Category: Cultural Diversity

Importance of Diversity within an Organization: Analytical Essay

In past times many businesses thought it to be beneficial to the company to have a homogenous workforce, as everyone thinks, responds and acts the same, however, in modern times title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act makes it illegal for organizations to engage in employment practices that discriminate against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin ( Herring, 2009 ), also new evidence has suggested that a homogenous workforce may actually be somewhat counterproductive as opposed to having a more diverse workforceCambridge dictionary (2019) defines diversity as “the fact of many different types of things or people being included in something” simply put when something is diverse it means that a group of people or things consists of a wide range of different factors that makes us all unique such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and age. Diversity is often paired with Inclusion; this being the acceptance and recognition of the aforementioned factors, in the hope of promoting a sense of belonging; by not only acknowledging those differences but by actually valuing and respecting them. The recent cultural shift towards being more globally inclusive has raised the issue of whether or not organisations should pursue diversity despite all the challenges it may bring. The purpose of this paper is to analyze in-depth whether or not organisations should pursue diversity within their workforce despite the potential issues that may arise from it. Whilst focusing specifically on how the factors of diversity directly affect said organisation.

It is clear that businesses must see the opportunity that diversity brings with it, such as different perspectives, increased innovation, and an increase in company profits.

Without question, the greatest benefit of diversity within a company is the new perspectives that are bought to the organization. There is no denying that being faced with unfamiliar perspectives can be somewhat challenging, that is why after all most of us are so keen on partaking in Affinity bias, but as Doctor Edward Hubbard ( 2004 ) stated ” We need a variety of perspectives to add value to the workplace”, by having a workforce with a multitude of different perspectives it essentially enlarges the ‘pool of ideas’ within an organisation as well increasing the pool of skills, opinions and recourses available to the organisation. When a workforce is diverse each individual member brings with them a new perspective which has been shaped by their own individual experiences, for example, we can assume that a person that grew up in the ghetto’s of Detroit views the world differently to someone that grew up in the leafy suburbs of Connecticut, the reason being that the day to day life for each of them was probably very different from the others, the result of this means that these two people may look at the exact same thing but see two completely different things. A difference in perspectives can create some level of conflict within an organisation as people may fail to see ‘eye to eye’ but if This kind of difference in perspectives is channeled productively it can be vital to an organisation as it allows for individuals to try to approach a problem in their own unique way first, thereby increasing the company’s ability to solve potential problems it faces or may face in the future. Clearly having diverse perspectives within an organisation is nothing short of an asset due to the wide array of benefits it brings.

Meanwhile It can also be observed that diversity within an organisation acts as a catalyst for innovation. As seen in a survey conducted by Harvard business review (2013 ) which found that companies with diverse boards “are 45% likelier to report that their firm’s market share grew over the previous year and 70% likelier to report that the firm captured a new market.” ( Hewlett et al.,2013 ) this is because in diverse workforces each individual member brings with them their own individual talents , experiences and perspectives, thus resulting in a workforce that is able to ‘think outside the box’, thereby allowing the company to not only grow in its existing markets but to expand into new markets, as their diverse workforce better allows them to understand, market to and grown within new markets that may seem too ‘foreign’ to homogenous organisations. As seen in a survey conducted by professor Richard Warr ( 2018) in which 3,000 of the largest publicly traded U.S companies where survey in the hope of finding a correlation between diversity and innovation, the results of the survey found that a if a “company checks all of the diversity boxes would see about two new additional product announcements over 10 years,” ( Warr, 2018) theses findings are extremely significant considering that a single product announcement for large global companies such as apple inc. can translate into billions of dollars worth of revenue as “New product announcements are greeted by investors with a positive stock price reaction” (Srinivasan et al., 2009), clearly highlighting a starting link between an increase of diversity and thereby innovation.

Admittedly many of the most successful organisations consisted of a homogenous workforce, especially at managerial levels , this is because it is much easier to communicate with a person that is accustom to the same cultural and social norms as you, thereby generally making it easier to successfully conduct business deals, as everyone is ‘on the same level’.

