Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies That Engage Employees and Increase Productivity.

Section 1: Foundation of the Study

A business or restaurant manager responds to employee engagement; the successful

implementation of cross-culture communication strategies could become the means to improving

employee engagement and increasing productivity. Cross-culture communication is a

prerequisite for complex cultural challenges impacting relationships, processes, procedurals, and

results (Deeter-Schmelz et al., 2019). Managers do not always know the need for cross-cultural

communication strategies. Small fast-food restaurants sometimes fail because managers lack

cultural communication strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. This study

aimed was to explore cross-cultural communication strategies that some small fast-food

restaurants use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity.

This section includes topic–areas such as the background of the problem, problem

statement including the specific business problem, cross-cultural communication strategies used

by small fast-food restaurant managers, the research question, and the interview questions.

Moreover, this section of the study emphasizes the business' contribution, the social impact of

this qualitative multiple case study, and critical analysis and synthesis of the professional and

academic literature related to the research problem.

Background of the Problem

Businesses in the United States that employ cross-cultural communication strategies

significantly impact enhanced employee performance and see a positive effect on the businesses'

financial bottom line (Kutz, 2012). According to Walden et al. (2017), managers trained with

proper cross-cultural communication strategies can create an environment with fewer cross-

cultural communication barriers.

Cross-cultural communication strategies stand in sharp contrast to the globalized world

and the fast-food industry (Deeter-Schmelz et al., 2019). Managers of fast-food restaurants who

execute cross-cultural communication strategies expect to create social and cultural

communication and fewer mistakes during an exchange or oral communication (Kosareva et al.,

2019). According to Kosareva et al. (2019), 60% of employees confirm that employee manuals

have inadequate information about cultures and social communication standards. There are

numerous reasons for the low levels of employee engagement in the United States. Gabel-

Shemueli et al. recommended that addressing fast-food restaurant managers' strategies to conduct

successful cross-cultural communication may help develop ways to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity. Business managers in the United States who employ

cross-cultural communication strategies could significantly impact and enjoy enhanced employee

performance and see a positive effect on the businesses' financial bottom line (Kutz, 2012).

According to Walden et al. (2017), professionally training managers in cross-cultural

communication strategies could lead to an environment with fewer cross-cultural communication

barriers. For example, communication can be interdisciplinary in that communication can be a

message, a culture, and a different context of a conversation.

Problem Statement

The inability among managers in U.S. organizations to form a working connection with

their employees through cross‐cultural communication strategies is prevalent (Walden et al.,

2017, pp. 73–74). In 2017, a lack of employee engagement and managers performing

unprofessionally with inefficient cross-cultural communication strategies resulted in an estimated

loss of $450 billion (Ciulla, 2017; Mumford & Higgs, 2020; Rastogi et al., 2018, p. 63). The

general business problem is that small, fast-food restaurants with ineffective cross-cultural

communication strategies have decreased employee engagement and lowered productivity. The

specific problem is that some small fast-food restaurant managers lack cross-cultural

communication strategies to engage employees and increase productivity.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore cross-cultural

communication strategies that some small fast-food restaurant managers use to improve

employee engagement and increase productivity. The target population consisted of four

managers from four small fast-food restaurants in the United States' southern region who have

successful strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. The implications for

positive social change include the potential to improve the local economies with higher–paying

jobs, which may increase household income in the restaurants' communities.

Nature of the Study

Researchers use the three primary methods qualitative, quantitative, and mixed (Crane et

al., 2018; Maxwell, 2016; Yin, 2018). For this study, I used the qualitative approach. Qualitative

researchers use this method for validly and in–depth data to address a research question (Gibson

& Sullivan, 2018; Park & Park, 2016; Runfola et al., 2017). The qualitative researcher can access

data to gain knowledge relating to the specific phenomenon by asking what or how questions

when using a qualitative method (Bansal et al., 2018; Yin, 2018). I used a qualitative approach

because it was the most appropriate way of answering the overreaching research question

through engaging interviews.

In contrast, quantitative researchers use the quantitative method to test constructs using

hypothesis–testing or a deductive approach (Saunders et al., 2016; Yin, 2018). A quantitative

method was unsuitable because I was not examining correlation values or standard deviations or

testing theories. Qualitative researchers using multiple case studies can validate constructs and

measure a study's purpose, and a multiple case study can be used to discover and determine the

links between constructs that generate insight into the research (Choudhary & Sangwan, 2019;

Yin, 2018). I used a multiple case study design for this qualitative study to explore and

accomplish an in–depth analysis of the overreaching research question.

Mixed–methods researchers combine quantitative and qualitative data to analyze in–

depth, sophisticated style phenomena (Dubbelman et al., 2018). Moreover, a mixed–methods

researcher combines qualitative and quantitative components within a single study (Arifin, 2018;

Yin, 2018). A mixed–method research was not appropriate for this multiple case study because I

did not include a quantitative component.

The three most common qualitative research designs or methodologies are case studies,

phenomenology, and ethnography (Yin, 2018). Researchers who want an in–depth, detailed

study of individuals to understand a set of events use the case study design to ask what and how

questions without controlling the responses and outcome (Yin, 2018). Therefore, the case study

research design was appropriate because I explored small fast-food restaurant managers who

implement cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee engagement and

increase productivity.

Qualitative researchers use a phenomenological design or the meaning of their lived

individual experiences through extended, in–depth interviews to gain the complete picture of

their phenomenon (Ceridwyn & Debra, 2005; Chan et al., 2015; Sanchez 2018; Stainton, 2018).

The phenomenological design was not appropriate because I was not looking to explore the

participants' lived experiences. Sanchez suggested not using an ethnography design to seek an

in–depth understanding of a phenomenon. I did not select an ethnography design for this study,

nor did I use an ethnography design approach to observe and study group members' interactions

about their daily lives or performing regular duties. Stainton (2018) stated that an ethnography

design focuses on life stories and cultural groups' rituals. I did not use an ethnography design for

this study because I did not make any naturalistic empirical and observation of the different

cultural groups' rituals.

Research Question

What cross‐cultural communication strategies do some managers of small fast-food

restaurants use to engage employees and increase productivity?

Interview Questions

1. What cross-cultural communication strategies did you use within your uncertainty

avoidance culture or employee culture that either accepted or avoided change that

engaged employees and increased productivity?

2. How did you overcome any power distance barriers or differences when practicing

cross‐cultural communication strategies that engaged employees and increased

productivity or a culture that consists of a hierarchical and democratic society?

3. How did you incorporate or factor individualism or collectivism mindsets into your

implemented cross-cultural communication strategy that engaged employees and

increased productivity?

4. How did you provide ongoing support after implementing cross‐cultural communication

strategies to engage employees, increase productivity, and explain if employee

expressions were indulgent or restrained?

5. How did you anticipate and prepare for the outcomes of cross‐cultural communication

strategies in the context of short–term or long–term orientation?

6. What additional information would you like to share or add relating to developing and

practicing cross‐cultural communication strategies to improve employee engagement to

increase productivity?

Conceptual Framework

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The

1980 publication of Hofstede's theory collected data from attitudinal surveys from International

Business Machines’ (IBM's) corporate subsidiaries within 72 countries from 1967–1973

(Hofstede, 1980). Power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, indulgence,

and restraint are the six dimensions of Hofstede's theory that could help researchers understand

the findings to address the overreaching research question (Beugelsdijk et al., 2017). First,

however, the six questions that correlate with the constructs from Hofstede's theory were

analyzed and aligned with the conceptual framework.

According to Beugelsdijk et al. (2017), cultural and cross-cultural researchers use

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to understand diverse cultures and how Hofstede's theory

coexists within the workplace and outside work culture. For example, researchers in various

disciplines, from higher education, political arenas, and socio backgrounds, have used Hofstede's

cultural dimensions theory to understand the culture. However, values affect employees' and

managers' and their philosophical view of success and accomplishment, work performance,

leadership, and diverse social relationships is relevant to Hofstede's theory (Beugelsdijk et al.,

2017). Managers of small fast-food restaurants accessing a better understanding of cross-cultural

communication within their organization can use Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to

address disengagement. Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory is appropriate when small fast-

food restaurants fail to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Therefore,

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory was used to help with the findings of this study.

Operational Definitions

Cross-cultural communication: A conversation between people from the same nationality

from a different culture or age but communicates face–to–face or verbally, or nonverbally (Hurn

& Tormalin, 2013; Jakučionytė, 2020; Kosareva et al., 2019).

Cross-cultural differences: Managers that focus on the broader diversity differences of

people like gender, age, different nations, regions, and ethnicities bridge together employees

(Schmidt et al., 2020).

Employee engagement: Employee engagement is when employees' minds are captivated

and involved with their job displaying passion, vigor, dedication, and absorption (Eldor, 2017;

Luan, 2020; Nienaber & Martins, 2020).

Indulgence versus restraint: The indulgence dimension relates to a society with free

gratification of having essential and natural human desires of enjoying life and living with the

sense of absolute autonomy of fun or having fun (Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). A high–restraint

culture is a controlling and high–restraint love controlling and regulating people's gratification of

needs by applying strict social norms (Mohammed & Tejay, 2017).

Masculinity versus femininity: Does not relate to male and female people but the values

and emotional roles associated with either gender (Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). Masculinity–

femininity has individual characteristics to differentiate each meaning's benefits; the assertive-

strong culture is masculine, and the modest–caring culture is feminine (Mohammed & Tejay,

2017).

Uncertainty avoidance: Feelings and stress of society when faced with the unknown

future and measures from weak to strong the extent of ambiguous situations or tolerance of an

unfamiliar situation (Cho & Kim, 2017; Hofstede, 1980).

Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations

Assumptions

Assumptions in research consist of what a researcher accepts as accurate without having

concrete proof (Cypress, 2017; Ellis & Levy, 2012; Leedy & Ormrod, 2016). Moreover,

assumptions can fundamentally affect the entire research process, including collecting data, and a

researcher's assumptions can help direct the nature of knowledge generated from each participant

(Marshall & Rossman, 2016). The critical aspect of assumption within research is the

presumption of truth and accuracy from each participant (Leedy & Ormrod, 2016). The first

assumption was that the participants understood the interview questions presented to them during

the interview exchange. The second and last assumption was that interviewees from my target

geographical area would provide accurate information to apply to the research question.

Limitations

Limitations are uncontrollable threats that affect the internal validity of research, which

affects the ability to duplicate and expand on a study (Bishwakarma, 2017; Ellis & Levy, 2012;

Neuman, 2016; Pai, 2017). Therefore, qualitative researchers must provide a plan or intention to

address limitations that could negatively impact the study (Fusch et al., 2017). One of the

limitations in this study was that interviewees could withdraw at any time. Additionally, the

participants may not represent the actual population because of geographic limitations or the data

collected from restaurant managers in one geographic area. Yin (2018) stated that participants

must exhibit trustworthiness. An additional limitation was that some participant–interviewees

might have provided responses to satisfy the interviewer. Participants responding to satisfy the

interviewer could obstruct data collection and distort the findings to help answer the research

question.

Delimitations

Delimitations are the research scope, and the researcher defines delimitations in a study

(Ellis & Levy, 2012; Fusch et al., 2018; Marshall & Rossman, 2016). Delimitations are

boundaries that define the guideposts for objective and subjective thinking during a case study

(Casado-Diaz et al., 2017; Cavalcanti, 2017). This research's delimitation and scope targeted

small fast-food restaurant managers in the United States' southern region. The participants

stemmed from four small fast-food restaurants. Cross-cultural communication was the central

theme of the literature review, and other critical themes of focus were cross-cultural

communication, communication, employee engagement, and fast-food restaurants.

Significance of the Study

The results of this research could help organizational managers understand and develop

strategies for fast-food restaurant managers to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. Restaurants are vital to strengthening communities and restoring economic

structure (Dorobanțu & Dumitrescu, 2018). This study's possible social benefit is that thriving

restaurants are essential to strengthening communities' commercial and economic structures.

Contribution to Business Practice

Business managers of small fast-food restaurants could benefit from this study by

understanding successful strategies that improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. A business that facilitates leadership support of cross‐cultural engagement can

improve productivity and profitability (Kolodinsky et al., 2018). Therefore, by managers offering

information on cross-cultural communication strategies, small fast-food restaurants may improve

employee engagement and increase productivity, leading to increased profits (Kolodinsky et al.,

2018). This study's findings are crucial to restaurant managers, understanding and enhancing

employee engagement and increasing productivity. Dempsey and Assi (2018) noted that

connecting cross‐cultural communication to an organization's strategic goals could improve

engaged employees and increase productivity. Therefore, restaurant managers could increase

their business goals and take relevant actions to improve cross-cultural communication to

enhance employee engagement and increase productivity.

Implications for Social Change

Potential implications for positive social change that could arise from this study include

identifying cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee engagement and

increase productivity in the United States’ southern region. In addition, this study may enhance

economic growth and enhance the cross-cultural relationships among a company and community

residents regarding restaurant managers’ efforts to improve cross-cultural communication

strategies. Economic growth is the motivating influence for income levels in all groups and links

between high average income and income equality (Wanga et al., 2018).

A Review of the Professional and Academic Literature

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the cross-cultural

communication strategies that some managers of small fast-food restaurant managers use to

improve employee engagement and increase productivity. The overreaching research question

was: What cross‐cultural communication strategies do some managers of small fast-food

restaurants use to engage employees and increase productivity? An extensive analysis of sources

relating to Hofstede's six cultural dimensions and cross-cultural communication is a specific core

aspect of this literature review. The leading theory within the cross-cultural communication

literature is Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory that establishes the premise for understanding

cross-cultural communication and organization cultures (Beugelsdijk et al., 2017). According to

Dempsey and Assi (2018), restaurant managers' success in cross-cultural communication can

improve employee engagement. Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory effectively supports

workplace or organization cultures (Borisova et al., 2017; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Hofstede's

seminal works and input have over 40,000 citations and 25 most cited books in social sciences

(Beugelsdijk et al., 2017; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). Applying Hofstede's theory could help

answer the overreaching research question.

This research study was conducted to address the lack of employee engagement and the

effects of productivity on U.S. employees. Fewer employees are engaged and productive in their

job leading to less creativity, less inclination to share critical knowledge with peers, and less

profitability for businesses (Eldor, 2017; Rastogi et al., 2018). Shuck et al. (2016, 2017) argued

that U. S. businesses face an employee engagement crisis, and managers can be significant in

solving the problem by executing cross-cultural communication strategies. This literature review

includes a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature related to Hofstede's theory and cross-

cultural communication strategies.

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory could be used to address small fast-food managers'

strategies to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Hofstede's theory

constraints can be used to understand broad cultural and cross-cultural communication

differences within a business (Minkov, 2018). Managers must know the importance of cross-

cultural communication and its strategies to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity within their business culture (Dempsey & Assi, 2018; Dung et al., 2019;

Rutishauser & Sender, 2019). Exploring the effects cross-cultural communication strategies have

on employee engagement and productivity through the lens of Hofstede's theory could resolve

the business problem of employee engagement and lack of productivity (Minkov, 2018; Shuck et

al., 2016, 2017). The following topics within the literature review section include syntheses and

summaries of specific themes.

Literature Review Organization and Strategy

The analysis from this literature review section consists of relevant studies relating to

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory. The literature review begins with a detailed overview of

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, related and contrasting theories, cross-cultural

communication and communication, cross-cultural communication relations and effectiveness,

performance, employee engagement, and fast-food restaurants. The databases I used through the

Walden University library in this study included: ProQuest Central, PsycINFO, Education

Source, Communication & Mass Media Complete, Social Sciences Citation Index, Supplemental

Index, Complementary Index, Directory of Open Access Journals, and Academic Search

Complete databases.

Keywords and phrases used to search included professional development and managers,

business culture or corporate culture, personality and leaders, individual personality, national

characteristic or personality trait or cultural characteristic, cross-cultural communication

effectiveness, and direct and indirect communication. Additional keywords and phrases included

stereotyping, ethnocentrism and cross-cultural communication, parochialism, communication

workplace, barriers to cross-cultural communication, cultural studies and communication, cross-

cultural communication and cross-cultural differences and cross-cultural studies, cross-cultural

communication, fast-food restaurants, and productivity. The review contains citations from 54

peer–reviewed articles and six books published between 2017 and 2021. The literature review

sources include 60 references, and 90% of the sources were from peer–reviewed articles

published within 5 years of my expected commencement. However, the final 10% are books and

peer-reviewed articles published earlier than 2017. Table 1displays additional details of the

sources used in the literature review.

Table 1

Literature Review Sources

Sources Older than 5 years 2017 or later Total

Books 4 2 6

Peer-reviewed articles 2 52 54

Total 6 54 60

Percentage of total 10% 90% 100%

Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory was used for this study–to–study cross-cultural

communication strategies that some small fast-food restaurants use to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity. Hofstede conducted the first large–scale study using data

from the IBM corporation (Lo et al., 2017). In 1980, Hofstede developed cultural dimensions

theory. Researchers from various disciplines have used this theory to understand links relating to

people's messages and dominant cultural values (Cho & Kim, 2017). The Hofstede theory is

crucial for a theorist to understand a work culture (Borisova et al., 2017). Compared to other

cross-cultural theories, Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory is the primary source over other

cross-cultural theories because of its impact on culture and how it shapes human activities in a

workplace (Borisova et al., 2017; Gibson & Sullivan, 2018; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). As a

result, managers use this theory to implement proper cross‐cultural communication strategies

(Borisova et al., 2017). The study findings could help discover cross-cultural communication

strategies that some managers of small fast-food restaurants use to engage employees and

increase productivity because of Hofstede's theory.

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory plays an essential role in understanding cultural

differences and individuals' different values. The purpose of Hofstede's theory is for persons to

understand the cultural differences, understand business cultural differences, and determine and

discover the different (i.e., six) dimensions in cultures (Lu et al., 2018). Cross-cultural

communication scholars have used Hofstede's cross-cultural communication theory to

understand how to discern personalities and those differences in people’s perceptions that

influence employees' interpersonal and cross-cultural communication approach (Lu et al., 2018).

Managers applying the elements and approaches of Hofstede's theory within their organization

could identify cultural distinctions based on Hofstede's theory's six specific dimensions (Lu et

al., 2018). Managers initiate a set of values like normative and compatible values when

businesses implement Hofstede's theory (Eisend et al., 2016; Hwang et al., 2019). However,

applying normative beliefs and compatible values leads to favorable outcomes like increased

employee engagement and increased profits (Eisend et al., 2016; Hwang et al., 2019). Therefore,

Hofstede's theory and framework help businesses establish a cross-cultural communication

culture within their work culture (Eisend et al., 2016; Hwang et al., 2019). Furthermore,

Hofstede's theory has a reputation for understanding cultural differences and restaurant

managers' values that help codify culture.

Hofstede's theory initially had to codify culture before it could evolve as a complete

theory. Based on Borisova et al. (2017), Hofstede's theory developed into a complete theory and

then started the venture to codify culture. For example, Hofstede originated the first four

dimensions of Hofstede's cross-cultural theory and initiated codifying culture and understanding

cross-cultural communication differences within organizations (Borisova et al., 2017; Lo et al.,

2017). The four original dimensions of Hofstede's theory are (a) power distance, (b) uncertainty

avoidance, (c) individualism–collectivism, and (d) masculinity–femininity (Borisova et al., 2017;

Lo et al., 2017; Vasile & Nicolescu, 2016). Hofstede went on to add and expand two dimensions

to the original theory, such as indulgence–restraint, which is often favored by cultural

researchers (Farivar et al., 2016; Lo et al., 2017). Indulgence–restraint culture explains the scope

of individuals trying to control their desires and impulses related to childhood nurturing

experiences (Hofstede et al., 2010). The indulgence dimension is used to measure the level of

authoritarian or fostering of work culture. In contrast to restraint, a culture believes a conviction

of satisfaction needs controlling and suppression with strict norms and rules (Hofstede et al.,

2010; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). For example, an indulgent culture explains freedom of speech

as essential, but a restraint culture suggests that freedom of speech is not a primary concern.

Restraint use to represent a culture that follows the rules and norms.

According to Farivar et al. (2016), to appreciate and understand the multidimensional

phenomena of cross-culture communication that functions on six spectrums or dimensions,

cultural researchers must examine through the lens of cross-cultural communication theory.

Hofstede suggested the core proportions of a cultural value system relate to how a culture

systematically identifies along Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions (Borisova et al., 2017). A

synopsis of each six dimensions of Hofstede's theory is within the following section.

Power Distance Dimension

The first dimension of Hofstede's theory is power distance culture and how the use of the

power distance dimension attempts to help managers explore the inequality of power distribution

with the least powerful or to create solutions to address the inequality among various members of

the organization (Borisova et al., 2017; Solmazer et al., 2016). Mulder, a Dutch researcher, and

an experimental social psychologist, coined the term and spoke about power distance theory

relating to societal, cultural differences and how employees behave in power distance situations

(Mulder et al., 1973). The Mulder power theory claims power distance reduction tendencies

personify the relationship between an employee and a manager, and the theory gave specific

people different power relations (Hofstede et al., 2010; Mulder et al., 1973). In 1980, Hofstede

amended the concept and term to provide an understanding of the differences between national

societies or people's attitudes toward disparities and hierarchy in their own culture (Cho & Kim,

2017). Therefore, power distance is Hofstede's first dimension of the theory, and the design of

this dimension is to resolve the disparity among employees within the organizational culture.

There are various ways to measure culture using the power distance dimension. In most

cultures, the opposition of two extremes is somewhere between low or high–power distance (Cho

& Kim, 2017). Cho and Kim (2017) stated that psychological, mental power leans toward high

context cultures or self–focused and low context, and mental power tends to focus more on

others or people. Business employees from countries like China score high in power distance.

China scored 80 of 100, and a high–power distance culture conforms easily to specific

authoritative style managers (Cho & Kim, 2017; Ferraro & Briody, 2017; Enkh-Amgalan, 2016).

However, low power distance employees can be found in the United States that scored a 40, and

the Australians a 36 from a possible 100 showing the U.S. exhibits an unequal culture similar to

Australia (Cho & Kim, 2017; Ferraro & Briody, 2017; Enkh-Amgalan, 2016). Low power

distance employees can adapt quickly to a village–oriented business culture (Cho & Kim, 2017).

The distinction between high and low power distance could help managers understand

employees' subjective views on inequality and equality based on those dissenting authorities of

power.

However, a power distance culture consists of a hierarchical society or a democratic

society. The power distance dimension conveys how much power distance exists between

individual relationships or employees' and employers' relationships (Hofstede, 2011). Table 2

lists the differences between small and large power distance societies or cultures associated with

Hofstede's power distance dimension.

Table 2

Nine Differences Between Small and Large Power Distance

Small Power Distance Large Power Distance

Use of power should be legitimate and is

subject to criteria of good and evil

Power is a basic fact of society antedating

good or evil: Its legitimacy is irrelevant

Parents [manager] treat children as equals Parents teach children obedience

Older people are neither respected nor

feared

Older people are both respected and

feared

Student–centered education Teacher–centered education

Hierarchy means inequality of roles,

established for convenience

Hierarchy means existential inequality

Subordinates expect to be consulted Subordinates expect to be told what to do

Pluralist governments based on majority

vote and changed peacefully

Autocratic governments based on co–

optation and changed by revolution

Corruption rare; scandals end political

careers

Corruption frequent; scandals are covered

Income distribution in society rather even Income distribution in society very

"uneven"

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

There are several possible contributing factors to a power distance culture. A power

distance culture represents the relationship between a manager and their employees and how

managers can identify a power distance culture (Ferraro & Briody, 2017; Mulder et al., 1973).

The two extremes are low–power and high–power distance cultures; with high–power distance,

culture easily conform, but in low–power distance, adapts easily (Cho & Kim, 2017; Enkh-

Amgalan, 2016; Ferraro & Briody, 2017). Hofstede's power distance dimension–constraint is

crucial to exploring cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee engagement

and increase productivity.

