Running head: VALUES AND CULTURE 1

Values and Culture

Hayden Shockley

OGL365: Imagining NGOs

Dr. Corlett

September 28th, 2020

Arizona State University

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Essay 1

When an NGO deploys its staff to work in a non-Western country, there are a

number of issues to be considered. In the west, we have our own ideas, values, and

culture that may not align with some of the countries the NGO works in. Sometimes,

western cultures can have a sort of ethnocentrism, where we believe that our values

and culture are the most right or decent, without empathizing or understanding the

local cultures. In the text, Lewis describes some of the issues an NGO faces when

working in non-western countries. Some of these issues are “a frequent change in

expatriate staff, a tendency for local staff knowledge to be undervalued, problems of

cultural sensitivity and awareness, lack of clarity in overall staffing policy, and

tensions around differences in lifestyles and living conditions”(Lewis, 2014). As we

can see, managing an NGO in a cultural environment much different from their own

can be extremely difficult. You essentially have two vastly different cultures that you

are requiring to work side by side and a more or less harmonious way in order to

achieve the organizational goals.

If a western NGO were to attempt to impose or change the cultures and

values of the local community, which might not be well received, and could create a

feeling of being undervalued or not respected or appreciated. This could also create

friction between the different volunteers or employees trying to work and live

together. This tension or clashing of cultures could lead to an ineffective work

environment ultimately leading to the failure of the project. As a manger, it is

important to train your employees to be culturally competent and sensitive to local

customs and values prior to engaging with the community. I think as a manger, a
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good way to manage those tensions between the NGO and the patterns they are

working with is to create avenues for open communication, freedom of expression,

and incorporate strategies to provide value to everyone’s input on specific tasks.

The more everyone feels valued and respected, the more they will be invested in the

success of the organization and it’s goals. I would also try to schedule time for

interactions that are not directly work related, so everyone has a chance to

experience the different cultures brought by the diverse and unique individuals that

will be working together. Overall, transversing this difficult terrain is not easy, and if

done incorrectly, there is little chances of success. But if the cultures and values are

managed in the right way, they an be used as a strength, rather than a weakness.
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References

Lewis, D. (2014). Non-Governmental Organization, Management and Development

(3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.