Influence of different cultures in Bangladeshi

Company

Name Of the students

NAME

ID

Nurulain
Anupa Mostafiz
Halima Khatun Shanta

0720127
0830264
0520099

Letter of transmitted
20.07.2011

Monzoor Morshed
Lecturer
Independent University Bangladesh
Dear Sir
Here is the assignment on Influence of different cultures in Bangladeshi Company you asked
us to prepare as a part of our International Human Resource Management.
As a student of business studies it is very important for us to know how a Bangladeshi company
is been affected by different cultures. As this is a world of globalization and lots of multinational
companies are working in Bangladesh this topic is a great way to know about the new work
environment of companies in Bangladesh.
We have a great pleasure to submit this report and we would like to thank you for giving us such
a chance to know about this.
Sincerely,
Nurulain (0720127)
Group Name: SPIDER
HRM 460
School of Business
Independent University of Bangladesh

Acknowledgement

We thank our course teacher Monzoor Morshed for giving us such a nice opportunity to prepare
an assignment on the topic Influence of different cultures in Bangladeshi Company

By preparing this assignment, we learnt how different cultures are influencing a Bangladeshi
company. This is an era of globalization and lots of multinational companies are coming in
Bangladesh. So this is really good topic which will help us to work in our future career in any
company of Bangladesh.
While preparing this report, we faced some problems like the data collection related to salary
scale. Then questioning employees to know their actual opinion but some may give us biased
information or remain neutral. So, to show the actual picture of the organization was a little bit
difficult.

TABLE OF CONTENT

SL
No.

Topic

Page No.

Executive Summary
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0

Methodology
Limitation
Company analysis
Interview profile
Topic Discussion
Questionnaires
Findings
Recommendation
Conclusion
Reference
Appendix

Executive Summary

01
01
02
03
04
05
07
16
17

Robi Axiata Limited is a joint venture multinational company between Axiata Group Berhad,
Malaysia and NTT DOCOMO INC, Japan. It was formerly known as Telekom Malaysia
International (Bangladesh) which commenced operations in Bangladesh in 1997 with the brand
name AKTEL. On 28th March 2010, the service name was rebranded as Robi and the company
came to be known as Robi Axiata Limited.

There are many different culture employee works with Robi Axiata therefore they have
difference in administrative activities and HR management system. In recruitment and selection
process for different culture they have some sort of change. They recruit scatter plot and ratio
based through advertising executive recruiting then they select by Reliability, Validity area and
contractual basis. Training process is remaining same for both local and other culture. They
organize the different cultures employee by multi-step process by which a manager decides on a
way to placed employee so they can be easily found, retrieved, and maintained. In Robi there is
also chain of command controlled by managers. For instance different cultures employee are
under controlled. Even though Robi always try to build higher team work performance through
develop your active listening skills, think the best of your team, express gratitude, acknowledge
sacrifice, make it clear that each individual's contribution to the team's success is unique and
necessary. Robi motivate employees by incentives and reward for all of the employees.

New things that robi is adopting from different culture that is time maintaining, discipline,
ethical work, swift works. Some problems are arising among employees that Robi is facing
because of different cultures like; language, customs, behavior, religious belief etc.

1.0 Methodology

Primary Data:
From the interview of the Human Resource Manager of ROBI collects the primary data and
information.
Secondary data:
The data and information is also taken from books, catalogs and also from the Internet.

2.0Limitation
The major limitation factor for this report was primarily the reluctance and strict devotion to
confidentiality maintenance attitude show by the officials of ROBI mobile company. Moreover,
some information was withheld to preserve privacy of the company. So, we cant give the exact
information always. Most of all we had very little time to finish this project. If we had some time
more the project could have been better.