However since a recent study by McKinsey & Co ( 2018 ) found that of the one thousand companies that they survey, the least diverse companies are on average 29 per cent more likely to underperform in terms of profitability when compared to more diverse companies. The reason being due to the fact that the less diverse a company is the less they are able to appease a multitude of stakeholders. Similarly in a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group ( 2018 ) it was concluded that “Companies that have more diverse management teams have a 19% higher revenue.” This is due to the “diversity of minds, ideas, and approaches “ ( power.A, 2018) , that being that diverse companies see higher profits then their homogenous competitors, because they have a workforce with, is able to produce stronger, well-rounded solutions, due to their larger pool of ideas and problem solving techniques.

The analysis of the Importance of diversity within an organisation has revealed that whilst it may introduce some level of conflict, it is ultimately beneficial to the organization.

It has been seen that despite the challenges it may bring with it businesses should still pursue diversity within the workplace in order to yield the benefits associated with diverse workforces, such as new perspectives, increased innovation and increased profits.

Obviously, it will be advantageous for all businesses to actively pursue diversity, instead on continuing on with the tradition of companies having a homogeneous workforce.

Looking forward future generations must ensure that they pursue diversity, as when they do only then may they perform at truly optimal levels.

Business Case for Diversity: Analytical Essay

In the past where diversity management has been viewed as merely a legal requirement, increasingly it is being adopted by organisations to play to a competitive advantage and to fully access the potential of employees. Recognition of patriarchal leadership in business has already proven valuable, and studies show closing the gender pay gap alone could add $12 trillion to global growth by 2025 (McKinsey & Company, 2015). Diversity in business no longer exists for moral or legal obligation, but as a necessity for business survival.

This essay establishes that a business case for diversity exists in 2 parts: first the benefits of diversity management in terms of its financial and intangible assets such as employee satisfaction and motivation, and secondly the common criticisms of these.

‘Diversity’ itself can have many interpretations. Global Diversity Practice (2019) define it as any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another. Generally, diversity aims to create an inclusive culture that values and uses the talents of all would-be members (Herring, 2009). It may also be described as dichotomous in nature or “Two-dimensional” (Center for Talent Innovation, 2013). “Inherent diversity” encompassing gender, race and other aspects of our innate identity, and “acquired diversity” such as experience, cultural fluency and language skills.

The argument for the business case of diversity is an intuitive one. Page (2007) suggests that “A range of perspectives outperforms groups of like-minded individuals”. The best way to describe this would be looking at a problem with fresh eyes; a completely different background, experience and culture brings new insight to a project.

There is hard evidence for the business case of diversity in terms of financial benefits. Advocates argue that a diverse workforce in place of a homogenous one, creates financial value as homogeneity stifles innovation and productivity. There is a multitude of studies to support financial gain from inherent diversity. Most recently, a study from McKinsey & Company (2018) confirms the statistical significance of the correlation of both gender and race-based diversity and increased financial performance and value creation. Drawing on a data set of over 1000 companies covering 12 countries, it shows ethnic and cultural diversity alone create a 33% outperformance on EBIT margin. These findings support research by Herring (2009) in that racial and gender diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, greater market share and greater relative profits.

With acquired diversity, from data of 44 management teams in a Fortune 100 consumer products company, Bunderson and Sutcliffe (2002) find a positive relationship between performance and intrapersonal functional diversity (the aggregate functional breadth of team members). When compared with dominant function diversity (the diversity of functional experts on a team), teams with intrapersonal functional diversity perform higher and are more well-suited to overcoming communication barriers. This supports Page (2007) in that the aggregate experience of a diverse team of individuals is more effective than a team of like-minded experts.

Essentially, this ‘value in diversity’ (Cox, 1993) view suggests managing and valuing diversity leads to effective people management which improve productivity, financial results and contribute to the strategic equality objectives of human resource management.

Diversity = productivity (Cox, 1993)

Managing cultural diversity can be used as a strategic advantage to differentiate a particular company through customer orientation. Diversity management can improve customer service through assigning the correct employee who is able to build a strong rapport with the clientele, for example, speaking the client’s native language. Furthermore, Sen and Bhattacharya (2001) find that the consumer prefers to buy from companies with a clear CSR initiative on diversity. A diverse team is also more representative of the customer base. In diverse teams where discomfort exists, Sen and Bhattacharya (2001) argue that it creates smarter and more innovative teams; these differences make us question biases and process decisions more rigorously. McLeod and Lobel (1992) further support this ‘paradoxical view’ in that conflict caused by diversity creates improved performance; a team that can successfully overcome communication barriers, has a distinct advantage over the market.