Uncertainty Avoidance Dimension

The second cultural dimension is uncertainty avoidance culture, and an uncertainty

avoidance culture focuses on questions of the unknown that relate to the future. The uncertainty

avoidance dimension is the degree of a cultured member who feels threatened by unknown

situations. Uncertainty avoidance is about cultural members or employees feeling threatened by

unknown situations (Hofstede et al., 2010; Kwon, 2019; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). For

example, uncertainty avoidance dimensions cultures impact individuals' decision behaviors and

patterns because of their feelings (Gilboa et al., 2020). The uncertainty avoidance dimension

describes two extremes concerning different national cultures: (a) uncertainty avoidance culture–

society or (b) uncertainty accepting culture–society (Cho & Kim, 2017). For example, an

uncertainty avoidance culture is a stressful worried type of society because an uncertainty

avoidance culture tries to minimize risk and change.

However, in an uncertainty–accepting society, culture has lower levels of anxiety and less

stress. Bere and Rambe (2016) and Gan and Balakrishnan (2014) applied Hofstede's cultural

dimension of uncertainty avoidance using mobile wireless technology in a higher education

setting or a professor lecturing. For example, the professor discovered uncertainty avoidance

attributes and how uncertainty avoidance is linked to dependency and misused students during

the learning exchange. Managers can learn from this illustration because the occurrence is an

example of how the uncertainty avoidance dimension behaves when using smartphones in a

culture. The behavior exhibited showed that embracing each other's unfamiliar beliefs could

cause limited relationships between cultures (Bere & Rambe, 2016; Gan & Balakrishnan, 2014).

The cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance deals with the unknown future or the fear of the

unknown and the two ways to measure uncertainty avoidance cultures.

A significantly too high uncertainty avoidance tends to emphasize local terminology

rather than perfect translation but approaches uncertainty avoidance in a manner that leads to

better results within business cultures (Cho & Kim, 2017). The uncertainty avoidance dimension

currently experienced minimum efforts from survey scores triggering business areas like

marketing, advertising, and customer behavior (Minkov & Hofstede, 2014). According to

Minkov (2018), the expectation uncertainty avoidance is better associated with the importance of

job security but less with interpersonal trust. The national–level measured anxiety levels high

and positively correlated with the ideology that all laws must strictly follow (Minkov, 2018;

Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). One key characteristic of high uncertainty avoidance is their careful

process of changes taking them step by step to implementing rules and regulations, and Cultures

with low uncertainty avoidance are comfortable with changeable environments with fewer rules

(Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). Table 3 consists of 10 differences between weak uncertainty

avoidance and strong uncertainty avoidance.

Table 3

Ten Differences Between Weak and Strong Uncertainty Avoidance

Weak uncertainty avoidance Strong uncertainty avoidance

Minimize change-risk (accepting culture) Accept change-risk (avoidance culture)

Go with the flow Control Future

Ease, lower stress, self–control, low

anxiety

Higher stress, emotionality, anxiety,

neuroticism

Tolerance of deviant persons and ideas:

what is different is curious

Intolerance of deviant persons and ideas:

what is different is dangerous

Changing jobs, no problem Staying in jobs even if disliked

Dislike of rules–written or unwritten Emotional need for rules–even if not

obeyed

In politics, citizens feel and are seen as

competent towards authorities

Competent towards authorities

In politics, citizens feel and are seen as

incompetent towards authorities

Teachers may say, 'I don't know.' Teachers supposed to have all the answers

In religion, philosophy, and science:

relativism and empiricism

In religion, philosophy, and science: Belief

in ultimate truths and grand theories

Higher scores on subjective health and

well–being

Lower scores on subjective health and

well–being

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

Minkov and Hofstede emphasized and confirmed that the uncertainty avoidance

dimension could be a motivating factor for researchers from business administration and

business management to invest and expanded studies around uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede et

al., 2010; Hofstede, 2011). The only way researchers could improve uncertainty avoidance is to

provide knowledge that could help direct managers to apply uncertainty avoidance appropriately

within a business culture and expect the improvement of cross-culture communication (Alipour,

2019; Bere & Rambe, 2016; Hofstede et al., 2010; Zaman, & Abbasi, 2020). Therefore,

uncertainty avoidance dimensions should become a motivating factor for business researchers

can improve managers' understanding of their business culture.

Individualism Versus Collectivism Dimensions

Hofstede's third cultural dimension is individualism versus collectivism, and this

dimension is cultures that relate to how individuals define themselves with employees or people

being a common typology in cross–cultural psychology (Farivar et al., 2016). The constraint of

individualism versus collectivism style culture can reflect the sorting and arrangement of groups

within the same group, and individualism–style cultures are self–centered, focusing on their self-

image (Borisova et al., 2017; Farivar et al., 2016; Solmazer et al., 2016). Some examples of

identifying a collectivist culture are recognizing values, training programs, excellent skills, and

exemplifying authentic harmonies of family relationships like Korea, which scored 18/100

(Chakraborty, 2017; Hsieh, 2015). However, individualistic cultures like the United States

scored 80/100 on being self–pursuing, and each person focused on their own identity and

inclined to their independence from other individuals (Chakraborty, 2017; Hsieh, 2015).

Therefore, individualism versus collectivism is two different cultural extremes of how

individuals define themselves within a work culture.

Understanding masculinity versus femininity cultures is a fundamental approach to

culture because it can distinguish and understand independent or dependent viewpoints.

However, the distinctions between masculinity and femininity cultures are regularly confused

with the distinction between individualism and collectivism (Hofstede et al., 2010). Based on

Hofstede et al. (2010), masculinity–femininity and individualism–collectivism is not the same

because individualism–collectivism distinctions are I and we, with one having independence

within–groups versus a culture having dependence within-groups or in–groups (Hofstede et al.,

2010). Based on Hofstede et al. (2010), an example of femininity but not collectivist values are

the Good Samaritan story taken from the Bible, which helps someone in need from a diverse

ethnic group cultural feminist but not values of a collectivist. Table 4 consists of six distinctions

of individualism–collectivism associated with Hofstede's theory.

Table 4

Six Differences Between Collectivist and Individualist

Individualism Collectivism

Everyone is supposed to take care of

themselves and their immediate family only

People are born into extended families or clans

which protect them in exchange for loyalty

"I" —consciousness "We" —consciousness

Right of privacy Stress on belonging

Speaking one's mind is healthy Harmony should always be maintained

Others classified as individuals Others classified as in–group or out-group

Personal opinion expected: One person one

vote

Opinions and votes predetermined by in–group

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

Understanding an individualistic versus collectivist culture may improve employee

engagement so managers can implement cross-cultural communication strategies. Individualism

and collectivist culture are extreme opposite or referred to by cultural scholars regarding the I

and we dimensions. (Borisova et al., 2017; Hofstede et al., 2010; Hsieh, 2015). For example,

individualism is an I culture because the focus is self–achievement, and collectivist culture is

about we or characteristics like values and training programs (Chakraborty, 2017; Hofstede et al.,

2010; Hsieh, 2015). Managers of businesses that implemented cross-cultural communication

strategies and employed the phase of continuous improvement to empower employee

engagement and increase productivity will experience a culture desiring to learn when applying

this Hofstede's construct (Binder, 2019; Farivar et al., 2016; Minkov, 2018). Individualistic and

collectivist cultures must improve employee engagement and manage a cross-cultural

communication strategy for small fast-food restaurants.

Masculinity versus femininity dimensions

The masculinity versus femininity reflects how genders respond and react based on

gender distinction or between masculinity or femininity cultures. Hofstede's fourth cultural

dimension is masculinity–femininity. Hofstede's fourth dimension does not have anything to do

with gender but the characteristics of each gender. Table 5 consists of Hofstede's list of the

differences between Hofstede's theory's feminine and masculine social cultures (Hofstede, 2011;

Hofstede et al., 2010). Based on Hofstede et al. (2010), an example of femininity but not

collectivist values are the good Samaritan story taken from the Bible, which helps someone in

need from a diverse ethnic group, illustrates a cultural feminist, not the values of a collectivist.

Hofstede's fourth dimension has to do with the range and scope of how society emphasizes

achievement or nurture. Chakraborty (2017) and Hsieh (2015) regarded the dimension of

masculinity versus femininity as gender roles in culture. Masculine society values principles like

being successful, competitive, and imposing aggressive behavior (Borisova et al., 2017; Farivar

et al., 2016; Hofstede et al., 2010; Solmazer et al., 2016). However, feminine society–cultures

respond to characteristics like caring, relationships in their environment, and quality of life.

Table 5

Five Differences Between Feminine and Masculine Cultures

Feminine Masculine

Relationship-oriented Ego oriented

Balance between family and work Work prevails over family

Cooperative Competitive

Success Quality of life

Enjoy work Need to be the best

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

In this section, I analyzed and outlined how Hofstede's fourth cultural dimension,

masculinity versus femininity, is a generalization of certain character traits not associated with

gender and how the masculinity versus femininity dimension differentiates values relating to

business culture (Degens et al., 2017; Hofstede et al., 2010; Lu et al., 2018; Minkov, 2018).

According to Hofstede et al. (2010), Japanese culture is highly masculine, and the reason is that

Japanese culture requires everyone's success. Cultures considered masculine as a zero gender

gap, but a feminine culture and genders are dissimilar (Hofstede et al., 2010; Lu et al., 2018;

Minkov, 2018). According to Minkov (2018), the related gender differences of individualism and

collectivism links to the idea that freedom is greater within an individualistic culture. Minkov

suggested that managers understanding the masculinity–femininity dimension of culture could

help cross-cultural communication strategies improve employee engagement and increase

productivity.

Short-Term Versus Long-Term Orientation and Indulgence Versus Restraint Dimensions

The last two dimensions of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory are short-term versus

long-term orientation and indulgence versus restraint, linking expression and passion. In

Hofstede's final two cultural dimensions, short–term versus long–term orientation and

indulgence versus restraint, each expresses individuals' passion (Farivar et al., 2016; Solmazer et

al., 2016). The motive for adding short–term versus long–term orientation cultural dimension is

to discern the different thinking between the Eastern and Western worlds, and the etymology of

short–term and long–term orientation stems from the teaching of Confucian denoted as

Confucian Dynamism (Chakraborty, 2017; Hsieh, 2015; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). According to

Lo et al. (2017), the Chinese culture connection discovered the fifth dimension of culture,

Confucian dynamism, and later renamed short–term orientation and long–term orientation. For

example, Table 6 is Confucian Dynamism contrasting values and how each value represents a

distinctive orientation.

Table 6

Confucian Dynamism Values

Long-term orientation Short-term orientation

Persistence/ perseverance Personal steadiness and stability

Ordering and respecting relationships

by status

Protection of ones' face'

Thrift, saving for investment Respect for tradition

Having a sense of shame, concern

with self–image

Reciprocity of greetings, gifts, [favors]

Note. Adapted from Cross-cultural communication: Theory and practice. by Hurn, B., &

Short–term versus long–term orientation is one of Hofstede's six dimensions for

understanding culture. The way Hofstede distinguishes short–term versus long–term orientation

as a short-term orientation society is a culture that expects and desires rapid feedback from

decision-making areas like quick profits, job evaluations, and employee promotions (Hofstede et

al., 2010; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). According to Hurn and

Tormalin (2013), Hofstede's view of long–term orientation focused on long–term goals and the

outlook on setting those long–term goals. For example, the world is in flux, and people always

need to prepare for the future. Hofstede's theory dimensions predict life's philosophies, strong

creeds, and education achievement (Hofstede et al., 2010; Hofstede, 2011). Short–term versus

long–term orientation places one's efforts on a now or later approach. For example, cultural

research refers to the short–term dimension as normative and the long–term as pragmatic

(Hofstede et al., 2010; Hofstede, 2011; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). As shown in Table 7, the

listing of contrasting differences between short–term versus long–term orientation cultures and

Table 7 magnifies the motivation behind the interchangeable terms for each dimension.

Table 7

Seven Differences in Short-Term Versus Long-Term Orientation

Long-term orientation Short-term orientation

Stability Immediate

Durability Temporary

Save money Spend money

Most important events in life will occur in

the future

Most important events in life occurred in

the past or take place now

A good person adapts to the circumstances Personal steadiness and stability: A good

person is always the same

Family life guided by imperatives Family life guided by shared tasks

Trying to learn from other countries Supposed to be proud of one's country

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

Hofstede's final cultural dimension is indulgence versus restraint. The argument of

indulgence versus restraint dimension culture has a high indulgence rate that freely fulfills the

essential needs and aspirations (Hofstede et al., 2010; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Alternatively,

Hofstede defined restraint culture as less happy, but they love following strict social behavior

norms (Minkov, 2018). The suppression of their desires and ambitions that regulate and curve

their action's freedom is a restraint culture (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Minkov, 2018). As shown

in Table 8, the five contrasting differences between indulgence versus restraint cultures related to

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory.

Table 8

Five Differences Between Indulgence Versus Restraint Cultures

Indulgence Restraint

More likely to remember positive

emotions

Less likely to remember positive emotions

Maintaining order in the nation is not

given a high priority

Higher number of police officers per

100,000 population

Higher percentage of people declaring

themselves very happy

Fewer very happy people

Leisure time Work

Release desires Control desires

Note. Adapted from Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind (3rd.ed.), by H., G.,

Restraint culture seeks to answer the question of employees expressing feelings. The

underlining question for a restraint culture is how much an employee can express feelings? An

example of indulgence versus restraint cultures are countries like Japan and the United States

(Hofstede et al., 2010; Hofstede, 2011). Japan is a restrained culture because the ruling class and

culture dictate and control the ordinary people's desires, but in the United States, people's desires

and aspirations are permissible (Hofstede, 2011; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). For example, people

from the United States can speak and think their true genuine feelings at any time, unlike Japan.

Hofstede's cultural dimension theory (1980) was the theoretical framework for this study,

and Hofstede's theory consists of six dimensions that managers could use to effect cross-cultural

communication and cross-cultural communication strategies. The six dimensions are (a) power

distance, (b) uncertainty avoidance, (c) individualism–collectivism, (d) masculinity–femininity,

(e) short–term and long–term orientation, and (f) indulgence–restraint (Ha, 2020; Hofstede et al.,

2010; Jakučionytė, 2020; Mohammed & Tejay, 2017). I overviewed each of the six dimensions

within this section to understand the effect of cross-cultural communication strategies that

improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Minkov suggested that managers

using Hofstede's constraints–dimensions could help explore the cross-cultural communication

strategies by understanding business culture's norms within a diverse work environment. In the

following section, I discussed related and contrasting theories of the topic of cross-cultural

communication.

Related and Contrasting Theories

There are several relating and contrasting theories to choose from, but Hofstede's cultural

dimension theory fulfills this study's desired framework. Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory

relating to cultural differences or cross-cultural communication is the most used in cultural

researchers (Beugelsdijk et al., 2017; Hofstede et al., 2010). Based on past cultural theorists

adopting Hofstede's theory, this research is employed and implemented as the theoretical basis

for this study. Cross-cultural communication strategies communicate effectively across different

cultures and cultures within a culture (Jakučionytė, 2020). Implementing and applying cross-

cultural communication strategies within an organization create a medium or a common ground

for understanding (Jakučionytė, 2020). For example, organizational leaders and managers should

know how to maintain open communication lines within a cross-cultural workplace environment.

Cross-cultural communication consists of many elements and aligns with several theories and

conceptual frameworks (Jakučionytė, 2020). Therefore, I chose Hofstede's theory to explore

managers' strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. The three contrasting

theories, transformational leadership theory, anxiety/uncertainty management theory, and

attribution theory, are the alternative theories discussed in this section.

Transformational Leadership Theory

Transformational leadership theory has some characteristics that apply to this study. First,

it focuses on transforming others in the context of the relationship between managers and

employees as followers, whether individually or collectively (Esmi et al., 2017; Jackson, 2017;

Kwan, 2020). I contemplated but did not select the transformational leadership theory by Burns

(1978) and Bass (1985) based on several factors. First, transformational leadership is about

managers and leaders who focus on transforming people to respect everyone within their

organization (Kwan, 2020). Second, Bass identified the theory and characteristics by four

components or expressed the letter “I” (Kwan, 2020). The four components expressed by the

transformational theory are (a) idealized influence, (b) inspirational motivation, (c) intellectual

stimulation, and (d) individualized consideration (Kwan, 2020). However, business researchers

and businesses used transformational leadership and transformational leadership theory to

substantiate the various developmental aspects of managers in an organization (Jackson, 2017).

Therefore, transformational leadership theory did not address cross-cultural communication

strategies within the organization's culture, and because of this lack of focus on cross-cultural

communication, I did not choose this theory for the conceptual framework.

Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory

The second alternate theory considered but not use for this study is anxiety/uncertainty

management theory (AUM). Gudykunst theorized that AUM theory generally underlines

communication between people from different cultures and individuals of the same cultures

whom Gudykunst coined as strangers (Lund & Walston, 2020; MacIntyre, 2019; Neuliep, 2012).

Anxiety/uncertainty management theory originated in 1990, but Shannon's 1948 information

theory inspired Gudykunst's and the AUM theory (Chen, 2020; Lund & Walston, 2020;

MacIntyre, 2019; Neuliep, 2012). According to Neuliep (2012) and Lund and Walston (2020),

AUM theory is a cross-cultural and intercultural communication theory that focuses on

uncertainty and anxiety reduction to uncertainty and anxiety management. However, intercultural

encounters will reduce uncertainty (Lund & Walston, 2020). Business managers can employ

effective communication to manage anxiety levels and correctly perceive their employees'

attitudes and actions (Presbitero & Attar, 2018). Anxiety/uncertainty management theory was not

used for this study because it underlines communication between cultures.

AUM theory is limited to interpersonal and intergroup with general constraints. Managers

can use AUM to support effective communication and better understand uncertainty at a

sociocultural level (Chen, 2020; Neuliep, 2012). Chen (2020) suggested a social endeavor of a

sociocultural level that encompasses controversy like the cross-cultural differences among

individuals. Gudykunst (1990) widely used AUM theory as a source for studying interpersonal

and intergroup communication effectiveness. AUM theory includes anxiety and uncertainty

constructs that influence communication effectiveness (Lund & Walston, 2020; Presbitero &

Attar, 2018). Anxiety/uncertainty management theory stipulates that people have minimum and

maximum thresholds or boundaries for uncertainty and anxiety (MacIntyre, 2019).

Communication effectiveness is compromised when the thresholds are above maximum and

below minimum because effective communication can only happen within the minimum and

maximum thresholds (MacIntyre, 2019; Neuliep, 2012). The maximum level threshold is the

highest amount of uncertainty or anxiety one can experience and still believe they can predict a

stranger's traits and maintain comfort communicating (MacIntyre, 2019). The minimum

threshold of uncertainty or anxiety is the lowest, which relates to the behavior before the

maximum levels' threshold (MacIntyre, 2019). For example, the minimum uncertainty threshold

or anxiety experiences a lack of motivation, unlike the maximum levels of uncertainty or anxiety

experienced (MacIntyre, 2019; Neuliep, 2012). The general constraints are the minimum and

maximum thresholds to how managers manage effective communication.

There are various strategies for managing cross-cultural communication within

organizations to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Managers must

manage effective communication because anxiety and uncertainty may happen during a cross-

cultural dialogue (MacIntyre, 2019). The communicative strategies managers use for the

reduction and management of uncertainty vary across cultural lines. For example, low and high-

context cultures and individualistic–collectivistic cultures seek to find some of the better ways to

reduce and manage uncertainty demonstrated in earlier research (Neuliep, 2012). I did not select

anxiety/uncertainty management theory because AUM theory underlines the communication

process between people from different cultures and individuals of the same cultures but is more

relevant to reducing or reducing uncertainty (Lund & Walston, 2020). Consequently, the AUM

theory is not relevant to support the cross-cultural communication strategies within organizations

to improve employee engagement and increase productivity.

Attribution Theory

The third alternate theory considered but not use for this study is attribution theory.

Heider theorized that attribution theory seeks to understand how individuals make causal

explanations or how they analyze and respond to others' behaviors (Lowery & Burrow, 2019;

Méndez López, 2020; Ruybal & Siegel, 2019). Attribution theory originated from the 1958

seminal works of Heider but was expanded by Weiner in 1980, focusing on helping behavior,

and Weiner offered an attribution–emotion–action model of concern–caring (Méndez López,

2020; Ruybal & Siegel, 2019). The diversity of businesses entails different cultures, emotions,

and stereotypes, but each aspect relies on others' views to interpret a response (Mahboobi et al.,

2018; Teece, 2018). The concern relating to attribution theory is people's explanation of their

how and why or make sense of the empirical of someone's actions, behaviors, and decisions

(Martinko, 2018; Méndez López, 2020). The attribution theory was not selected for this study's

framework because it focused on how individuals analyze and respond to others.

Understanding cross-cultural communication and the strategy of cross-cultural

communication requires more than people's behaviors and actions. Using attribution theory as a

framework, communication researchers want to understand better the meaning of people's

behaviors and specific actions (Heider, 1958; Martinko, 2018). Individuals tend to have a general

viewpoint of people's behavior or a naïve psychology explaining an individual's personality traits

(Martinko, 2018). Heider (1958) explained that attribution is a process of information used to

infer the cause of a behavior, event, and decision. Heider's (1958) theory has two attributions or

types: Internal attribution and external or explanatory attribution (Heider, 1958; Martinko, 2018).

Based on Heider (1958) and Lowery and Burrow (2019), internal attributions (IA) are an internal

perception of other individuals, and external attributions (EA) relate to the actor's environment

explaining their actions. Attribution theory is proven to be functional within various industries

and fields like psychology and the criminal justice context (Lowery & Burrow, 2019). However,

the mindset of external attributions actors eventually stereotypes–consistent and generalize

others with the same behavior as attribution literature calls the action prior probability (Lowery

& Burrow, 2019). A disadvantage of attribution theory is that it makes stereotypical assumptions

about why events occur (Méndez López, 2020). I did not select the attribution theory because I

wanted to identify managers' strategies to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. However, attribution theory was not selected for this study's framework because the

attribution theory aims to understand how people make causal explanations or better understand

others' meanings and specific actions.

Hofstede's theory is appropriate for exploring cross-cultural communication strategies

that some small fast-food restaurants use to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. However, Jakučionytė suggested using a theory like Hofstede's cross-cultural

communication dimensions to understand better cross‐cultural communication strategies some

managers use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Therefore, managers

could use Hofstede's theory and six dimensions to understand cross‐cultural communication and

cross‐cultural communication strategies.

Communication

Communication is integral and appropriate for understanding the dynamics of any cross-

culture communication strategies within an organization. When managers articulate the need and

relevance for strategies, employees support the initiative (Rosengren, 2000). According to

Vidales (2017), the communication model is an equation with two active components: Listening

equals speaking. For example, a communication exchange happens between two or more

individuals, leading to a vibrant organizational culture (Bhayani, 2017; Bormane & Šķiltere,

2018; Marlow et al., 2017). Communicating transparently about the various aspects and results is

vital to succeeding with cross-culture communication strategies.

Managers are cognizant that inefficient communication and the effectiveness of

intercultural business communication are among the most common challenges of unsuccessful

communication exchanges between workers within a work culture. Managers should meet these

challenges from future employees' perspectives with a global mindset and are culturally

comfortable in an intercultural business communication environment (Ai et al., 2018). Most

miscommunication or inefficient communication within an organizational culture stems from

managers' inability to communicate one–on–one and nonverbal communication with employees

(Josan et al., 2019). Based on Josan et al. (2019), the optimal communication process is from the

employee's perspectives of an excellent or poor listener, compliant to the exchange, obedient to

the individual's meanings, having efficient or inefficient communicating skills. Abayadeera et al.

(2018) contended that managers must intensely involve themselves in the intercultural

communication process with employees to overcome cross-cultural communication challenges or

diverse cultures. For example, managers who exhibit an inadequacy in dealing with the anxiety

and issues within an intercultural or diverse business culture could hamper the communication

effectiveness or communication problem.

Business relevance between managers and employees is an integral part of cross-cultural

communication strategies and reaching cultural goals. Therefore, managers' knowledge of

communication is one critical strategy to successfully implement cross-culture communication

strategies (Zhu & Fu, 2019). Manager's critical strategy is to be conscious of their

communication and communication flow because it could help them focus on crucial attention

areas while communicating (Alcaide-Muñoz et al., 2018; Smallwood, 2020). The organizational

culture experiences a lack of productivity, the suffering of quality, and resentment among

workers when the necessary flow of communication does not occur (Alcaide-Muñoz et al.,

2018). Managers should frequently enhance their cross-culture communication strategies with

their employees because communication is ever–flowing, whether the communication flows

upward to senior management or downward to front–line employees.

