INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Assignment Topic Culture Diversity:

Influence of Culture within National Borders
Name Student ID
Student Name
I22022599
Hand phone number

Bachelor of Business (Hons) Learning Simplified

Programme
Major:
Course Title Intercultural Management
Course Code MGT4231E
Lecturer Name Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alex Ng Hou Hong
Date of Submission Thursday, 2nd Feb 2023 (11 pm Malaysia time)
Modular Term Jan 2023 Term

Total Mark

Comments

Reviewer Comments

INTI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

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 BACHELOR OF BUSINESS (HONS) LEARNING SIMPLIFIED
International Business/ Human Resource Management/ Business Administration/ Marketing

MGT4231E INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT

JANUARY 2023 TERM
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

This assignment contributes 30 % of the total marks for the course

Topic:
Culture Diversity:
Influence of Culture within National Borders

Corporate culture is a blend of the values, beliefs, taboos, symbols, rituals and myths all
companies develop over time. It is influenced by the industry, business and product of a given
company.

"Disney, that has managed to attract many tourists to Disneyland, California, opened two other
Disneyland branches in Japan and France.

Disneyland in Tokyo was so successful that it was visited by 50 million tourists in 1998.
Meanwhile, Disneyland in France was less successful due to the culture of the Europeans who
find it hard to accept foreign cultures, particularly American culture. As a result, the French
Disneyland sustained losses amounting to $1.5 billion in 1994.This huge amount of losses not
only brought failure to Disneyland but also made a long-term impact on Disney’s effort to
establish itself in that country."

The failure to adapt to the corporate culture of an organization according to the culture of a
particular country not only creates minor problems but can even bring a huge impact to an
organization, such as illustrated in the Disney example.

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Prepare a written report on one of the following topics:
1. Corporate Culture
2. Discrimination in the workplace
3. Context Culture: High context and Low context
4. Managing Cross-Cultural Communication
5. Globalization & Globalization characteristics
6. The Environment of the Global Manager

Structuring and formatting report submission:

Your report should contain the following:

 Cover page and grading criteria.

 List of Contents Page.
 Main body, which should be organized into numbered sections under appropriate
headings including introduction and conclusion.
 Reference list/Bibliography (Harvard Referencing)
 Safe Assign report should add into the last page of the report.
 Assignment length: 2000-2500 words. (You may exceed word limit if your discussion
related to the topic).
 Late Submission: One-week late submission after the deadline: 50 marks deduction.
After one-week submission zero mark awarded.

