Developing intercultural competence through staff professional development workshop for a medium-sized Australian business
Question
Task: Explain the content of the workshop. What will the participants learn and do in the workshop? Explain why they will be learning and doing those things by linking to relevant theories.
Answer
Introduction
The aim of this paper is to discuss a staff professional development workshop for a medium-sized Australian business. This workshop is designed to bring together its current staff of twenty-five native English-speaking, second-generation or more Australians, and fifteen new staff members from the company’s subsidiary in Thailand. The workshop's three main goals are to help participants understand how cultures differ, offer three real-world examples of how to change messaging, and present three techniques for helping new hires feel welcomed, supported, and like a member of the team.The workshop will use two theories(1980) Horstede's model of Intercultural Dimensions and Hall's (1963) model of high-context vs low-context cultures—to accomplish these goals.
Workshop
This workshop is designed to promote understanding and acceptance of cultural differences between the existing Australian staff and the new Thai staff. During the workshop, Hofstede’s (1980) model and Hall’s (1963) model will be discussed and analyzed. These models will be used to illustrate the differences between the two cultures, and to give illustrative examples of how to modify communications so that they are applicable to and understandable by all staff members.
Purpose of the Workshop
The primary purpose of the workshop is to provide an inclusive environment for the current staff and the new Thai staff members (Spellacyet al., 2020). This will involve understanding the cultural differences between the two groups and finding the most effective methods for conveying information so that all team members can relate to and understand it.This is essential for creating a cohesive and supportive work environment. Additionally, the session will offer methods for helping the new employees feel encouraged, welcomed, and a part of the team.This will help to ensure that the new staff feels included and valued, and that their contributions are recognized.
Target Audience
The target audience of the workshop is the current staff of twenty-five native English-speaking, second-generation or more Australians, and fifteen new staff members from the company’s subsidiary in Thailand (Bialus, Le and Nguyen, 2022). It is important that the workshop includes both groups to create a cohesive and supportive work environment. The workshop should focus on understanding cultural differences and communicating messages in a way that is relevant and understandable for both groups.
Models or theory Used
The workshop will draw upon two theories: HMID and HMHLC. Hofstede’s model consists of six dimensions of cultural differences, among them are Individualism, Masculinity, Extended Orientation, Luxury, Social Gap, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Dominance (Gallego-Álvarez and Pucheta-Martínez, 2021). Hall’s model divides cultures into two categories: high-context cultures, which place greater emphasis on nonverbal communication and context, and low-context societies, which place a greater emphasis on linguistic explicitness. By understanding the differences between these two models, the workshop participants will be able to better appreciate and understand cultural differences and adapt their messages to make them relevant and understandable for both groups.
Workshop Content
The workshop will include a variety of activities, including lectures, group activities, and discussions. The lectures will provide an introduction to HMID and HMHLC. The group activities will provide an opportunity for the participants to explore the differences between the two models in a practical way. The discussion will provide an opportunity for the participants to share their experiences and discuss their thoughts on ways to encourage, assist, and make the new employees feel like a member of the team (Houghton et al., 2020).
Conclusion
This paper has discussed a staff professional development workshop for a medium-sized Australian business. The workshop is designed to bring together its current staff of twenty-five native English-speaking, second-generation or more Australians, and fifteen new staff members from the company’s subsidiary in Thailand. The workshop's three goals are to provide participants with an understanding of cultural variations, three concrete instances of message adaptation, and three methods for fostering a sense of inclusion, support, and teamwork among the new hires. To achieve these objectives, the workshop will draw upon two theories: HMID and HMHLC. The workshop will include a variety of activities, including lectures, group activities, and discussions. Through this workshop, the participants will be able to better appreciate and understand cultural differences and adapt their messages to make them relevant and understandable for both groups.
References
Bialus, D., Le, T.T. and Nguyen, H.T.K., 2022. Financial Access of Women-Owned Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Viet Nam.
Gallego-Álvarez, I. and Pucheta-Martínez, M.C., 2021. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and R&D intensity as an innovation strategy: a view from different institutional contexts. Eurasian Business Review, 11(2), pp.191-220.
Houghton, C., Meskell, P., Delaney, H., Smalle, M., Glenton, C., Booth, A., Chan, X.H.S., Devane, D. and Biesty, L.M., 2020. Barriers and facilitators to healthcare workers’ adherence with infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines for respiratory infectious diseases: a rapid qualitative evidence synthesis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4).
Spellacy, J., Edwards, D.J., Roberts, C.J., Hayhow, S. and Shelbourn, M., 2020. An investigation into the role of the quantity surveyor in the value management workshop process. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.