3.0 Company Analysis

Robi Axiata Limited is a joint venture company between Axiata Group Berhad, Malaysia and
NTT DOCOMO INC, Japan. It was formerly known as Telekom Malaysia International
(Bangladesh) which commenced operations in Bangladesh in 1997 with the brand name AKTEL.
On 28th March 2010, the service name was rebranded as Robi and the company came to be
known as Robi Axiata Limited.
Robi is truly a people-oriented brand of Bangladesh. Robi, the people's champion, is there for the
people of Bangladesh, where they want and the way they want. Having the local tradition at its
core, Robi marches ahead with innovation and creativity.
To ensure leading-edge technology, Robi draws from the international expertise of Axiata and
NTT DOCOMO INC. It supports 2G voice, CAMEL Phase II & III and GPRS/EDGE service
with high speed internet connectivity. Its GSM service is based on a robust network architecture
and cutting edge technology such as Intelligent Network (IN), which provides peace-of-mind
solutions in terms of voice clarity, extensive nationwide network coverage and multiple global
partners for international roaming. It has the widest International Roaming coverage in
Bangladesh connecting 600 operators across more than 200 countries. Its customer centric
solution includes value added services (VAS), quality customer care, easy access call centers,
digital network security and flexible tariff rates.
Vision:
To be a leader as a Telecommunication Service Provider in Bangladesh.
Mission:
ROBI aims to be achieving its vision through being number One not only in terms of market
share, but also by being an employer of choice with up-to date knowledge and products geared to
address the ever changing needs of our budding nation.
Theme:
Customer First
Motto:
Jole Utho Apon Shantite

4.0 Interview Profile

We interviewed to the General Manager of Robi Axiata Limited. There profiles are given bellow:
Md. Taha Alomgir
General Manager
Facility & estate management
Exam title

Major/Minor

Institution

Achievement

MBA

Accounting

Dhaka university

3.56

Honors

Accounting.

Dhaka university

3.33

H.S .C

Business Studies

Dhaka College

1st division with

star marks

S.S.C

Business Studies

Ahasania High
School & College,
Chandpur

1st division with

star marks

Administration
He is associated with Robi Axiasta Limited for almost 10 years.
Educational background

5.0 TOPIC DISCUSSION

Influence of different cultures in Bangladeshi Company

In this globalized world everyone become global through different ways therefore people
become to know different people with their cultures. Everyone has their individual culture by
which they can share their feelings values etc. with their cultural people as well as workplace
also but todays people are wider than before they want share their knowledge, working way to
the another cultures people. And this is possible by most of the Multinational Companies in short
it is known by MNC. Few years back the number of different culture people in workplace was
minimum but this number is increasing day by day because of MNCs which are working in our
country recently. As the business environment becomes increasingly global, organizations are
faced with the challenge of managing a culturally diverse workforce. The results will point to the
importance of encouraging employees to develop high quality relationships with each other. This
may include HR programs focused on cross functional team projects and mentoring programs,
that encourage interaction, build trust, and promote a shared identity amongst employees.
Furthermore, given that employees are likely to share employment related information with each
other, it is important that HR practices are consistent across the organization. This is especially
true in managing employees high in collectivism where coworkers are more likely to influence
employees perceptions. An important point for managers to note to effectively manage
employer-employee relationships in different cultures. For example, when breach occurs,
managers of employees in an individualistic society must manage more dejection-related
emotions, including depression and disappointment. Managers in individualistic contexts will
thus be more likely to deal with morale issues and should concentrate management efforts on
motivating employees intrinsically. Therefore the influence of different cultures in our
Bangladesh Company is increasing day by day.
Moreover Cultural elements are especially important to firms that need to develop strong and
continuous business ties. Culture impacts contract negotiation, daily operations, and personnel
management, which are often part of the business format that is transferred. Culture also affects
managerial and operational business practices, communication, performance evaluations and
market acceptability.