Managers are responsible for all training and messages communicated about cross-culture

communication strategies to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. The

theme communicated should always be about implementing strategies during any training

process (Baylor et al., 2019). Baylor suggested that manager refers to cross-culture

communication strategies while developing and training employees. Based on Van den Heuvel et

al. (2016), the outcome of communication creates attributes like short and long–term goals,

camaraderie, and measuring critical success when developing and managing cross-culture

communication strategies. Communication is a skill needed for positive outcomes and training to

enhance confidence, and the skill of communication is at the forefront of organizations (Chater

& Courtenay, 2019). The managers should correlate and entail knowledge and goals to facilitate

any training discussion of the various communication approaches and means to attain employees'

designed goals (Botez, 2018). Managers provide information and training to subside any

potential doubts about the unforeseeable future and gather valuable input (Botez, 2018).

Managers who communicate or communicate about cross-culture communication within their

organization culture could successfully implement and continuously improve cross-culture

communication strategies.

Managers actively communicate the vision and cultural tone while developing and

managing cross-culture communication strategies. The true meaning of the information or

message emerges when individuals develop the capacity to communicate with a high priority

(Pilditch et al., 2020). Botez (2018) reminded employees that communication is the highest

priority for employees to exchange messages easily. The exchange of messages balances

agreements or disagreements and cooperation and consensus (Botez, 2018; Pilditch et al., 2020).

Botez suggested that managers that acknowledge the science of communication could, in return,

help build consensus with employees on the implementation of cross-culture communication

strategies.

Communication styles

Understanding and the awareness of communication styles help managers accurately

perceive a person and learn to adapt to their communication style. For example, managers

recognize any cross-cultural communication style exchange and understand if the conversation

was successful or unsuccessful. Based on Tomalin and Nicks, communication is a process of

exchanging thoughts, information, and instructions between people, and one partner uses a

foreign language (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Kutz, 2012). Communication styles consist of three

dimensions, and Kutz defines and explains these dimensions of communication.

According to Kutz (2012), communication has three different styles and different

meanings for each style. For example, the three dimensions of communication styles are (a)

verbal, (b) nonverbal, and (c) paraverbal communication (Kutz, 2012). Based on Kutz (2012)

and Predoiu et al. (2019), verbal communication is the face–to–face communication, and it is the

interaction between two people. Nonverbal communication is interpersonal and parallels with

verbal communication that cross-cultural conversations rely on to communicate. For example,

body language and eye contact between two people form nonverbal communication during a

face–to–face exchange or conversation. Paraverbal communication relates to voice tone and how

fast a person speaks volumes (Kutz, 2012). Those three different communication styles are what

individuals need to communicate, and the three communication styles are verbal, nonverbal, and

paraverbal communication.

Direct and indirect communication are aspects of dimensions to communication styles

(Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Tomalin and Nicks established a framework to understand the critical

distinguishing aspects and extremes of communication, and the two aspects and extremes are

direct and indirect communication (Arroyo et al., 2017, 2020; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Based

on Hurn and Tormalin (2013), the direct communicator projects their message to be direct and

speak their mind without editing them to fit the receiver or reader. For example, direct–style

communication is verbal communication used to influence others they encounter and

communicate daily (Arroyo et al., 2017, 2020). The second extreme is an indirect communicator

who bases their concern on protecting a person's dignity, and their primary concern is to avoid

being offensive to anyone (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). For example, indirect communication style

behavior is empirically noticeable and beneficial during a conversation or exchange (Arroyo et

al., 2017, 2020). However, managers should understand direct and indirect communication and

the difference between verbal and nonverbal exchanges to avoid offending and insulting.

Managers' method to understand the communication framework that distinguishes an

individual’s communication style helps recognize and understand a direct and indirect

conversation. The practice of indirect communication style in organizations supports self–styled

leadership and process time during an exchange between a manager and employee (Vatankhah &

Vatankhah, 2017). Hänninen and Karjaluoto (2017) argued that employees' perception of their

administrators' value dictates employee loyalty to an organization, but the perception prefers

behavior to be indirect and direct. Familiarity is a normal process with an indirect communicator

exchanging their role as direct communicators (Xiaowen & Xiaohui, 2017). Based on Xiaowen

and Xiaohui (2017), when the average level of interactions occurs between cultures, and if the

methods are orthodox and familiar, the average level of interactions can affect the company's

communication culture.

Communication styles are a fundamental function of cross-cultural communication

strategies and continuous improvement in organizational culture. According to Tripathy (2018),

communication is a skill most companies view as an expensive asset. There are a smaller number

of risk factors, such as reducing communication flaws with the manager speaking with

confidence and clarity (Tripathy, 2018). The diversity within the human resource of business

today commands the attention of communication style (Tripathy, 2018). Diverse styles are

critical to connecting and communicating with internal and external organizations (Ramlan et al.,

2020; Tripathy, 2018). Usunier (2019) stated two impacts of interpersonal communication styles,

and Usunier suggested that managers learning these styles will increase employee productivity.

The styles are negation style and tough and soft strategies (Usunier, 2019). Ramlan et al.

suggested that managers seeking impact with internal culture negotiation derivative apply these

styles because employee culture is more than an obstacle.

Negation style

Businesses and managers are continually in negotiation with the social relations of their

employees. Negotiation is not a universal term about a legal and business matter like contractual

arrangements but the quality of individuals and social relations (Usunier, 2019). One of

intercultural business negotiations' critical areas is relationship–oriented cooperation and

building a productive working culture (Putri, 2018; Usunier, 2019). Usunier (2019) concluded

that managers employing a negation style within an organization comprehensively support their

employees. Cultural complexity managers can communicate and understand cultural complexity

in a granular stage (Usunier, 2019). Based on Ramlan et al. (2020), U.S. businesses are

individualistic compared to China, which is low in uncertainty avoidance, and their

communication style is indirect, where U.S. businesses are direct. Usunier suggested that

understanding the impact of a negation style of communication will help managers properly

negotiate their direct and indirect approaches with their internal work culture at the right time.

Tough and Soft Strategies

Tough and soft strategies are ways to communicate a cross-cultural communication

strategy to engage employees and increase productivity. Tough and soft strategies impact a

sophisticated communication style of negotiation with intercultural and cross-cultural employees

(Usunier, 2019). Based on Usunier (2019), this strategy has to do with managers potentially

faced with tough and soft strategies or intercultural conversations, and internal business

negotiations are challenging. For example, the strategy was being an indirect communicator that

cautious offending and protecting dignity. Managers must be aware of uncomfortable and

inappropriate situations (Ramlan et al., 2020; Usunier, 2019). Furthermore, managers'

communication style is soft, diplomatic, humble, and unaggressive (Usunier, 2019). The internal

impact may affect the cross-cultural communication strategies that enhance employee

engagement and increase productivity when managers apply these two styles of negation style

and tough and soft strategies.

Cross-Cultural Communication

Cross-cultural communication research is a recent research field but derived from various

disciplines because of changes demographically. Cross-cultural communication research first

came on the scene in the United States after the Second World War (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013).

Hall, an anthropologist, was a charter member established for people going overseas, the training

from Foreign Service Institution (Allen, 2017; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Leeds-Hurwitz, 1990).

Members of the Foreign Service Institution were from various disciplines like linguistics,

anthropology, and psychology (Allen, 2017; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Cross-cultural

communication researchers borrowed theories from those diverse fields that were members of

the Foreign Service Institution. The interdisciplinary perspectives explain communication

phenomena because communication deals with verbal and nonverbal messages, cultures, and

contexts (Allen, 2017; Leeds-Hurwitz, 1990). Cross-cultural communication intertwines with

concepts, ideas, theories, and scholarship topics like cultural studies and cultural diversities, but

the manager’s fundamental goal is to help appreciate the relationship between culture and

communication (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Nguyen-Phuong-Mai, 2020). The United States, after

the Second World War, understood the change of demographics, and they established the

Foreign Service Institution to train a diverse group of cultures and individuals from various fields

of studies.

There are two components of the discipline of cross-cultural communication that alters

beliefs. According to Allen (2017), two primary components of cross-cultural communication

that alter beliefs are culture and communication; and cultural researchers suggested two

fundamental components and stages of cross-cultural communication. The first stage for

researchers to understand is cross-cultural communication and explaining crucial components of

culture and communication. Based on Conway (2017), businesses and employees today work in

a globalized age called globalization. Scholars in cultural studies are loquacious and motivated

about the intriguing topic of culture and communication or cross-cultural communication. The

use and aspiration of Hofstede’s framework in international and cross-cultural businesses in the

United States are increasing among cross-cultural communication scholars and managers

because of cross–cultural settings within the last decades (Beugelsdijk et al., 2017; Nguyen-

Phuong-Mai, 2020). The two components of cross-cultural communication that alter beliefs are

culture and communication, and these components stem from globalization.

What is culture, and what is the function of culture? Hofstede defines culture as a

collective programming of minds to differentiate one group from another (Beugelsdijk et al.,

2017; Hofstede et al., 2010). However, Hofstede shared an empathetic view about the various

societies' communities and how people valued those empathetic views (Richter et al., 2016).

Hofstede’s view of culture and national cultures relates closely with the concepts of informal

institutions that are intellectual but focused on social values identified through the behaviors of

individuals who learned social interactions from communities and their childhood upbringing

(Richter et al., 2016). However, Beugelsdijk et al. (2017) described culture as the motivator of

interaction, mutual understanding of the distinct groups, defining and gauging social norms and

expectations, and shaping behaviors in an organization. For example, formal or less formal

concepts help institutions and organizations manage policies and best practices regarding

addressing cultural values (Richter et al., 2016). Contrarily, communication helps researchers

identify a starting point but relies on works found from seminal essays concerning cultural

studies by a Jamaican scholar–author named Hall (Conway, 2017; Curthoys & Docker, 2016;

Roman, 2015). Hall’s seminal works were the basis for a materialist approach to the notion of

semiology that later gave way to conceptual tools needed in a two–way conversation or while

communicating (Conway, 2017; Roman, 2015). Communication researchers noted that

communication is the exchange of mere words and the concept of listening and speaking

(Vidales, 2017). Understanding culture and communication helps to grasp cross-cultural

communication and cross-cultural communication strategies (Vidales, 2017). Culture is the

collective programming of minds to differentiate one group from another or a society (Hofstede,

1980).

Cultural and cross-cultural communication researchers have identified that two crucial

components involve cross-cultural communication and how leaders recognize cultural values and

relate communication values beyond words to communicate through verbal and nonverbal

exchanges are culture and communication (Vidales, 2017). Vidales suggested that

communication and communication advancements have various forms, and one form is cross-

cultural communication (Vidales, 2017). However, cross-cultural communication is critical to

managers within an organization's work culture (Vidales, 2017). Therefore, the two crucial

components that involve cross-cultural communication are culture and communication and how

they are necessary for communicating.

Cross-cultural communication and managing the transition after learning to communicate

cross-culturally are necessary for connecting distinctive business cultures and their employees'

diversity within an organization that focuses on cross-cultural relationships (Lifintsev &

Wellbrock, 2019; Vidales, 2017). According to Primecz et al. (2016), the discovery of cross-

cultural communication and administrative style research made way internationally from a

macro–comparative perspective and the seminal works of Hofstede. The purpose of early cross-

cultural communication researchers is to install an idea that initiated and influenced managers to

understand the diverse cultures of the organization to connect correctly with each culture

(Primecz et al., 2016). For example, managers must employ diversity in their management style

and unique strategies to experience a better outcome (Primecz et al., 2016). Managers must learn

to communicate cross–culturally within the distinctive business cultures connect correctly with

each culture.

Cross-cultural adaptation is another aspect of cross-cultural communication management,

and cross-cultural adaptation understands others' unique needs within work cultures that

accurately achieve all functionalities related to a working society (Chen & Feng, 2017; Nguyen-

Phuong-Mai, 2020). Researchers noticed how societies were deeply rooted in two different

perspectives when they reviewed the meaning and the effect of cross-cultural communication

within the world's culture (Fu et al., 2007). The two perspectives are groups versus individuals

and how they interact with general communication, like Canada and China. For example, both

Canada and China may view human character the same, but each country's resolutions or

outcomes are incredibly different (Fu et al., 2007; Roberts et al., 2018). The Western world

emphasizes and focuses on their rights and freedoms, like having the freedoms or the right to

protest (Fu et al., 2007; Roberts et al., 2018). Cross-cultural communication adapts to others'

unique needs within work cultures and how different cultures interact with general

communication.

The central theme of this section correlates with the understanding of communication and

cross-cultural communication. Nguyen-Phuong-Mai (2020) explained that cross-cultural

communication intertwines with essential elements like concepts, ideas, theories, and scholarship

topics. Those scholarship topics are cultural studies and cultural diversities, and the primary aim

is to embraces the connection between culture and communication (Nguyen-Phuong-Mai, 2020).

One crucial aspect is listening and speaking (Hastall, 2019; Smallwood, 2020; Vidales, 2017).

Therefore, communication is the key to cross-cultural communication because it intertwines with

essential elements like concepts, ideas, theories, and scholarship topics.

Barriers to cross-cultural communication

The barrier to effective cross-cultural communication is language, and language is the

focal issue needed to address cross-cultural communication barriers. According to Kutz (2012),

individuals that participate in a communication exchange between two or more persons must

understand and speak to each other’s cultural language. Therefore, barriers to cross-cultural

communication become evident during a cross-cultural conversation that entails individuals who

do not speak each other's cultural language or local accent.

The United States has increased growth with racial–ethnic minorities, affecting how

managers communicate with the new diverse population of employees. According to Ko et al.

(2016), population growth in the United States of racial–ethnic minorities proliferated and

caused an awareness of culturally appropriate communication or cross-culture communication

within the restaurant industry. Furthermore, U.S. Businesses' inability to distinguish proper

communication with employees within their diverse cultures has led to unengaged employees

(Ko et al., 2016). For example, managers who lack the knowledge and misunderstanding of

diverse cultural languages or local accents could lead to a work culture that hinders

communication flow and produces language barriers (Ramlan, 2018; Van den Muijsenbergh et

al., 2014; Van Loenen et al., 2018). In this section, the barriers to effective cross-cultural

communication could help managers and individuals understand diverse cultural languages

within the same culture or outside a specific culture.

A crucial example of cross-cultural communication barriers and how those barriers exist

is when individuals or managers speak the same language but lack the understanding of an

employee or person’s cultural and cross-cultural language. However, cross-cultural

communication barriers could distress employee engagement within an organization’s culture

(Van Loenen et al., 2018). Therefore, the best example of overcoming cross-cultural

communication barriers could be understanding the different cultures.

Appropriate and effective cross-cultural communication is when managers respond in a

culturally diverse manner but are less focused on sending correct directions or messenger. For

example, a Southeast Asian proverb talks about misunderstanding and how communication is an

illusion, but its failure does exist (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Communication takes on a verbal

and nonverbal exchange, and that exchange translates for meaning. For example, an exchange

process includes coding, transmission, and feedback to complete the communication transfer

(Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Hurn and Tormalin (2013) described a misunderstanding of a

conversation with two or more people dialoguing, and the receiver improperly decodes the

information received. The sender is the encoder to decode the message, but a misunderstanding

occurs if the receiver receives any aspect of the encoded message improperly or decoded

improperly. Moreover, the communication process problem results from distorted messages

between cultures, and international–style conversations are liable for a failed message or

misunderstanding in the exchange process (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Appropriate and effective

cross-cultural communication is when managers understand the culture and can communicate in

a cross-cultural manner.

Managers must learn and enhance their cross-cultural communication skills to

communicate with their employees effectively. Keyton (2017) articulated a philosophical

perspective of communicating within an organization is to appreciate temporal interaction

processes that expand interdisciplinary collaboration that enhances managers' desire to learn how

to communicate in a cross-culture manner with employees. For example, high context

communicators seek to maintain a peaceful work environment, but low context communicators

create disharmony and damages relationships (Ward et al., 2016). Therefore, effective cross-

cultural communication is significant for managers to recognize when communicating within a

culturally diverse work environment. As discussed in the previous literature, safe and effective

cross-cultural communication is imperative for managers to appreciate when communicating

culturally diversely because of proper communication but understand that communication is

culture. Moreover, managers knowing the exchange process like coding, transmission, and

feedback understand temporal interaction processes and recognize interdisciplinary collaborators

and managers communicating in a high context.

The importance of managers understands the barriers of cross-cultural communication

when communicating with employees. Cross-cultural communication has barriers that hinder

global-style conversations and elevated misinterpretations (Hentschel et al., 2019; Hurn &

Tormalin, 2013). According to Hurn and Tormalin (2013), communication barriers are

parochialism, ethnocentrism, and laziness. For example, parochialism does not want to be

embarrassed when faced with conflict (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Kou & Stewart, 2018).

Ethnocentrism relates to cultural ignorance or having zero knowledge of another’s culture (Hurn

& Tormalin, 2013; Nameni, 2020). The last barrier is laziness, or when managers stereotype

cultures other than their own culture (Baur et al., 2017; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). These design

barriers allow managers–employees to differentiate cross-cultural communication or

conversations (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). For example, global style hinders like conscience

behaviors: The absence of agreeing during struggles, the illiteracy of other cultures, and belief

system of attitudes people have against members of other distinct groups (Baur et al., 2017; Hurn

& Tormalin, 2013; Kou & Stewart, 2018; Nameni, 2020) To gain a deeper understanding of each

barrier, the manager must analyze and comprehend the discourse provided in the next section.

Parochialism

The embarrassment and anxiety of conflicts related to an absence of agreement during

struggles is the act of parochialism (Kou & Stewart, 2018). For example, the notion of

parochialism is someone in a mental state of narrow mindedness. Parochialism consisted of

social, psychological perspectives relating to behaviors (Kou & Stewart, 2018). For example,

from 1895–1896, Le Bon took morality to respect chronic problems for suppressing selfish

impulses (Kou & Stewart, 2018). The Le Bon interpretation is an example that may have

something to do with the humanity of judgment, a personal moral code of judgment that emerged

to show the welfare given to narrow–minded people and culturally constructed is the key to

uncovering the moral fabric to understand morality (Purzycki et al., 2018). Parochialism is a

state of mind that focuses on individuals' macro and not the micro aspects (Kou & Stewart,

2018). For example, the individual is narrow–minded or narrow in scope when related to issues

because of their lack of embarrassment and anxiety when faced with conflict during struggles.

Consequently, the conclusion could be that parochialism is a platonic ideal. However,

parochialism has misconstrued meaning, and the term is frequently used as judgment to define a

personal moral code. The idea of parochialism is that some managers cannot correct their

deficiency of cross-cultural communication and humiliation that manifests with conflict from the

hate of the out–group that leads to in–group conflicts (Aaldering & Böhm, 2020; Thielmann &

Boehm, 2016). According to this perspective, managers would interpret that all behaviors stem

from parochialism.

Ethnocentrism

According to Hurn and Tormalin (2013), Summer, in 1906, was the first to expose and

cite in social science research the coining of the term ethnocentrism. The term and concept of

ethnocentrism mean the illiteracy of other cultures (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Individuals with

ethnocentrism ideals believe that one’s own culture overrides other cultures and is one of the

critical issues of managers in understanding people's attitudes towards other cultures or

ethnicities (Hosseini et al., 2016; Jacobi, 2018; Nameni, 2020; Neuliep, 2012). The climate of

current businesses and organizations is of collaboration and communication among people from

diverse cultures and ethnicities. Managers understanding ethnicities within their organization

could become dominant in this globalized world, but they must possess a working knowledge of

intercultural communication and cross-cultural communication crucial for any business

(Bizumic, 2019; Hosseini et al., 2016; Jacobi, 2018). Taylor, a cultural researcher, understood

that ethnocentrism is a barrier to effective communication because of information close–

mindedness (Abayadeera et al., 2018; Jacobi, 2018). For example, ethnocentric people ordinarily

place their culture as the standard to judge other cultures (Bizumic, 2019; Jacobi, 2018). Cultural

researchers acknowledge that ethnocentrism is universal, and as a result, this culture is prevalent

in today’s society (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; Jacobi, 2018; Nameni, 2020). Another example is

ethnocentrism only views their culture as a perfect society and different cultures as inadequate

and subdominant culture (Bizumic, 2019; Hosseini et al., 2016; Nameni, 2020; Neuliep, 2012).

Therefore, ethnocentrism could hamper communicational effectiveness with intercultural

communication and cross-cultural communication. According to Logan et al. (2016),

ethnocentrism is constants like biases of distinct cultures and the behavior impacts and causes a

lack of enthusiasm for individuals wanting to communicate in a cross-cultural communication

manner, whether verbal or nonverbal.

From this analysis, one could conclude that ethnocentrism obstructs the effectiveness of a

culture of cross-cultural communication because they believe that no other culture exists. This

perspective suggested that no other culture can interact with another culture because other

cultures are inferior, results in a mindset of close–mindedness and false cultural views. For

example, ethnocentrism in the United States creates ethnic problems, resulting in hate crimes

leading to male leadership within corporate businesses. In addition, the mindset of ethnocentrism

could cause an inappropriate culture of cross-cultural communication and managers'

communication with their employees or the close–mindedness of other cultures (Logan et al.,

2016). Therefore, ethnocentrism is the best way to hinder effective cross-cultural communication

because they maintain the mindset that there is no other culture besides their own culture.

Laziness

Laziness is an effortless way out for managers to recognize a learning tolerance of actual

cultural differences. Hurn and Tormalin (2013) defined laziness as stereotyping and viewed as a

belief system of attitudes against other distinct groups. Stereotypes are sometimes harmless in a

heuristic context, but cruel and xenophobic are regarded as an absolute truth about distinct

groups of other individuals (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Stereotypes consist of value judgment

because listening and watching mass media create behaviors like those from their social group

(Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). According to Baur et al. (2017), stereotypes are cognitive-mental

imageries representing a belief system having expectations of social groups based upon assuming

socially valued characteristics, common biases, and prejudices towards cognitive symbols or

subgroups. As a result, stereotypes and presumed symbols of stigmatized individuals lead to

discrimination and undesirable outcomes (Baur et al., 2017). Laziness is one effortless way

managers understand a learning tolerance of actual cultural differences and why to understand

laziness as a communication barrier.

The consciousness of ageism is age discrimination and carry out in society. The ideology

of ageists is negative stereotypes, beliefs, and attitudes toward a person’s age (Raymer et al.,

2017). Baur et al. (2017) explained how negative stereotypes of stigmatized felons are lazy,

dishonest, harsh, killer, and disrespecting the law. Braman’s explanation reflects corporate

businesses' work culture and how managers stigmatize employees; prejudice or age bias leads to

a process of stigmatization to discrimination (Baur et al., 2017). Managers should be aware of

and recognize distinct cultures' learning tolerance and not display an effortless way out as a

manager.

One can assert that laziness is an effortless way for managers to recognize a learning

tolerance of actual cultural differences from the literature. The view is that laziness is a belief

system about other groups of people, and laziness can lead to cruel and xenophobic behaviors.

Furthermore, a leader could interpret laziness to create a work culture process that changes

stigmatization to discrimination. According to Hurn and Tormalin (2013), barriers could reduce

effective cross-cultural communication by enhancing listening skills to aid managers in assuming

words' meaning or making meanings out of context. Managers can then execute cross-cultural

communication's effectiveness and strategies when managers gain the ability or skill of listening

to words and understand the true cultural meaning (Baur et al., 2017). The literature asserts that

laziness is an effortless way for managers to recognize a learning tolerance of actual cultural

differences because laziness is a belief system about different ethnicities.

Cross-Cultural Communication Relationships and Effectiveness

Managers need to understand the influences of cross-cultural communication because the

different contexts of cultures within the work community present new communication

challenges. For example, behaviors defined as problems are different in distinct cultures, and

communication exchanges among the various languages are known as activities related to race,

religion, and educational level (Mega, 2017). Based on Mega (2017), managers’ effectiveness

consisted of cultural sensitivity, cultural biases, and culturally responsive skills. The inspiration

for cross-cultural communication effectiveness stems from an individual personality, national

characteristics, an employee’s business culture, and professional development (Hurn &

Tormalin, 2013). Each characteristic is part of improving cross-cultural communication

effectiveness that relates to the different personalities.

