Cross-ultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cross-ultural Management - Essay Example The opportunities presented by globalisation are immense. The access to a global marketplace has been a big boost to companies’ efforts to expand their business empires. However, aside from the consumption side with access to more buyers, companies are also benefitting on the production side with regards to their capabilities to produce at lower costs. This has been made possible by their access to cheaper labor in the developing economies. This, however, presents companies with more challenges since these are people who, although like machineries are inputs for production, are much more difficult to handle. Hence, Mendenhall, Oddou and Stahl (2007) emphasizes the need to be able to handle the challenges presented by having a global workforce for managers in firms that operate globally. Companies must be able to face up to the challenges presented by the different culture of the different people that will be working with them. More so, the concept of having global operations in different countries will present HR practitioners with an array of culture and people necessitating the capability to be able to handle the different issues that will arise from such workforce diversity. This, however, is easier said than done for Hofstede (2001) warns that there are more chances for conflict than synergy when different cultures are mixed. Cross-cultural management therefore is very important since this is a pressing reality that companies wanting or are operating globally must face and succeed if they are to survive and thrive in the global business environment. Cultural Challenge According to Hofstede (2004), there are five cultural dimensions that HR practitioners and managers faced with cross cultural challenges can use to somehow understand the differences that are characteristic of their global workforce. One of the possible sources of conflicts that must be understood properly is the way people may view how p ower is distributed. Hofstede calls this the Power Distribution Index (PDI) whereby there is a bottom to top view of the inequality of the distribution of power. Hence, usually easterners identify strongly with their ethnic groups meaning they find power in their groups or by being collectively identified with each other while westerners are more individualistic. Thus, this shows that these people must be treated differently. Also, there are the poles of masculinity and femininity which reflects to a person being assertive or modest. Looking at a countrywide perspective, there is a significant difference among men towards women. Thus, companies operating globally ought to be sensitive to the inclination of their employees towards power as well as with the actuations associated with the poles of masculinity and femininity. The myriad of personalities that they will be handling can spell the difference between the success and failure of their global endeavor since these employees are central to their business successes. It would be unwise to hire cheap labor if the company cannot get them to work harmoniously raising the risk of attaining poorer quality and even defects on their products. When conflicts abound in an organization, the results are seldom fruitful. Also, there is the tendency to be risk averse or to be cautious and avoid uncertain situations. Hence, for cultures that have these tendencies, there are usually stricter laws and regulations in order for them to mitigate such risks and uncertainties. On the other side, there are cultures that are more lenient who are generally more relaxed and displays a high level of tolerance. Finally, there is the long term orientation (LTO) vis-a-vis short term orientation displaying the various tendencies of

Term Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Term Project - Essay Example The Petronas Twin Towers are located in the centre of the city and are the property of an oil company owned by the government of Malaysia. The Petronas Twin Towers are 451.9 meters high in total starting from the street level. Excluding the pinnacle, the Petronas Twin Towers are 378 meters in height. The total area consumed by the Petronas Twin Towers is 341760 sq. meters. Each of the two twin towers has 10 escalators. Top of the Petronas Twin Tower (Leiter). The World Trade Center and the Chicago’s Sears Tower were the world’s tallest buildings before the Petronas Twin Towers were created. Each of the two towers is 21 ft taller as compared to the Chicago’s Sears Tower that has 110 stories in it. The Petronas Twin Towers were designed by Cesar Pelli. Cesar Pelli connected the Petronas Twin Towers with a skybridge that is located above the lower half of each tower. Each floor that is in the Petronas Twin Towers has been given a Star shape with eight corners. Total height of the Petronas Twin Towers is 1483 ft that makes them a total of 115 ft taller in comparison with the New York’s World Trade Center (â€Å"Dow Corning†). In the complex of the Petronas Twin Towers, there is a concert hall, offices and also, a grand shopping arcade which is spread over 5 stories. The Petronas Twin Towers are commonly referred to as the jewels of Kuala Lumpur. They have remained the world’s tallest structures for a considerable period of time from 1998 to 2004, and even now, they are the tallest towers in Malaysia. Petronas Twin Towers (wallpaperpimper.com). Project Information: Name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Designation Government of Malaysia †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...Owner Samsumg Kukdong Jasatera J/V........ Contractor Cesar Pelli and Associates Ins†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... Architect EdwinCon†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Mechanical Contr actor Material Examination: One of the primary drivers of this $800 million project is Johns Manville who has offered above 1.4 million sq ft. that makes part of the towers’ Permacote Linacoustic duct liner. The Petronas Twin Towers have been provided with fiber glass duct as well as pavilion at the base. Because of the Permacote Linacoustic duct liner, the Petronas Twin Towers have been provided with insulation that ensures improvement of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). This duct liner is particularly suitable for use in systems of air conditioning and ventilation. Use of this product improves the durability of the structure as a whole that is otherwise, threatened by high velocity of air and extreme temperatures. The Permacote Linacoustic duct liner (â€Å"Johns Manville†). Design and shape: There are 16 cylindrical high strength reinforced concrete (RCC) columns arranged in the form of a ring in each of the two towers’ core structures. Size of the col umn varies as they converge as they rise. At the lowest level, the columns’ diameter is 2.4 meters and it shrinks to 1.2 meters at the top (â€Å"Detailed Structural Analysis†). The columns are arranged on the outside corners which make the additional arcs of the star floor that is the quintessential Islamic architectural symbol. The final look of the towers is tapered because of the staging sequence of the columns’ slope, which is inwards in six increments. The core concrete walls along with the ring beams link the columns together. Design of the Petronas