There are also intangible benefits to diversity management, such as employee satisfaction and attracting top talent (Hunt, et al., 2018). Diversity is not just about equality, but empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different. A prominent study from Deloitte (2013) on the experiences of 1,550 employees in 3 large Australian businesses identifies an 80% improvement in business performance when levels of diversity and inclusion were high. However, top performance was only seen when employers practiced inclusive leadership, paying equal attention to diversity and inclusion.

Diversity + inclusion = improved business performance (Deloitte, 2013)

The 2 factors are interdependent and equally important. The feelings of inclusion are driven by perceptions of fairness, respect, value and belonging. When an employee feels as if they are seen as a whole person with a life both within and outside of the workplace, increased levels of employee satisfaction and loyalty are seen, thus leading to a more productive work force. (Deloitte, 2013) Additionally, schemes such as creating flexible working hours targeted at the minority, benefit all employees. (Deloitte, 2011).

Strong diversity initiatives make firms more attractive to top talents pools. More than ever, millennials are accepting and embracing diversity. This goes hand in hand with millennials expectations for the organisations they work for (Deloitte, 2018). The 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey shows that 74% of these individuals believe their organisation is more innovative when it has a ‘culture of inclusion’ and 47% of millennials are ‘actively looking for diversity and inclusion when sizing up potential employers’. Additionally, good pay and positive cultures are most likely to attract both millennials and generation Z (1990-2000 babies). By the year 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be made up of millennials and this group will occupy the majority of leadership roles (Deloitte, 2013). Therefore, if businesses are looking to hire and sustain a millennial workforce, diversity must be a key part of the company culture.

Whilst diversity appears to reap many benefits, there are also challenges created by it.

These arguments are based heavily on new social sciences research attempting to measure the effects of diversity on team performance. While this evidence seems conclusive, others highlight that ‘diversity’ is a broad term and the lack of research on intersectionality – the fact that we have multiple identities which overlap (CIPD, 2018). This makes diversity hard to quantify, especially in direct relation to profitability and productivity. The majority of studies focus on a small number of characteristics (race, gender) and discrete outcomes, such as team performance (CIPD, 2018).

Diversity management itself is a complex practice which requires significant experience to successfully control. Organisations without proper managerial or cultural understanding of diversity can end up with heightened conflict and reduced productivity (Pike, 2013). A study by Stephenson and Lewin (1996) indicates that poorly integrated heterogeneous groups can be as damaging to the organisation as overly integrated homogeneous groups. Often managers expedite team formation by choosing members with a similar global perspective (Stephenson & Lewin, 1996), resulting in an unintentional lack of diversity within a team in the same organisation.

Authors such as Skerry (2002) and Tsui (1992) argue that diversity undermines cohesiveness. Racial, gender, cultural and even age differences can create emotional conflict between co-workers and create intense competition among peer rivals, undermining organizational cohesiveness (Skerry, 2002). They also found that teams of diverse individuals can take longer to perform effectively in comparison with like-minded individuals due to communication issues and lack of a common understanding. This ‘diversity as a process’ view (Neale, et al., 1999) implicates that conflict leads to a negative effect on organisation process through communication issues and high staff turnover due to low employee morale and satisfaction.

At the same time, one could argue the irrelevance of the conversation in the modern-day society. The financial benefit of diversity is arguably proven; it is no longer a question of whether to implement diversity initiatives, more how to successfully manage them. Diversity initiatives are not a short-term solution, rather a long-term process, and the adoption rate depends almost entirely on the views of key business leaders and the influence of political and cultural climates within the workplace. Whilst there is significant research supporting diversity, whether these initiatives are being put into action is another case.

In using consequentialist arguments for diversity, it can go both ways. If evidence should surface showing a harmful heterogenous workforce, should the organisation then attempt to homogenise it? Furthermore, there are concerns as to how far diversity initiatives should be taken. Race, gender and age are a given, but are protected characteristics such as sexuality, disability and religion included? At what point does positive action in recruiting become positive discrimination whereby the employer is only recruiting a candidate for a relevant protected characteristic. Whilst it is unquestionable that all cultures should be accepted and valued, is it morally just to actively recruit for them?