Individual Personality

There is a twofold meaning to personality to better understand individual personality. The

term personality is a twofold concept, and the type of individuals who help define personality are

continually asking the question about the meaning of personality (Colchen et al., 2017). The first

concept of personality definition maintains steady behavior over time (Colchen et al., 2017).

However, the second concept and description are individual behaviors that fluctuate in different

environmental contexts or cultures (Colchen et al., 2017). For example, one can observe

personality in the form of an abusive manager who exercises nonphysical, verbal, or nonverbal

aggression to their employees in public humiliation (Breevaart & de Vries, 2017). The

organization will suffer from employee engagement because of managers' abusiveness and

authoritarian personalities (Breevaart & de Vries, 2017). The twofold meaning of personality

maintains a steady behavior over time and individual behaviors that fluctuate in a different

environmental culture. For example, managers express these actions in nonverbal manners.

Personality and individual personality are twofold concepts because a person’s behavior

could be the same. However, over periods, a person’s behavior can vary or fluctuate based on the

environment (Breevaart & de Vries, 2017). Those actions are transferable. However, personality

manifests and acts out in nonphysical, nonverbal, or verbal aggression (Breevaart & de Vries,

2017). I revealed that personality is two–fold, and one individual’s personality is firm, and the

other changes because those forms of actions can dictate a manager's behavior within a

corporation based on the research's understanding.

National Characteristic

National characteristic is one of the inspirations for cross-cultural communication

effectiveness stems from an individual personality. The national characteristic is what Hofstede

called masculinity–femininity to comprehend the national level of irrational fears within

organizations (Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Papageorgiou et al. (2017) and Kardum et al. (2019)

concluded by defining the personality cluster called The Dark Triad (DT), which consists of

three overlapping traits: Narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. The Dark Triad trait

narcissism has elements from clinical syndromes like impressiveness, entitlement, dominance,

and superiority (Kawamoto et al., 2020; Papageorgiou et al., 2017). The second trait,

psychopathy, is a recent version of a subclinical sphere (Papageorgiou et al., 2017). Subclinical

psychopaths have a high impulse, love living on the edge, and a person known for having a

minimum or no empathy and anxiety (Kawamoto et al., 2020; Papageorgiou et al., 2017).

Machiavellianism is parallel with manipulation, and current research indicates that high scores

display characteristics like being social with peers like well–adjusted, and skillful (Hart et al.,

2019; Kawamoto et al., 2020; Papageorgiou et al., 2017). For example, The Dark Triad traits or

three overlapping traits: Narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, helped discover that

narcissism traits relate to higher ratings of creativity when rating by self and a broad range of

emotional intelligence (Kawamoto et al., 2020; Papageorgiou et al., 2017). In contrast,

psychopathy and narcissism are creative, confident achievers that are good at conflict-style

thinking (Kawamoto et al., 2020; Papageorgiou et al., 2017). National characteristic inspires

cross-cultural communication effectiveness of an individual personality, and Hofstede called

national characteristic masculinity–femininity to comprehend the national level of irrational fears

within organizations.

The Dark Triad helped comprehend the national characteristic and inspired the cross-

cultural communication effectiveness of one’s personality. Each Dark Triad's elements provide

unique features resulting from possessing a specific trait (Hart et al., 2019). However, the

understanding of each Dark Triad could help to discover elements of narcissism creativity.

Business Culture

Business culture is an organizational culture with a history, norms, and values to

understand employee behaviors. According to Lyu and Zhang (2017), organizational culture is a

business system that consists of values and norms that help understand employees' attitudes and

behaviors. The definition is key to an organized approach to maintaining innovative and

competitive leadership (Lyu & Zhang, 2017). Organizations must be aware of organizational

culture and how the importance of past experiences relating to management playing a significant

role in assisting with positive outcomes or having business success (Foster et al., 2017). The past

business experiences represent the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (i.e., DNA) of an organization’s

culture, and past experiences provide an excellent source of strength for that business (Foster et

al., 2017). Lyu and Zhang (2017) viewed initiatives as incentives that develop a philosophy and

nurture an organizational culture. The outcome could create meaningful and complimentary

relationships between employees and employers within an organization that maintains company

loyalty (Lyu & Zhang, 2017). When an organization powerfully highlights successful past

practices, those cultures encounter elevated productivity levels, experience fixed human resource

strategy, and have pure wholesomeness among workers (Foster et al., 2017; Lyu & Zhang,

2017). Business culture consists of history, norms, and values for understanding employees'

behaviors. Managers play an essential role in assisting with positive outcomes or having business

success in the business culture.

This section assessed how business culture is a set of system norms and values because of

its history. Foster suggested that organizations need standards to assess employees' attitudes and

behaviors to improve an innovative and competitive leadership style. Moreover, Foster suggested

that organizational standards could help understand and reinforce an organizational culture to

build positive relationships between staff and employees. The result of building a positive culture

could contribute to employee longevity and company loyalty.

Professional Development

Managers focus now on professional development because professional development

provides proper guidance for employees. Gentry and Sosik (2010) and Johnson and Ridley

(2018) discovered that a manager’s role is becoming progressively significant and looks more

like a career–related mentor. A manager who seeks professional development has the same roles

as coaches and teachers because those values motivate managers to create organizational culture-

style relationships (Gentry & Sosik, 2010; Johnson & Ridley, 2018). Seibert et al. (2017)

believed that professional development and experienced managers display self–efficacy style

leadership and a mentor network to resolve poor relationships between job challenges and

promotability. An added benefit is having managers develop professional indirect positive

relationships that reflect leadership effectiveness within an organizational culture (Seibert et al.,

2017). Professional development provides proper guidance for employees and professionals to

develop managers to display self–efficacy style leadership.

Professional development can be valuable for cultural relationship building. Having

managers participate in developmental programs builds relationships with direct reports or

employees (Gentry & Sosik, 2010; Johnson & Ridley, 2018; Seibert et al., 2017). Businesses

with developmental programs or professional development benefit managers because of the

positive relationships between mentor networks and standard display as a self–efficacy

leadership style.

Cross-Cultural Communication Effectiveness Relating to Performance

Leadership is a factor that has a relationship with the effectiveness of cross-cultural

communication and performance. The leader within an organizational culture plays an essential

and decisive role in performance (Cambridge & Hawkes, 2017; Purwadi et al., 2020).

Performance is an employee’s achievement within their work or tasks and responsibilities to

achieve their desired cultural vision, like cross-cultural communication (Cambridge & Hawkes,

2017; Hendri, 2019; Purwadi et al., 2020; Sabuhari et al., 2020). Sabuhari et al. (2020) believed

that employees’ performance adapts to the organizational culture of cross-cultural

communication, and cross-cultural communication that adapts to the organizational goals plays a

vital role in performance. The effectiveness of cross-cultural communication and performance.

Employee Engagement

Organizations require employee engagement and managers to understand the meaning

and reason for employee engagement. Definitions of employee engagement showed up in

literature in 1990, but Kahn was the first to define and describe engagement (Nienaber &

Martins, 2020). After Kahn described and illustrated the idea of engagement, management

researchers expanded the definition to employee engagement, and Kahn described engagement

as employee motivation and an expression of a person’s preferred behavior that promotes work

(Bridger, 2015; Eldor, 2017; Nienaber & Martins, 2020). Later, in 1900, new business

researchers coined employee engagement and defined it with specific vital elements. For

example, contemporary business scholars define employee engagement with elements such as

active, motivational, work–related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and

absorption (Eldor, 2017; Naidoo et al., 2019). Business researchers agreed to view employee

engagement as an energetic, positive psychological state driven by passion directed by cognitive,

emotional, and behavioral energy (He et al., 2019; Shuck et al., 2016, 2017). Driven positive

energy exemplifies employee engagement's external evidence (Shuck et al., 2016, 2017).

However, I presented a definition and description of employee engagement, with elements like

vigor, dedication, and absorption being the psychological core.

Employee engagement is vital for businesses and their managers to focus daily because

employee engagement makes good business sense, and they should devote their energy to

managing to improve employee engagement. For example, Rastogi et al. (2018) confirmed that

70% of unengaged and uncommitted employees within the United States workforce.

Furthermore, Rastogi et al. (2018) stated that 70% of the workforce employees are passively or

actively disengaged, resulting in organizations' enormous financial burden. Based on Jha &

Kumar (2016) and Knight et al. (2017), the conversation of work engagement with businesses is

widespread, and one reason is the relationship or the comfort and performance of employees.

The belief of employee engagement has always been a significant factor and part of human

capital, using strategies that affect two–way exchanges relating to how high-performing

businesses attract and keep their best employees (Delaney & Royal, 2017). An example of an

employee engagement culture or business is employees always having conversations relating to

its mission statement and using it as a standard (Knight et al., 2017; Naidoo et al., 2019).

Managers that experience employee engagement within their work culture often sees a

maintained lively culture and hear various dialogs that could lead to increased productivity and a

suitable work environment.

The role and responsibilities of managers are to continue staying pace with the evolving

business climate. Business and managers' roles and responsibilities are difficult to distinguish

because of the ever–fast–changing work environment (Eldor, 2017). The concept of employee

engagement somehow enmeshed into distinct roles but weak distinctions about leadership that

companies lost because of the misguided concept and an employee engagement framework.

Businesses within the United States view employee engagement as collaborative and active in

their working profession (Bridger, 2015; Mumford & Higgs, 2020; Osborne & Hammoud, 2017).

Eldor (2017) expounded about employee engagement's perceived characteristics and how

employee engagement in businesses and observed employees that were energetic or full of

energy, enthusiastic, and intrigued by their job. Macey and Schneider described employee

engagement in their conceptual framework as an employees’ desire to go beyond and embrace

change based on one doing more or different than the norm (Eldor, 2017; Naidoo et al., 2019).

Furthermore, Kahn was known for the concept of employee engagement, and he pioneered the

idea that employees that are physical, cognitional, emotional, and expressions are engaged

workers (Knight et al., 2017). As discussed in the literature, businesses view employee

engagement as actively involved with their work and highly intrinsically physically, cognitively,

and emotionally involved with their job duties.

Businesses have always professed employees as essential stakeholders because of their

overwhelming commitment to the company or business. Kang and Sung (2017) concluded that

employees’ keen devotion to their organization could cause havoc and be highly vocal when

policies do not meet employees’ expectations. Kahn added a critical social constructivist

perspective to the idea of employee and employee engagement. Kahn's amendment boosted a

psychological perception of employee engagement within businesses from reports indicating

when employee engagement levels are above average, like superior psychological climates and

widespread organizational citizenship behaviors throughout work cultures (Shuck et al., 2016,

2017). For example, a definite relationship between employee engagement and all aspects of the

business functioning at impressive levels, managers categorize their organization’s work culture

as total capacity (Shuck et al., 2016, 2017; Delaney & Royal, 2017). Businesses with proactive

employees add value because of their characteristics that personify and exemplify a caring

disposition. Wang et al. (2017) explained that the interwoven distinctive dispositional

characteristic and relevant required outcomes because employees exhibit the related behavior of

acting enthusiastic about creating a positive work culture. Based on a theoretical perspective, the

relationship between a proactive personality can lead to career success because entrenched

exchanges promote diverse psychological viewpoints (Wang et al., 2017). The communication

exchanges are mature acceptance of each person’s views relating to the cultural character in a

work environment (Wang et al., 2017). Businesses viewing employees as essential stakeholders

based on commitment may cause havoc to policy changes or highly vocal employees about what

does not meet the employees' expectations.

The participant at this point demonstrates maturity when voluntarily communicate with

each other. Grunin, a top leadership researcher, argued about some outstanding, proactive-type

employees who are superb with communication skills that support their organization (Kang &

Sung, 2017). Firms with proactive employees could increase the organization's value because the

employees who personify a unique disposition characteristic have communication skills to

generalize a dynamic work culture for employees and business profitability. Restaurant managers

are instrumental in properly implementing cross-cultural communication strategies that engage

employees and an active cross-cultural communication strategy to increase employee

engagement. Furthermore, restaurant managers should be concerned about improving cross-

cultural communication among their employees because it could directly impact employee

engagement and increase productivity. Managers are responsible for executing and maintaining

cross-cultural communication strategies that increase employee engagement and increase

productivity (Wen et al., 2018). Wen et al. suggested that companies developing and training

managers on cross-cultural communication strategies could increase employee engagement.

Improving cross-cultural communication within an organizational culture could enhance

employee engagement and increase productivity. Caniëls et al. (2018) indicated that

organizations might have staff turnover or new employees. However, managers handle

innovative techniques to maintain cross-cultural communication strategies that engage

employees and increase productivity. Restaurant managers acknowledge the diversity of

international cultures within the workforce and the demands to communicate cross-culturally

appropriately. Employee engagement has always played a critical factor in maintaining their best

employees (Delaney & Royal, 2017). Employee engagement motivates business cultures that

maintain a work environment with employees engaging and productive (Knight et al., 2017).

Managers must develop and manage cross-cultural communication so employees can remain

engaged (Gabel-Shemueli et al., 2019; Rutishauser & Sender, 2019; Shuck et al., 2016, 2017).

Cross-cultural communication within an organization could increase employee engagement and

increase productivity because managers continue developing innovative techniques to maintain

essential cross-cultural communication strategies.

Fast-Food Restaurants

Many possible contributing factors need and desire for fast-food restaurants. The fast-

food restaurant model is mainly known for providing quick service to consumers who do not

want to defer their time (Namin, 2017). The fast-food businesses–restaurants model, is the same

as the quick–service restaurants model, and the foodservice industry defines fast-food and quick-

service restaurants as equivalent (Mathur & Patodiya, 2016; Namin, 2017). For example, one

fast-food restaurant product mix may entail only fried chicken, and another fast-food restaurant

product mix may provide only hamburgers. The foodservice industry rates a restaurant operation

based on service speed (Mathur & Patodiya, 2016). However, fast-food restaurants are quick-

service restaurants because both concepts provide consumers with a food product at a faster pace

(Mathur & Patodiya, 2016). Therefore, fast-food or quick–service restaurants contribute factors

like the speed of services and quick choices like hamburgers and fried chicken.

Fast foods provide consumers with a choice of eating styles that they desire. Saunders et

al. (2016) and Mathur and Patodiya (2016) depicted and defined fast-food businesses–restaurants

as eateries with no long waiting serving foods like burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and french fries.

Consumers expect a speedy process or process order completed adequately when a consumer

attends a fast-food restaurant. Speedy service means that fast-food restaurant managers must

continuously declare a correct approach to meet consumers' expectations of receiving a speedy

service experience (Cho & Kim, 2017). I learned from the literature that fast-food restaurants

provide consumers with their eating style corresponding to their wants and desires.

Employees of Different Cultures with the Highest Degree Entry–Level Workers

The field of fast-food tends to attract specific cultures, entry–level employees. According

to Cha and Borchgrevink (2019), the highest number of entries–level employees stems from

European American culture, and this American culture makes up about 15%. Like African

American culture, other cultures follow a close second at 12% Human resource population. The

fast-food industry makes up about 16.5 million entry–level employees, and managers and

females make up a higher percentage of those fast-food workers (Cha & Borchgrevink 2019;

Onufrak et al., 2019). However, the fast-food industry is changing and may influence the cultural

climate (Franco, 2019). European American culture has the highest degree of entry–level

workers–employees after exploring the literature.

The Customer Culture Has a Broader Cultural Representation

Customer culture, or representing the purchasing power, is a crucial aspect of fast-foods

(Xiao et al., 2018). Based on Xiao et al. (2018), the Generation Y culture represents the most

robust presence within the fast-food market because of their eating habits that influence their

eating preference. The Generation Y culture group from 18–24 years of age was the highest

among all groups, and within these groups, females outnumbered males 57%–41% (Xiao et al.,

2018). Ylitalo et al. 2019 argued that it is not the age culture with broader cultural representation

but environments in low–income and race–ethnic minority neighborhoods that are part of the

broader cultural representation. The contrasting views may not contrast because Generation Y

(e.g., Gen Y) represents that culture. The broader cultural representation consists of Gen Y’s are

low–income and race–ethnic minorities.

The Clientele of Fast-Foods

It is essential to understand the difference in clientele as a consumer and how fast-food

differs. The clientele of the fast-food establishment is different from fine dining establishments

(Namin, 2017). Fine dining tends to target wealthier consumers, so fine dining offers ambiance

and upscale service (Bartsch et al., 2018; Namin, 2017). The consumer that tends to dine at a fine

dining restaurant may want to impress for whatever reason. However, the fine dining and fast-

food industries do not directly compete, but casual dining restaurants could be competitors

(Namin, 2017). A customer eating at either of the two types of an establishment can dress

casually or formally dressed (Bartsch et al., 2018). Fast-foods is a diverse clientele within the

foodservice industry but has some of the same characteristics as fine dining restaurants.

Specific Challenges in Some Fast-Food Industries

In recent years, the fast-food industry has faced many challenges because of changing

and stipulating businesses' locations. Based on Ahmed et al. (2019) and Asirvatham et al. (2019),

fast-food restaurants' internal structure faces socio–cultural challenges that regulate the food

environment. For example, female entrepreneurs face higher challenges than male counterparts,

like complex barriers to entry, unequal access to resources, financial resources, and networks that

are all important to survive (Ahmed et al., 2019). The socio–cultural constructs of engendering

economic burden on female entrepreneurial (Ahmed et al., 2019). The societal changes within

the fast-food industry are socio–cultural challenges that regulate the food environment.

Fast-food restaurants around schools increase the desire for students to participate in

eating unhealthy foods. Fast-food around the school links obesity because students are always

looking for food (Asirvatham et al., 2019). Fast-food restaurants are around most schools,

attracting students (Asirvatham et al., 2019). An alarming obesity rate is mostly among children-

students plaguing the U.S. and linked to the fast-food industry (Asirvatham et al., 2019).

However, Asirvatham (2019) suggested that the main challenge is that fast-food restaurants will

need to reposition their location strategy for not operating near schools. Fast food research

believes that the closer the distance to the school, the higher rate of obesity. (Asirvatham et al.,

2019). The challenges fast-food restaurants must endure could burden their decision–making

teams (Asirvatham et al., 2019). The next step is fixing challenges because these are just a few of

the many challenges.

Some Fast-Food Chains Make Essential Decisions

Fast-food chains are finding ways to serve healthier foods for consumers (Mohammadi-

Nasrabadi et al., 2020). The optimum goal for restaurants is to assist customers in making

healthier choices with fewer efforts, which will change availability and variety (Mohammadi-

Nasrabadi et al., 2020; Ringling et al., 2019). The fast-food restaurant managers know that it is

wise to improve their nutritional quality based on today's consumers' food climate (Ringling et

al., 2019). Managers are finding ways to facilitate progress through cross-disciplinary and cross-

sector collaborations, and these approaches could help solve significant gaps like delivering a

healthier menu for customers (Mohammadi-Nasrabadi et al., 2020; Ringling et al., 2019). These

are some examples of the things done by food chains and fast-food chains.

Degree of training in Some Fast-Food Restaurants

Managers and most employees must meet the required food safety training in fast-foods.

According to Elobeid et al. (2019), most developing countries, like the U.S., suffered the most

food-related illnesses within the foodservice and fast-food industry. Therefore, food safety

training is vital in fast-food restaurants to training their managers and employees (Gruenfeldova

et al., 2019). The degree of training managers and employees’ areas is often every two years

based on that employee's expired testing date (Elobeid et al., 2019). In addition, the city or

county regularly does health inspections of fast-food restaurants to help prevent unsafe practices

and certify that the consumer's food is safe to eat (Elobeid et al., 2019; Gruenfeldova et al.,

2019). The cost of serving unsafe food is 110 billion dollars and a loss of productivity (Elobeid

et al., 2019). Elobeid suggested that training and training for food safety for fast-food restaurants

is an ongoing task, and managers must implement training with their employees daily.

Impact on Service and Productivity in Some Fast-Food Restaurants

Customer service and employee productivity are aspects and required of a fast-food

restaurant's culture. One of the ways fast-food restaurants achieve revenue growth while at the

same time reducing the cost is by improving service and productivity within the organization

(Aspara et al., 2018). Fast-food restaurants continually seek to provide excellent customer

service and increase productivity by compromising service quality (Aspara et al., 2018). Fast-

food restaurants experiencing desired services and increased productivity is service quality and

maximizes profits (Aspara et al., 2018; Lee, 2017). As I discussed in the literature, the impact of

service and productivity in some fast-food restaurants has better profit margins.

The Target Age for Fast-Food and Casual Dining Customers

Based on Namin, the target age for fast-food customers is the 16–35 age group, and

casual dining targets that same group. Both fast-food and casual dining can compete because of

quality, consistency, and delivery (Bartsch et al., 2018; Namin, 2017). However, to the customer,

the lines between fast-food and casual dining are not clear. As I uncovered from the literature,

one must believe that both entities compete for each other's (e.g., consumers) business. The fast-

food and quick–service restaurant model is equivalent to the foodservice industry (Mathur &

Patodiya, 2016; Namin, 2017).

The importance of fast-food and quick–service restaurants model derived from catering

establishments losing their customer base because of lower pricing and quicker service (Butler &

Hammer, 2019; Esfarjani et al., 2018; Folch et al., 2018). Therefore, the relevance of

understanding the fast-food restaurant in this literature review is to establish background

knowledge and its differences to other types of food establishments like fine dining.

Productivity or Employee Productivity

The concept of productivity or employee productivity is better known as workforce

productivity but broadly defined as a worker's efficiency or a performance gauge that measures

an employee's efficiency and effectiveness (Lee et al., 2017; Ma & Ye, 2019; Simpao, 2018).

Based on Lee et al. (2017), productivity within the services industry, such as restaurants, is

operationalized to measure values, cultures, and communication strategies reflected as a different

strategy. A high–performing organizational culture encourages employee involvement (Lee et

al., 2017). For example, when employees and employees support each other, and employees

exemplify interdependency amongst themselves.

Productivity or employee productivity in today's global marketplace, like the service

industry, enhances their efficiency and productivity levels to increase their bottom line (Kim &

Jang, 2019; Lee et al., 2017). However, the challenge is achieving productivity gains by creating

engaging employees (Kim & Jang, 2019; Lee et al., 2017; Simpao, 2018). Increase productivity

or employee productivity levels within the service sector; most businesses steer away from the

concept of achieving more with less but adopting a productivity–efficiency orientation and a

quality–revenue orientation (Lee et al., 2017; Plotnikova & Romanenko, 2019; Simpao, 2018). A

manager employing a productivity–efficiency orientation focuses on the achievement of cost

reductions and internal efficiencies. However, a quality–revenue orientation relates to high

customer satisfaction for revenue growth (Lee et al., 2017). Lee et al. (2017) stated that the two

orientations present a desired challenge for the service industry: Productivity growth. Managers

applying general performance and measurable productivity predictors is one of the noted ways to

evaluate their employee's effectiveness, and those predictors are (a) quality, (b) innovation, and

workplace is essential for several reasons, and investing in human capital helps engage

employees.

Employees being productive within the organization could increase profitability.

Organizations–businesses allocating and investing capital in human resources into training and

engagement strategies are valuable to increasing productivity (Cesário & Chambel, 2019;

Yaakobi & Weisberg, 2018). Cesário and Yaakobi suggested that businesses implementing

training programs are prone to increase productivity or employee productivity. Several service

companies like coffee shops and many other restaurants implement a dual–emphasis strategy to

increase profitability (Lee et al., 2017; Ritsri & Meeprom, 2020). Service organizations prioritize

productivity efficiency by adding knowledge management training (Ritsri & Meeprom, 2020).

Kim and Jang (2019) suggested a relationship between organizational structure and knowledge

application, and productivity. Kim and Jang (2019) identified that improving employee

productivity improves a company's bottom line.

