Ethnocentrism: Enemy of Productive and Happy Multicultural Workplace

Organizations and professionals are usually unaware about the fundamental rationale behind workplace ethnocentrism. Due to globalization today’s workplace are becoming multi-cultural, thus to address and understand the intricacies of ethnocentrism and being sensitive towards the issue is the need of the hour. Effective management of culturally diversified workplace is significant point of concern. As it may germinate challenges before the organization, one such challenge is related with ethnocentric feeling among culturally diversified workforce towards each other. This paper will explain the concept of ethnocentrism at workplace, the psychology of ethnocentric tendency and the various problems that an ethnocentric view presents before the multicultural organization while dealing with culturally diversified employees by synthesizing various research studies done in this area, comprising of examining various approaches to ethnocentric tendency. It also answers why diversity at workforce that exemplifies a changing world and contemporary workplace which is vital for creating competitive work environment that enhance work productivity. It will also discuss the implication of ethnocentrism in multicultural organizations and how to avoid the intricacies of ethnocentric phenomenon and resultant conflicts and disruptions arising at the workplace.

Essential Skills for Leadership Development in a Multicultural Organization

This research was conducted to address leadership concerns regarding managers’ effectiveness in leading a multicultural workforce. Essential leadership skills for frontline managers were explored via pilot study interviews and a follow-on survey. Six leadership skills were identified and prioritized that are currently informing the company’s new leadership development program initiative.

Managing Teams in the Multicultural Organizations

A modern manager must possess multiple features and skills, which can allow him to solve problems and challenges occurring in management of multicultural teams. In each system an organization is different and it is impossible to create one coherent model of managing multicultural teams or organizations. A number of barriers and problems should be accounted for and the organizational diagnosis is a base for preparing strategies of adequate multicultural organization management. Due to the editorial restrictions, the main focus of the article is in problems and barriers in management of multicultural teams, including the role of a manager in this process.

Leaving the Space Better Than You Found It Through Song: Music, Diversity, and Mission in One Black Student Organization

In recounting the history and present dynamics in the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, Sherry Deckman presents a portrait of what it means to leave a space better than you found it through song. The story of Kuumba—Harvard's oldest black student organization and now its largest multicultural organization—is told through the experiences of Sheldon K. X. Reid, the group's professional director. Issues and tensions of diversity and community surface, and we learn how Kuumba has become a space where lost cultural practices are revived through music to create a campus home and family for members of diverse backgrounds.