Turnitin: Not more than 20%

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 Presentation & structure
REPORT
Task details Follows report structure
Marks
/15 Marks
80-100 Outstanding... Presentation
& report structure, with
Outstanding numbered paragraphs, list of
contents/figures
&appendices.
Articulate & fluent academic
writing style with ideas cross
referenced. No grammatical /
spelling errors.
70-79 Excellent ... Presentation &
report structure, with
Excellent numbered paragraphs, list of
contents/figures, appendices
& cross referencing.
Articulate & fluent academic
writing style. Only a minor
error.
60-69 Very good... Presentation &
report structure,
Very Good paragraphing, use of
numbering, list of
contents/figures, appendices
& cross referencing.
Fluent academic writing style.
Very few grammatical errors
& spelling mistakes.
Use & presentation of
Harvard Referencing
Follows Harvard style for in-
text citation & Reference
List
/15 Marks
Outstanding... Standard of
referencing within text &
consistent use of Harvard
referencing system.
Accuracy of in-text references
& full details shown in
Reference list.
Excellent... Standard of
referencing within text &
consistent use of Harvard
referencing system.
Accuracy of in-text references
& full details shown in
Reference list.
Very good... Standard of
referencing within text &
consistent use of Harvard
referencing system.
Accuracy of in-text references
& full details shown in
Reference list.
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Content/ Terms/ Findings/
Definitions/ Calculations
Content included- specify
requirements as in module
guide & coursework
guidance
/20 Marks
Outstanding... Exploration of
topic showing excellent
knowledge & understanding
through thorough &
appropriate research.
Impressive choice and range of
appropriate content.
Excellent ... Level of knowledge
& understanding
demonstrated.
Evidence of appropriate
reading.
Covers all relevant points &
issues.
Very good... Level of
knowledge & understanding
demonstrated.
Covers most relevant points &
issues.
Few errors / omissions in
content/calculations.
Business Application &
Integration of
Data/Literature
Integration & application
of information from
coursework
guidance/module guide
/20 Marks
Outstanding... Business
insight & application.
Breadth, depth & integration
of literature/data into work.
Excellent ... Business insight
& application.
Breadth, depth & integration
of literature/data into work.
Very good... Business insight
& application.
Breadth, depth & integration
of literature/data into work.
Discussion /Analysis /Critical
evaluation &/or Reflection
Line of argument,
development of discussion
/30 Marks
Outstanding... Level of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection.
Highly developed/ focused work.
Excellent... Level of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection clearly
developing points in the
appropriate way with thorough
consideration of all possibilities.
Very good... Level of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection & a
few ideas/points could benefit
from further development &/or
evaluation/comparison.
 55-59 Good... Clear presentation &
report structure, use of
Good numbering & appendices.
Writing is mainly clear but
some spelling &/ or
grammatical errors.
50-54 Satisfactory... Basic report
structure.
Satisfactory Not always written clearly &
has grammatical & / or
spelling errors.
40-49 Weak... Report format,
limited or poor structure.
Marginal Fail Muddled work with many
spelling & / or grammatical
errors.
20 – 39 Inadequate... Report format
and poor paragraphing /
Clear Fail signposting.
Inappropriate writing style
Poorly written &/or poor
spelling & grammar.
1 – 19 Nothing of merit... Poorly
written work, lacking
Little or structure, paragraphing /
Nothing of signposting.
merit Many inaccuracies in spelling
& grammar.
Good... Standard of
referencing within text &
consistent use of Harvard
referencing system.
Accuracy of in-text references
& full details shown in
Reference list.
Satisfactory... Basic referencing
within text & consistent use of
Harvard referencing system.
Accuracy of in-text references
& full details shown in
Reference list.
Weak...Use of Harvard
referencing system with errors
& inconsistently applied.
Limited referencing within the
text. Limited accuracy of in-text
references compared to those
in the final Reference list.
Inadequate... Use of Harvard
referencing with many errors
&/or inconsistencies.
Nothing of merit... No or little
attempt to use the
recommended Harvard
referencing system.
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Good... Grasp of the topic &
some of its implications
presented.
Knowledge & understanding is
demonstrated.
Minor errors / omissions in
content/ calculations.
Satisfactory... Content / level
of knowledge of the topic.
Addresses part of the task.
Some errors / omissions in
content/ calculations. May
benefit from further research.
Weak... Limited content /
knowledge/ calculations.
Limited or muddled
understanding of the
topic/question.
Does not meet all the learning
outcomes.
Inadequate... Lacking in
relevant content/
knowledge/calculations.
Content irrelevant / inaccurate.
Does not meet all the learning
outcomes.
Nothing of merit...
Unsatisfactory level of
knowledge demonstrated.
Content used irrelevant / not
appropriate/ to the topic. Does
not meet the learning
outcomes.
Good... Business insight &
application.
Breadth, depth & integration
of literature/data into work.
Satisfactory... Business
insight & application. Limited
integration with literature/
data.
Use of literature/data but
limited in breadth OR depth.
Weak... Unsatisfactory
evidence of business
application & insight
Work needs to show better
links between practical
application and theory.
Inadequate... Lacks evidence
of business application &
insight. Some literature
irrelevant to topic.
Nothing of merit... No
evidence of appropriate
business application &
insight.
Good... Level of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection but
more ideas/points could be
addressed /developed further.
Satisfactory... Basic evidence of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection but
some points superficially made so
need further development.
Weak... Limited evidence of
discussion/analysis/ critical
evaluation &/or reflection.
More development & comment
needed. May need to do more
than describe.
Inadequate... Lacking /
inadequate level of discussion/
analysis/critical evaluation & /or
reflection. Descriptive.
Nothing of merit...
Unsatisfactory level of
discussion/analysis/critical
evaluation &/or reflection
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1.0 TABLE OF CONTENT

NO CONTENT PAGE NO

1.0 Table of content 6

2.0 Introduction 7

3.0 What is cultural diversity 7 - 10

3.1) Existence of Many

Cultures
3.2) Distinguishing
Characteristics of Each
Culture
3.3) It tries to Preserve
3.4) It Possesses
Interculturalism

4.0 Cross cultural communication 10 - 11

5.0 Challenges and distinctions in 11 - 14

cross cultural

6.0 Recommendations 14 - 15

7.0 Conclusion 15 - 16

8.0 References 16 - 17

9.0 Safe assign Report 18

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

A culture is a way of thinking and living in which members of a group instill

and reinforce a set of values, norms, attitudes, and beliefs. To ensure survival, this
shared system of fundamental assumptions and global solutions is handed down
from generation to generation. The ways in which people interact with the outside
world are governed by written and unwritten rules and principles that make up a
culture. A cultural group’s members can be identified by their similarities. They
may be united by their religion, location, ethnicity, or race.