6.0 Questionnaires Discussion

1. How many employees work in your company?

Ans. There is approximately 5000 employee work with Robi.
2. Is there any employee who has come from abroad?
Ans. Yes
3. If yes which country they are from?
Ans. India, china, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Denmark
4. Do they have same or different culture?
Ans. Obviously different cultures.
5. If they have different culture how many cultures does exist in your workplace?
Ans. Six types of cultures.
6. Does different culture affect your companys work environment?
Ans. Yes.
7.

What kind of changes you had to make in recruitment and selection process
because of different culture of employees?

Ans. They recruit scatter plot and ratio based through advertising executive recruiting then
they select by Reliability, Validity area and contractual basis.
8. Which type of method you use for managing across cultures?
Ans. Hierarchy, Group focus, Relationships, Communication styles, Time orientation,
Change tolerance, Motivation: work/life balance:
9. While working in your company how your employees cope with their different
cultures in boss and subordinate relationship (giving/ following instruction)?
Ans. They use chain of command instruction
10. How team works are done when teams are formed with different cultures
employees?
Ans. Team works done by using method of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing,
Adjournin.

11. What kind of training process you follow in case of different cultures employees?
Ans. They follow Performance survey, Observation, Cultural orientation or customs and
Outside specialists.
12. Do you have to motivate differently because of their cultural differences?
Ans. yes
13. What kind of new things Robi is adopting from different culture in workplace?
Ans. Time maintaining, Discipline, Ethical work, Swift works
14. Is there any conflict between employees because of their different culture?
Ans. yes
15. If yes, what are those conflicts?
Ans. Language, Behavior, Religious belief, Sign and Customs
16. If yes, then how do you deal with these kinds of problems?
Ans.
17. Are they sharing their cultures?
Ans. Yes.
18. How they are sharing?
Ans. They share their thoughts with each other; they share different managerial strategies,
concepts,
19. Do you see any kind of changes among employees culture because of these mix of
different culture?
Ans. yes
20. Is the influence good or bad for Robi?
Ans. Good

7.0 Findings
There are many different culture employee works with Robi Axiata therefore they
have difference in administrative activities and HR management system. In Robi,

management thinks that if different cultures employee work with each other performance will
better than home cultures employee. Therefore they have some methods of recruitment in case of
different culture. And also they think by doing this the influence of different culture will increase
and people will also willing to work with them.
In terms of ROBI recruitment is the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for
employment to an organization. Selection is the process by which managers and others use
specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons more likely to
succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements.
Although influences of different cultures the two functions are closely connected, each requires a
separate range of skills and expertise and may in practice fulfilled by different staff members.
The recruitment activity, but not normally the selection decision, may be outsourced to an
agency. It makes sense, therefore, to treat each activity separately.

7.1 Recruitment and Selection methods

Recruitment
To find the different cultures employee requirement they consider all three techniques1. Ratio analysis
2. Scatter plot
Sources of recruitment:
External Recruiting:
External Source is one of the major sources of recruiting employee for any organization. An
organization may have different types of external sources. ROBI uses different types of sources
to find the candidate for their organization. Under this source, ROBI follows different kinds of
sources that are below:
1. Advertising
2. Executive recruiting

7.2 Selection methods

It appears self-evident that organizational decision-makers will wish to ensure that their
recruitment selection methods are effective. They have already suggested, however, that making
judgments on an individuals personal characteristics and suitability different culture for future
employment is inherently problematic and that many normal selection methods contain
significant flaws. There is also the question of what is meant by the terms reliability and
validity in case of cultural difference when applied to recruitment and selection.
Reliability in the context of workforce selection can refer to the following issues:
Temporal orre-test stability-- where the effectiveness of a selection tool is assessed by
consistency of results obtained over time. An individual could for example complete a
personality inventory or intelligence test at different times over a period of several years,
although in the latter case it would be important to isolate the impact of repeated practice on
results.
Consistency that is, does the test measure what it sets out to? Some elements of IQ tests have
for example been criticized for emphasizing a persons vocabulary which might in turn be
influenced by their education and general background rather than by their innate intelligence.
Validity in this area is typically subdivided into the following aspects:
Face validity has an emphasis on the acceptability of the selection measure, including to the
candidate himself or herself. For example, it is possible (although extremely unlikely) that there
is a correlation between a persons hat size and his/her job competence. However, you would be
reluctant to measure candidates heads as part of their selection due to their probable scepticism
at the use of this measure.
Content validity refers to the nature of the measure and in particular its adequacy as a tool.
For example, the UK driving test could be criticized for not assessing ability in either night
driving or travelling on motorways.
Predictive validity centers on linkages between results or scores on a selection measure and
subsequent outcome most commonly, job performance at a future point. Here it is important to