The field of organizational psychology suggested that behaviors like employee attitudes

and satisfaction influences organizational productivity. The notion is that businesses that better

pay and care for their employees increase employee productivity (Kim & Jang, 2019). Kim and

Jang suggested that increasing employees' wages expeditiously for them to experience those

results. Increasing wages every two years is one method restaurant managers should focus on to

implement initiatives to maximize productivity (Kim & Jang, 2019). According to Kim and Jang

(2019), professionals consistently raising the wages among the industry is conducive to the U.S.

in terms of overall productivity gains. Kim and Jang suggested that an increase within diverse

work cultures stems from organizations implementing cross-cultural communication strategies

that improve employee engagement and increase productivity. The following section is the

transition.

Transition

Section 1 begins with the foundation and a background description of the study, the

Problem and purpose statement, the nature of the study, and the research question. Moreover, the

section contains the conceptual framework, operational definitions, assumptions, limitations, and

the research's delimitations. The significance of the study complements the implications for the

social changes section and enhances business practices. After providing and discussing the

interview questions, I concluded the section with a professional and academic literature review.

Section 2 included a comprehensive analysis of the purpose statement, the researcher's

role, participants, research method and design, population and sampling, ethical research,

instruments and technique used during data collection, data organization technique, data analysis,

reliability, and validity. Finally, Section 3 summarized this study’s findings relating to the

business practice applications relating to social change implications, potential future research

opportunities, and future action recommendations.

Section 2: The Project

In Section 2, I restate the study's purpose and describe my role as the researcher, the

qualitative research method, and the multiple case study design. Next, I provide a comprehensive

outline of the selection of participants. Next, I include a discourse on protecting participants’

confidentiality, ethical research, validity, reliability, data collection, analysis, and organization.

Finally, in Section 3, I present findings, application to professional practice, implications for

social change, recommendations for action, recommendations for further research, reflections on

the research experience, and the study's conclusion.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore cross-cultural

communication strategies that some manager of small fast-food restaurants uses to improve

employee engagement and increase productivity. The target population consisted of four

managers from four small fast-food restaurants in the United States' southern region who have

implemented successful strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. The

implications for positive social change that could result from this study include the potential to

improve local economies with higher–paying jobs, which may increase household income in the

restaurants' communities.

Role of the Researcher

The researcher for a qualitative study is the primary instrument (Yin, 2018);

consequently, I am the primary research instrument for this study. This study involved collecting

data relating to the research topic from interviews, using an interview protocol for accuracy,

analyzing the data, and presenting the findings. A researcher's role includes safeguarding

participants' data, implementing analysis, communication, and continual collaboration between

researcher and participants when conducting a qualitative study (Kelly et al., 2018; Leedy &

Ormrod, 2016). The investigator must ensure selected participants aligns with the research

question and the research topic during data collection (Moser & Korstjens, 2018; Yin, 2018).

Researchers' added roles ensure the sampling identifies the phenomenon and aligns with the

research question (Kelly et al., 2018). In addition, the investigator understands if the participant's

insights and behaviors align with the research during the eligibility and permission process

(Moser & Korstjens, 2018). Finally, the researcher facilitates and extracts information and

encourages participants to talk about their lived experiences (Levitt et al., 2017). I helped each

participant talk about their lived experiences; I structured, organized, and performed the research

process; I collected and analyzed the findings. I explained each participant's process, monitored

the process, and extracted any misinterpreted data from the interviews to provide valid

information for any future researcher or business leader.

The researcher's role is to address and minimize biases from the study’s results.

Qualitative researchers must address any biases influencing the study outcome (Anderson, 2016

& Ross, 2017). A researcher's bias could dictate the process of recording and interpreting the

data (Wadams & Park, 2018). I took extreme measures to mitigate personal biases in this study.

A qualitative researcher must disclose any associations that may skew the research outcomes and

any previous connections that may create a harmful bias (Ross, 2017). A qualitative researcher

should eliminate bias and ensure validity by cross–referencing multiple data sources (Weller et

al., 2018; Yin, 2018). Ross et al. (2018) recommended that a qualitative researcher must mitigate

bias. Based on Ross et al.'s recommendation, I mitigated bias by using professional discretion, an

interview protocol, member checking, triangulation, and data saturation.

I had no prior relationship with the participants, and I had no previous experience with

the topic, participants, or cross-cultural communication. I had no ties to organizations or

organizational managers who could provide results to the study. The Belmont Report includes a

combination of three overarching principles in research involving human subjects: (a) respect for

persons, (b) beneficence, and (c) justice (National Commission for the Protection of Human

Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1979). I adhered to those overarching

principles. I completed the National Institutes of Health web–training course on protecting

humans or research participants during a study. Researchers must use ethical protocols to

obliterate ethical concerns (Yin, 2018). Ethical protocols may entail protecting a person’s

privacy and confidentiality, impartial selecting participants, and preventing deceptive practices

(Yin, 2018). I provided an informed consent form to support adherence to the Belmont Report’s

principles for participants for this study. The content of each consent form consisted of the

participant’s rights, the purpose of the study, the participant's duration of the interview, the

participant's potential risk, and the benefits of consenting to participate in the research inquiry.

A qualitative researcher can mitigate bias is to interview each participant using the same

questions and method to guide the process (Ross et al., 2018; Shaw & Satalkar, 2018; Weller et

al., 2018; Yin, 2018). I used an interview protocol, and I asked each interviewee the same

questions to mitigate bias when conducting interviews. I was not part of the phenomenon, and I

did not use biased interview tactics for the desired outcome; I followed the interview protocol

consistently.

An interview protocol is a script that researchers use to help them stay on track and

know what to say during an interview (Stuart et al., 2018). The role of the researcher is to use the

interview protocol throughout each interview. An interview protocol is a researcher’s guide to

perform structured interviews and enhance the quality of each interviewee’s responses (Castillo-

Montoya, 2016 & Saddour et al., 2020). A significant aspect of an interview protocol is for the

investigator to thank their participants. In a high–quality case study, the interview protocol can

help a researcher ask the right questions, be an attentive listener, be adaptive to any culture,

discard bias, and clearly understand the problem under study (Yin, 2018). I used an interview

protocol to systematically ask each participant the same questions to enhance the data quality. I

treated each participant in the same manner, asking the same order of questions, recording each

interview, and conducting member checking to confirm each participant’s response.

Participants

Selecting an appropriate participant is critical to a study as respondents must provide rich

data and offer distinct perceptions to the qualitative researcher (Chen, 2016; Su et al., 2019). Yin

(2018) suggested that a researcher should select proper participants who will offer rich data. In

addition, a researcher needs to be fair and uphold ethical practices (Sibinga, 2018). In the

selection process for participants, a researcher must be fair and uphold ethical practices and

standards (Chen, 2016; Su et al., 2019). Therefore, I used fair and ethical practices during the

selection and data collection processes. Hardin et al. (2017) indicated that a researcher must

select a participant pool that resembles the study because participants will reply to interview

questions differently or about the study intellectually. The importance of researchers selecting a

pool of confident and knowledgeable participants in their practice and understanding the research

topics is a potential benefit (Chen, 2016; Su et al., 2019). Therefore, I selected confident and

knowledgeable participants who practiced and understood the research topic, potentially

benefiting.

The study participants were managers of small fast-food restaurants who have

successfully used cross-culture communication strategies to improve employee engagement and

increase productivity. Qualitative researchers conducting a case study understand how vital it is

to select a specific set of participants to explore the research topic or phenomenon (Sharma,

2017; Yin, 2018). The critical aspect of researchers is to set limits or bounds to a research study

because the participant selection impacts the strength of the research study (Yin, 2018).

Therefore, I set limits and boundaries to this study by selecting participants to impact this

research study's strengths. The participants' eligibility criteria included (a) the participant is a

manager in a small fast-food restaurant, (b) the participants is a manager who has successfully

implemented cross-cultural communication strategies within their small fast-food restaurant, and

employees. According to Yin (2018), researchers need to select participants for a study involved

in the case or phenomenon to answer the overarching research question. Therefore, I selected

participants who had successfully implemented cross-cultural communication strategies that

engaged employees and increased productivity.

To gain access to the managers of small fast-food restaurants, I identified potential

participants by searching Google, LinkedIn, and food or business association websites for

companies that successfully use cross-culture communication strategies. Before commencing

research. I received approval from Walden University's Institutional Review Board (i.e., IRB;

approval number 04-06-21-0663115). I visited those various small fast-food restaurants and

spoke with a manager who could decide to set up an appointment to pre–screen; gained contact

information; obtained content information of the company; obtained a physical address met with

the decision–maker. I asked each owner questions to confirm eligibility and identified which

manager would be most appropriate based on the criteria. I explained the reason for choosing

their organization to employ field research. Researchers gaining access to a participant involves

networking and interaction with gatekeepers (Carey & Griffiths, 2017). Receiving

recommendations from professionals proves research to be a suitable method (Bailey, 2019).

However, a researcher must be selective and reliant on a social network to attract prospects to

interview with valuable information relating to the research inquiry (Bailey, 2019). The

participants' recruitment took place in two steps. In the first step, I made direct contact with each

facility to speak with a restaurant manager to call their owner to approve study participation and

set up an informational interview. In the second step, I met with the manager at their suggested

location and time.

Qualitative researchers who build rapport with participants and maintain association

keeps participants from forfeiting their agreement to the data collection process (Isik, 2018). The

interview process involves processed two phases: Building rapport and recounting experiences

(Danby et al., 2017; Gagnon & Cyr, 2017; Whiting & Price, 2017). In building rapport,

qualitative researchers must determine the best information and communication technologies that

fit their research design to ensure a positive relationship with participants (Salmons, 2016).

Researchers who use the internet to communicate and build relationships accept the trend of

relationships and information intertwining (Kokla & Guilbert, 2020; Salmons, 2016). I ensured a

positive relationship with each participant using collaborative approaches to communicate with

each participant, like emails and telephone, to build trust during the investigation process.

Furthermore, I developed a rapport by explaining the study's purpose and objectives, why it is

essential, and answering questions. The aim and goal were to develop a trusting relationship with

participants.

A researcher's key reason and aim for establishing a working relationship with each

participant are to maintain their volunteer ship and honor each participant in a research study

(Isik, 2018; Walton et al., 2018). The researcher must personify and exemplify the value of each

person's voluntary participation in the study to ensure relationships (Isik, 2018; Walton et al.,

2018). Rapport–building is critical for convincing participants and maintaining the enthusiasm

and desire to provide the researcher with a favorable exchange of rich raw data (Goodman-

Delahunty & Howes, 2016).

Research Method and Design

Researchers use qualitative, quantitative, or mixed–methods and decide which research

method to use based on the pending research question (Yang, 2016; Yin, 2018). I selected a

qualitative method as the most appropriate choice to address the research question in this study.

According to Clark-Carter (2018), researchers use a research method to structure and organize

their approach.

Research Method

I selected a qualitative research method for this research study. Yin (2018) suggested that

a qualitative approach is the best option for researchers to find the why through semistructured

interviews to understand phenomena. Based on Yin's recommendations, I used a qualitative

method as the most appropriate for this research because I attempted to answer what and how

questions. Gerring (2017) and Yin (2018) stated that researchers using the qualitative research

method seek to explore and grasp participants' meanings of a human problem from an interview.

The qualitative data can include the participants’ experiences and situations (Le Roux, 2017).

However, Runfola et al. (2017) stated that researchers employing a qualitative research method

have the chance to analyze various data to understand the phenomenon of interest. A researcher

uses a qualitative method to develop theory rather than logical deductions (Peterson, 2019).

Researchers using a qualitative method can conduct semistructured interviews to gather data and

gather additional data from organizational documents or website information relating to the

organization (Hammarberg et al., 2016). Qualitative researchers use open–ended questions as a

method to obtain data (Yin, 2018). Therefore, the qualitative research method is the most

appropriate to address the research question due to interacting with participants to probe

successful cross-cultural communication strategies. I explored the how and what questions of the

phenomenon.

The quantitative method is a statistical deductive approach in which the researcher tests

hypotheses through analyses (Scuotto et al., 2017). According to Marshall and Rossman (2016),

a quantitative method is an etic approach. Researchers want to observe the phenomenon from an

outside approach and measure the phenomenon of a problem without any interactions (Scuotto et

al., 2017). For example, a researcher observes the problem from the outside to form an objective

view (Marshall & Rossman, 2016). Quantitative researchers use a quantitative method to seek

statistical computation factored from numerical values (Reuter & Spielhofer, 2017).

The quantitative method is the statistical interaction of groups or comparisons of

variables, and a quantitative method uses close–ended questions (Marshall & Rossman, 2016;

Yin, 2018). A quantitative research method deals with predictions and interprets variables from a

statistical approach (Park & Park, 2016; Hodis & Hancock, 2016). According to Reuter and

Spielhofer (2017), quantitative researchers use a quantitative method as numerical data to accept

or reject one or more hypotheses. The quantitative method consists of factors and variables with

numerical values for statistical computation (Scuotto et al., 2018). I did not choose a quantitative

method for this study because a quantitative method is used with predetermined hypotheses or

relationships between multiple variables. I did not use close–ended questions to obtain data

relating to the research question. Furthermore, I did not statistically predict any variables for this

study, and I did not gather numerical data from participants to explore cause–and–effect

relationships.

A mixed–methods approach includes qualitative and quantitative methods or integrates

the two approaches (Yin, 2018). Researchers using a mixed–method seek to obtain data from

both qualitative and quantitative methods. For example, Molina-Azorin (2016) asserted that a

mixed-methods researcher collects data, performs analysis, and mixes open–ended and closed-

ended quantitative data for a research outcome. I did not use mixed–methods research because I

did not need a quantitative component to obtain numerical data or test a hypothesis. I did not use

mixed-methods research because I did not use a research question that requires a quantitative

component to address this study’s purpose. The qualitative method was suitable for this study

because I explored cross-cultural communication strategies to understand the small fast-food

restaurant sector.

Research Design

Researchers using a case study design can provide a deeper understanding of the

phenomena; the context should relate to solid context–dependent knowledge (Ridder, 2017). The

researcher should explore each design's relevance to draw a precise conclusion for an

investigation when choosing a proper research design (Nagata & Suzuki, 2017; Park & Park,

2016). I considered narrative design, ethnography design, phenomenological design, and case

study design.

The narrative research design is a method used by researchers using psychological

theories relating to a social phenomenon, and researchers use a narrative design to obtain details

of personal experiences, internal–external relationships, and life events of the participant

(Carless & Douglas, 2017; King et al., 2018). A narrative approach's roots originate from and

through biography and life history (Carless & Douglas, 2017). Narrative researchers do not focus

on constructs, opinions, or abstractions but the individual’s experience of concrete-real events

(Carless & Douglas, 2017; Thompson Long & Hall, 2018). A narrative research design is about

individual experiences using a storytelling approach to a sociocultural context (Carless &

Douglas, 2017; Thompson Long & Hall, 2018). I did not use a narrative research design because

it requires storytelling from the participant. Likewise, I did not use a narrative research design

because this study intends to explore cross-cultural communication strategies. A narrative

research design is inappropriate for this study because I did not seek personal experiences,

internal–external relationships, and participant life events.

Researchers who use an ethnographic design focus on life stories guided by

anthropological questions that ask why or relate to practices and rituals about cultural groups

(Hyland, 2016; O'Connell, 2018). The ethnographic researcher focuses on the participant's

culture (Hyland, 2016; O'Connell, 2018). Qualitative researchers use an ethnographic design to

observe, interact, and interview participants for protractive periods (Tracy, 2020). I did not

collect data relating to cultural phenomena because an ethnographic design is when a researcher

seeks to understand cultural groups' practices and rituals.

Qualitative researchers use a phenomenological design to explore and capture

participants’ subjective experiences of a phenomenon or specific worldview (Deepa & Panicker,

2016; Mohajan, 2018). Researchers who use a phenomenological design approach desire to

understand those specific experiences and capture each participant’s natural meaning of their

lived individual experiences through extended and interviews for a complete picture (Deepa &

Panicker, 2016; Mohajan, 2018). Moreover, a phenomenological researcher seeks first-hand

information from participants to gain knowledge from each participant's lived experience (Deepa

& Panicker, 2016; Mohajan, 2018). Based on Hailemariam et al. (2017) and Marshall and

Rossman (2016), researchers use a phenomenological approach to collect data and first-hand

information from participants who lived the experience and help researchers explore the mental

phenomenon. However, a phenomenological approach was unsuitable for this study because I

did not explore individuals' and groups' lived experiences.

Qualitative researchers use a case study design to gather participant information with a

logical approach to generate and discover themes, and the researcher conducts semistructured

interviews to understand and add input (Yin, 2018). According to Gammelgaard (2017) and

Ridder (2017), the objective for qualitative researchers who use a case study approach often

seeks inductively to explore an unknown phenomenon. Qualitative researchers use a case study

to explore a phenomenon through each participant's experiences (Yin, 2018). Therefore, a case

study design was appropriate for this study, supporting the study's objective. A researcher that

uses a case study design veers to investigate a phenomenon within a real–world context and

helps the qualitative researcher answer the how and what questions (Fagerholm et al., 2017; Yin,

2018). Qualitative researchers who use a case study design could develop new theories and

generate hypotheses (Crowe et al., 2011). Based on Aagaard (2017), research that uses a case

study design intends to explore real–world situations of an event, specific activity, and problems

using a single case or multiple case study.

Qualitative researchers must explore how vital it is to identify and understand the purpose

of each design methodologically and intellectually combined with its different impacts and

outcomes between a single case study versus multiple case studies during the methodological

phase (Crowe et al., 2011). Based on Alavi et al. (2018), a researcher using a single case study

only explores one unit using specific methods to collect and analyze the research problem under

examination. The methodological process consists of making the best decision or choosing a

proper research design, and the researcher must study the purpose of each research design to

decide better (Guetterman & Fetters, 2018). Furthermore, qualitative researchers must

understand that the design purpose addresses the research question (i.e., phenomenon or

problem) that helps the researcher develop and generate themes (Guetterman & Fetters, 2018).

I chose a multiple case study to gain in–depth knowledge from managers–participants

relating to this study’s business problem or phenomenon of cross-cultural communication

strategies. Using a multiple case study design, the qualitative researcher could understand

managers' experiences when implementing and executing strategies within their organization and

how employees behave from those implemented strategies (Eriksson et al., 2017). Multiple case

studies are becoming the research design of choice within management research. Lochrie (2016)

and Silverman (2017) insisted that multiple case studies gain popularity within management

research. Eriksson suggested using a multiple case study as an ideal approach for this study.

Based on Eriksson’s recommendations, I used a multiple case design for a holistic and in–depth

explanation, specifically from semistructured interviews, understanding that semistructured

interviews could gain richer–more profound knowledge from each unit or participant from

businesses.

Qualitative researchers who use multiple case studies develop an in–depth knowledge of

the research phenomenon and provide extensive explanations for a business problem (Eriksson et

al., 2017). Furthermore, those qualitative researchers often benefit from a multiple case study

because they ask the same open–ended questions that allow the participant to expound without

restrictions (Kenno et al., 2017; Windsong, 2018). In addition, the qualitative researcher

establishes interview questions that later result in determining data saturation (Windsong, 2018).

Therefore, deciding to use a multiple case study as the research design provides crucial raw data

and information to answer the research question for this research study and investigation.

Data saturation

Data saturation is a critical element to a case study, and data saturation arises when no

new theme emerges for several participants or interviews (Bobby, 2016; Kindsiko & Poltimäe,

2019; Park & Park, 2016). I interviewed participants until there was no new content arose and

achieved data saturation. Marshall and Rossman (2016) indicated that data saturation is when a

researcher has no additional ideals, themes, or new categories emerging from the last participant

interview. I selected specific participants who interacted and exchanged information that

enriched the research data. I did not continue the interview process when the redundancy of data

or data saturation was evident. I ensured data saturation by interviewing until no added

information during interviews or themes during analysis appeared. The interview process ended

when I reached data saturation.

Population and Sampling

The population selected for this qualitative multiple case study included a purposeful

sample of four small fast-food restaurant managers that have successfully used cross-cultural

communication strategies to improve employee engagement and increase productivity.

Qualitative researchers use purposive sampling to gather and collect data aligned with a study’s

purpose (Ames et al.,2019; Benoot et al., 2016). Qualitative researchers use purposeful sampling

for the identification and selection process to gain valuable information about the phenomenon

that the researcher will explore (Ames et al.,2019; Benoot et al., 2016). Participants successfully

addressed cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee engagement and

increased productivity. Based on Bobby (2016), researchers have the critical task of making sure

their participants mirror or closely represent the intended population and sample. Researchers

that use a case study design use a smaller sample size to obtain detailed descriptions of the

phenomenon (Yin, 2018). According to Bobby (2016) and Yin (2018), the recommended

minimum number of participants for data saturation in a case study is three to four. Bobby and

Yin suggested that proper population and sampling could provide insight into managers and

employees with diverse cultures who share distinct cultural experiences. Based on Bobby and

Yin’s suggestion, I used four participants to collect data from small fast-food restaurant

managers who employed cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity.

Qualitative researchers use purposeful sampling to evaluate and choose participants who

meet specific study requirements (Colorafi & Evans, 2016; Vaismoradi & Snelgrove, 2019).

Therefore, a researcher must consider reaching data saturation when determining a multiple case

study's proper sample size (Bobby, 2016; Kindsiko & Poltimäe, 2019). Moreover, researchers

must have an initial plan to interview participants from different companies to reach data

saturation (Lochrie, 2016). Bobby suggested that a sample size of four participants in a case

study will be highly informative and meaningful to reach data saturation (Bobby, 2016; Kindsiko

& Poltimäe, 2019). Based on Bobby’s recommendations, I used four participants for this

multiple case study. Researchers rehearsing the same open–ended interview questions and

semistructured interview techniques to the various participants from different units is another

way to ensure data saturation (Baines et al., 2018; Tran et al., 2017; Yang, 2016). I asked the

same open-ended interview questions to each participant to ensure data saturation.

Researchers use data saturation to ensure the adequacy and quality of the data collected,

and the researcher gathers relevant data from participants (Hennink et al., 2019; Yin, 2018). The

accomplishment or description to reach data saturation is when a researcher will attain enough

information or redundancy within the research data (Lochrie, 2016; Vasileiou et al., 2018).

According to Bobby (2016) and Yin (2018), the recommended minimum number of participants

for data saturation in a case study is three to four. For example, I interviewed four managers

from different units using the same interview questions to accomplish data saturation. I used the

interview protocol to manage each interview process, and if I did not meet the data saturation of

the four participants, the recruitment and interview process had to continue to meet data

saturation.

Qualitative researchers have several options to choose from when determining what is

best to obtain and gather data (Ames et al.,2019; Benoot et al., 2016). According to Saunders et

al. (2016), qualitative researchers interchangeably identify purposeful sampling and judgmental

sampling, meaning the same. Qualitative researchers use purposeful sampling to recognize the

individuals to select who know the phenomenon, explore the importance of being available with

a desire to participate, and have the zeal to articulate and reflectively express their experiences

(Saunders et al., 2016). Therefore, I used purposeful sampling when selecting each participant.

The population stemmed from four different small fast-food restaurant managers who

successfully addressed the lack of cross-cultural communication strategies to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity. The four participants had the opportunity to respond to

the interview questions for the researcher to gain knowledge relating to the phenomenon of

interest. The following section is ethical research.

Ethical Research

Applying ethical standards and protecting participants in a study is a vital aspect of

research. Informed consent is a process related to the information given to potential participants

for a study and designed for researchers not to commit harm or maleficence (Annas, 2018).

Annas suggested using an informed consent form, which supported each participant's

accessibility and protection. Based on Annas’s recommendations, I gave an informed consent

form to clarify expectations regarding the interview process. I complied with all aspects of The

Belmont Report and the informed process. According to Annas (2018), the informed consent

process involves (a) providing potential participants enough knowledge, (b) providing potential

participants to consider options to continue or not to continue, and (c) answer participants’

questions. The concluding section of the informed consent consists of information the

researchers use to provide each potential participant with an understanding of their protections

and rights, obtain the potential participant’s voluntary agreement, and maintain open

communication (Annas, 2018). The informed consent form includes a paragraph related to

participants' rights to withdraw from the research at any time by notifying me via phone or by

email. I reminded each participant that they could choose to withdraw from the study without a

penalty, and the participant can contact me anytime via phone, email, or say so during the

interview that I want to withdraw from the study. The details within an informed consent form

provide and include a participant’s right to withdraw from a study without consequences (Grady

et al., 2017; Petrova et al., 2016). I discontinued the interviewing process with the participant if

they decided not to move forward with the interview during the interview process. Therefore, I

discarded notes or information associated with the discontinued interview.