As we begin to adopt cultural practices around the same time that we begin
learning to communicate, our cultural understanding of the world and everything in
it ultimately influences our communication style. Culture has an impact on our
speech and actions.

3.0 WHAT IS CULTURE DIVERSITY?

The concept of cultural diversity refers to an ideological belief that is held in

societies that acknowledge, value, and respect the cultural practices and presence
of other people or members of diverse groups. People from a variety of ethnic
groups make up the diversity of society. The social norms, values, and behaviors of

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each ethnic group limit them. As a result, a society with a variety of cultural
backgrounds encourages and empowers the various contributions that individuals
of various ethnic backgrounds make. In essence, cultural diversity is being
inclusive; that is, giving people from different cultural backgrounds recognition
and fostering an environment that encourages and values other people’s social
interactions. One of the most important aspects of promoting cultural diversity is
clearly comprehending diversity. Religion, ethnicity, and race are just a few of the
many factors that contribute to diversity in this context.

In today’s society, cultural diversity fosters peaceful coexistence among diverse

individuals. Cultural diversity can be explained by outstanding traits. The most
important features are:

3.1) Existence of Many Cultures

There are people from many different cultures in the world’s population. As
a result, members of a society that is culturally diverse come from a variety of
cultures, and each culture is the result of its own individual development.
Individual development is the process by which a population merged or moved
into their current society, as well as the historical development of the culture, its
participants, and their social behavior. However, despite the fact that they come
from a variety of cultural backgrounds, they respect and coexist harmoniously.

3.2) Distinguishing Characteristics of Each Culture

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 Each culture has its own distinctive characteristics that set it apart from other
cultures. History, language, the arts, and religion are all common characteristics
that distinguish cultures from one another. However, despite the fact that each
culture possesses its own primary characteristics, they continue to practice their
own culture while still valuing the culture of others. Recognizing the practices of
other cultures helps people live in peace and reduces cultural conflicts.

3.3) It tries to Preserve

Language, religion, social norms, and traditions make up a person’s culture.

People with different cultural backgrounds are more likely to adopt other people’s
ways of life. However, minority cultures are encouraged to preserve their traditions
when cultural diversity is acknowledged in a society, thereby preventing cultural
extinction. Recognizing the minority culture’s presence and social norms enables
them to continue practicing their culture, lowering the likelihood of its extinction.

3.4) It Possesses Interculturalism

Interculturalism is the aspect of fostering inclusivity or dialogue with both

the minority and majority groups from diverse cultural backgrounds in a society
that values cultural diversity. Minority groups receive special recognition for their
differences from the dominant groups when promoting cultural inclusivity. This
special recognition will make it easy for society to adjust to interactions and
communications between cultures.

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The modern way of life involves interacting with people from different cultures.
Work, education, religion, and social settings are all important in bringing people
from different cultures together. As a result, cultural diversity plays a variety of
roles in contemporary society, such as encouraging respect for other people’s
cultures and ways of life. By embracing ideas from a variety of perspectives, it also
fosters creativity and innovation. On the other hand, the modern world’s cultural
diversity helps to dispel people’s negative cultural stereotypes. Additionally, the
proliferation of social media and social networking platforms in the digital age has
enhanced cultural interaction. As a result, a wide range of ethnic and cultural
groups find homes in contemporary societies.

4.0 CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Therefore, communication between individuals who differ in any one of the

following is referred to as “cross cultural communication”: Cross-cultural
communication also refers to the efforts to exchange, negotiate, and mediate
cultural differences through language, gestures, and body language. Other
characteristics include age, nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation,
and other characteristics. It is how people of different cultures communicate with
one another. Each person can practice culture to varying degrees. There is the
culture of the community in which he grew up, the culture of the workplace in
which he works, and other cultures to which one either actively participates or
gradually withdraws. A constant challenge is the conflict between a person’s native
culture and the majority culture to which they are constantly exposed. Cultural
clashes are caused by people’s beliefs that their culture is superior to others.

