increasing the return on investment for the employee, supporting family members, and organization.
2. Development of the Cross-cultural Training on Organizational Commitment and Work Adjustment in Environmental Services Industry: The Impact of Relatedness. Pages 241-247.
The effectiveness of cross-cultural training of employees in the environmental services industry is discussed in the article. Environmental services industries i.e., hotels are committed to developing overseas markets and expanding their environmental services corporations. When this occurs, the need for employees with management ability of overseas environmental services increases.
Cross-cultural training is targeted to help employees overcome unexpected affairs in a new cultural environment. Cross-cultural training could effectively assist an employee in adjusting to a new environment, reducing culture shock, and effectively executing overseas work-related duties. For instance, an international manager that benefits from cross-cultural training could help understand the value of different culture, enhance cultural sensitivity, promote cultural perception, enhance the cooperation among teams with a different culture, and enhance the communication and coordination abilities among different cultures.
Based on the study presented in the article, the following results were concluded regarding cross-cultural training in the environmental services industry :
- Cross-cultural training reveals significantly positive effects on organizational commitment.
- Organizational commitment shows remarkably positive effects on work adjustment.
- Cross-cultural training presents notably positive effects on work adjustment.
3. Cross-Cultural Training Effectiveness: A Review and a Theoretical Framework for Future Research. Pages 113-136.
With the rise of cross-cultural contact in the workplace, such as short-term business trips to foreign countries or long-term overseas assignments, it was noted that many work-related cross-cultural interactions were not always successful. The article presented its findings based on research as to whether cross-cultural training was effective in the workplace. It was determined that cross-cultural training, in general, was effective in developing important cross-cultural skills, in facilitating cross-cultural adjustment, and in enhancing job performance.
4. Enhancing adaptive transfer of cross-cultural training: Lessons learned from the broader training literature. Human Resource Management Review. Pages 239-252
In this article, it was argued that the evaluation of cross-cultural training effectiveness should adopt comprehensive criteria, including cognitive, skill-based, and affective learning outcomes, as well as adaptive transfer. It was proposed that the integration of an error management supplement in cross-cultural training can enhance trainee acquisition of self-regulation skills and self-efficacy that facilitate adaptive application of learning to novel cultural situations. Suggestions were also offered regarding the effects of the supplement on learning and transfer outcomes, along with implications for future research and practice on cross-cultural training.
Case Study
Systems, Applications and Products know as the company SAP is based in Walldorf, Germany, with locations in 130 countries. At SAP, over 85 nationalities are represented. The Diversity and Inclusion Office connects new employees with existing employee networks. The 30 networks include a Latino group, a female business network, and a group for parents of children with disabilities.
To meet the cross-cultural needs, SAP employees embarking on overseas business trips can access online cultural briefings. All SAP employees can take classroom-based training and receive interactive instruction. The company uses a mix of internal and external trainers and customizes its training depending on the location destination and employees’ needs.
These efforts have the leadership’s full backing. The company’s executive board reflects SAP’s diversity, with members from India, the United States, and Denmark.
Watch SAP’s Head of People Sustainability, Judith Michelle Williams, talk about diversity and inclusion, empowering employee network groups, and guiding leaders.
Case Analysis
While each article had its own take on cross-cultural training regarding effectiveness, I found the case study to be interrelated to all 4 articles. This is supported in the first article as it was noted that cross-cultural training required a team of specialists to develop and deliver a program. SAP mix of internal and external trainers and customizes its training depending on the location destination and employees’ needs. The second article suggested that cross-cultural training could effectively assist an employee in adjusting to a new environment, reducing culture shock, and effectively executing overseas work-related duties. It is evident that SAP is an organization that has international dealings as there locations in 130 countries. This being the case, the Diversity and Inclusion Office connects new employees with existing employee networks. The 30 networks include a Latino group, a female business network, and a group for parents of children with disabilities. There is another connection to cross-cultural training presented in the third article in its finding that cross-cultural training was effective in the development of cross-cultural skills, in facilitating cross-cultural adjustment, and in enhancing job performance. SAP is meeting this need by offering online cultural briefings along with interactive instruction. The fourth and final article proposed an error management supplement in cross-cultural training. SAP is satisfying this need by connecting employees with its 30 networks. This helps eliminates cross-cultural situations that can generate opportunities for errors to arise when employees apply thoughts and behaviors from one culture to another.
Project Summary
In recent years, the demand for effective training programs in cross-cultural communication and sensitivity has skyrocketed. This push has been driven by the desire to prevent misunderstandings and to enhance corporate competitiveness in the global marketplace. In my research, I found that good CCT programs addresses invisible and subtle differences between people of different cultures. As with training in general, an organization’s need must be determined to establish the type of training. There are several approaches and types of training. For instance, one organization’s existing programs my offer training, such as whether to bow or shake a client’s hand after a meeting. Then there are several cross-cultural training types ranging from cultural competencies, diversity to cultural awareness. As put by one journal writer, ‘there has to be a starting point, the point is just to start”.
References
Bennett, R., Aston, A., & Coiquhoun, T. (2000). Cross-Cultural Training: A Critical Step in
Ensuring the Success of International Assignments. Human Resource Management, 39(2/3), 239- 250. https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-050X(200022/23)39:2/3<239::AID-HRM12>3.0.CO;2-J
Black, J. S., & Mendenhall, M. (1990). Cross-Cultural Training Effectiveness: A Review and a
Theoretical Framework for Future Research. Academy of Management Review, 15(1), 113-136. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1990.11591834
Kuang-Chin Chen, & Yu-Jing Chiu. (2018). Development of the Cross-cultural Training on
Organizational Commitment and Work Adjustment in Environmental Services Industry: The Impact of Relatedness. Ekoloji Dergisi, (106), 241–247. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eih&AN=134107194&site=eds-live&scope=site
McClay, R. (2017). Four Cornerstones of Successful Cross-Cultural Training. Retrieved from
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trainingindustry/tiq_20170506/index.php?startid=50#/50
Ran, S., & Huang, J. L. (2019). Enhancing adaptive transfer of cross-cultural training: Lessons
learned from the broader training literature. Human Resource Management Review, 29(2), 239-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.08.004
Ray, L. (2019, February 12). Examples of Cultural Differences in Business. Retrieved from
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-cultural-differences-business-21958.html
Sabina Cerimagic and Jim Smith. (2011) “Cross-cultural training: The importance of investing in
people” COBRA 2011: RICS Construction and Property Conference,, 667-675: ISBN
978-1-907842-19-1. http://epublications.bond.edu.au/sustainable_development/117
What is Cross Cultural Training? (2017, December 14). Retrieved November 21, 2019, from
https://www.commisceo-global.com/blog/what-is-cross-cultural-training.