Assessment of Assimilation of Fig Technologies Employees in the Three Newly Established Offices
1. Introduction: Composition of the Teams
All the newly opened branches (Texas, Dubai, and Germany) have ethnically diverse teams of both locals and visitors from the other respective worksites and national cultures. Each of the branches is headed by a chief executive officer, a human resource manager, two chief R&D officers, two chief marketing officers, two chief finance officers, and two heads of manufacturing. Each branch is producing two of Fig Technologies’ landmark software products, which explains the double number of certain officers. The U.S. branch has four U.S. citizens, three German citizens, and three Emirati citizens. On the other hand, the German branch consists of four Germans, three Emiratis, and three Americans. Similarly, the Dubai affiliate has four of its local Arab citizens, three Americans, and three Germans. In all the branches, Americans are more individualistic but highly experienced and skilled. Contrarily, Arabs tend to display a more collective work culture but are less experienced and skilled. On the other hand, Germans are equally as experienced and skilled as Americans but neither individualistic nor collective.
2. Assessment Tool
Table 1: A Questionnaire measuring assimilation and acculturation (Adapted from Chapman & Seeberg’s 1994 model)
Attribute | Very Low | Low | Good | Very Good |
1. Shows a positive cultural identity | ||||
2. Has a strengthened cultural consciousness | ||||
3. Demonstrates reduced prejudice | ||||
4. Shows a positive intergroup and collective contract | ||||
5. Demonstrates acceptance, appreciation and respect for cultural diversity | ||||
6. Has a perspective/viewpoint that is pro-social justice action | ||||
7. Is flexible to openness | ||||
8. Has both technical and emotional intelligence & resilience | ||||
9. Has perpetual acuity | ||||
10. Consider themselves anti-racists with global perspectives |
3. Assessment and Results
Fig Technologies, just like any international company operating in a different environment or cross-culture, faces a hurdle in assimilating its recent transfers stationed in different work environments, including the newly opened IT divisions in Texas, Dubai, and Germany. The dynamic perspectives and cultures of these three groups present major problems for them when working together in live, onsite, and remote environments. Some of the major roadblocks and challenges the organization faces include language barriers, work culture differences, work ethics, and beliefs. In particular, the language barrier issue breeds misunderstandings and miscommunications in the work environments, with English-speaking Americans unable to comprehend Arabs or Germans while in Dubai and Germany, and vice versa. According to Lopez & Bui (2014), the language barrier problem is a major setback to the acculturation and assimilation of foreigners in new territories. It also impacts effective communication and collaboration.
Another major barrier is the difference in the work culture and ethics. For example, Americans are culturally individualists and tend to encourage the practice and achievement of one’s desires and goals. As Lehmann-Willenbrock, Allen, & Meinecke (2013) put it, they believe in self-reliance and independence as being more important than teamwork. Regardless, Americans are highly experienced and skilled. On the contrary, Arabs tend to display a more collective work culture but are less experienced and skilled. The collectivist culture is characterized by the interdependence of team members and a preference for the togetherness of the in-group. According to Al Suwaidi (2008), the Arab world generally holds high regard for group commitment, whether it is an extended family, the whole society, a work environment, or extended relationships. In most instances, loyalty is a prerequisite and surpasses all other communal values. Lastly, Germans are equally as experienced and skilled as Americans, but neither have a preference for individualism or collectivism.
Demographically, the U.S. branch has four U.S. citizens, three German citizens, and three Dubaian citizens. On the other hand, the German branch consists of four Germans, three Dubaians, and three Americans. Similarly, the Dubai affiliate has four of its local Arab citizens, three Americans, and three Germans. I will use this data to examine the willingness and ability of each different culture (English-speaking Americans, Arab-speaking Emiratis, and German-speaking Germans) to assimilate and integrate with one another in all three regions. I will specifically use the questionnaire in Table 1 to examine the presence of assimilation traits in each group, such as evidence of strengthened cultural consciousness, reduced prejudice, and many others.