identify when the comparison will be made i.e. immediately in the case of a simple job
requiring little training, or more commonly, at an intermediate point, possibly after a suitable
probationary period.

7.3 The Training Process

This is the main process where different cultural employee can work with each other. By this
process they mainly focus on training plan. By which they can assume which employee match
with whom or department. They look after the overall process and do some routine functions.
They are as follows:

Prepare, maintain and update training related database.

Prepare career development plan
Prepare induction training manual/modules
Evaluate training program
Make agreement between ROBI and employees for overseas training
To communicate with different local training institutions
To communicate with trainers/instructors.

Training plan: Training gives new employees the skills required to perform their jobs perfectly. So make the
training program perfect ROBI plans some steps. ROBI follows the following steps to conduct
training.
Who should be trained?
Recognizing training needs
Performance testing
Job analysis
Force survey
Performance survey
Observation
Cultural orientation or customs
When training should take place
Where training should take place
Who should be the trainer
Regular line executives,
Staff personnel and
Outside specialists.

7.4 Organizing process

Organizing is a multi-step process by which a manager decides on a way to placed employee so
they can be easily found, retrieved, and maintained.
The first step, requires sorting through employee to determine who are most important
based on performance as well as cultural variation, who will be thrown away (cutting),
and who will be given away.
The second step is deciding how to use employee be best. Decisions made are based upon
personal priorities.
The third step involves placing them in right place, giving priority to employees that are
most often used by making them the most accessible.
The forth step involves disposing employee those were previously selected for the giving
away of the job. Junk should be eliminated right away.
Professional organizing often involves the development or introduction of customized or off-theshelf organizing systems so the client or customer can find needed items in a minimal amount of
time.. A professional organizer also educates the public on organizing solutions and the resulting
benefits. Professional organizers help individuals and businesses take control of their
surroundings, their time, their paper, and their systems for life.

7.5 Seven Methods of managing across cultures

1. Hierarchy:
2. Group focus
3. Relationships
4. Communication styles

5. Time orientation
6. Change tolerance
7. Motivation: work/life balance:

7.6 Chain of command

In Robi there is also chain of command controlled by managers. For instance different cultures
employee are under controlled. A hierarchy describes the structure of the management of the
ROBI, from the top of the company the managing director, through to the floor worker, who
reports to their foreman, in a telecommunication business.
The hierarchy of ROBI is usually best understood by drawing an organization chart showing
which levels of management and employees report to whom.
An example of a hierarchy is shown in the diagram below

Managing

Sales Marketing
Director

Human
Resource

Finance
Director

Financial Accountant

Management

7.7 Team Work

In ROBI they belief in team work by which they get more output from employees. They said the
term Team Work is a key to know different people, working capability with them, know their
different cultural activities for better relationship for better performance. Therefore ROBI came
up with the five key stages through which teams move. They are:
Forming

Norming

Storming

Performing

Adjournin

1. Forming

The team meets for the first time.

Members learn about the opportunity/challenge the team is facing.

Team members are often extra polite to each other as they get to know each other,
but often they are very focused on themselves.

Roles and responsibilities have often not been agreed.

2. Storming

Different ideas compete for consideration.

Team members may vie for influence and power in the group.

Decisions often dont come quickly as relationships are tested and challenged.

The ways in which the team will work start to be identified.