Although there is substantial evidence supporting the business case for diversity, such as financial value and improved performance, it is not conclusive. For every benefit there is potential for equal damage to the organisation if handled badly, namely conflict and reduced productivity. Therefore, managers must apply diversity initiatives to their practices carefully and be mindful of the fact that there are both positive and negative outcomes.

Effective Manager in a Diverse Workforce

To be an effective manager means addressing the benefits and challenges of diversity in the workplace. In this essay, diversity is intergenerational and is, therefore, an important aspect of managing a workplace effectively, to boost overall productivity. This essay will aim to understand the differences in which the way several generations approach work as well as using key research to show how managers can take a contingent approach to leadership that is relevant for the diverse workplace. The essay will propose useful managerial strategies to counter the ethical, social, cultural and team issues that diversity brings in order to lead and manage effectively. Social issues can affect attitudes towards employees and lead to discrimination, therefore highlighting the importance of effective managerial behaviour.

In this essay, I will address the challenges diversity brings, and propose managerial solutions to maximise productivity of the workforce. For instance, a strategy to counter the ethical issue of discrimination in the workplace is by building an inclusive environment. Other effective strategies include; implementing knowledge of cultural intelligence to reduce communication barriers, foster autonomy, create a learning environment, encourage a growth mindset in employees. Such strategies can be implemented to reduce the difficulties of communication, particularly that arise from cultural diversity.

The key to managing an intergenerational workforce is understanding the differences between each generation and how this affects their attitudes towards workers. For instance, Workers at the IBM were living remotely and ‘telecommuting’. While there was a short term gain of almost $2 billion in selling its IBM office, the long term detriment on productivity was far greater. With such trends towards remote working today, there are various managerial considerations that we must take into account to be an effective manager today. Firstly, ethical issues like the welfare of employees is often overlooked by young results orientated managers as they are so goal oriented and can easily forget the fundamental human needs in an increasingly digital world. Isolation in remote working can affect mental health as well as Social issues that can arise such as change in demographic, values/needs and perspective.

A huge ethical problem in the workplace is discrimination because it can ultimately lead to an overall ineffective workplace and affect managerial behaviour. Ample resources have gone towards antiprejudice campaigns in various companies in effort to reduce discrimination. Interestingly, however, antiprejudice campaigns and strategies for controlling bias have failed since they were introduced to promote equal opportunity. While this study is focused on cultural diversity and racism, it cannot be entirely translated to intergenerational stereotypes, but nonetheless, there are key takeaways from the studies that contribute to our understanding of reducing stereotypes and to enhance cultural diversity. Research shows that the most effective way of tackling discrimination in the workforce is to create a diversity taskforce. A diversity taskforce consists of managers and representatives from underrepresented groups that meet regularly to collaborate to address problems within the organisation in relation to promoting equal opportunity and diversity. “Diversity task forces promote social accountability, engage managers in solving the problem and expose them to ppl from different groups”.

Managers must foster an environment where generations can work collaboratively, yet the aging population means the workforce is being taken over by the younger population (Conley 2018). The human resource approach to management assumes that people are social and self-actualising. Based on this assumption, managers using good human relations will achieve productivity (Maslow & McGregor 1943), because relationships are the key to innovation and collaboration. However, in the transition to the digital world, the key skills of human-to-human interaction is being replaced by human-screen interaction due to the heightened emphasis on technology. While this change can boost work efficiency and ultimately increase profits, it means that previously relevant theories like classical managerial thinking are becoming more obsolete, leading to a decrease in human capital, where man no longer needs to think. Socially, there is an aging population with almost 40% of workers having a boss younger. Taking into consideration the social issue of an aging population, older workers are increasingly becoming less relevant and we are losing human-to-human interactions that these workers are more experienced in handling. Therefore, the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) of older workers are vital to the workplace, particularly in overcoming barriers of communication. The fundamental differences in the way we process information mean that we communicate differently. For instance, millennials respond to more informal communication. Great communicators understand that each gen responds differently to leadership and workplace technology, and it is the manager job to shift to meet the needs of each generation. By using a mutual learning opportunity, managers can create the conditions to foster an ‘intergenerational flow of wisdom’ (Conley 2018), where the EQ of older workers can be exchanged for the Digital Intelligence (DQ) of younger workers. By creating a learning collaborative relationship between older and younger workers, we can boost productivity and overall effectiveness of a company. The classical viewpoint is becoming more obsolete. This is problematic because the classical viewpoint is important as a rational approach. Through the application of scientific methods, time and motion studies and job specialisation it was possible to boost productivity.

