Annotated Bibliography

Executive Summary

Purpose

The effective management of cultural diversity is identified as one of the best ways of creating an inclusive corporate culture that brings the best out of each employee. Most organizations, however, do not have in place effective policies and processes that can be used to ensure the organization caters for the needs of individuals from different cultures. A culturally inclusive workplace eliminates barriers associated with cultural backgrounds that would otherwise interfere with employee performance. By understanding the impact that cultural factors have in the work environment, managers can identify effective policies that encourage cultural diversity.

Problem

Not all managers realize the importance of managing cultural diversity and the impact that it can have on an organization. The fact there are no clear cut procedures on managing diversity is also a problem for managers as identifying policies that can work and those that cannot be difficult when dealing with a highly diverse workforce. Stereotypes about people from a certain culture can, for example, affect how they are perceived in an organization by people from other culture and may lead to misconceptions and attitudes that can negatively affect productivity.

Solution

The paper proposes a cultural map that makes it easier for managers to identify the common traits that people from different cultures may have. The information derived from this map provides information that can be used to develop the most inclusive policies that will enable managers to create a workplace that supports diversity.

Conclusion

Managing cultural diversity is of key importance in organizations that intend to create an inclusive workforce that is focused on productivity. Using a cultural map, managers can gain a better understanding of how culture can affect employee performance and consequently develop effective policies that can accommodate people from different cultures.