Some team members will focus on minutiae to evade real issues.

Leaders need to remain accessible but directive in terms of decision-making,

professional behavior and emotional intelligence.

3. Norming

Team members often work through this stage by agreeing on rules, values,
professional behavior, shared methods, working tools and even taboos.

Commitment and unity are strong.

As new tasks come up, the team may lapse into typical storming stage behavior, but
this eventually dies out.

4. Performing

Some teams will reach the performing stage. These high-performing teams function
as a unit by finding ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively without
inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision.

The team is more strategically aware. It knows clearly why it is doing what it is
doing.

There is a focus on the achievement of goals

5. Adjourning

No team lasts forever and the break-up of a team need to be planned to ensure
organizational, team and individual goals are managed.

Some team members may have entered their comfort zone and may resist the
breakup of the team while others will be ready for the next challenge.

Even though Robi always try to build higher team work performance through:
1. Develop your active listening skills.
2. Think the best of your team.
3. Express gratitude.
4. Acknowledge sacrifice
5. Make it clear that each individual's contribution to the team's success is unique and
necessary

7.8 Motivation
Robi motivate employees by incentives and reward for all of the employees. Because
incentive plays a major role in motivating your employees and encouraging them to achieve
higher goals. In Robi, incentives work because employees are then goal-driven and push
themselves to achieve their targets.
On other hand reward system in place to motivate their employees. This reward system is
based on incentives like an increase in the salary, cash, gift or a holiday. Compensation is
offered to each employee based on his or her performance on the job. Incentives are usually
seen as short term motivators for employees. Hence, incentives are used a lot to motivate
sales employees so that they achieve their targets.

But in some cases the motivation strategy is differ from culture to culture by employee
survey. Like:

 Employee preferences
o In terms of work styles,
o The ways supervisors and managers provide feedback and working schedules
and conditions
o Their skills,
o

Qualifications

o Diverse contributions to the workplace.

7.9 New things that Robi is adopting from different culture:

Time maintaining: Now a day time maintaining is very important in everywhere in the
word. Basically foreign people or foreign employees from different country they are very
sincere about they are time. They like to complete their work in time. If, we are punctual in
our work or life it will help us to do better performance in office. So, Bangladeshis
employee can adopt this punctually from their culture. It will help them to progress on their
career.
Discipline: Discipline refers someone activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or
improves a skill; training. In ROBI here people work from different culture so everyone
should behavior in accord with rules of conduct. Discipline make a person success in their
life Foreign are strict about discipline and they are successful in their life. SO, employee
from Bangladesh also can adopt this behavior & it should make their work environment
friendly and flexible.
Ethical work: Basically ethical refers, being in accordance with the rules or standards
for right conduct or practice. When you are doing a work need to keep your full attention on
the work. Foreign employee are very much concern and sincere, honest, handworker. When
they start a work, they finished it properly. In Bangladesh we people are not much sincere

about our work most of the time we make conversation with people, what is no related with
our work. So we have to more sincere to our work.
Swift works: Swift work means, coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay.
Foreign people make their decision very swiftly. That why most of the multination company
prefers foreign employee for decision making position. For better performance in work place
we can follow the foreign people and it will help us to do better working performance. It's
also make better working environment.

7.10 Problems that Robi is facing because of different cultures.

Language: Work with different cultural people language is the big problem. To make
friendly work environment with other cultural people we have to understand their language
first. If, we are not understand each other language it will difficult to work together.
Sometime Robi faces some sort of problem in their place. That, why foreign employee and
Bangladeshi employee does not make good inter personal relationship.