According to the Fiedlers (1971) model, managers must adopt a contingent approach in order to manage a diverse workplace effectively. The contingency theory essentially states that the effectiveness of leadership depends on the situation. In the practical application of this theory, managers can tailor their relationship towards different generations based on the values of the age group in which they are a part. For instance, older people prefer to be respected, and therefore the manager must treat that person with respect and probably tailor their language to be more formal because it is familiar in their generation. By understanding such preferences and differences between generations, this can boost optimal performance as well as create an optimal environment for all generations.

In his review of leadership effectiveness, Strube’s (1981) metanalysis of studies concerning contingency theory implicates a biased selection of studies and proposes that the study would benefit from a higher representation of training groups such as non-interactive sports like track and field. Moreover, he notes that statistical significance does not necessarily imply practical importance. Despite these criticisms, the empirical evidence provides overall strong support for Fiedlers model.

In summary, diversity and the expansion of the digital world have brought about ethical, social, team, and cultural challenges which managers must address to boost productivity and to manage their team effectively. By understanding the values of each generation and perceptions towards other generations, managers can adopt a contingent approach to manage and lead effectively. Effective management strategies that encourage workers to foster autonomy, build an inclusive environment, and utilise a mutual learning opportunity are important to consider in the current diverse workforce.

Gender Equality in Leadership Essay

Pakistan, as one of the commonwealth countries, has guaranteed commitment to provide equal opportunities to both genders in various spheres of life. In particular, article 34 of the constitution outlines quotes ‘Steps shall be taken to ensure full participation of women in all spheres of national life’. However, studies show that the law has often not been effective in notable in taking leadership positions in universities. A study by Batool, Sajid, and Shaheen (2013) carried out a study done in Pakistan, as one of the Commonwealth countries. Data was collected using secondary sources and analyzed through tabulations, graphs, and frequencies in which several universities were sampled. The study revealed that despite the increased number of women in the teaching profession, very low representation of women in leadership in both private and public universities was evident. Turesky et al., (2011) allude that changes in university principles to enhance female leadership require the policymakers to alter their own traditional beliefs to avoid reproducing normative inequalities. Zayad and Aluzubi, (2018) recommend best practices from other universities on how to implement gender equality policies that recognize career growth of both genders particularly for female academics. Mainstreaming gender policies is a very strong variable that can be used to promote gender parity in positions of leadership.

In Nigeria, Oghoadena (2016) examined gender issues associated with women’s participation in university leadership. From an exploratory qualitative design, the study generated empirical evidence through structured face-to-face interviews with purposively selected 36 female academics. Thematic analysis of the data first revealed the concern over the low representation of women in university leadership. The study also noted inadequate and non-availability of older female role models for upcoming female leaders in academia, unfriendly gender policies, and a work environment that does not support women’s leadership. However, the study was limited in methodology because qualitative studies do not allow generalization to other populations while the use of women as the sample may limit the balance of findings. Osibanjo and Adenji (2012) conducted a study aimed at assessing the growth of females in positions of leadership in Nigeria. Data was collected using questionnaires and a sample size of 237 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling. One of the findings relevant to the proposed study showed that gender-responsive support was not adequate. The study recommended that to achieve and sustain the growth of females in positions of leadership, a supportive and gender-responsive organizational structure must be put in place. FAWE (2015) advances the same view that without an organizational supportive structure attempts to address gender disparity in leadership in higher education may remain a pipe dream. Consequently, gender empowerment initiatives to enable women to be considered or participate in elective positions within higher education management structures are imperative.

University cultures and female leadership ascension can only be challenged if universities are tackled structurally and comprehensively. This can be achieved by observing the policies of gender equality, which advocate that males and females have to be at par in all human endeavors so that male domination can be dismantled (Mwando et al.,2014). However, due to the existing gaps in gender mainstreaming in universities, the roots of gender inequality are still deeply placed. Ford (2016) submits that the opportunities for female academics in universities nowadays are abundant and what is required is for them to be more proactive because the concept of impenetrability no longer exists in universities. These sentiments are echoed by Done et.al, (2016) who state that women themselves refuse to occupy positions of leadership. However, it should be noted that those female academics who are ambitious to lead in universities are often punished and deemed incompatible, too bossy, and power-hungry (De la Rey 2017).

