A Double-Edged Sword: Organizational Culture in Multicultural Organizations

The primary premise explored in this paper is that organizational culture has the potentialfor even greater impact in multicultural organizations than mono-cultural ones because an organization\u27s culture can intensify both the benefits and the challenges of employee cultural diversity, and thus indirectly, affect organizational performance, organizational learning and competitive advantage. The assumptions underlying this contention and relationships among variables that contribute to the impact are explored in this paper, along with practical organizational implications. This study analyzes the dimensions of the \u27vitality of development\u27 of banking systems. Fuzzy synthetic decision analysis was used to construct and evaluate an index of the vitality of training, assigning and development, to offer banks new perspectives and methods of assessment. In this study, we analyze a vitality index for human resources development in banks. As regards uncertainty, the factor weights for the vitality index were determined by using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). Through the process of fuzzy synthetic decision (FSD) analysis, the model calculated the relative importance for each dimension of the mean factor. In this empirical study of commercial banks, the priority rank for the five dimensions are as follow: Efficiency, Leadership, Business Culture, Talents and Strategy

Culture Shock: Hiding in Plain Sight—An Experiential Exercise

In Culture Shock, participants explore the potential influence of organizational culture and national culture differences on communication, interaction, and reaching agreement. The role play, with observers, involves two employees from different organizations involved in a strategic alliance who come together to plan an upcoming meeting. Their respective role information instructs them to behave and communicate in ways consistent with their own organization’s culture, which also is affected by national culture. During debriefing discussions afterward participants explore the impact of cultural differences—as well as other kinds of differences—and how employees can more effectively work across organizational cultures and national cultures. Facilitators can suggest “cultural due diligence” as a way to increase the likelihood of successful interaction and discuss steps that could be taken if the role play interaction does not achieve its objectives

The Carrier Truck: An Exercise Exploring Organizations As Open Systems

This article is an experiential activity designed to introduce management and organizational behavior students to basic systems concepts. Students participate as employees of Acme Carrier Truck, Inc. to build carrier trucks that must meet specific criteria. During the exercise, the students respond to changing environmental circumstances and internal organizational problems. A brief summary of basic systems concepts and a discussion of implications for management are provided for instructors, as well as instructions for the experiential activity and suggestions for postexercise processing. The value of the exercise is that participants can combine exploration of systems concepts theories as well as their practical applications in a challenging and engaging experience

Three Popes: Lessons in Leadership—The Powerful Learnings of Predecessors in Developing One’s Leadership Style and Approach

As educators, we seek engaging ways to demonstrate how crucial leadership is to advancing organizational success. This exercise uniquely emphasizes how much leaders may learn from their predecessors in the same role. Participants explore leadership by researching two former Bishops of Rome—John Paul II and Benedict XVI—and the incumbent pontiff, Francis. Participants investigate the personal traits, biographies, and accomplishments of each pope to understand each leader’s style and effectiveness and make recommendations to Pope Francis using this situational data of his predecessors. In doing so, the exercise creates a perspective for how participants might enhance their own leadership skills within their own professional organizations. Variations for other organizational contexts where leadership is essential are included as well as variations for online delivery modes

Windows on the World: An Experiential Exercise

In Windows on the World, participants explore how national culture differences may affect managerial practices when expanding into another country. In the exercise, a U.S. niche grocery retail chain plans expansion into Brazil and China. The role-play is between a consultant team and a client team that has hired them. The consultant team gives expert advice about which, if any, of the managerial practices in place in the home market might require modification in Brazil or China. Facilitators can suggest “cultural due diligence” as a way to increase the likelihood of successful international business expansion

Culture Shock: Hiding in Plain Sight—An Experiential Exercise

In Culture Shock, participants explore the potential influence of organizational culture and national culture differences on communication, interaction, and reaching agreement. The role play, with observers, involves two employees from different organizations involved in a strategic alliance who come together to plan an upcoming meeting. Their respective role information instructs them to behave and communicate in ways consistent with their own organization\u27s culture, which also is affected by national culture. During debriefing discussions afterward participants explore the impact of cultural differences—as well as other kinds of differences—and how employees can more effectively work across organizational cultures and national cultures. Facilitators can suggest “cultural due diligence” as a way to increase the likelihood of successful interaction and discuss steps that could be taken if the role play interaction does not achieve its objectives

SnugAdapt: Organizational Change Initiatives

This disguised case describes actions taken at SnugAdapt, a mid-sized manufacturing firm, to increase quality and to address problems with worker morale. The case is presented in three parts in order to provide multiple decision points and increasing amounts of information about change efforts in the organization. Part A provides a general background on the company and management’s desire for change to solve multiple, ill-defined problems. A consultant has been brought in to provide a training session on a quality-based teamwork program, and the decision facing the president and his executive team is how to provide leadership for implementing the program. Part B describes decisions made by the executive team and actions taken to begin implementation. Part C follows the change initiative for six months. At the end of this time, the company president is asked by his superior to evaluate the success of the program and make additional recommendations for change

Dialogues and Decisions: Moral Dilemmas in the Workplace

In this exercise, participants explore moral dilemmas in the workplace and use ethical frameworks for decision making to support a particular plan of action. Participants read a scenario, propose courses of action in response to the moral dilemma, and engage in dialogue with others who propose alternative decisions. The exercise format allows individual participants to present and evaluate contradictory arguments. Competition for the most persuasive arguments occurs among individuals within teams of 5 participants and subsequently among all teams. During the dialogues and activities, underlying beliefs, values, and assumptions surface and are linked to ethical theories