Friday, February 28, 2020

Importance of Knowledge of Culture to Business Managers Essay

Importance of Knowledge of Culture to Business Managers - Essay Example The knowledge of the differences in the cultural dynamics is important to the business managers as it helps in the interaction process among the business organizations. For one to understand the impact that cultural differences have on the business organizations, it is important to understand what the concept of culture entails. Culture can be said to consist of the patterned thinking processes and ways in which different human groups acquire and transmit symbols. It also involves the ways in which the different groups react, and their values and ideas. Culture is also said to be a subjective perception of the environment in which one is living. This environment includes the social stimuli, roles, beliefs, and the value system that is shared by the members of the group. Language and religion are said to play a great role in culture. It is important to note therefore that any given organization exists within a given culture and are therefore influenced by the cultures in which they ex ist (Simms 18). The elimination of trade barriers and the increasing ease of penetration of national boundaries have led to the increase in the need to transfer knowledge and skills between the subsidiaries of the various multinational organizations. This means that the work places in these organizations have become multinational and in the process created a new challenge for the business managers in the management of the workplace as they have to ensure that the new employees who are from different nationality and cultural background have been able to transfer the skills and knowledge that they possess. The knowledge of the differences in culture by the business managers is important as it will help in the facilitation of knowledge transfer. Knowledge transfer involves the attempt by a given entity to copy and apply a specific knowledge or practice from another entity. Knowledge transfer involves ensuring that the efforts that are put in place are effective and that the new knowled ge that was being learnt or acquired from a different organization has been learnt to the extent that it becomes embodies to the practices of the organization. In the transfer of knowledge, the business managers are often faced with the challenge of cultural hindrances in the transfer process. There are some instances in which because of their cultural backgrounds, those involved in are unable to transfer the knowledge in such a way that it contributes to the desired outcome. This is because the knowledge to be passed is embedded in the individuals and therefore can only be transferred by interacting with the individual. The knowledge also has a social dimension to it in that it has been acquired through a process of socialization and as such can only be transferred through socialization. People of different cultures socialize in different ways and it is therefore important for a business manager to be aware how the particular culture interacts. This will help him in facilitating th e interactions necessary for the transfer of knowledge to take place (Pauleen 223). It is also important for the business managers to have knowledge on the difference between the individualistic and the collective cultures. This will help them in the process of ensuring knowledge transfer. It is important for a b

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Communication In Multidisciplinary Health Teams Essay

Communication In Multidisciplinary Health Teams - Essay Example Their historic experience has made nursing and midwifery the unifying catalysts in health teams. Their sustaining nodal core has been their humane 'caring'. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates a shortage of more than 4 million doctors, nurses, midwives, worldwide (1600 medical schools; 6000 nursing schools; 375 public health schools). Inadequate remuneration adds to the loss of trained health-care personnel, to emigration (a recent analysis of nearly 400 emigr nurses in London found that as many as two thirds of them were recruited from Cameroon by agencies to work in Britain). An additional 2% of the nursing workforce is lost to retirement, each year. The existing local health resources, left, have to confront the growing burden of high-priority services required to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs)(2) established by WHO: To confront this world challenge with the existing shortage of nurses, the World Health Organisation has proposed the development of multidisciplinary teamwork at country level (3). This strategy multiplies existing health workforce in a synergy to surpass the sum of each individual. However, teamwork requires the leadership of nurses and midwifery to integrate and coordinate collaborative partnership, enhancing information exchange, as advanced technology creates medical specialisation and sub-specialisation. Shann DEFINITION Shannon-Weiner had described linear communication process as the flow of INFORMATION (message) between an INPUT (emissary), and an OUTPUT (receptor), through a modelling CHANNEL. Now-a-days, the INPUT runs the INFORMATION through the 'black box' (channel with an unknown inner mechanism, that gives an unpredictable OUTPUT), in system analogy. This exchange of a heterogeneous, concurrently running process distributes message transactions with unreliable execution. Non-linearity must be harnessed by clear inter-process workflow mechanisms to avoid entropy (the natural tendency towards disorganization and chaos). To better understand communication in multidisciplinary teams, we must first delve into the deeper meaning implied in each of these words, for a comprehensive analysis: "Teams" differs from "groups", because they unite people in a common purpose; whereas "groups" are encounter, meeting spaces where feelings, experience or ideas are shared and exchanged, without a fixed agenda. The original word, "team" comes from the Greek, meaning two horses or oxen, together, driving a plough. Multidisciplinary is a term coined recently to describe the multiple specialities (functional disciplines) that interact in a common job. Unlike interdisciplinary, which describes the interaction within the team, multidisciplinary teams work together towards a common objective. Multidisciplinary is external networking; interdisciplinary is internal interaction. Communication which comes from the latin "comunicare" stems for 'common'. It is interactive information that binds a "common" network. If, however, it is broken down into the prefix: cum- with and munio/munire- defense, historic origins from the need for defense to make for survival. Information has become the bonding link that fortifies a common front of understanding and protects against