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Cross-cultural communication has been influenced by a variety of academic fields.
Misunderstandings that could lead to disagreements between individuals or groups
must be avoided at all costs. Cross-cultural communication fosters trust and
collaboration. The objective is to receive the appropriate response, not to send the
appropriate message. When two people from different cultures meet, they have
different ways of talking and different cultural backgrounds. Cross-cultural
communication will be easier and more successful if both speakers are accustomed
to the turn-taking structure of the conversation. Either no one should speak at once
or the conversation should not be monopolized by one person.

5.0 CHALLENGES AND DISTINCTIONS IN CROSS CULTURAL

Communication

According to the Dosm 2015, 67.4% of Malaysians are Bumiputera, 24.6%

are Chinese, 7.3% are Indians, and 0.7 are of other ethnicities (Appendix 3).
Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English are the most spoken languages in Malaysia.

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Over 80% of Malaysians speak Malay, which is the country’s official language.
Then, English will be the second most spoken language (Holidify, n.d.). People in
Belgium are free to speak any language, but the country also has official languages
like Dutch, French, and German, which most Belgians speak. French is spoken by
almost 40% of the population, while Dutch is spoken by nearly 60% of the
population. It’s confusing because Flemish people speak Dutch but don’t think of
themselves as Dutch, and Walloons in Belgium speak French but don’t think of
themselves as French. There is also a small region of Belgians who speak German
near the German border. We only know which language to use to communicate
with them once we have learned their ethnicity, so it is difficult to communicate
with them. Because the majority of Malaysians communicate implicitly and
through nonverbal means, the country is considered to have a high context culture.
As a result, when interacting with others, they will always pay attention to their
voices, tone, body language, eye contact, and facial expressions (Communicaid,
n.d.). During their conservation, Malaysians, for instance, will point at individuals
with their right thumb rather than their index finger. Malaysians will communicate
indirectly by ensuring that they do not offend others during interactions because of
their culture of harmony and tolerance. This is done so that others won’t lose face
during conservation while remaining courteous and respectful. For instance, they
will have a brief conversation with the individual to get to know them well and
avoid being disrespectful. Additionally, Malaysians will avoid saying “no” outright
when responding to a direct question by providing ambiguous responses like “I am
not sure.” According to the Cultural Atlas 2020, Malaysians care more about
relationships than facts and information, and their communication focuses on
building those relationships rather than exchanging information (Cultural Atlas
2020). Belgians, on the other hand, have a low context culture because they will

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rely more on explicit communication. Belgians will put a lot of effort into avoiding
uncertainty due to their high level of explanations in their communications to
avoid confusion and misunderstanding (Sites.psu.edu, n.d.). If they are unable to
accept the invitation, they will also directly decline it by saying "no." Then, despite
using some straightforward body language, Belgians pay little attention to
nonverbal communication. For instance, Belgians will give their closest friends
three cheek "air" kisses to say hello. However, they will not simply shake hands or
kiss male friends. As a sign of respect, they will then maintain eye contact while
shaking hands with others (IOR, n.d.).

Negotiation

Due to their vastly different cultures, Malaysia and Belgium face difficulties
in negotiations.

Malaysia is regarded as a collectivist society because of its low individualism

score. They will take their time establishing relationships by discussing themselves
and planning for goals prior to beginning negotiations, which will extend the
negotiation process. In addition, Malaysians typically only form long-lasting
relationships with people who have a good personal reputation. Since Malaysians
offer long-term benefits, they prefer to gather additional data before deciding to
collaborate because all the information needs to be referred to. We must always be
patient during the negotiation because this will undoubtedly take a long time. They
will just end the agreement if the negotiators apply time or aggressive pressure,
which is a false strategy for establishing a positive relationship. Because
Malaysians are so reliant on nonverbal communication, negotiators must pay close
attention to their actions and facial expressions to avoid making any physical

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contact or communicating that would make them feel uncomfortable. For instance,
in Islamic culture, shaking hands with Muslims in Malaysia requires using the right
hand because left hands are considered unclean. In addition, according to the
Cultural Atlas 2020, when Malaysians engage in conversation by placing their
hands on their hips or in their pockets, it is imperative that the subject be brought
up immediately. In addition, Malaysia is regarded as low-uncertainty avoidance
due to the fact that Malaysians are more tolerant in negotiation situations and can
quickly adjust to sudden changes in the environment. Malaysia, for instance,
experienced a greater degree of situational change, and they anticipate that the
negotiation will encounter unanticipated issues. They will make preparations to
adapt to any change in order to achieve success (Cbi.org, n.d.).

