Cultural Changes Inside Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc

Cultural Changes inside Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc.

Today, the merging of computers with telecommunications technology has been a major contributor to globalization because modern technological advancements have made instant communication possible. People take it for granted that they can pick up a phone and connect to someone else halfway around the world instantly, hearing them as clearly as neighbor next door. Technological trends are breaking down international barriers daily, and these trade links make contact with foreigners possible. Globalization has resulted in an enormous volume of cross-cultural communication, but these elements of communication have also opened the door to a variety of potential problems. In a society characterized by pluralism (where the meanings of various behaviors and practices are as diverse as the people demonstrating them), incorrect assumptions could easily lead to miscommunication (Lankard, 1994). Global communication has been achieved, but understanding various cultures is paramount for success in any organization. Failure to learn how deal with cultural differences can cost a company its reputation as well as losses in revenue, and this paper will attempt to forecast possible cultural changes within Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc., a large international company, and analyze how a multicultural workforce might affect teamwork and internal/external communications within the organization.

Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc.

Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. serves its clients as a solution provider specializing in the needs of the independent payphone owner and the hospitality industry, such as lodging services (hotels and motels), restaurants, and other public facilities (Worldwide Communications, 2006). Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc., is the sister company to The Rate Center. The Rate Center is an electronic payphone management service that was established in 1995 and is in the business of providing rate files (a computerized file of area codes, prefixes, and call costing data) to payphone operators (Midwest Payphone Supply). In the past few years, The Rate Center has experienced outstanding growth and has established relationships with both large and small independent payphone operators globally (Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc., 2006).

Current Conditions

Currently, Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. (WTI) is an international business. Company success is due to the fact that it arose out of necessity for both its home and host countries. The home country is in need of market expansion, and host countries are in need of the company for particular products and/or services. The home country must adhere to all rules and regulations of all host countries; thus, multicultural and diversity strategies must be a major consideration in the ongoing success of the company (Parhizgar, 2002).

In business, although the concepts and principles of management in all cultures may be the same, the practice of management is different. The United States is a multicultural society, and businesses thrive by finding common ground across various cultural and ethnic groups; however, in Europe and Asia where societies are more homogeneous, businesses maintain the local value systems (Parhizgar, 2002).

In host countries, employees of multinational corporations like Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc., must be trained and made to understand how to interact effectively with people from other cultures. Both the home and host countries have formal and informal structures, possessing the cultural rules, values, norms, and attitudes of people, and the real cultural criteria for solving social issues. For example, in some countries, there are cultures that emphasize the emotional quality of a conversation more than the words or context of the message, whereas other cultures consider the expression of emotion to be inappropriate. These culturally learned tendencies can influence communication among members of a diverse group. Members of more reserved cultures may be less inclined to speak out in a group discussion, or when do, they speak in low or soft voices; therefore, allowing the strong, assertive, and loud voices to dominate the conversation (Pitton et al. 1993). Status-determining criteria must be considered because of different meanings in regard to time, place, and the conditions from culture to culture (Parhizgar, 2002). For example, in order to maintain a multinational corporation operating in India, employees must recognize traditional priorities of social caste; thus, in terms of appointing a manager, a person from a lower caste should not supervise employees from the higher (Parhizgar, 2002). In other places, there are cultures that the older the people are, the higher their status (e.g., France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia). However, in a culture where talent is judged instead of wealth, income, or social status (meritocratic), once a person reaches a certain age, the status goes downhill (Parhizgar, 2002).

Generally, individuals consciously or subconsciously interject ethnic values, attitudes, or behaviors into the dynamics of company culture. Factors that impact the extent to which diverse cultures interact with existing cultures are: 1) where they come from, and why they are here, 2) where they live, 3) the socioeconomic status, education and upward mobility, 4) the political and religious ties, 5) the spoken languages, 6) the extent of family intermarriage with or connection to other ethnic groups, 7) and the individual's attitude toward ethnic groups (Smith, Miller, Archer, Hague, n.d.). The management at Worldwide Communications, Inc., acknowledges present day realities, and recognizes that strengthening the sense of positive cultural identity internally is an important aspect of establishing effective communication and relationships throughout the organization.

Company Goals

The management recognizes that diverse teams are much better positioned to deliver well-thought-out ideas and projects since they approach things creatively from diverse perspectives. A productive environment will be the result of merging of these diverse minds, and the management is focused on building and understanding the multicultural business environment (Borders, 2006). By implementing a Diversity Plan, the company can effect a fundamental change from traditional management to a management process that is inclusive, participatory, and supportive of all employees. Although this effort is long-term because of the focus on assessing the systems, these programs will make policies and practices more relevant to the diverse needs of employees and customer/clients. Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. believes that this will lead to the development