Cultural Difference and Language Commonality

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Difference and Language Commonality. Answer: Introduction: Diverse culture in workplace has become one of the most significant issues. An institution of amalgamated with large number of students coming from different cultures, religious and psychological backgrounds. I have moved to Australia from French for the purpose of my higher studies. I being a new entrance had faced innumerable difficulties while dealing with the people of various cultural backgrounds. This particular study has focused to make a reflective analysis on how I have faced innumerable cultural shocks while moving from France to Australia for my higher education. While maintaining my study I have gone through the importance of Hofstedes cultural dimension. While continuing my study I have gone through numerous people belonging to different cultural aspects. As per the point of view of Hofstede individual vs. collectivism is the concept that signifies the importance of cross cultural communication. While continuing my study I have received proper guidance from my professor on how to make collective decision at the workplace. Collectivism is important to maintain a unity at the workplace. I was a new comer at my study place where I had to face innumerable difficulty to communicate with my team members for further progress of study. Communication is the identified issue due to which people from different geographical places fail to maintain an effective conversation (Kelly Moogan, 2012). At the same time, it is undeniable that working with the people from various backgrounds and attitudes are possessed with numerous positive aspects as well. For an example, I being originated from France had to face innumerable trouble to make an effective communication with the every fellow of my class. Therefore, I had to struggle to take any kind of collective decision at my study place. I have been associated with my study place for few days. A large number of students maintain their learning process from our university. I being a new comer had hesitated immensely to communicate with every friend circle of my institution. Therefore, the students coming from other countries had to face major psychological barriers while taking an effective decision regarding meeting the study goal. At the same time, linguistic barrier is another issue due to which people fail to communicate with each other (Ferraro Brody, 2015). Therefore, I had to face innumerable challenges in forming any kind of major decision making. In this kind of work situation, I had decided to take an effective professional training and development session to make me more professional towards the services. As a result, the persons who had faced innumerable issues in communication skill and other technological skills could get the scope to attend this particular training and development session (Kelly Moogan, 2012). However, I have personally noticed that skill and competency is highly important interacting with each other. On the other hand, I have noticed that people belonging to different cultural backgrounds fail to communicate with each other properly. As a result, the mode of interaction is getting affected in the service process given by the students. This particular study has focused to provide an in-depth overview on how the institutions prevailing in Australia is dealing with the people of diverse cultures and backgrounds within the learning process. It has been observed that a specific institution is constituted with several students who belong to different geographical boundaries. Ferraro Brody (2015) stated that their cultures, attitudes and psychologies create a barrier for communicating with each other effectively. As a result, I have faced innumerable cultural shocks for making an effective interaction with each other. While interacting with the people I have faced several cultural shocks. People belonging to Australia are flexible enough to communicate with each other fluently. Therefore, I had to struggle immensely while I was going to share my opinion. On the other hand, these people did not consider me as a part of their member or group as I was not the local inhabitant of Australia. As a result, I had faced innumerable cultural shocks to survive within my study place and to continue my learning process. However, I have personally noticed that skill and competency is highly important interacting with each other. On the other hand, I have noticed that people belonging to different cultural backgrounds fail to communicate with each other properly. As a result, the mode of interaction is getting affected while communicating with my professors at the learning process. After making an effective interaction with the regional fellows of Australia I have known that the Australians are very much accustomed with the advancement of technology. While operating the entire learning process Australians tend to be dependent on advanced technology (Lin, Chen Song, 2012). However, people coming from other countries are not very much flexible in technology. Therefore, they tend to be dependent in maintaining database manually. However, those people like me have to face innumerable challenges in order to adjust with the environment within the workplace of Australian University. Being a human resource manager, I have decided to give a professional training course for enhancing technological development skill as well as communication skill to overcome the barriers. Communication barriers: (Work situation) However, I have assessed that people from different background fail to communicate with each other effectively. Due to the communication barrier the psychology of the students differs from each other. I believe the prime cause of these psychological differences is the differences in culture. Over the years, several studies have been conducted on the cultural differences and its impact on the human behaviour. For that reason, I believe inclusion of diversified workforce is likely to create conflict within the workplace. Therefore, University management will have to take additional responsibilities in maintaining the entire workforce effectively. As mentioned by Solomon (2014), people from different background also allow institutions to handle students from all across the world effectively, as it allows the study centres to understand the perspective of the students. Therefore, it would allow me as well to establish itself in global market. I believe maintenance of healthy work environment is the only way educational institutions can achieve success. Therefore, it will have to initiate all the viable strategies to keep diversified workforce in good frame of mind (Peltokorpi Froese, 2012). For that reason, I do think inclusion of people from cross cultures within the university from different geographical locations can help institutions is the way to move forward. In order to overcome communication barrier I have decided to implement professional and development training on communication skill first. Using interactive method is one of the most effective ways to overcome communication barrier as well. While attending the lectures of my professors I did not counter with my professor regarding the lecture note due to my communication barrier. As a result, I did not get the scope to overcome the obstacle that I generally face at the time of communication. People having linguistic barriers would be able to express their point of views comfortably. From my professional experience, I have assessed that people coming from different geographical locations have their own unique way to express themselves. For that reason, I feel that it is crucial to develop such atmosphere where people with different education, religious and personal values can able to work effectively. I think University should be more careful