In the individualism index, Belgium received a score of 75, indicating that it is an

individualist society. Belgians will engage in small talk prior to discussion during
negotiations, but they will try to avoid discussing their personal lives and making
personal comments. They consider business negotiations to be serious business,
and meetings ought to be structured. Accepting a phone call or abruptly leaving a
meeting will be viewed as disrespectful because Belgium prefers no interruptions
during negotiations and discussions. Belgians are also very punctual, and if you are
late during a first-time negotiation, they will be unhappy (Expatarrivals 2020).
Belgians are renowned for their tolerance and logic. During the negotiation,
provide them with precise facts and information to show your appreciation.
Because they are individualists, they like to set high personal goals and will reject
cooperation right away if the agreements don’t help them achieve their interests
and goals. They also like to negotiate quickly because they want short-term goals
(Ediplomat, 2016).

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6.0 SUGGEST THE WAYS TO IMPROVE OVERALL PERFORMANCE IN
THE FOREIGN CULTURE (RECOMMENDATIONS).

Engage in cultural education

While it may appear to be exciting for employees to relocate abroad in order

to experience the opportunity to live and work in a different cultural setting, it can
be challenging for them to perform at their best. Cultural training for employees
who will be working in a specific foreign country is one way to improve overall
performance in that culture. A cultural training program that can raise a person’s
cultural awareness and help them connect with people who are different from
them. As a result, their level of trust, respect, and understanding will rise (Hiscock,
2020). On the other hand, cross-cultural training programs that focus on
fundamental etiquette can help multinational corporations avoid cultural
misunderstandings. However, employees who develop relationships with one
another may be able to acquire and share new information without having to deal
with language barriers that can lead to misunderstandings. The program will then
cover the history of the other culture so that unethical behavior can be avoided. For
instance, Malaysians thought that backslapping new Belgian friends was a great
way to greet them. In addition, important etiquette that demonstrates politeness in
Belgium includes speaking in the official language and treating older coworkers
and family members with respect (IrEDU 2020).

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7.0 CONCLUSION

Cultural exchange is crucial to our day-to-day lives. Some people are better
communicators than others. Some people disagree, while others get along well. In
cases where the parties are from different cultural backgrounds, this holds true.

Diverse cultural presentations encounter numerous objective and subjective

obstacles. There is a way to get past them. In the modern world, everyone ought to
be aware of cultural differences and prepared to accept them. Intercultural
communication is essential. Good relationships, lucrative business deals, emotional
growth, and other benefits follow.

8.0 REFERENCES

Cultural diversity (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_diversity (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

Cross-culture – definition and more (no date) the. Available at: https://the-
definition.com/term/cross-culture (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

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Cross Cultural Studies Group Assignment (1) Abdm3213 – differences between
home and host culture (no date) Studocu. Available at:
https://www.studocu.com/my/document/universiti-tunku-abdul-rahman/cross-
cultural-management/cross-cultural-studies-group-assignment-1-
abdm3213/32068935 (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

Cross-cultural communication and cultural understanding – 2023 (no date)

MasterClass. Available at: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cross-cultural-
communication (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

Cultural diversity in the workplace: How to build an inclusive culture (no date)
Google. Google. Available at:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.betterup.com/blog/cultural-diversity-in-the-
workplace%3fhs_amp=true (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

deBara, D. (2021) What is cultural diversity and why does it matter? – hourly,
Inc.., RSS. Available at: https://www.hourly.io/post/cultural-diversity (Accessed:
January 22, 2023).

How to successfully work across countries, languages, and cultures (2018) Harvard
Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2017/08/how-to-successfully-work-
across-countries-languages-and-cultures (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

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Kopp, C.M. (2022) Cross culture: Definition, examples, and disadvantages,
Investopedia. Investopedia. Available at:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cross-culture.asp (Accessed: January 22,
2023).

Take online courses. Earn college credit. Research Schools, Degrees &
Careers (no date) Study.com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research
Schools, Degrees & Careers. Available at:
https://study.com/learn/lesson/cross-cultural-communication-concept-
examples.html (Accessed: January 22, 2023).

Why is managing cultural diversity important? (no date) Google. Google.

Available at:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.hofstede-insights.com/news/why-is-
managing-cultural-diversity-important%3fhs_amp=true (Accessed: January 22,
2023).

9.0 SAFE ASSIGN REPORT

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