1. MULTICULTURAL INFLUENCES IN HRD (DCE5130) SEMESTER TWO 2013/2014 F2F III (to be announced)

2. OBJECTIVES: At the end of this course, the students are able to:
Identify and elaborate key elements of his/her own culture and other cultures in Malaysia/own country
Analyze and relate key elements of culture (cultural dimension) to the intracultural, intercultural, and crosscultural Malaysian workplace
Discuss and provide solution to issues and challenges in working across cultures,

3. SYNOPSIS:
This course emphasises the influence of multiculture on human resource development, the sensitivity of multiculture on labour force in Malaysia and at the international level, cross-cultural and intercultural management of international corporations).

4. EVALUATION OF MULTICULTURAL INFLUENCES IN HRD (DCE5130)
1. Assignment %
2. Assignment 2 (Article Review)10%
3. Assignment %
4. Assignment 4 (Case Study)
(Group) %
3. Final exam 30%

5. ASSIGMENT 1  
What is your understanding of your own value in your culture?
Identify your core value (can be more than one values).
Describe the value/s by using the key elements of culture (underlying assumption, value, symbol, ritual and hero). The assignment should be based on your own observation and experience. Some references may be useful.
(At least 10 pages. 1.5 spacing)
Due date: 2nd Face to Face

6. ASSIGMENT 2 (Individual)
Search for ONE research article related to multicultural influences in HRD/organization.
Review and discuss your chosen article based on your understanding of :
cultural dimensions
the following article:
“FACILITATING HARMONY IN DIVERSITY: USING DELIGHTS, PUZZLES AND IRRITATIONS TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF DIVERSITY” (provided in the file or at
(At least 3 pages. 1.5 spacing)
Due date: 3rd Face to Face

7. ASSIGMENT 3  
How Malaysian manager manage the organization? (intracultural or intercultural organization?
Select one or two cases/activities on how manager manage the organization from cultural perpective (in terms of leadership, communication, motivating, managing conflict etc.) The assignment can be either based on your own experience or others or a research article.
(At least 10 pages. 1.5 spacing)
Due date: 3rd Face to Face

8. ASSIGMENT 4 CASE STUDY (GROUP ASSIGMENT)
How foreigners manage and need to know about managing in Malaysia (Cross-cultural Organization)?
The students are expected to do a series of interview the foreigners (particular from western countries, Japan, Korea, Taiwan or Africa’s) who worked in Malaysian organizations (company, NGO, government).
At least three foreigners of managerial level should be interviewed.
Focus of the paper is how foreigners manage the organization from the cultural perspective, the issues and problems, their expectation, misunderstanding, etc.
(At least 15 pages. 1.5 spacing)
Due date: Final Exam for Master Program

9. FINAL EXAM
 Focus will be given on the ability of students to analyse key dimensions/elements of own culture and other cultures, and relate and propose solutions to issues and challenges in the multicultural workplace contexts.

10. COURSE CONTENT 4 PARTS Part 1:
Key elements of My Own Culture and other cultures in Malaysia
Part 2
Relating at the intra cultural, intercultural, cross cultural
Malaysian workplace
4 PARTS .
Part 3
Issues and challenges in working across cultures, namely:
- when Malaysians go abroad to work
- when foreigners come to live and work in Malaysia.

11. COURSE CONTENT
Part 3 Issues and challenges in working across cultures, namely: - when Malaysians go abroad to work - when foreigners come to live and work in Malaysia. .
o An awareness and understanding of values and underlying assumptions of people from different cultures in business settings (Americans, Japanese, Australians, Canadians, Germans, Swedes, etc)
o A knowledge of work practices as observed in different cultures: concept of time, completed staff work, ethics, work relationships, protocol, etiquette and sensitivities as observed by each culture
o Acquire appropriate skills, strategies and techniques to interact with the host culture for business and social purposes
o Issues and challenges of international management
o Managing cross cultural interactions in business settings

12. PROJECT PAPER/CASE STUDY
How foreigners manage and need to know about managing in Malaysia (Cross-cultural Organization)?
The students are expected to do a series of interview the foreigners (particular from western countries, Japan, Korea, Taiwan or Africa’s) who worked in Malaysian organizations (company, NGO, government).
At least three foreigners of managerial level should be interviewed.
Focus of the paper is how foreigners manage the organization from the cultural perspective, the issues and problems, their expectation, misunderstanding, etc.