Ndedi, et al (2015) reiterated the need for institutions to adopt policies aimed at safeguarding the interests of women and men towards promoting equal access to rights, voice, and resources. According to the study, gender equality is a fundamental goal and a means of attaining sustainable development in Africa. Development of institutions and domestication of policies should, therefore, ensure that all citizens, and in particular women should have a voice when it comes to decision making. The findings show that governments that practice good governance domesticate gender equality goals. The study however does not address the strategies that have been employed by various stakeholders towards achieving positive advances in governance.

The UN recognizes that gender parity within the organization is a ‘crucial first step to orienting the system to deliver on gender equality in education’ (United Nations, 2017). Even so, efforts to ensure equal representation in positions of authority have fallen short, with a negative relationship between seniority and the share of women. UNICEF has made some strides by requiring senior-level expertise on gender and targeting parity in senior leadership as one of the five gender equality benchmarks against which the organization is evaluated (UNICEF, 2015). A task force reviewing the UN as a whole has set 2026 as the target year for parity at all levels across the system (United Nations, 2017). Gender policy formulation is not adequate and therefore must be supported by an effective implementation mechanism if the advantages of gender-sensitive leadership are to be realized (Pieper,2017).

Essay on Disadvantages of Cultural Diversity

Multiculturalism is a blend of all cultures, different nationalities, sexes, sets of ethics, and values. One’s culture is defined by oneself irrespective of these beliefs. Multiculturalism helps to promote unity but has had a reverse effect on us. Although the idea of multiculturalism is convincing, it cannot be fully applied. Even in the 20th Century, the generation is open-minded but still, there are cultural differences among youth. They still hesitate to adopt other cultures and show no interest in knowing about other customs and rituals. These cultural differences cause a lot of damage to life and property. For instance, cultural differences sometimes lead to terrorism and sometimes to personal controversies.

A person’s behavior relates to the culture in which he/she is born and raised. Every country has its own culture and beliefs. In countries like India, the culture is altogether different. Being an Indian I can clearly state the culture of my country. India being a Hindu country respects the culture and traditions. Temples, churches, and mosques are worship places and are kept and adhere to cultures.

For example, tourists visiting India should be given guidelines and they should learn about the culture and beliefs of India. Holy places of worship should be respected and any kind of nudity or acts that affect the culture should not be conducted. The same thing applies to everyone who is visiting other countries for a job, holidays, or studies. People should adapt to the respective country’s culture. Another example – an article in the French newspaper Le Monde reported a case of 12 tourists who posted some nude photos taken on the summit of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. They did not follow and obey the instructions of the guide and posted these photos on Facebook. After five days there was an earthquake and all these tourists died in that disaster. (M.D., 2015) This example illustrates that people blindly believe in their culture and follow it. These are mere myths and they connect this incident as a reason for the earthquake.

It’s all myths that are followed blindly because people are bound by the culture since birth and their perception is linked to their myths. It’s all superstitious beliefs and people do not like to go beyond these beliefs and think if they go against these myths some misfortune will happen. It is observed in my country too, where superstition is followed, and it is considered taboo to go against it. Some evil will happen if gone against it.

Multiculturalism affects all over the world. Even in Canada, there are positive and negative effects of multiculturalism. The positive effects include the person’s ethnic involvement and overall life satisfaction. (Guest, 2010) Visible minorities in Canada experience inequality and often face indiscrimination. As a part of these experiences, they are less socially integrated in society than local Canadians. A country becomes unique with its culture and traditions.

Multiculturalism states that all cultures should be respected. “If we respect others, others will respect ours.” I am an international student and have easily adapted to Canada’s culture. Although it took a while, I easily gelled into it. The easiest way to understand a country’s culture is by interacting with locals. Their body language, gestures, and communication style will help to understand in-depth and avoid making mistakes. Before traveling to another country, one must be culturally aware of the preferences, characteristics, and circumstances. “Moreover, cultural awareness is important because behavioral patterns which are problematic in own culture can be the norm in other cultures.” For example, in Arab countries, nudity and other discretional behavior is considered an offense. Also consuming pork is ‘haram’ as their religious belief.

