Essay CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND GLOBAL TEAMS

Essay #2/ MGT 18/ Michael J. McKay

ESSAY #2 – CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND GLOBAL TEAMS

CONTEXT / What expectations might you have for working with colleagues from different cultures? This essay asks you to compare and contrast your own cultural biases to that of real or imagined other colleagues who come from a culture different from your own. Begin by using the link provided in the Content folder on TritonEd to complete Meyer’s Cultural Profile and gain insight into your own culturally-based tendencies and preferences.

After completing the cultural profile tool, create a hypothetical three-person team using your specific results plus two additional team members with different cultural profiles from yours and from each other (e.g., if you are Chinese you might consider a team with one American and one Italian). The tool allows you to repeat use in order to find results for other cultures. We will discuss this in class.

You will give practical and specific examples of what you understand might be your working interactions within your small team, and how team members may need to adapt or change in order to work together productively. The readings from Cultural Competence and Global Teams (see course reader TOC) provide the background for this prompt. It is expected that your essay will include reference to these required readings as evidence of your understanding. Note: No pre-submission reading of essays is possible, but we would be happy to discuss your ideas in OHs if you bring your completed worksheet with you.

ESSAY PROMPT / How would you expect your small team of three to interact across Meyer’s behavioral scales and how would you expect team members might adjust behaviors to build rapport and to make progress toward the team goal? What do you expect would be shared preferences that would facilitate your good working relationships? What do you expect would be possible areas of misunderstanding or conflict? How do you imagine solutions to help the team overcome possible tension and achieve success?

Begin with a brief introduction of your hypothetical team and its mission or goal. In order to use realistic situations for your analysis, be sure you understand the goal (e.g., don’t imagine a software development team if you don’t know how one would function). Be sure to cover at least 3 scales for full credit (e.g., pick three from the following: communicating, evaluating, persuading, leading, deciding, trusting, disagreeing, and scheduling).

REQUIREMENTS (refer to Prep Worksheet for details)

CHECK LIST

Response to the prompt: requires discussion of at least 3 scales (1,200 to 1,500 words total)

§ Strength of introduction (with thesis sentence) and conclusion

paragraphs

2 points § Discussion of 3 scales and team interactions (refer to prep worksheet) 6 points § Critical thinking and depth of analysis using thoughtful reference and

discussion of MEYER and EARLEY & MOSAKOWSKI required readings

6 points

College-level writing and editing 3 points Required Format (find template in ESSAYS folder on TritonEd) 1 point In-text citations with page numbers for all direct quotes 1 point Works Cited page 1 point 20 points possible

Essay #2/ MGT 18/ Michael J. McKay

SUBMISSION

• This is a TURNITIN submission with a firm due date and time. Find the submission link in the “ESSAYS” Content folder on TritonEd. LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE GRADED.

• You have submitted accurately when you have a Submission ID# for your paper (hold onto the

number). This ID# shows on the success screen, once you have uploaded AND submitted your essay (two-step process). Also, a Turnitin digital receipt (email) will be sent to you once your submission is complete. If you don’t have a Submission ID#, your paper has not been accurately submitted. The Submission ID# is the only form of verification accepted and the only way for us to find your work if your paper were somehow lost by the system.

• If you are submitting in the last 20 minutes before the deadline, send your essay via email to the class email found on the Syllabus BEFORE submitting via Turnitin. This will give you a backup in case Turnitin is slow. This backup system must be used before the deadline for submission. Once you have emailed your paper to us, also submit using the Turnitin link on TritonEd (see above).