I emailed prospective participants the informed consent that describes the study's aim and

protections for each participant. Researchers follow the consent process are to avoid maleficence

and support beneficence (Birt et al., 2016; Mwaka et al., 2018; Neubauer et al., 2019). The

overreaching purpose of using informed consent is to manage a nonverbal understanding of a

study and a communication link between the researcher and each participant (Ho et al., 2018).

According to Annas (2018), the researcher should ensure that informed consent is a quality

product with the responsibility only allocated to the researcher.

I did not offer any incentives to study participants, but I thanked each participant for

voluntarily participating in this research and investigation. First, I emailed the informed consent

form when an individual manager expressed interest in participating in this study. The potential

participant personally replied to the email I consent or the potential participant method of

agreeing with the informed consent form. Furthermore, the proposed method ensures adequate

ethical protection, such as confidentiality for participants, a researcher's fundamental

responsibility (Saunders et al., 2016). Next, I emailed each potential participant an email

invitation to schedule the best date and time to participate in a Zoom audio interview.

I stored all information related to this study on a 256–bit Universal Serial Bus (i.e., USB)

flash drive stored in a locked drawer in a locked office only accessible by the researcher. I

secured all information collected from this study for 5 years. According to Reinecke et al.

(2016), The researcher must know the research topic because poor–deprived researched topics

may cause unethical practices.

Data Collection Instruments

I was the primary instrument in a qualitative research study. Furthermore, researchers are

the primary data collection instrument in a qualitative research method (Clark & Vealé, 2018;

Yin, 2018). The data source is semistructured interviews asking open–ended interview questions

(Yin, 2018). Based on Haupt and Pillay (2016), a qualitative case study researcher can select a

suitable approach for the data collection process. Qualitative researchers employing a case study

design frequently use semistructured interviews to collect data (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2018).

Consequently, I created my interview questions based on this study's conceptual framework, and

each open-ended question is on cross-cultural communication strategies that some small fast-

food restaurants use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity.

Qualitative researchers use interview protocol to strengthen the data collection process

and the researcher's data from interviews (Yin, 2018). However, the researcher should

understand that adopting a protocol is critical to avoiding personal biases and wrong assumptions

(Yin, 2018). I used an interview protocol to sustain consistency during the data collection

process. Furthermore, I used an interview protocol guide that entails an opening script, the

study's target population, purpose, the research question, interview question, and the prompt for

recording. I followed the interview protocol during each interview, and I did not deviate from the

outlined protocol structure and process. Qualitative researchers who do not implement and

comply with an interview protocol could reduce unnecessary errors within their research

outcome or data collection process (Yin, 2018). Furthermore, qualitative researchers should

understand the interview protocol's use and importance to each participant's interview process

(Yin, 2018).

Member checking is a process that qualitative researchers use to increase the validity of a

study’s findings, and it is a process they use to determine if their interpretations are accurate

(Birt et al., 2016; Neubauer et al., 2019). Furthermore, Yin (2018) suggested continuing member

checking if needed after a first member checking process or meeting did not fulfill the desired

outcome and correct understanding. Member checking is a process used to reach and support

data saturation. Therefore, I repeated member checking with participants to clarify unclear

responses that assisted with reaching and supporting data saturation.

Data Collection Technique

For this qualitative multiple case study, I collected data using semistructured interviews

containing six open-ended questions, company archival documentation such as project plans,

strategic project goals, software specification documents, postimplementation evaluation

documents, handbook, and used methodological triangulation. Case study researchers must

collect data from various resources like interviews, archival records, direct observations,

documents, participant observations, and physical artifacts (Yin, 2018). I started the data

collection process by exploring cross-cultural communication strategies that some small fast-

food restaurant managers use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity after

obtaining the Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.

This research study's voluntary participants had to sign an informed consent form via

email after deciding to participate. The potential participant decides to participate in the research

study they consented by responding by email I Agree. Moreover, I provided each participant

with a non-disclosure agreement to protect confidential and proprietary information during the

interview. Based on Grady et al. (2017) and Yin (2018), a qualitative researcher should initiate

and arrange the qualitative interviews with the participants choosing the date and time. I

communicated with participants using emails and phone calls to schedule interview dates and

times. According to Slišković et al. (2017), the duration of a case study interview should only be

a maximum range of 30–45 minutes. I used semistructured interviews with open–ended

questions during each interview. Slišković recommended that the semistructured interview

technique is appropriate for a multiple case study. Therefore, based on Slišković's

recommendation, I used semistructured interviews to collect data for this research study and used

an interview protocol.

A researcher uses an interview protocol to guide the interview and remind study

participants of their rights (Anderson et al., 2016). Qualitative researchers should use an

interview protocol to remind them of the reverence and value of scripted interview instructions

and repeat the same script during interviews (Anderson et al., 2016). Based on Danby et al.

(2017), the researcher uses an interview protocol to maintain the structure through all interview

phases. I used the interview protocol guide to conduct each interview and the interview process

to support the study's entirety.

The data collection technique has some advantages and disadvantages. According to

Aguinis and Solarino (2019) and Mu and Carrington (2007), the particulars of Cohen’s

advantages of oral interviews as a data collection technique are as follow: The investigator has

autonomy over the line of questioning, organized and uniformed data, gaining contextual insight

into the topic, and the participants have an opportunity to articulate what is essential relating to

their experiences.

Cohen's disadvantages are interview bias, time–consuming, less accurate, less objective,

and highly individualized (Aguinis & Solarino, 2019; Mu & Carrington, 2007). Furthermore, Mu

and Carrington (2007) suggested that researchers must understand that several types of data

collection techniques and selecting the best type for their study will help propel the researcher's

approach to collecting data. The researcher's goal is to reach data saturation (Mu & Carrington,

2007). According to Roberta et al. (2017), the investigator must differentiate the implemented

approach or data collection technique's advantages and disadvantages. Qualitative researchers

use the data collection technique to achieve consistent results and future research (Roberta et al.,

2017). Mu and Carrington recommended that using open–ended interviews are a form of

collecting data. Based on Mu and Carrington's recommendation, I collected data using

semistructured techniques style interviews with open–ended questions from four different small

fast-food restaurant units or multiple data sources.

Data Organization Technique

The data organization technique in qualitative research refers to a systematic process of

ordering, categorizing, and arranging raw data or information gathered (Yin, 2018). I used

NVivo when tracking data, maintaining research logs, maintaining reflective journals, cataloging

information, and maintaining a labeling system. Each interview participant–manager, had an

assigned unique alphanumeric code to protect each participant's identity and confidentiality and

support the organizational aspect of collecting data. For example, I labeled the document of

participant–manager with a unique alphanumeric code like Participant 1 (P1), Participant 2 (P2),

Participant 3 (P3), and Participant 4 (P4). I ensured the confidentiality and personal data from

each participant's information protected, and I did not disclose any participant’s information. No

one will or needs to view the data aside from me as the researcher. Based on Abbasi et al. (2016)

and Abdelhafiz et al. (2019), researchers must protect each participant's acquired personal

information. I did not use any data from participants for any such purpose other than this

research. I protected the data during the collection period. For example, I stored encrypted data

on secure servers, removed identifiers after the data collection process, and created misleading

identifiers in the presentation. I secured all participants’ information saved with a unique

alphanumeric code on a Universal Serial Bus (i.e., USB) flash drive.

The researcher's transcribing processes are in–depth and repeated, listening to each

participant’s narratives related to each open–ended question asked by the investigator (Thome,

2016). I saved the data collected into a computer after recording the interview. Furthermore, I

then started the transcribing process and used Microsoft Word files to store raw data that I later

transferred into NVivo. Subsequently, I completed the continual process of member checking of

each participant. Finally, I coded, transcribed, and analyzed each interviewee’s raw data once I

moved the raw data moved into NVivo. Yin suggested using a Qualitative Analysis Data

Program (QADP) to help qualitative researchers manage the raw data and identify those themes

as the software could not identify. Based on Yin’s suggestion, I selected NVivo software to

support data analysis to prepare for the data analysis procedure.

I stored and secured all raw data for 5 years. Moreover, I deleted data from the computer,

I destroyed the USB flash drive using a commercial shredder, I destroyed the study's raw data by

shredding all paper copies of the research files, and I followed all The Institutional Review

Board (IRB) and Walden’s University data storage policy that requires 5 years. The following is

the data analysis section.

Data Analysis

The thematic analysis is a qualitative research method used to identify, analyze, organize,

describe, and report themes discovered within a data set (Kiger & Varpio, 2020; Nowell et al.,

2017). I used this method to identify themes, and I used the pre-codes that guided the analysis.

Two of the primary goals of comparing the literature are to explain how themes support or

contrast peer–review–style literature and clarify (Melkers et al., 2017). Therefore, I analyzed the

relationship to the existing literature and conceptual framework.

The logical and sequential process for data analysis is Braun and Clarke’s six thematic

analysis steps (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step thematic analysis

process helped to analyze the data rigorously. Braun and Clarke (2006) recommended six steps

of the thematic analysis process, and they are: (a) familiarizing yourself with your data, (b)

generating initial codes, (c) searching for themes, (d) reviewing themes, (e) defining and naming

themes, and (f) producing the report.

I described and shared each step of what I did during the thematic analysis process. The

description and six steps of this thematic analysis process were:

1. Become familiar with the data. Braun and Clarke (2006) indicated that you start to

familiarize yourself with their data. Therefore, I inundated–immersed myself in reading

each interviewee's transcribed data multiple times while taking notes, reading

documentary evidence, and marking preliminary ideas for pre–codes that can describe my

content. During this point, I familiarized myself with the data and initiated ideas before

coding.

2. Begin identifying initial codes. Braun and Clarke (2006) indicated that the researcher

must begin to assign codes to their data. I analyzed and generated themes from the

assigned codes from within the data, and I used the NVivo software to organize and label

data to identify and generate initial codes. Next, I expanded on those initial codes from

the literature review and the conceptual framework to incorporate those common

concepts, repeated statements, and keywords and phrases that I discovered throughout the

data.

3. Searching for themes. Braun and Clarke (2006) indicated that the researcher starts to

sort their codes into themes. I examined initial codes and then grouped them into themes

based on similarities. Yin (2018) defined themes are patterns that capture something

interesting about the data and research question. Next, I arranged themes into key themes

and subthemes. Finally, I used the codes to organize into key and subthemes,

communicating things about the research question at the final step.

4. Reviewing themes. Braun and Clarke (2006) indicated that this stage involves the

refinement of the researcher's themes, and this step is a more in–depth review of

identifying themes. I reviewed, modified, and initially developed themes identified from

step three of this process. I ensured to link all relevant data to each theme in NVivo, and I

reviewed the themes for accuracy, relevance, and supportive data.

5. Defining and naming themes. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) indicated that this stage

involves refining the themes and potential subthemes within the data. To answer the

research question, I organized the main themes from the broadest to the narrowest topic. I

reviewed each theme and subtheme context during this final refinement step.

6. Producing the report. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) indicated that this stage involves the

researcher transforming the analysis into interpretable writing using vivid and compelling

extract examples related to the themes. I used tables, figures, and charts to present the

data analysis findings. I ensured that the report relays the analysis results that convince

the reader of its merit and validity. Finally, I ensured that the report goes beyond the

description of themes and portrays an analysis supported by empirical evidence

addressing the research question.

The four methods of triangulation researchers can choose from are (a) method

triangulation, (b) investigator triangulation, (c) theory triangulation, and (d) data source

triangulation (Fusch et al., 2018; Natalia & Rodrigo, 2017). Qualitative researchers that use

methodological triangulation could help the researcher to validate data through cross-verification

of two or more methods and is proper for case studies (Lodhi, 2016). Moreover, methodological

triangulation could support the validity of information synthesized from various sources (Fusch

et al., 2018; Gibson, 2017). The methodological triangulation, known as multi-method

triangulation or method triangulation, is the conventional approach when researchers explore a

research problem (Tracy, 2019). I used methodological triangulation to explore the problem from

multiple angles, and methodological triangulation was the most suitable data analysis process for

this study.

Furthermore, I used methodological triangulation to collect data by interviewing

participants, examining company websites, and reviewing recently published peer-reviewed

articles on cross-cultural communication. I reviewed company documents to explore each

company's cross-cultural communication strategies that engage employees and increase

productivity. The use of methodological triangulation helped explore the problem from various

angles, and methodological triangulation was the most suitable for this study's data analysis

process.

Data analysis intends to describe the cross-cultural strategies managers of small fast-food

restaurants use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Researchers

conducting data analysis within qualitative case studies should use a systematic and

methodological process to guarantee the findings' dependability and credibility (Yin, 2018). I

used Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to frame my data analysis. Moreover, I examined the

six dimensions or the constructs (i.e., power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty

avoidance, indulgence, and restraint) of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to develop codes,

themes, and mapping. The following is the reliability and validity section.

Reliability and Validity

Reliability

The reliability concept is when a researcher's study is repeatable because dependability is

active, not passive, relating to the finished product (Andrian et al., 2018). Dependability adds

rigor to the research process by expressing the researcher and participants (Bengtsson, 2016;

Conz & Magnani, 2020; Kern, 2018). According to Marshall and Rossman (2016), member

checking is a technique used for exploring the credibility of results. The continuous interaction

with each participant during and after the interview will guarantee dependability (Bengtsson,

2016; Conz & Magnani, 2020; Varpio & Meyer, 2017).

I adopted the member checking approach for accuracy in interpretation and increased

validity. The member checking approach guaranteed that I met the highest dependability and

validity level; I used an interview protocol for each participant's using the same interview

questions and guidelines. Marshall and Rossman (2016) suggested that reaching data saturation

ensures the findings' dependability in their experiences.

Validity

Qualitative researchers addressing validity and reliability are vital, but the researcher's

goal is to meet the criterion of trustworthiness within the content of qualitative analysis

(Bengtsson, 2016; Conz & Magnani, 2020). Based on Bengtsson (2016) and Leal (2019), the

standard criteria of trustworthiness are (a) credibility, (b) dependability, (c) transferability, and

(d) confirmability. As a qualitative researcher, I addressed validity and reliability through the

lens of the criterion of trustworthiness.

Credibility

Credibility is a proposition, inference, or conclusion (Thomas, 2017). The term

credibility refers to the truth and confidence when a reader reads the research findings that some

credibility indicators exist (Cho & Kim, 2017; Thomas, 2017). Based on Thomas (2017),

qualitative researchers understand how crucial member checking is for trustworthiness. Smith

and McGannon (2018) noted that a member checking method is crucial during a qualitative

research process. I continued to engage with each participant using member checking to

accomplish internal validity and provide confidence. Member checking and triangulation

supported the credibility of the findings. Methodological triangulation involves two or more data

collection methods to obtain study data (Heesen et al., 2019). Triangulation is valuable to

confirm research findings, acquire more comprehensive data, and increase the data validity and

understanding of the phenomenon (Bekhet & Zausniewski, 2012; Gibson, 2017; Heesen et al.,

2019). I implemented methodological triangulation to support credibility by comparing interview

responses to analyze the data collected from reviewing related company documents. Cho and

Kim recommended that by comparing multiple data sources with any information on the study.

Based on Cho and Kim's recommendation, I compared various data sources with any information

relating to the study to confirm any generated findings when analyzing the data.

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Dependability

Dependability refers to the research findings' consistency and reliability and drawing

upon multiple sources. For example, dependability appears when other researchers can view data

and reach similar findings and interpretations—building a succinct line and trail of evidence with

a constant comparison of documents, member checking, prolonged engagement, and persistent

observations are how to achieve dependability (Korstjens & Moser, 2018; Stewart et al., 2017).

In addition, the researcher’s interview is one way of reducing misunderstandings by participants

and bias (Selelo et al., 2017). Therefore, I documented data collection, explained participants'

selection, member checking, and following an interview protocol to achieve dependability in this

research study.

Transferability

Transferability entails that the researcher provides readers with evidence that a study's

findings apply to related organizations or allow other researchers to form conclusions if the

research findings apply to a different field (Adams et al., 2019; Cope, 2014; Vaismoradi &

Snelgrove, 2019; Yin, 2018). The researcher's responsibility for transferability is to provide a

profound description by explaining an abundance of details about the context of the explored

phenomenon, data collection techniques, and data analysis methods (Korstjens & Moser, 2018;

Yin, 2018). I thoroughly documented each step throughout the entire research and data collection

process. Achieving transferability transparency is integral (Evans et al., 2018). Qualitative

researchers should use the detailed descriptions of study participants and accountability,

framework, and location to enhance transferability (Evans et al., 2018). I made sure to comply

with the data collection and thematic analysis techniques outlined in the interview protocol,

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member checking, triangulation, and data saturation. The research study should move beyond

compliance and a requirement–driven approach to consider trust and relevance (Evans et al.,

2018). I provided detailed information about the researcher, participants, research method and

design, ethical practices, data collection instruments and techniques, and data organization. This

study's transferability can benefit future researchers as evidence of semistructured work used for

future research to improve cross-culture communication strategies to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity used by small fast-food restaurant managers.

Confirmability

Confirmability in qualitative research involves a correct and accurate interpretation of

each participant's data through member checking and data triangulation (Connell, 2016). I

confirmed that the study results reflect the participant perspectives presented through an

objective research process, and I used NVivo software for auditing the steps I took during the

data collection process. Moreover, I confirmed that each participant's response was accurate and

correctly interpreted. A representation of the researcher's data collection does not reflect the

investigator's biases or viewpoints (Connell, 2016; Cope, 2014; Vaismoradi & Snelgrove, 2019).

Connell suggested a qualitative approach using multiple sources of data to reach data

triangulation. Based on Connell’s recommendations, I used multiple data sources to reach

triangulation and support confirmability.

Data saturation is a critical aspect of qualitative research, and data saturation enhances

the study (Tran et al., 2017; Xenofontos, 2018). According to Kahlke (2017) and Tran et al.

(2017), researchers determining data saturation are involved and dictated by the research.

Qualitative researchers recognize data saturation when they reach a point where the information

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is redundant or has no added information (Tran et al., 2017). Schroeder and Smaldone (2017)

and Xenofontos (2018) stated that data saturation is when the investigator can no longer find any

new information after member checking. Researchers inspecting each theme helps minimize

individual responses and improve confidence, and data saturation is when the findings are

redundant, the themes surpass the data, and future coding is no longer possible (Grommon, 2018;

Schroeder & Smaldone, 2017).

One way researchers guarantee data saturation is by researchers using their interview

protocol during each interview (Cope, 2014; Vaismoradi & Snelgrove, 2019). The result of

researchers using their interview protocol is collecting quality data from interviewees (Heydon &

Powell, 2018). Based on Hancock et al. (2016) and Saunders et al. (2018), data saturation is the

benchmark for validity. Achieving data saturation is a vital milestone in an excellent qualitative

study, and data saturation is crucial to confirm the dependability of a study (Constantinou et al.,

2017). I collected, analyzed, and coded data from each interview until I reached data saturation.

According to Kahlke (2017), collecting data until there are no new themes assures data saturation

within a study. I collected data until there were no new themes generated based on Kahlke's

recommendations of collecting data until there were no new themes. For example, data saturation

was helpful to assure the findings' dependability participants experienced cross-cultural

communication strategies that engage employees and increase productivity.

Transition and Summary

This qualitative multiple case study explored cross-cultural communication strategies that

some small fast-food restaurant managers used to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. In section 2, I reiterated the purpose statement. I detailed the headings for the

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researcher's role, participants, research method, population and sampling, ethical research, data

collection instruments, data collection technique, data organization technique, data analysis, and

reliability and validity. Section 2 concludes the prepared research proposal. Section 3, The

Application to Professional Practice and Implications for Change section, comprises an overview

of the study and each central–major theme exposed from the data analysis phase. I presented the

study's results, professional practice and social change recommendations, and future research

recommendations. Section 3 concluded with the reflections and conditions section.

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Section 3: Application to Professional Practice and Implications for Change

Introduction

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the cross-cultural

communication strategies that some managers of small fast-food restaurants use to improve

employee engagement and increase productivity. Data were collected from four semistructured

interviews with managers of small fast-food restaurants who have successfully implemented

cross‐cultural communication strategies. Additionally, data were acquired from documents

found on the small fast-food restaurant website and related media platforms. I reviewed

employee handbooks, employee benefits, culture and mission, brand, social media, and

advertisements.

I identified four major themes from the thematic analysis (a) develop relationships, (b)

empathy, (c) mindfulness and respect for others, and (e) training and communicating. I also

identified one subtheme: Re-evaluations and measuring goals, and each theme and subtheme ties

to the study findings, literature review, theory, or conclusion. These four themes and one

subtheme could help managers of small fast-food restaurants improve employee engagement and

increase productivity. In Section 3, I include professional practice applications and

recommendations for future research, reflections, and the conclusion.

Presentation of the Findings

The overarching research question for this study was: What cross‐cultural

communication strategies do some managers of small fast-food restaurants use to engage

employees and increase productivity? I collected data through semistructured interviews with

participants. My objective was to answer the research question and understand the strategies that

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some managers of small fast-food restaurants use to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. I used company documents, interviews, and methodological triangulation to

validate the research findings. I maintained the participants’ confidentiality by using

pseudonyms: P1, P2, P3, and P4.

Using Hofstede’s (1980) cultural dimensions theory as the foundational theory or

conceptual framework was vital to discover the findings of this research study. I explored the

cross-cultural communication strategies managers use in the United States’ southern region to

improve employee engagement and increased productivity for small fast-food restaurants

through the lens of Hofstede’s theory. After analysis of the data collected, four themes emerged–

(a) develop relationships, (b) empathy, (c) mindfulness and respect for others, and (d) training

and communicating–and one subtheme: Revaluations and measuring goals.

Theme 1: Developing Relationships

The first theme that emerged from the thematic analysis was developing relationships.

The findings suggest that managers should develop relationships to engage employees and

increase productivity for their restaurant. Restaurant managers employ and create a culture for

developing relationships as a priority, resulting in positive employee engagement and

productivity outcomes. Restaurant managers’ mindsets and beliefs are constant interactions or

characteristics of developing relationships that enhance cross‐cultural communication

strategies. For example, P2 described the manager’s interactions and actions to developing

relationships:

Developing the relationships was not difficult. Just saying ‘good morning’ each day

opened the relationship exchange. So, when it was time to have a difficult conversation,

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the relationship had already been established to help the conflict have a favorable and

positive outcome.

P4 stated, “We as managers had to understand our culture behaviors, feelings,

interactions, and actions to understand other cultures.” Participants explained how to develop

relationships and why it is not difficult to interact and establish cross‐cultural communication

strategies within the work environment. For example, managers understood they had to learn to

be diverse and educate themselves on cultures. Business researchers have explained that

developing relationships or the process of engaging employees is a psychological state driven by

passion and directed by behavioral energy (He et al., 2019). Participants were passionate about

developing relationships to create fair and favorable outcomes that engage employees and

increase productivity. For example, P2 said, “I think the first approach I used is asking questions;

I think my whole goal is being able to relate to my followers.”

Developing Relationships and the Construct of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory.

The question asked in the conceptual framework that correlates with the constructs from

Hofstede’s theory of individualism versus collectivism was analyzed and aligned with

developing relationships. The individualism versus collectivism construct of Hofstede’s theory

and the theme of developing relationships aligned with the impacts of individualism-collectivism

had on improving cross-cultural communication and increasing productivity. This study’s

findings suggest that developing relationships provided participants with a strategy for

developing relationships and keeping managers informed of actions to appreciate other cultures

and their cross-cultural communicational behaviors and beliefs. The findings indicate that

employing strategies for developing relationships helped inspire different methods available for

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developing relationships. Chakraborty (2017) and Hsieh (2015) reported that developing

relationships is identified as a collectivist culture that recognizes values and exemplifies

authentic harmonies of family relationships. Hofstede et al. (2010) asserted that organizations

dependent on within-groups could affect the proper outcome of developing relationships. Two of

the four participants talked about learning from others and developing relationships. P1 stated,

“Managers must sacrifice their comfort zone or give up something to learn about others and their

culture to develop relationships.” The crucial aspect of developing relationships and those

contributing to creating the learning of cultures represents what it takes for organizations to reach

the anticipated outcome of developing relationships. P1 further stated, “Once those employees

understand what managers are attempting to achieve, they should reverberate those values that

lead to developed relationships.” Furthermore, participants indicated that developing

relationships was necessary for their restaurant business.