Culture is a wider concept and there is a lot more to discuss. Cultural differences occur in the workplace too. If a person from high high-context culture works in low low-context cultural place, they should learn the cultural behavioral pattern of the individuals working there. Working together as a part of a team will help to learn and adapt the ethics and values of that country. Cultural diversity and sensitivity make teamwork possible and allow people to improve skills and achieve extraordinary results. With the rapid advancement in technology where artificial intelligence and robots replaced physical labor, understanding and respecting others’ cultures plays a vital role. Culturally diverse workers have different opinions, beliefs, trends, and traditions. One of the disadvantages or say negative points is cultural diversity in the workplace leads to interpersonal conflicts.

The language barrier is one of the most prominent disadvantages of cultural diversity. For instance, India is a non-English speaking country and when students prosper in higher education in first-world countries have to undergo an English proficiency exam. Students’ academic background is not considered but language is given more importance and students are evaluated based on the language test. It’s basically to judge an individual whether will adjust to English English-speaking country. Proficiency in the language of a country is very important and as English is widely spoken all over the world, judging people based on tests will be easier for them.

Because of linguistic and cultural problems, social tension can occur. (Button, 2018) For instance, in Europe tension between Muslims and other secular majoritys about Islamic and secular values. European Muslims are facing rejection in the employment sector due to a lack of educational opportunities. Due to these factors, people tend to spend more time at home rather than socializing with their neighbors and friends. Cultural diversity is related to income inequality where people have fewer interactions and are not politically involved. They are least interested in politics and don’t give importance. Immigrants face lots of problems when they are placed to work in a country that is not politically stable.

As discussed earlier, workplace issues are of bigger concern. It’s the management’s responsibility that workers work together as a team without any differences among teammates. The workplace issues are majorly due to cultural diversity. Immigrants face racist remarks especially if they are Asian and working or studying in first-world countries. Likewise, white employees also face these while working in Arab countries and face discrimination. In America, Asians are always referred to as ‘brown’ and African Americans are referred to as ‘black’. These kinds of racial discrimination often lead to a negative impact on an individual who feels depressed and low. African Americans are more likely to resign from jobs as compared to white employees and female employees are twice as likely to resign as compared to male employees. Employee turnover can explain the level of discrimination in an organization. Effective cross-cultural communication is not just spoken but non-spoken too. Nonverbal communication is a sensitive part of communication that can often lead to misunderstanding and team members may feel offended which in turn leads to conflicts. Respecting privacy, making eye contact, and body language can be different in different countries. Co-workers from different countries bring different attitudes, behaviors, and values. Working with multicultural teammates will help to improve communication skills and also embrace the value of diversity.

The impact of multiculturalism has in so many ways added positively to the growth of Canadian society. Canadian population majorly contributes to immigrants and people from around the world who come to Canada to pursue a career and have a better life. Canada has and is still welcoming many immigrants and providing them with food, clothing, and shelter. With a vast number of immigrants, the job market is diverse and scattered all over. People from different cultures work together, although there are cultural problems but still all are one and working as a team.

Although there are advantages of multiculturalism there are a few disadvantages too. One of the disadvantages is an increase in hatred towards a culture, religion in particular. When people of different cultures work together there are high chances of abuse and threats. There develops hatred which often leads to war. For instance war between Israel and Palestine over the Jewish religion. Likewise, Indians have had a hatred towards Pakistan, since independence and vice versa. Whether it’s sports, art, or movies Pakistan tries to overpower Indians but always fails as they are not technologically and financially competent. Pakistanis face rejection from every part of the world due to their involvement in terrorism. They are not competent and often survive in first-world nations’ favor. Not only Pakistan but other Muslim countries often face these rejections because of their religion.

