Risk Assessment for Organizations
Deah_E
vanhausen_amberm_m2_a2.pptxUnited States VS Cambodia
Amber VanHausen
Argosy University
CULTURE
The United States of America is a cultural melting pot (Miller, 2013. p.18).
There are a lot of diverse cultures in the United States due to the presence of people from all over the world.
90% of the people of Cambodia are from the Khemer community.
Thus, Cambodia is rather homogenous when it comes to culture.
The most obvious difference that exists between the culture in the United States and Cambodia is that the latter has a culture that is homogenous in nature while the former has a culture that is heterogeneous in nature. The heterogeneous nature of the culture in the United States can be traced back to the fact that people from all over the world exist and live in the United States.
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CULTURE
Medicine is also an aspect of diversity between the United States and Cambodia.
In the United States people ascribe to modern western medication (Miller, 2013, p.61).
In Cambodia most people ascribe to traditional medication.
The traditional medication in Cambodia is used to treat a number of diseases
In the United States medication is an integral part of living. People make use of the very latest forms of modern western medication. The case is not the same in Cambodia. The Cambodian people mostly make use of traditional forms of medication. This gives notion to an element of spiritualism in the entire medical process in Cambodia.
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CULTURE
Family planning is a common practice in the United States.
Many Americans make use of the various family planning methods that are available to them.
Cambodians view family planning as a punishment to humanity.
This means that family planning is considered a taboo according to their cultural disposition
Family planning is a common practice in the United States of America. Aspects such as abortions are also legal in the United States. Such a situation is completely unheard of in Cambodia. The people are culturally inclined to thinking that they should reproduce. As such, they frown on aspects such as family planning.
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MANAGEMENT STYLES
Management style is hierarchical in the United States.
Many American corporations make use of the bottom-up decision making style.
Managers in Cambodia usually have a supervisory role.
The decision making style employed follows a top-down paradigm.
In the United States, the junior employees make suggestions but the ultimate decision usually lies with the top management. This gives precedence to the notion of a bottom-up decision making style. In Cambodia, the top management make the decisions and make their choices known to their juniors. This gives notion to the top-down decision making style.
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MANAGEMENT STYLES
In the United States, the management usually takes credit for good results.
This is irrespective of the input of the junior employees towards these results.
In Cambodia, the credit system is very different.
Management usually gives credit to the junior employees when the credit is due.
Management in the United States usually takes the praise for success of the organization. Junior employees are rarely praised for their input. This is not the case in Cambodia. The Cambodian management system believes in giving individual credit where it is due. This is a tactic used to motivate the junior employees to a higher level of performance.
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COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
In Cambodia, collectivism is apart of their corporate culture.
This means that there is a lot of emphasis on teamwork and communication.
In the United States, individualism is more profound.
This leads to limited levels of communication between people in the work place.
In Cambodia, the group takes precedence to the individual. This means that group work is ore common than individual practice. As such, there is a well established communication strategy between the people. In the United States, individualism is the order of the day. There is little emphasis on group activities and teamwork. This has led to a situation in which communication strategies between people in the work place are rather diminished.
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COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
In Cambodia, Buddhism tends to reinforce a sense of hierarchical order when it comes to communication.
This means that junior employees may shy away from approaching management directly.
In the United States the hierarchical system exists as well.
However, American employees usually approach their seniors with a greater sense of ease.
In Cambodia, the hierarchical system is reinforced by their religion. As such, junior employees rarely garner enough courage to directly approach their seniors. In the United States junior employees can have the courage to approach their seniors based on the nature of the issues prompting the approach.
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MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS
An American manager might have a hard time working in Cambodia.
This can be caused by the difference in cultural practices.
The first issue that such a manager might face is communication.
This can be overcome by the manager being more free with the employees and advocating interaction with them
An American manager in Cambodia might have a hard time communicating with the Cambodian employee. This is due o the fact that the Cambodians are very strict on matters of hierarchy. As such, the manager needs to assure the employees of freedom when it comes to communication irrespective of hierarchical paradigms.
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MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS
Collectivism might also cause management conflict.
An American manager will by default be more used to individualism as opposed to collectivism.
Such a manager working in Cambodia would have to learn how to put their individual wishes aside in favor of the collective good of the group.
In America, individualism is the order of the day. Team work is usually limited in the corporate sector. Managers from America would have to learn the benefits and application of collectivism in Cambodia. this entails aspects such the learning the various benefits of teamwork.
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MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS
Masculinity is also a major issue in Cambodia.
The male sex is considered to be stronger and more revered (Yamashita, 2010, p.38).
This can cause a problem for a female American manager posted in Cambodia.
This can be overcome by the management teaching their employees that females can be just as competent as males when it comes to management and other corporate roles.
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INDUSTRIALIZATION AND CORPORATE GROWTH
REFERENCES
Miller, L. M. (2013). American spirit: Visions of a new corporate culture. New York: W. Morrow.
Yamashita, H. (2010). Competitiveness and corporate culture. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate Pub.
