Cultural Differences and People Management Essay - 1

Cultural Differences and People Management - Essay Example As the paper stresses the current situation is showing a change in the mind set and work domain involving women; from a survey conducted by the ORC worldwide, as of 2008, the ratio of men to women assigned to work overseas was 83.5: 16.5, the number being quite low for women, but a growth of 2.5 % from the previous survey conducted in 2002. Some would consider it fun to move into a new place, but the reality dawns on them once they are there. International mobility and repatriation requires a lot of resources, ranging from time for planning to financial support, to facilitate smooth transit into the new environment. Apart from work purposes for mobility, the other large group who feel the pressure of international mobility are the vast number of international exchange students. The jostle for any of these groups extends from issues of administrative management dealing with the countries of destination, and expatriate support in the moving out and settling in new environments, to cult ural shock and adjustment. It has never been easy, but it calls for the foreigner (employee or student) to be flexible enough to cope with the new life. Depending on the organization one is involved, there could be welcome activities that ease up the tension and familiarize new settlers in a place. This study declares that students studying overseas have experienced this programs based on the different international exchange student groups and the admitting institutions. However, whether these people have moved in temporarily or permanently, the multifaceted experience in the unfamiliar environment, way of life, and transition in the different cultures, results to serious influences and implications. Cultural Shock occurs in different ways among people who encounter unfamiliar situations, or any happening that was not expected in a mix with different cultures. Based on the profound personal experience in the environment, it could reoccur differently immediately after settling or lat er in the adjustment period, as people would be forced to respond to the changes in situations. Due to its way of emergence, some people argue it as one event happening, but the majority view it as a process. According to Furnham, culture shock depict unpleasant effects as surprises or shock experienced after touring or living in different cultures, because the occurrence were unexpected and could lead to negative evaluation of the diverse (own and new) cultures. The shock is experienced by those in mobility, whether internationally or within the region or society (such as organisation restructuring and population social changes), highly skilled or less skilled, but facing unfamiliar environments of cultural context. However, there are minor situations that make one less affected or perhaps not experience the cultural shock; this depends on the previous experiences in other cultures, the variation of one’s culture and the newly available, one’s preparation (psychologic ally and resourcefully) before and/or after encountering unfamiliar culture, which all influence the degree of the culture shock and individuals reactions.