P2 stated, “Organizations with developed relationships find it easier for managers to have

fair and positive exchanges, but managers tend to anticipate conflict–style exchanges.”

Furthermore, developing relationships could help managers create a win–win work culture with

specific individuals and local communities where the small fast-food restaurants are located. P1

and P2 talked about having programs that help maintain relationships within a work culture and

the communities. For example, P2 stated, “[Managers] have teams and programs to maintain a

relationship environment.” Vidales (2017) revealed that listening and speaking communication is

a model for a manager to comply when developing relationships. Developing relationships is

about a manager’s conscientious efforts to understanding work culture and the cultural behavior

of the diverse cultures within their operation.

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The findings of this study suggest that the theme of developing relationships aligns with

the construct of collectivism versus individualism from Hofstede’s theory. Hofstede’s (1983)

theory promoted the construct and dimension of collectivism versus individualism as managers

who identify conditions linked to collectivism and act relationally or express well–being to a

group. Borisova et al. (2017) and Farivar et al. (2016), Solmazer et al. (2016) argued that

qualities of a collectivist–style culture could reflect the sorting and arrangement of groups within

the same group. Managers create a collectivist–style culture when individuals share their

organizations’ behaviors and values around collectivism (Borisova et al., 2017). A collectivist

culture recognizes values, training programs, excellent skills and exemplifying authentic

harmonies of family–style relationships (Borisova et al., 2017). Therefore, creating a

collectivist–style culture is critical to small fast-food restaurants when developing relationships.

Developing Relationships and Business Practice

Hurn and Tormalin (2013) and Nguyen-Phuong-Mai (2020) argued that a manager’s

primary goal is to develop the relationship between culture and communication. Hurn and

Tormalin (2013) argued that cross-cultural communication intertwines with concepts, ideas,

theories, and scholarship topics like cultural studies and cultural diversities. For example, P4

stated,

If structured correctly, there can be a win–win in a synergetic situation, so how we deal

with it when we try to set up this win–win, we must try to appreciate all the perspectives,

meaning my perspective or everybody’s perspective.

Vidales (2017) noted that communicating both verbally and nonverbal is a method of cross-

culture communication and developing relationships.

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Richter et al. (2016) explained that formal or less formal concepts support organizations

in managing policies and best practices relating to how managers address cultural values and

develop relationships. Understanding various cultures and communication helps managers grasp

clear cross-cultural communication strategies (Vidales, 2017). Cross-cultural communication and

cross-cultural communication strategies require managers to communicate to diverse employees

with distinctive styles and individuals within the business culture for developing relationships

(Lifintsev & Wellbrock, 2019; Vidales, 2017).

Summary of Developing Relationships

Some participants agreed that developing relationships and being confident that cross-

cultural communication happens within the organization is essential—; a manager who

empowers and implements a culture that develops relationships positively impacts the

restaurant’s success. Furthermore, the construct of Hofstede’s theory of individualism versus

collectivism is essential to developing relationships within organizations (Hurn & Tormalin,

2013; Nguyen-Phuong-Mai, 2020).

Beugelsdijk et al. (2017) and Hofstede et al. (2010) stated that Hofstede defines culture as

a collective programming of minds to differentiate one group from another. Hofstede’s theory

supports and understands diverse cultures and how the theory coexists with culture and

workplace culture relationships. Beugelsdijk et al. (2017) found that values affect employees’

and managers’ philosophical views of success and accomplishment, work performance,

leadership, and diverse social relationships, relevant to Hofstede’s theory. The findings of this

study are consistent with supporting a manager’s approach of developing relationships, which

links to the purpose statement as a strategy that managers use to explore cross-cultural

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communication strategies that some managers of small fast-food restaurants use to improve

employee engagement and increase productivity. In addition, the findings of this study are

consistent with the related and contrasting theory of transformational leadership theory.

Transformational leadership is a theory that focuses on transforming others by

developing relationships. Managers must first develop relationships to be transformational

managers (Esmi et al., 2017; Jackson, 2017; Kwan, 2020). For example, managers should

understand that developing relationships helps to transform people or employees. Therefore,

managers who use transformational leadership develop relationships with individuals and

employees as a critical strategy.

Theme 2: Empathy

The second theme that emerged from the thematic analysis was empathy. The findings

suggest that managers practice empathy to engage employees and increase productivity for their

restaurant. The participants’ responses suggest that developing a work culture of empathy

between managers and employees could lead to employees' optimistic outcomes and increase

productivity. Managers believe that understanding what other people think and how they feel in

given situations enhances cross‐cultural communication. For example, P3 described manager

interactions and actions. “Putting myself always in the other person’s shoes while humoring

them is my way of interactions to empathy.” P4 defined the term and how managers should

understand the theme of empathy.

When I [the manager] say empathy, you can have someone’s perspective, but my favorite

feeling is appreciated for employees, and that means not only know what that perspective

is but be able to feel the importance of it.

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P4 also gave an actual example of a manager’s position of empathy.

I put myself in their position–then address what I would be thinking about at this time

because I am human, just like my employees. [However,] for them to first accomplish

that self-awareness is excellent because some of us try, but we are not even congruent

with ourselves (P4).

Thus, P4 explained how managers view empathy and how it first starts with the self or self-

awareness. Furthermore, P4 suggested that empathy is a crucial element of cross‐cultural

communication and cross‐cultural communication strategies.

The business relevance of empathy between managers and employees is an integral part

of the cross-culture communication strategy and the pursuit of cultural goals. Van den Heuvel et

al. (2016) explained that cross-culture communication and communication create attributes like

short and long–term goals, camaraderie, and measuring critical success when developing and

managing cross-culture communication strategies. Participants were passionate about displaying

empathy, humility, and understanding the need for engaged employees and increased

productivity.

Empathy and the Construct of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory

The question asked in the conceptual framework that correlates with the constructs from

Hofstede’s theory of masculinity versus femininity was analyzed and aligned with empathy. The

conceptual framework question was: How has masculinity–femininity affected the emotional and

social roles of improving cross-cultural communication and increasing productivity? Most

participants expressed the need for managers to project empathy and focus on the care and

concern of people (e.g., employees) and their feelings within the organization. Hofstede et al.’s

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(2010) Hofstede’s theory construct focuses on femininity but not on collectivist values, which

helps someone in need from a diverse ethnic group, illustrates a cultural feminist, not the values

of a collectivist. Solmazer et al. (2016) argued that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory

focused on masculinity–femininity, and society–cultures respond to characteristics like empathy,

caring, relationships in their environment, and the quality of life.

P4 articulated and expounded on how managers’ subconscious and conscious

characteristics should be honest and natural. “Being honest with yourself and having a good

understanding of who you are, what you are honest about, or natural is key to empathy.”

Furthermore, having a good understanding of the self assists with putting oneself in someone

else’s experience relating to life.

Hofstede et al. (2010) discovered that managers’ empathy and femininity share the same

mindset for caring and placing others as caring human beings and the organization’s long-term

well–being. For example, P3 said, “When individuals know that you care and you are honest,

they are more prone to listen and do what is needed and done.” All participants alluded that

empathy should develop organically and progressively, with minimum to high levels of training.

The participant explained how managers organically and personally are conscious of expressing

empathy. For example, P4 stated, “I try to be humble and not domineering but answer as many

perspectives and many different answers, and I so trying to be open to everybody’s perspective.”

The construct of femininity or caring and placing others as caring human beings correlates with

empathy and how managers express empathy with their employees. The following section is an

analysis of and the link between the theme of empathy and communication.

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Empathy and Business Practice

Abayadeera et al. (2018) argued that managers should intensely involve themselves in the

intercultural and cross-cultural communication processes with employees to overcome the

challenges of low levels of empathy by emphasizing managers to be more empathetic. Zhu and

Fu (2019) contended that cross-cultural communication has always been a critical strategy a

manager use when implementing successful communication strategies that consist of empathy.

Alcaide-Muñoz et al. (2018) stated that organizational culture experiences a lack of productivity,

the suffering of quality, and resentment and empathy. One participant explained some critical

elements of the resentment from the lack of empathy and if managers ignore and exhibit

inadequate non-verbal and verbal communication. For example, P4 stated,

When I [the manager] say empathy, you can have someone’s perspective, but my favorite

feeling is appreciated for employees [emphasis added], and that means not only know

what that perspective is but be able to feel the importance; of it.

One participant explained the result of communication empathy and how employees feel

emotionally with empathetic managers. The participant proved that an appropriate

communication strategy is critical for managers to exhibit to preserve a culture of empathy. For

example, P4 stated, “When individuals [employees] know that you care and are honest, they are

more prone to listen and do what is needed. They want to know that you care and that they are

essential and appreciated.”

Ai et al. (2018) suggested that managers meet communication challenges from future

employees’ perspectives and a global mindset of being culturally comfortable within a cross-

cultural communication business environment. Furthermore, Vidales (2017) defined the

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communication model as an equation with two active components: Listening equals speaking.

Bhayani (2017) and Bormane and Šķiltere (2018), and Marlow et al. (2017) stated that a

communication exchange happens between two or more individuals, leading to a vibrant

organizational culture of empathy. Chater and Courtenay (2019) suggested that communication

is skill managers need for positive outcomes and training to enhance confidence, and the skill

and confidence of communication is the driving force of an organization. Furthermore, Botez

(2018) explained that change has not happened if managers do not communicate or efficiently

exchange messaging, the highest priority for employees. The empathy of managers could lead to

a healthier communication process with employees and enhance confidence based on the

findings. Pilditch et al. (2020) argued that empathy or individuals develop the capacity to

communicate with a high priority for people could create an environment of camaraderie and

measuring critical success. The following section summarizes the theme of empathy.

Summary of Empathy

Each preceding section from the theme empathy consisted of analysis and the findings of

this study. First, I analyzed the results of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory construct of

masculinity versus femininity over empathy. In this study, I found that empathy is crucial to

masculinity versus femininity—the empathy or caring for people within an organization by

communication and appreciation of their stakeholders. Managers are empowered to maintain

consciousness to identify the needs and challenges within an organization to change outcomes.

The demanding expectation placed on managers is maintaining a learning mindset that

provides the foundation of organizational culture. Chater and Courtenay (2019) stated that

maintaining managers in various communication approaches is a skill needed to enhance

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confidence, and communication skills are at the forefront and foundation of organizations. The

findings suggested that managers teach employees the organization’s culture and focus on ideals

and values. Furthermore, when culture change happens within an organization, managers should

participate in the training process and help promote an environment of caring, communicating,

and listening.

The theme of empathy aligns with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory construct of

masculinity versus femininity. Furthermore, feminine society–culture responds to characteristics

like caring, relationships in their environment, and the quality of life (Hofstede et al., 2010).

Managers accept the responsibility of how work culture chooses to emphasize achievements and

the nurturing of employees. The managerial structure of restaurants responds to the ever–

changing cultures within the work culture, and managers introduce training plans of empathy–an

organization’s values linking to engaging employees and increasing productivity (Hofstede et al.,

2010). Vidales (2017) stated that two different communication components impact employee

engagement and increase productivity, and the two components are listening and speaking.

The findings of this research study align with the literature based on Hofstede’s cultural

dimensions theory construct of masculinity versus femininity (Hofstede, 1980). Based on the

findings, managers focus on engaging employees, increasing productivity, and maintaining

femininity over masculinity. Furthermore, within this study, managers developed a strategic

verbal and nonverbal modal through training managers and employees, created an

implementation strategy, and a performance model with the assistance of employees. The

findings consist of managers’ empathy awareness as a strategy to create and implement this

culture into their business. This research study’s findings are linked to the purpose statement that

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managers use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. In addition, the

findings of this study are consistent with the related and contrasting theory of anxiety/uncertainty

management theory; in the following paragraph, I linked the theory and theme of empathy.

AUM theory is that managers must understand what other people think and how that feel

or empathy. Gudykunst (1990) proposed that managers should study how to communicate

between people from different cultures and individuals of the same cultures to understand how to

express empathy. For example, managers should intermingle with different cultures to share their

experiences to convey empathy. However, managers who interact with intercultural people and

groups tend to care for people or empathize. The following section is an analysis of the theme of

mindfulness and respect for others.

Theme 3: Mindfulness and Respect for Others

The third theme that emerged from the thematic analysis was mindfulness and respect for

others. The findings suggested that managers should practice mindfulness and respect for others

to engage employees and increase productivity for their restaurant. Being mindful of the cultural

differences of employees and people is essential, and having respect for people's differences.

Two out of four participants agreed that using mindfulness and respect for others is necessary to

engage employees and increase productivity. For example, P1 stated, “To overcome barriers

when practicing cross-cultural communication within the organization and the different

environment of each employee or where they stemmed [originated] from their cultural

background [emphasis added].” Participants made it clear through their responses to ensure that

mindfulness and learning critical gestures are synonymous. P1 stated, “Another area to ensure

mindfulness [emphasis added] was learning critical gestures while communicating. For example,

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learning different ways to say hello, welcome, how are you, please, thank you, good luck,

goodbye, and many other vital gestures.” One of the four participants explained that when

respecting others, one could expect that same respect. P4 stated,

To respect each employee's difference, and most employees will reciprocate that same

respect or give the same type of respect back, and I want to make sure people understand

that mindfulness and that is a level of respect to others.

The participants explained how managers view mindfulness and respect for others and how it is

vital to the organizational culture—mindfulness and respect for others are crucial elements of

cross‐cultural communication and cross‐cultural communication strategies. Mega (2017) urged

that managers’ effectiveness of mindfulness and respect consisted of cultural sensitivity, having

no cultural biases, and having culturally responsive skills. Furthermore, the participants were

passionate about mindfulness and respect for others that engaged employees and increased

productivity.

Mindfulness and Respect for Others and Construct of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory

The question asked in the conceptual framework that correlates with Hofstede’s theory

constructs was indulgence versus restraint analyzed and aligned with mindfulness and respect for

others. The conceptual framework question was: How has an indulgence or restraint culture

affected the improvement of cross-cultural communication and increased productivity? Most of

the participants conversed those managers need to exercise mindfulness and respect for others

and have managers pay closer attention and connect more with employees.

As proposed by Hofstede et al. (2010), Hofstede’s theory focuses on the indulgence

versus restraint construct that links expression and passion, in which indulgence is about free

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gratification. Hofstede et al. (2010) and Hurn and Tormalin (2013) explained that a high

indulgence rate freely fulfills managers’ essential needs and aspirations to improve and affect the

cross-cultural communication work philosophy. Borisova et al. (2017) and Gibson and Sullivan

(2018), and Hurn and Tormalin (2013) argued that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory that

managers should maintain a focus indulgence over restraint because of its impact on culture and

how it shapes human activities within a workplace. For example, one participant provided an

instance of the construct of indulgence and how it looks and feels between employees and

employers. P3 stated,

The problem is people feeling ignored, and dissatisfied emotions set in because

employees can tell if someone is trying to work with them and be part of society.

Employees are not feeling or do not want to feel [emphasis added] like somebody just

trying to dictate them to help the manager succeed.

Also, P3 gave a similar response to how managers should think within an indulgence culture, and

the participant stated, “I try to be very aware of myself not to have blind spots, prejudice, and

biases.” Finally, Minkov (2018) argued that an indulgence culture or a cultural with freedom of

speech outlines the general situation of mindfulness and respect for others to maintain cultural

reactions and behaviors.

Mindfulness and Respect for Others and Business Practice

Mega (2017) discovered that managers should focus on being mindful and respectful

because these behaviors create the effectiveness of cultural sensitivity, like no cultural biases and

experiencing culturally responsive skills. Furthermore, Mega (2017) found that behaviors are

different in diverse work cultures, and the conciseness of communication exchanges among the

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various languages are known as activities related to race, religion, and educational levels.

Managers should understand their influences on cross-cultural communication relationships and

effectiveness within the work community that present new communication challenges. For

example, P1 stated,

We had to find new ways to communicate and understand the different cultures. We

realize that there are several facets of cultures within each employee’s culture. When

communicating, do not have perceptions of the employee's cultural differences.

Hurn and Tormalin (2013) found that cross-cultural communication strategy and

effectiveness stems from an individual personality, national characteristics, an employee’s work

culture, and professional development, and each relates to the different personalities. P4 stated,

“We as managers had to understand our own culture behaviors, feelings, interactions, and actions

to understand other cultures.” Furthermore, Breevaart and de Vries (2017) discovered that one

could observe the lack of cross-cultural communication and cross-cultural communication

strategies in the form of an abusive manager who exercises nonphysical, verbal, or non-verbal

aggression to employees. For example, one of the four participants expressed an example of

proper cross-cultural communication and cross-cultural communication strategies. P4 provided

an example, and the participant stated, “When a manager needs to retrain an employee on any

matter, the employee respects and appreciates how the manager uses a teaching approach or that

[similar] approach.” Cambridge and Hawkes (2017) and Hendri (2019) and Purwadi et al.

(2020), and Sabuhari et al. (2020) concluded that managers with responsibilities given to achieve

the organization's desired cultural vision like cross-cultural communication strategy would be a

help to reach their objective.

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Summary of Mindfulness and Respect for Others

Each preceding previous section from the theme mindfulness and respect for others

consisted of analysis and the findings of this study. An analysis of the findings as it related to

Hofstede's (1983) cultural dimensions theory construct of indulgence versus restraint and

examined the findings as it relates to the business practice of cross-cultural communication

strategies (Borisova et al., 2017; Gibson & Sullivan, 2018; and Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Two

out of four participants shared that their manager's focus on maintaining a free-minded work

culture or a culture of indulgence over restraint improved cross-cultural communication and

cross-cultural communication strategies between managers and employees. P2 stated, “No matter

who the staff members were or whether they are frontline to a manager, they all mattered

because they are essential to the health of the company unit.” Furthermore, based on the findings

of this research study, small fast-food restaurants and managers impact society through job

growth and improve local agencies like police and fire departments. These improvements take on

many different forms, including job fairs, tax dollars allocated in the local community, public

workshops to address societal issues, and creating forms for the people to speak and managers to

listen. From these findings, managers who practice mindfulness and respect for others align with

managers who make available managers pay keen attention and connect with employees.

The construct of Hofstede's (1983) theory of indulgence versus restraint links to the

theme of mindfulness and respect for others as the manager’s focus is on building a work

environment that appreciates the necessity for cross-cultural communication for all employees.

Josan et al. (2019) argued that an optimal communication process is ideal when managers listen

and are respectful during a communication exchange (e.g., listening than speaking). Abayadeera

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et al. (2018) stated that managers should intensely involve themselves in cross-cultural

communication with employees to overcome the challenges. Furthermore, the complexity of the

structure of a manager managing a fast-food restaurant creates difficulty measuring mindfulness

and respect for others within the organization (Xiao et al., 2018).

In business practice, managers should understand their influences on cross-cultural

communication relationships and effectiveness within the work community that present new

communication challenges (Mega, 2017). The managers’ responsibility for high indulgence is

the essential need and aspiration to improve and affect the cross-cultural communication

philosophy and strategy (Hofstede et al., 2010; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). Managers who exercise

effective cross-cultural communication strategies identify opportunities for using programs to

improve their communities (Chen & Weng, 2017).

The findings of this study align with the literature based on the conceptual framework

that correlates with the constructs from Hofstede’s theory of indulgence versus restraint

(Hofstede et al., 2010). Furthermore, Gibson and Sullivan (2018) suggested that small fast-food

restaurants impact society through job growth and improve local agencies. Furthermore, the

discovery of these findings implied that managers should focus on cross-cultural communication

strategies, like maintaining a free–minded work culture with mindfulness and respect for others.

The final finding from this generated theme was how managers should listen and be respectful

with each employee (e.g., others) during an exchange. Furthermore, this links to the purpose

statement or the strategy some small fast-food restaurant managers use to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity. In addition, the findings of this study are consistent with

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the related and contrasting theory of attribution theory; and the following paragraph links the

theory and theme of mindfulness and respect for others.

Attribution theory is a theory that managers use to understand how to analyze and

respond to individuals or expressing mindfulness and respect for others. Lowery and Burrow

(2019) and Méndez López (2020), and Ruybal and Siegel (2019) asserted that attribution theory

desires to help managers understand how to analyze and respond to others' behaviors or to

personify the mindfulness and respect for others. Therefore, managers who personify that

wiliness concerning themselves with understanding the different cultures, emotions, and

stereotypes within the work culture express mindfulness and respect for others.

Theme 4: Training and Communicating

The fourth and final central theme that emerged from the thematic analysis was training

and communicating. The key suggested findings were that managers should implement training

and communication for employee engagement and increase productivity for their restaurant. In

addition, managers employing training and communicating with their employees are ways for

tailoring individual employees' specific needs.

The participant's responses suggested that developing a work environment and culture of

training and communicating between managers and employees could lead to positive employee

engagement and increased productivity. Managers believe that supporting employees with

specific training and understand communication strategies could enhance cross-cultural

communication. For example, the participant's responses described the manager's strategy and

how communicating the supporting training levels impacts training and communication within

the organization. P2 stated, “In terms of communication, the staff is divided into three levels of

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support.” The same participant described the tier levels and how managers used them to support

employees properly with training. P2 stated, “Based on the identified tier, the staff member

receives that level of support, and the communication is honest and tailored to the level of need.”

Furthermore, the participant reiterated the tiers, levels, and elements of the system. For

example, P2 stated, “The three–level tier system is Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.” The manager

explained that the three-tier system supports employees with training and interventions. The

participant then explained the three–level tier support. For example, P2 stated, “Our company

has three-level tier support that we use to provide support to employees who need training and

interventions.”

For example, P4 stated, “We created a program that gave employees immediate feedback

relating to promotions and raises or pay increase-money [emphasis added].” Two participants

expressed a similar training program that provided instant feedback, and the program help to

changed employees' pay scale. Finally, P3 responded to how training and communicating aligns.

For example, P3 stated, “We have an open line of communication for our employees by

providing a helpline that allows employees to add suggestions, and if used, then we give them an

incentive.”

Three of the four participants asserted how managers view training and communicating

and how it starts with managers. For example, most participants suggested that training and

communication are vital in cross-cultural communication and strategies. The business relevance

of training and communicating between managers and employees is a fundamental aspect of

cross-cultural communication strategy and the pursuit of cross-cultural goals. Hurn and Tormalin

(2013) and Nguyen-Phuong-Mai (2020) argued that cross-cultural communication intertwines

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with concepts and ideas, but the manager’s fundamental goal is to help welcome the relationship

between culture and communication within an organization. Furthermore, the participants

demonstrated through their responses that they were passionate about employing training and

communicating with their employees and the need for employee engagement and increasing

productivity.

Training and communicating and Construct of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory

The question asked in the conceptual framework that correlates with Hofstede’s theory

constructs was: What effect has short–term and long–term orientation focused on improving

cross-cultural communication and increasing productivity? Most participants agreed that

managers need to employ training and communication, and managers maintain a connection with

employees. The findings of this study suggested that the theme of training and communicating

aligns with Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory construct long–term versus short–term

orientation. Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions theory construct is related to long-term versus

short-term orientation. Beugelsdijk et al. (2017) stated that cultural and cross-cultural researchers

use Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to understand diverse cultures. Beugelsdijk et al.

(2017) argued that managers are responsible for the way values affect employees' and success

and accomplishment, work performance, leadership, and diverse social relationships. Hofstede et

al. (2010) and Hurn and Tormalin (2013), and Mohammed and Tejay (2017) found that short-

term versus long-term orientation provides oneness and value for each other and being training

partners and making sure employees receive their expected and desired rapid feedback from

decision-making areas like quick profits, job evaluations, and employee promotions. A

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participant explained how working together and creating training partners could create a work

culture of oneness and experience cultures. For example, P4 stated,

We created teams to work together and training partners. The objective was to create

oneness or learn to value each other. Now, this did not eliminate the ego of some

employees, but it did allow them to experience other ways to view people of different

cultures.