Sign
Customs
Behavior
Religious belief

Behavior: Robi have a good working environment in Bangladesh corporate coulter. But
sometime they face problem with employees behavior, because in Bangladeshi culture we
call our seniors Bhaia-Apu for better understanding relation with other employee. It
sometime make problem for foreign employee, because in their culture they are address
someone by their name. So, it makes a big problem for them.
Religious belief: Every county have different religious value. When people from different
culture work together they might face some religious problem. Robi try to celebrate every
religious festival in their office. But, in Bangladeshi culture we celebrate Muslims to festival
Eid-ul-fitter and Eid-ul-awzha as large, as bigly. It sometime make problem other foreign
employee. They do not get that many facilities on that time.

8.0 Recommendation

1. Some of the employee does not have fluency in English language or sometime they
do not understand. But they are performance is excellent so I think ROBI should
keep an interpreter for them.
2. When an employee conversation with another cultural employees sign create
problem between them. So as far as possible avoid using sign.
3. Everyone should give respect to their customs, religious belief and behavior and be
flexible.
4. If anyone doing something wrong against customs of another cultural employee
should be understand the problem.
5. They should use personnel replacement chart in order to recruit more efficient
employees for a specific position quickly.
6. ROBI can implement situational interview so that they can have more efficient
employee in their organization. The situational interview can be placed in interview
session by providing specific questionnaires

7. They should motivate employee to give more concentration on their training. The
reason is that motivations dont cost enough money, but it helps to the employees to
learn rapidly.

9.0 Conclusion
Now a days influence of different culture in Bangladeshi Company is increasing rapidly.
This culture is influence by multinational company. These multinational organizations are
creating opportunities for many employees from different parts of the world .Running a
company all over the world with employees from different culture at the same time is not a
simple task. And Robi is one of them.As a multinational company Robi Axiata plays an
important role to influencing different culture in Bangladesh. As a result they have
difference in administrative and activities and HR management system. ROBI
run their organization with multicultural employees therefore they need to look
over

Recruitment process, Training process, Planning strategies,

Organizing,

Chain of command, Team work, Motivation process,

superior employee relationship. These are the major findings by which we

can see how different cultures are influence or want to work with this company.
From these major findings we can understand why influence of different culture
is increasing in multinational company day by day but not in any other
organization or in government organization.

Reference

http://www.robi.com.bd/index.php/page/view/98
http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk/Culture.htm
http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk/culture-complex.htm
http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/chatman/papers/20_CulturesSubculturesD
ynamic.pdf

http://faculty.cbpp.uaa.alaska.edu/afgjp/PADM610/How%20Types%20of
%20Organisation%20Cultures.pdf

http://www.skyrme.com/insights/3lrnorg.htm
http://gnovisjournal.org/files/Luis-Hestres-Influence-American-CultureSoftware-Design.pdf

http://www.iigp.org/Continuing-Education/Workshop-Schedule/SexualAddiction---Current-Treatment-Perspecti-(1).aspx

http://www.ijdesign.org/ojs/index.php/IJDesign/article/view/313/164

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture
http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gender-culture-suicide-behaviorpsycholog/

http://www.helium.com/knowledge/12794-how-much-does-culture-andlifestyle-affect-behavior

Appendix
Questioner
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

How many employees work in your company?

Is there any employee who has come from abroad?
If yes which country they are from?
Do they have same or different culture?
If they have different culture how many cultures does exist in your workplace?
Does different culture affect your companys work environment?
What kind of changes you had to make in recruitment and selection process because

of different culture of employees?

8. Which type of method you use for managing across cultures?
9. While working in your company how your employees cope with their different
cultures in boss and subordinate relationship (giving/ following instruction)?
10. How team works are done when teams are formed with different cultures employees?
11. What kind of training process you follow in case of different cultures employees?
12. Do you have to motivate differently because of their cultural differences?
13. What kind of new things Robi is adopting from different culture in workplace?
14. Is there any conflict between employees because of their different culture?
15. If yes, what are those conflicts?
16. If yes, then how do you deal with these kinds of problems?

17. Are they sharing their cultures?

18. How they are sharing?
19. Do you see any kind of changes among employees culture because of these mix of
different culture?
20. Is the influence good or bad for Robi?