Overview
The assignment is written for the course Intercultural Communication by group 2. Assignment C provides a comprehensive understanding of cultural dimensions through Hofstede’s framework. By exploring Hofstede’s dimensions, we gain insights into how cultural differences impact organisations. These dimensions help in understanding how values in the workplace can vary across different cultures, influencing communication, decision-making, and overall organisational behaviour. The essence of this outcome lies in the ability to adapt strategies and policies to suit diverse cultural contexts, leading to improved collaboration, efficiency, and success in a globalised world. For the purpose of this assignment, an IT project manager at a telecommunication company was interviewed. Giving some insight into the inner workings of the company not only at the corporate level but also with customers.
Hofstede Dimensions
Individualism vs. Collectivism:
Individualism: Fairness involves respecting individual rights and providing personalized services that respond to customers’ individual needs. The mission to enhance personal enjoyment aligns with this value by ensuring that every individual’s likes and preferences are considered.
Collectivism: Fairness also means promoting community welfare. By working towards progress, the company demonstrates a commitment to collective well-being, ensuring that its services contribute positively to the community as a whole.
Power Distance:
Low Power Distance: Fairness in low power distance cultures involves promoting equality and reducing hierarchical barriers. This can be applied by ensuring transparent practices, equitable pricing, and fair treatment of all customers and employees.
Uncertainty Avoidance:
Low Uncertainty Avoidance: In cultures comfortable with ambiguity, fairness may involve offering innovative and flexible service options that serve diverse needs and preferences.
Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation: Long-term Orientation: Fairness involves planning for the future and ensuring sustainable practices. The company’s focus on the progress of society suggests a commitment to long-term benefits, ensuring that its operations are sustainable and beneficial for future generations.
Outcome
Hofstede’s cultural dimension allows the analysis of how the right to fairness is manifested at a telecommunications company. Here are ways on how such a company relates to the right to fairness:
Equal Access to Services:
Their mission often suggests a dedication to uniting people from everywhere. Guaranteeing that everyone, no matter their culture, origin, wealth, and more can equally benefit from telecommunications and amusement services. This might include:
● Providing services in multiple languages.
● Offering affordable plans accessible to different economic backgrounds.
● Ensuring network coverage in both urban and rural areas.
Inclusive Content and Representation:
Another aspect of fairness in cross-culture communication is the representation of different cultures in the content they provide via their entertainment services. This means giving a range of programs that show various cultures, languages, and points of view – ensuring that all customers are represented and appreciated.
Transparent Policies:
The establishment of fairness through keeping their policies, pricing, and practices transparent. Making sure all details about service terms, data use, and costs are communicated helps customers make choices with understanding.
Customer Support:
Excellent customer support is a crucial part of fairness. It involves helping in different languages, making sure customer service is easy to reach, and solving problems quickly and fairly.
Diversity and Inclusion:
The promotion of fairness by creating a workplace that is both diverse and inclusive. This means applying rules that give all employees, no matter their cultural heritage, the same chance to succeed. It also involves promoting an environment of respect and inclusion for everyone.
Community Involvement:
By taking part in community activities and providing aid to local areas, these companies show dedication to fairness. This might involve things like endorsing education schemes, pushing for digital knowledge efforts in schools, and helping with funding for local cultural functions.
The right to fairness in the sector of telecommunications is linked to its aim to connect people, businesses, and society for enjoyment and progress. The company explores the right to fairness by ensuring everyone has equal access to services, representing different cultures, maintaining clear policies, providing good customer support, supporting diversity and inclusion, and engaging with communities. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also creates a fairer and more inclusive society.
Possible solutions
To avoid cultural differences and miscommunication, the company implements training and workshops on cultural diversity. This raises awareness about different cultural norms and values and promotes respect for diversity among employers and employees. In addition to this, they use interpreters or translators to ensure better understanding and communication. Also, they set up mentorship programs with employees with different cultural backgrounds. These programs facilitate experience sharing and open dialogue. This leads to a better and more respectful collaboration in the team with less miscommunication.
Authors
Julisa Morsi
Amsterdam school of International Business, Amsterdam University of Applied Science The Netherlands
Block 4, Semester 2, 2024.
Laetitia Dua
Amsterdam school of International Business, Amsterdam University of Applied Science The Netherlands Block 4, Semester 2, 2024
Ñusta Calvera Montagut
Faculty of technology, Amsterdam University of Applied Science The Netherlands
Block 4, Semester 2, 2024.