Managers with a mindset of focusing on Hofstede’s theory and taking short-term and

long-term orientation focus on persistence, perseverance, or emphasizing the present than the

future (Hurn and Tormalin, 2013). Managers impact employees when they train efficiently and

provide good communication (Hofstede et al., 2010). Furthermore, the lack of employees-people

making predictions of life's philosophies, strong creeds, and educational achievement could

negatively affect the support from employees (Hofstede et al., 2010; Hofstede, 2011). Participant

3 stated, “We managers always [emphasis added] have an open line of communication for our

employees by providing a helpline for long–term goals [emphasis added] that allows employees

to add suggestions, and if used, and we give them an incentive.”

Chakraborty (2017) and Hsieh (2015), and Hurn and Tormalin (2013) argued that

training and communicating motivate short–term versus long–term orientation culturally because

of Confucian Dynamism, which is the origin of this dimensional construct. For example, the

construct explains employees' cultural mindsets and thinking like Eastern and Western worlds

(Chakraborty, 2017; Hsieh, 2015; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013). One participant spoke of how upper-

management plays an intricate part in training and communicating through on–site visits. For

example, P3 stated, “We followed up with upper managers on–site visits and training, and the

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context of the visits was to help train managers to train employees and work together with

employees.” Lee et al. (2017) concurred that a high–performing organizational culture

encourages employee involvement. For example, employees and employees are supportive of

each other, and employees exemplify interdependency amongst themselves.

SubTheme: Re-evaluations and Measuring Goals

The subtheme that emerged from the thematic analysis was re-evaluations and measuring

goals. The findings suggested that managers implementing re-evaluations and measuring goals

should enhance employee engagement and increase productivity within a restaurant work

culture. Managers employing re-evaluations and measuring goals are vital to a restaurant

organization because they could affect cross-cultural communication strategies that enhance

employee engagement and increase productivity. For example, managers implementing open-

door communication with employees using this subtheme and technique may sometimes become

awkward but could enhance employee engagement and increase productivity. One participant

agreed that using a re-evaluation mindset during an open–door exchange helped the manager

stay focused and not entertain disputes and quarrels. P3 stated,

During an open-door exchange, if something disrupted does happen, that gives them

employees [emphasis added] an opportunity to escalate the problem; [however,] I, the

manager [emphasis added], must re-evaluate the situation during any boiling point

conversation to refocus it. If I did not re-evaluate to refocus during this open

communication exchange, nothing would get resolved or communicated.

Managers measuring goals are essential to engage employees and increase productivity.

For example, managers use different tools to understand what works or does not work within the

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organization. One of the participants explained how to measure goals. P4 stated, “It was

necessary for us as managers to look at trends and patterns and see what worked and did not

work. This way, new strategies could be explored and implemented.” Lee et al. (2017) and Ma

and Ye (2019), and Simpao (2018) argued that the concept of productivity or employee

productivity is better known as workforce productivity but broadly defined as a worker's

efficiency or a performance gauge that measures an employee's efficiency and effectiveness. The

participants' responses expressed and revealed that re-evaluations and measuring goals are

essential to cross-cultural communication strategies.

Re-evaluations and Measuring Goals and Construct of Hofstede’s Theory

The findings of this study show that the theme re-evaluations and measuring goals

mission-focused align with the long–term versus short–term orientation dimensions and

construct. The re-evaluations and measuring goals theme links to Hofstede’s (1980) cultural

dimensions theory construct of long–term versus short–term orientation dimensions. Responses

from P1, P2, P3, and P4 revealed they employed re-evaluations and measuring goals and with

each participant recognizing that the actions or this theme were part of their continuous

improvement. For example, P1 stated,

I [Manager] do not think we factored these two mindsets when implementing cross-

cultural communication strategies well enough, but it was part of the continuous

improvement aspect of the implementation. We later noticed that some employees were

egotistical or selfish, so to speak, while others cared for others. To solve this problem, we

created teams to work together.

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Kim and Jang (2019) and Lee et al. (2017) argued that productivity or employee

productivity in today's global marketplace, like the service industry, enhances their efficiency

and productivity levels to increase their bottom–line. One participant re-evaluated and measured

goals by monitoring trends and patterns. P2 stated, “It was necessary to look at trends and

patterns and see what worked and what did not work. This way, new strategies could be explored

and implemented.” Kim and Jang (2019) and Lee et al. (2017), and Simpao (2018) argued that

the challenge is achieving productivity gains by creating engaging employees. P1 positioned that

“we [managers] are having to transition the face–to–face training to establishing an online

training soon.” Furthermore, A participant explained that the inclusion program could enhance

employee engagement by implementing programs based on assessments. P1 stated,

The inclusion program helped win those low acceptance to get on board with the new

implementations one day. P1 stated that “When having company meetings, making sure

we take time at the end to answer any questions and provide an explanation to specific

things that was not understood.”

Fast-food restaurant managers should use cross-cultural communication strategies to

engage employees and increase productivity goals. Improving employee productivity improves a

company's bottom line (Kim & Jang, 2019). The findings on re-evaluated and measured goals

correlate with the conceptual framework in that cross-cultural communication strategies engage

employees, increase productivity, and effectively perform, observe, or model their manager.

Training and Communicating and Business Practice

Cesário and Chambel (2019) and Yaakobi and Weisberg (2018) stated that promoting

productivity or employee productivity within businesses that invest in human resources training

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strategies enhances communication. Ritsri and Meeprom (2020) posited that service

organizations improving their employee productivity levels added knowledge management

training programs with communication skills. A participant–manager described a communicating

strategy and the approach they used when communicating with their employees. For example, P1

stated, “Our strategy was to be neutral and maintain a neutral approach when we are

communicating strategies.” Kim and Jang (2019) indicated that an increase in training and

communication within a cross-culture work environment that implements cross-culture

communication strategies improves employee engagement and increases productivity.

Lee et al. (2017) explained that managers' challenge of productivity and growth supports

how managers address training and communication methods. Managers' understanding of

productivity or employee productivity with cultures helps to understand cross-cultural

communication strategies (Ma & Ye, 2019). Cross-cultural communication and cross-cultural

communication strategies impact managers' communication and training employees

appropriately (Vidales, 2017). A manager–participant explained how they applied their

understanding of training and communication but maintained productivity or employee

productivity. P1 stated,

Our company had us managers [emphasis added] to read specific books to learn about

different cultures. We had to learn how to be tolerant with different groups or the most

dominant group, and we accomplished that by developing simple communication when

training employees on the new strategies.

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Richter et al. (2016) contended that managers should acquire the aptitude and skills to implement

and employ training and communication techniques to create cross-cultural communication

strategies. P4 stated,

We have an indirect communication approach we use when correcting employees. For

example, we will address something positive, then end addressing the opportunity

problem, and we always listen and keep an open mind.

Subtheme Re-evaluations and Measuring Goals and Business Practice

The subtheme that emerged from the thematic analysis was re-evaluations and measuring

goals. Lee et al. (2017) argued that a manager’s primary goal is re-evaluations and measuring

goals. Furthermore, productivity within the services industry, such as restaurants, is

operationalized to measure values, cultures, and communication strategies reflected as a different

strategy (Lee et al., 2017). One of the four participants expressed and explained an example of

re-evaluations and measuring goals within an organization. P1 stated, “It was necessary to do

individual assessments and get to know your observations for all staff. Once their characteristics

were identified and analyzed, developing a relationship with the staff member was necessary.”

Eldor (2017) argued that businesses' and managers' roles and responsibilities are harder to

distinguish because of a fast–changing business environment, and re-evaluations and measuring

goals are essential.

Cesário and Chambel (2017) and Yaakobi and Weisberg (2018) expounded those

managers applying general performance and measurable productivity predictors are one of the

noted ways to evaluate their employee's effectiveness, and those predictors are (a) quality, (b)

innovation, and (c) efficiency. P2 said that,

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Ongoing support was in the continuation of the relationship. The managers checked in

biweekly or monthly to see how the individuals were progressing. If the adjustment was

needed, then that conversation took place. If additional support was needed, then a plan

was put in place to increase support.

The participant explains an example of an organization that employs the subtheme of re-

evaluations and measuring goals. Furthermore, businesses view employee engagement as being

actively involved with their work and highly intrinsic physically, cognitively, and emotionally

involved with their job duties (Knight et al., 2017).

Summary of Training and Communicating

The previous sections provided an analysis of the theme of training and communicating

and the findings from this study. In addition, an analysis of the findings from this study relates to

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory construct of short–term and long–term orientation and an

analysis of the findings from this study as it relates to the business practice of productivity or

employee productivity (Beugelsdijk et al., 2017; Chakraborty, 2017; Farivar et al., 2016;

Hofstede, 1980; Hsieh, 2015; Hurn & Tormalin, 2013; and Solmazer et al., 2016). Participants

shared their collaborative approach to cross-cultural communication strategies with employees,

fostering training and communicating in cross-cultural communication strategies and showing

employees' value within their organization. This study demonstrates that small fast-food

restaurant managers accepted by their employees offer needed communication training.

Furthermore, the managers that employed proper communication saw productivity and created a

cross-cultural communication work culture.

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The findings of this study align with the literature based on the construct short-term and

long-term orientation of Hofstede's theory, which links to cross-cultural communication

strategies through productivity or employee productivity (Chakraborty, 2017). First, fast-food

restaurant managers found that short–term versus long–term orientation provides oneness and

value for each other and training partners (Hofstede et al., 2010). Second, it was evident from the

findings that employees and employees should support each other to fulfill the training and

communication approach. Third, managers applied cross-cultural communication, and cross-

cultural communication strategies effectively impact managers' communication and training

(Vidales, 2017). Fourth, it was evident from the findings that managers should acquire the

aptitude and skills to implement and employ training and communication techniques to create

cross-cultural communication strategies. The fourth theme links to the purpose statement that

some small fast-food restaurant managers use cross-cultural communication strategies to

improve employee engagement and increase productivity. In addition, the findings of this study

are consistent with the related and contrasting theory of transformational leadership theory; and

the following paragraph links the theory and theme of training and communicating.

Transformational leadership theory is a theory that focuses on fostering people with

training and communicating. For example, Kwan (2020) argued that four components of

communicating with employees nurture people with training and communicating processes, and

they are (a) idealized influence, (b) inspirational motivation, (c) intellectual stimulation, and (d)

individualized consideration. Therefore, managers who implement and communicate those four

components communicated to foster people while training them to understand the importance of

training and communicating to help transform people and employees. Therefore, a manager must

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use transformation leadership theory to help focus the training on a communicating aspect of

developing people.

Subtheme Summary of Re-evaluations and Measuring Goals

Each preceding section from the theme re-evaluations and measuring goals consisted of

analysis and the findings of this study. Most participants agreed that managers should implement

re-evaluations and measuring goals to enhance cross-cultural communication strategies within an

organization. Furthermore, the construct of Hofstede’s theory of short–term and long–term

orientation is essential to re-evaluations and measuring goals within an organization (Hurn &

Tormalin, 2013). Managers who empower and implement a work culture re-evaluate and

measure goals will influence employees' success and impact the organization.

Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory supports understanding re-evaluations and

measuring goals and how Hofstede’s theory coexists within the workplace and outside the work

culture. For example, Lee et al. (2017) and Ma and Ye (2019), and Simpao (2018) found that the

concept of productivity or employee productivity is better known as workforce productivity but

broadly defined as a worker's efficiency or a performance gauge that measures an employee's

efficiency and effectiveness. The findings of this study support the manager’s approach of re-

evaluations and measuring goals which link to the purpose statement that managers use to

explore cross-cultural communication strategies that some small fast-food restaurant managers

use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. In addition, the findings of this

study are consistent with the related and contrasting theory of attribution theory; and the

following paragraph links the theory and theme of re-evaluations and measuring goals.

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Attribution theory is a theory that managers use to understand people or employees' how

and why or re-evaluates and measure goals. For example, Martinko (2018) and Méndez López

(2020) stated that a manager's goal is to make sense of the empirical assessments of someone's

actions, behaviors, and decisions or the process of re-evaluating and measuring employee goals.

Therefore, managers should continuously re-evaluate and measure goals to make sense of

people's actions for the evaluation. In addition, managers re-evaluate and measure goals to

understand the employee's specific needs and direction for training purposes.

Applications to Professional Practice

This section is about the analysis of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory and the

findings of this study. This subsection aimed to analyze why and how the findings are relevant to

successfully implementing cross-cultural communication strategies. The specific business

problem is that some small fast-food restaurant managers lack cross-cultural communication

strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. Furthermore, this research study may

benefit other small and large restaurants and managers within the foodservice sector seeking to

develop strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. Therefore, I used Hofstede’s

cultural dimensions theory to guide the research analysis.

The results presented from this research study are practical strategies to help small fast-

food restaurant managers successfully implement cross-cultural communication strategies.

Furthermore, the themes and subtheme developed and generated from this research study

stemmed from semistructured interviews of four participants and a review and triangulation of

the documents from the different participating companies. The insights from the research study

could be helpful in other sectors of the U.S. economy and where small fast-food restaurant

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managers yearning to explore those cross-cultural communication strategies that some small fast-

food restaurant managers use to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. The

following section is about the implications for social change.

Implications for Social Change

Managers must understand cross-cultural communication strategies that successful small

fast-food restaurant managers utilize to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. According to Jha and Kumar (2016), a highly productive workforce increases

profitability by 40% and productivity by 78%. The data gathered in this study could help impact

social change by improving employee proficiency and efficiency. Furthermore, improving

employee proficiency and efficiency will affect fast-food businesses and communities where

those restaurants reside through increased revenue and employment. Job growth could increase

local spending and tax dollars that improve local agencies.

Individual restaurant managers engage in cross-cultural communication strategies to

enhance employee engagement and increase productivity to create a more dynamic work culture.

Managers implement successful cross-cultural communication strategies, and managers of small

fast-food restaurants could potentially improve employee engagement and increased

productivity. Some managers that remain receptive to cross-cultural communication strategies

could improve employment and within communities. Moreover, small fast-food restaurant

managers could contribute more to communities and increase community involvement by

implementing cross-cultural communication strategies. An essential responsibility for restaurant

managers that adopt cross-cultural communication strategies should empower the concept to pay

taxes and maintain the ability to embrace corporate social responsibilities.

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Recommendations for Action

Based on the study findings, using cross-cultural communication strategies to improve

employee engagement and increase productivity may provide small fast-food restaurants with a

scheme for improving employee engagement and increasing productivity. After analyzing

participant responses and company documents, the recommendation is that small fast-food

restaurant managers use (a) develop relationships, (b) empathy, (c) mindfulness and respect for

others, and (e) training and communicating and subtheme re-evaluations and measuring goals.

These strategies could improve employee engagement and increase productivity within small

fast-food restaurants. Based on the study findings or the results of this study, small fast-food

restaurant managers who exhibit and employ cross-cultural communication strategies could

improve employee engagement and increase productivity. Therefore, stemmed from the data

collection and thematic analyses process, there were three recommendations to ensure the

productive use of cross-cultural communication strategies posed within this research study. I

recommend the following three strategies based on the results of this research study to help small

fast-food restaurant managers seeking to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity.

Recommendation 1: Mindsets When Developing and Inspiring Diverse Relationships

I solely focused on cross-cultural communication, lack of employee engagement, and

productivity issues that have not yielded numerous managers' desired results. However,

managers' mindsets and beliefs continuously interact or are characteristics of developing and

inspiring diverse relationships. Managers should maintain a specific mindset recognizing that

cross-cultural communication strategies could develop and inspire diverse organizational

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relationships. Therefore, reframing or blaming the issue of employee engagement and universal

importance could successfully inspire diverse relationships. Managers should solicit information

and informative training for employees about the barriers that hinder developing and inspiring

diverse relationships, improving employee engagement, and increasing productivity.

Recommendation 2: The Responsible for Teaching Employees the Organization’s Culture

Managers could strive to incorporate the need and responsibility for teaching the

organizational culture. However, managers’ should be responsible for teaching employees the

organization’s culture while focusing on ideals and values. Managers consider maintaining a

responsibility for teaching employees that recognizes that employing cross-cultural

communication strategies could help employees and managers develop a better organization’s

culture while focusing on ideals and values. Therefore, reframing from burdening the employees

and employers on those teaching responsibilities could successfully inspire an engaged and

productive work culture. Managers should solicit information and informative training for

employees about the barriers that hinder an ethical and desired organizational culture, improve

employee engagement, and increase productivity.

Recommendation 3: To Allow Open–Door Communication with Employees

Restaurants could develop policies that allow open-door communication with employees.

However, managers allowing open–door communication between employers and employees

while implementing specified training tailored to employees' exact needs. Managers should

allow and maintain open–door communication with employees. Therefore, reframing or blaming

the issue on employees, making an open-door communication policy, and implementing

specified training tailored to employees' exact needs. To improve employee engagement and

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increase productivity, managers should solicit information and informative training about the

barriers that hinder tailored training and open–door communication.

Managers could use those recommendations to improve employee engagement and

increase productivity when employing cross-cultural communication strategies. Therefore, I

intend to publish the findings from this research study in academic business journals, scholarly

literature, and ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis Database. Furthermore, I intend to provide each

of the four participants from this research case study a courtesy copy of the findings. Finally, I

will present this study's findings in higher education institutions, conferences, and workshops

relating to managers that desire to improve employee engagement and increase productivity

within their organization.

Recommendations for Further Research

As I reviewed the literature, I identified cross-cultural communication strategies and

angles for small fast-food restaurants to improve employee engagement and increase

productivity. The purpose of this study was to explore the cross-cultural communication

strategies that some small fast-food restaurants use to improve employee engagement and

increase productivity. Unfortunately, small fast-food restaurants often lack cross-cultural

communication strategies to engage employees and increase productivity. This multiple case

study sample included four managers from four small fast-food restaurants within the United

States southern region with successful strategies that engage employees and increase

productivity. The study had three limitations; the first was that participants could withdraw from

the interview process at any time. The second limitation was that participants might not represent

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the actual population or geographic limitations. The third limitation was the participants trying to

satisfy the interviewee.

Future research recommendations may include other industry managers and leaders to

explore the communication, training, coaching, mentoring, and cross-cultural communication

strategies that led to successful employee engagement and productivity. Furthermore, qualitative

researchers could not stop participants from withdrawing from a study, but they could nourish

better relationships to lessen the pain of participants’ withdrawing from the research study. A

bond or relationship with each participant may create more confidence and a stronger

relationship between the researcher and participants for data collection.

The second future research recommendation was to consider studying other locations or

geographical locations and focus on fast-food restaurants with post–COVID policy changes. The

population for this study included four small fast-food restaurants within the United States’

southern region. The limited geographical location of the U.S. southern region potentially

restricted the transferability of results to other geographic areas.

The third and last recommendation was that participants satisfied the interviewee proved

to be not applicable, and all participants were informative about the research topic of interest.

Furthermore, an additional concern for future research could be to include an additional

interview question. Future research recommendations may include adding additional post-

COVID type questions. For example, how fast-food managers used cross-cultural

communication strategies to maintain employee engagement? The primary purpose of asking this

question is to understand employee engagement and increase productivity post–COVID age.

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Furthermore, other researchers could adopt a different study approach or a mixed–method to gain

input from small fast-food and large fast-food restaurant managers.

Reflections

The decision to research strategies that engage employees and increase productivity using

cross-cultural communication strategies stemmed from my professional experience managing

various industries like retail, food, and financial services for over 20 years before transferring

into the educational field. My experiences of observing cross-culture communication between

managers and employees inspired me to conduct this study to learn how it could improve

employee engagement and increase productivity. The researcher’s role required me to mitigate

the bias associated with the data collection and data analysis, avoiding viewing data from a

personal perspective because of my prior experience of managing within the restaurant sector.

My obligation as the researcher was vital to increase the research’s reliability and ethical

standards of findings. The doctoral journey was an astringent and laborious process of collecting

and reviewing the existing literature, designing and following an interview protocol with selected

participants, gathering, analyzing, and summarizing information. Each section of this research

study required a different written mindset, which caused me to stretch my cognitive skill for

learning and present the specific sections and chapters. Section 2 and Section 3 of the research

study were challenging and not as easy as DBA graduates claiming the simplicity of writing

Section 3. I did not find their assessment accurate to my experience, but it was a learning

experience that will never escape and evade my mind or allow me to forget.

Furthermore, I researched my data collection for themes and writing and presented the

analysis in Section 3. I thought that Section 3 writing seems to be more analytical in thinking and

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writing and highly focused on making sure the reader understands the interpretation of the

findings. My goal was never to leave it to the reader to figure out anything written in this

research study.

This journey helped me expand my understanding of the need to implement cross-cultural

communication strategies in small fast-food restaurants, improve employee engagement, and

increase productivity. Furthermore, this study’s findings were during a global pandemic

stemming from the Coronavirus or the COVID–19 virus. The COVID–19 global pandemic

caused impromptu changes to people, lifestyles, business best practices, philosophies,

communication, and strategies. Managers reading the findings of this study during this age or

post–global pandemic may have an opportunity to discover the necessary information and

examples of strategies for improving employee engagement and increasing productivity during

the post–COVID–19 pandemic. The COVID–19 virus and pandemic helped bring awareness to

cross-cultural communication and the need for cross-cultural communication strategies within

small fast-food restaurants and other organizations.

As a learner in The DBA program and my exposure to an academic world and language, I

unlocked my ontological, epistemological, and methodological understanding to better answer

the reoccurring question of life or the phenomenon of life. In addition, I discovered the

subconscious characteristics that I never knew, but this program helped correct and enhanced a

better self. For example, the program enhanced my zeal, grit, and desire to never give up on

anything I desire in life.

One of the most intriguing aspects of researching this topic from a qualitative perspective

within this DBA program is how I became a scholar–practitioner. I desire to seek truths of the

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different organizational problems and phenomenon is within the universe, and the topic of cross-

culture communication allows me this opportunity. Moreover, cross-culture communication is a

multiple–disciplinary topic. For example, neuroscience is one of the many disciplines relating to

cross-culture communication, and I am proud to have had the chance to research this topic and

expand my desire to examine a more profound knowledge of neuroscience. I desire and plan to

create an organizational model that ties my cross-culture communication findings with a

neuroscience approach to organizational culture. Furthermore, the relationship between

neuroscience and cross-culture communication is already intertwined but combining an

intellectual property that could replace the physical economics of work culture relevant to the

future of organizational culture.

Conclusion

Managers of small fast-food restaurants need to develop effective cross-cultural

communication strategies to improve employee engagement and increase productivity. They

better understand successful small fast-food restaurants managers use to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity within the United States southern region. Managers should

create job opportunities for local people to enhance their cross-cultural communication skills for

better community and camaraderie. This action permits small fast-food restaurants within the

United States southern region to enhance economic growth and enhance the cross-cultural

relationships between the company and community residents and economic growth. Wanga et al.

(2018) suggested that economic growth motivates all groups’ income levels to enhance high‐

income equality. The 1980 publication of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory was my

conceptual framework that provided the basis and guidelines for understanding diverse cultures

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and how Hofstede’s theory coexists within the workplace and outside the work culture. The

target population consisted of four small fast-food restaurants within the United States southern

region with successful strategies to engage employees and increase productivity.

I conducted semistructured interviews, followed an interview protocol for each

interviewee, transcribed interviews, and used mythological triangulation to compare information

gathered with data from company documents to improve findings’ validity and reliability. In

addition, I used member checking to validate the participant’ responses, expanding on their

answers by asking the interviews to clarify the meaning of their answers to reach data saturation.

Data analysis and an inductive analytical approach discovered four primary themes and

subtheme generated from the TA. The four primary themes and subtheme discovered and

generated were (a) develop relationships, (b) empathy, (c) mindfulness and respect for others,

and (e) training and communicating; the subtheme was re-evaluations and measuring goals.

Therefore, these themes and subtheme could help organizational managers and managers

understand and develop strategies for fast-food restaurant managers to improve employee

engagement and increase productivity.

Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies That Engage Employees and Increase Productivity.

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