A person should be open-minded and willing to accept the culture without questioning or trying to abuse the culture. Respecting other cultures can always have peace and harmony. Migration is one of the major reasons multiculturalism exists. Migration is good but it also leads to a threat which is attracting refugees from around the world. Many people from Mexico often migrate to the US but are caught at the border. Mexicans think that their lives will be secured kids will get a good education in the US and they have a better life. But they are either caught or deported back to their country. These illegal immigrants or refugees bring drugs arms and ammunition inside the country which is a possible terror for the US. Not only the US, but India, Germany, Canada, and others are facing these problems. Muslims from the Arab world are also migrating to first-world countries for a better standard of living. They are facing discrimination in their own country. For example, people in Syria, Palestine, and Libya are in constant threat and are dying due to war. These countries have become a puppet of terrorism in the hands of some first-world nations. They escape and seek shelter in neighboring countries and become refugees. Migration is increasing at an alarming rate. Migration is good but there is always a negative side to every story. People just migrate for a better living. The world is becoming a global village and multiculturalism will continue to exist. Is there a way to escape from multiculturalism? Everything is left to time and time will tell because it’s an ongoing process and will never stop. When people think that they are not safe in their own country they choose to migrate with their family. Some migrate for employment, education, or for the safety of their families. The link between migration and multiculturalism cannot be denied and cannot be stopped. I agree that multiculturalism is not good but it is a cycle and will go on. Multiculturalism is a myth but it’s a combination of different cultures, values, ethics, and norms which is very difficult to follow.

To conclude, no doubt multiculturalism plays a prominent role in today’s era of globalization. But according to me, instead of promoting multiculturalism one must learn to respect each other and their ethics and values. Besides, we should encourage cooperative living. This will further promote peace and love irrespective of cultural and other differences.

References

1. Button, A. (2018). The Disadvantages of Cultural Diversity. https://www.theclassroom.com/the-disadvantages-of-cultural-diversity-12082787.html.
2. Guest. (2010). Social impact of diversity: Potentials and challenges in Canada. https://www.ideas-idees.ca/blog/social-impact-diversity-potentials-and-challenges-canada.
3. M.D., T. D. (2015). The Effects of Multiculturalism. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/psychiatric-disorder/201507/the-effects-multiculturalism.

Do an internet search on definitions of “health literacy” and  “cultural compete

Do an internet search on definitions of “health literacy” and  “cultural competency” and “cultural competent healthcare provider” and “cultural competency continuum”.  
Review the attached cultural competency case study. (Case Study 11)
Did the healthcare provider take the right approach to communicating with the patient/family? Explain
Discuss cultural nuances  and their relevance to your particular case study
Was there a problem with the healthcare providers’ perspective regarding the patient to be served? If yes, describe possible valid approaches 
“The cultural competency continuum consists of six components or levels – Cultural destructiveness, Cultural incapacity, cultural blindness, cultural precompetence, cultural competence, and cultural proficiency, with cultural destructiveness being the lowest level and culture proficiency the highest level and the ultimate goal to strive for. Health service administrators and public health practitioners should become familiar with this continuum and its various components because it will help to ensure maximum cultural efficiency in serving diverse communities. This continuum enables an organization to determine its cultural competence status and to ensure that the goal is to strive to be at the optimum level of the continuum (cultural destructiveness) where serious harm can take place, both intentionally and unintentionally.”  
Source:  Data from Cross, T., Bazron, B., Dennis, K., & Isaacs, M. (1989), Towards a culturally competent system of care (Vol. 1) Washington, DC: Child and Adolescent Service System Program Technical Assistance Center, Center for Child and Mental Health Policy, Georgetown University Child Development Center.
Your discussion post should look like this:
Your summary of your discussion points on the terms and readings
The name of your case study and a brief summary of that case
Your answers to the questions in # 5 & 6

The presentation should cover Japanese culture. 
Areas to cover in your presenta

The presentation should cover Japanese culture. 
Areas to cover in your presentation include history, location, demographics, religion, family values, current situation, etc. Pictures are fine to use but be sure to answer questions asked in instructions.

Instructions: 
research, find and post a discussion of  research or news in cult

Instructions: 
research, find and post a discussion of  research or news in cultural competency
in Healthcare or Health Disparities that occurred this week
reference of the source and any other source.
provide a thorough summary of the news or research,
provide implications of this news or research,
identify and define a key culturally relevant term http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/equitytoolkit/glossary/ ( this is not an exhaustive list but only a quick reference)  that is noted in your news post. Your word or words and definition of those words can be done at the end of the post. 
Then,  identify a CLAS standard https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/assets/pdfs/EnhancedNationalCLASStandards.pdf or standards that this information applies too. Simply review the standards and find the standards that relate to your posting and type the full standards at the bottom of your post.
Posting should be no less than 300 words with absolutely no spelling or grammar errors.