4. The Three Approaches for Improving Assimilation
Organizational assimilation is a vital element that fosters the integration of members into new work cultures and environments. For Fig Technologies, there are three major strategies that can assist in integrating new members in diverse cultures. Firstly, the firm can encourage anticipatory socialization, whereby visitors are encouraged to create a list of their expectations when transferred to different locations, including things like how individuals communicate informally and formally (Kramer, 2011). The second approach Fig Technologies can use to assimilate newcomers is called ‘organizational encounter’ and takes place once the new members have been absorbed. As entrants seeking validation and acceptance, newcomers can be encouraged to use several techniques to seek information so as to familiarize themselves with the processes, practices, and values of their new workplace, including observation, overt questioning, indirect seeking, testing, and third-party questioning. Finally, recruits can use metamorphosis to psychologically and mentally adjust to new situations. This requires newcomers to alter their mindsets and align them with the expectations, values, and practices of their new work environments.
References
Al Suwaidi, M. (2008). When An Arab Executive Says “Yes”: Identifying Different Collectivistic Values That Influence The Arabian Decision-Making Process. Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics Theses. 19. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=od_theses_msod
Chapman, L., & Seeberg, V. (1994). Multicultural education change: the simplicity of enacting a vision. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 14(3).
Kramer, M. W. (2011). A Study of Voluntary Organizational Membership: The Assimilation Process in a Community Choir. Western Journal of Communication, 75(1), 52.
Lehmann-Willenbrock, N., Allen, J. A., & Meinecke, A. L. (2013). Observing Culture: Differences in U.S.-American and German Team Meeting Behaviors. Psychology Faculty Publications, 102. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1102&context=psychfacpub
Lopez, I. Y., & Bui, N. H. (2014). Acculturation and linguistic factors on international students’ self-esteem and language confidence. Journal of International Students, 4(4), 314-329.
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Question
Assessment of Assimilation of Fig Technologies Employees
Consultant to the Client Organization Fig Technologies is a global technology solutions firm with offices around the globe. Fig Technologies’ corporate headquarters is just outside Mobile, Alabama. Fig recently acquired several smaller firms in different regions to expand its products and service lines. Assimilating the processes, systems, and human capital has presented a significant challenge. The leadership has chosen to bring in an outside firm to address concerns. You are the consultant from that firm, The Solution Group. Fair Treatment of Ethnicities The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) has authorized The Solution Group (the company you work for) to assess the assimilation of recent transfers into the workplace environment in the newly opened IT division of Fig Technologies in Tyler, Texas. The Tyler IT division was aligned with its counterparts in Qatar and Germany. In an effort to assimilate the newly formed virtual teams, a contingent from each of the three offices went to the other offices for a two-month immersion. The purpose of the short-term exchange was to learn about culture, processes, and systems. Some hostilities have been reported in all three offices by team members due to difficulties with the visiting team members. The ELC wants more information. Your objective is to determine how to assess the assimilation progress of workers to different people and cultures. Is there acceptance? What are possible roadblocks and obstacles (e.g., language, common terminology, customs, and work ethics)? As a consultant, how would you complete this assessment and report results? Your assignment instructions are as follows: Introduce the composition of the three 10-member teams in each of the sites. You do not need names, though you should develop an ethnically diverse team of locals and visitors from the other respective worksites and national cultures. Explore the differences in culture, perspective, and experience of your team. Include whether the work culture in these countries is individualistic or collective. This section should be 200 words, approximately half of a page. Develop a short assessment tool in order to measure assimilation. Tools may include one of the following: a survey (no more than 10 questions), an interview (no more than 10 questions), or natural observation (approximately half of a page, including a copy of the assessment tool questions). The CSU Online Library is a great place to find information about research questions. Assessment and results: Develop a one-and-a-half-page summary of your assessment results and how you determined these results based on the answers. The results must address the challenges of these three dynamic cultures and perspectives working together in a live, onsite, and remote environment. Also, identify the demographic data and cultures that make up the organization and how these relate to the U.S. population. Show how you will analyze and use this data in your assessment. Present your three approaches for improving assimilation onsite. Support your approaches. This section should be approximately half a page.
Cited references, two outside sources.