in assessing the communicational skill of the students. They will also have to develop a specific plan to ensure that institutions can be able to manage all the challenges associated with the diversified workforce. Group discussion can be most effective to share the cultural viewpoints at the workplace. In every group discussion session the professors can impose us in exposing our own point of view to participate within the group activities by hook or crook. However, sharing opinion with the friends, communicating with the professors at the classroom and receiving training and development session are the most effective ways to communicate overcome cultural barriers in my workplace (Ting-Toomey, 2012). These kinds of methods can be applied with the strong participation with both the professor and the students. While maintaining an effective interaction with the other people of Australia I have come to know that communication or interaction is highly important for maintaining a learning process systematically and completing the degree. Initially it was not possible for me to develop my skill of communication as I was not part of the country Australia. Therefore, the professor had decided to interact with me through non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication implies interaction through written conversation, body language, expression or physical activities. However most of the time, I decided resolving all my queries with the help of written conversation. As opined by Asante, Miike and Yin (2013) an institution in order to train the students for being accustomed with the institutions culture allows non-verbal communication as well. As a result, people coming from different geographical locations as well can communicate with the professors. One of the most effective drawbacks of non-verbal communication that I have noticed is long-term process. My maintaining the non-verbal communication the sender and the receiver both gets delayed feedback. As a result, I had to face difficulties while interacting with the senior members of my institution. In this kind of situation, non-verbal communication is possessed with both positive as well as negative impact. From the above mentioned discussion I have analysed that non-verbal communication is amalgamated with both positive as well as negative impact. While maintaining an effective non-verbal communication both the sender and the receiver get the scope to make detailed interaction with each other. I have personally faced the positive effect of making non-verbal communication. The trainer got the scope to go through my written document in detail. As a result, after evaluating my issues my trainer gave me the necessary solution on how to enhance my communication skill. At the same time, non-verbal communication had a major negative impact as well. Whenever, I was attending the class of my professor I did not conduct written communication at that particular time. As a result, in case of making any necessary query I had to face innumerable trouble to confront my professor due to my poor communication skill. However, non-verbal communication decreases the social environment as well. People, who belong to outside do not show interest for communicating with me, consequently, I did not take part any kind of group discussion comfortably. Automatically, I was getting aloof from the society. Therefore, University has decided to hire an efficient trainer in our study place. This individual initially maintained non-verbal communication to know my problems and issue facing at the university. In addition, I had faced different level of work situations within the institution. After making an effective written communication my trainer got to know what necessary issues I am facing at the workplace. In according to those issues the individual person has started to develop my skill and competency level. As a result, I became flexible to share my problem with the concerned trainer. Impact of social media in self-growth: Thus, I believe it will have to conduct different function including people from all cultural, educational and geographical background. I believe that it is necessary for the institutions to provide free environment, as it will help the students to open up about their personal lives and experiences. As a result, it will help to create a strong bonding among each other, which is necessary for a positive work environment. Moreover, it will also help education centres to educate students about the psychologies of people from different geographical location. However, in order to promote the brand in different geographical market of social media is the most effective tools (Solomon, 2014). In order to counter all the challenges associated with the effective management of diversified workforce, Social media should be initiated at the workplace. As per the article by Ting-Toomey (2012), systematic implementation of plan and procedures will help institutions to achieve desired goals and objectives. Firstly, I will have to focus on developing effective communicational network among all the people, which will eliminate any possibility of confusion within the workplace. The communication plan will include horizontal and vertical communication, which will allow students to perform all the roles and responsibilities in an effective manner. For that reason, I believe institution will have to provide the opportunity where they can interact with each other in free environment. I think institutions should also have to focus on utilizing social media platform for providing knowledge to the people regarding the differences in culture in different geographical location. I believe proper training and development facilities in technology will allow me to use the social media tools. Training and development facilities for accessing internet will have to be specific for each individual regarding their needs and wants. For that reason, I feel that University management should provide technological tools to enhance our skills and competency. Hence, I feel that educational institutions will have to invest larger amount on the students wellness program for maximizing the outcome of the initiated plan. Moreover, institutions will also have to utilize movies and other digital platforms for educating people about the values, beliefs and culture of different economies. As emphasized by Wang, Yu and Wei (2012) movies are the best form of representation for any cultural values, believes, thoughts and perspective. Therefore, it will also help students to enhance the their skill in a major way. In order to establish the significance of technology at the workplace, institutions can conduct training sessions for the students (Bargiela-Chiappini Nickerson, 2014). I believe proper communication will also encourage students to understand the use of advance technology. Moreover, I feel study centres will also have to provide proper training and development facilities to the students from different geographical background so that they can maximize the use of advanced technologies. Conclusion: The entire study has provided deep insight on how working across culture is highly effective for people as well as for the institutions. Eminent scholars have provided their own opinion regarding the positive and negative aspects of cross cultural attributes. At the same time, by maintaining DIEP framework, I have critically evaluated my own experience on how both the students and the institutions get benefits and facilities by implementing cross culture at the workplace. As a new comer I have noticed that applicants due to the lack of different cultural backgrounds do not get the opportunity to be associated within a specific institution. Therefore, I have decided to change my communication policy by implementing diversity management at the workplace. 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