13. KEY ELEMENTS OF CULTURE: Americans
Symbols Eagle - freedom, strength, individuality, Flag. Big Mac,
Disney, Coke
Rituals Holidays. Independence Day, Thanks giving, Going to Church
on Sundays
Heroes Founding fathers, Martin Luther King, Athletes, Entertainers
Values Task orientation, Individualism, Punctuality, Money, Privacy,
Competitiveness,
Underlying assumptions:
Man’s relationship with Nature Control, Mastery
Man’s relationship with people Individualism, Task driven, Monochronic time,
Low context, Guilt, Equality
Man’s relationship with God Secular

14. CULTURE OF ORGANIZATION
Consists of five cultural dimensions
VALUES form the heart of the org- have to communicate to all employees – if incongruent with their culture – managers takes long time to internalized them.

15. TYPES OF CULTURAL INTERFACE AT THE Malaysian WORKPLACE
INTRA
CULTURAL
Within
one
ethnic
group
Kelantan library
INTER
CULTURAL
With different
ethnic
groups within
a country
e.g. Malays,
Chinese
Indians and
Others
National library
CROSS
CULTURAL
Between two
different
cultures
e.g. Malaysian
and
Americans
Lincoln library

16. VALUE ORIENTATIONS AT THE MALAYSIAN WORKPLACE
Chinese
Indians
and Chinese
and Indians
and Others
Malaysians
and Anglo-
Americans
Joking relationship
Closeness
Polite, friendly
Simple
Indirect
INTRA
CULTURAL
Rapport building
Code switching
Common grounds and history
Share experience and meaning
INTER
CULTURAL
CROSS
CULTURAL
Direct and to the point
Proper English
Formal English
Specificity
Punctuality, Timeliness
Efficiency, Effectiveness
CROSS
CULTURAL

17. MALAYSIAN THEMES EFFECTING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS
Jaga Maruah (Preserving Face)
Budi Bahasa (Language of Character)
Mesyuwarah & Gotong Royong (Consensus-seeking and Cooperation)
Tolong Satu Sama Lain
(To Help One Another)
Kawan
(Member System)

18. Implications of understanding our Malaysian cultural dimensions for organization
1. Harmony is more important than control
2. More relationship-oriented than task driven
3. More hierarchical than egalitarian
4. Driven by shame than guilt
5. High Context form of communication
6. Polychronic time than monochronic
7. A More Related (we) Self than separated (I)
8. Religious than secular

19. MANAGEMENT PRACTICE- MULTICULTURAL WORKPLACE
Leading
Communicating
Motivating
Making decisions
Counseling & guidance
Managing conflict
etc

20. MANAGEMENT PRACTICE- MULTICULTURAL WORKPLACE
Leading – Face, nurturing group, relationship, TOWKAY, TUAN, SMALLMAN (humble), Caring
Communicating - Face, polite, cooperation
Making decisions – FACE, respect for age, harmony
Managing conflict – non-confrontational, face, respect for others

21. LEADERSHIP

22. Admirable Qualities of Leader
Yang mulia (righteous)
Berbudi bahasa (humble & well mannered)
Baik tutur bahasa (say pleasant things)
Murah hati (willing to spend money)
Berusaha (industrious)
Tajam & gigih (great alertness)
Empathy, humility, tactfulness
Working unobtrusively & enlisting the assistance and moral support of others (imam)
Warak alim
Etc.. (may refer to page 73)

23. Type of Leader & Way of Expressing Budi
Type of sender
Qualities in sender
Recipient’s behaviour
“Towkay”
Busness man
Generous
Considerate
Caring
Acceptance
Grateful
“Tuan”
Power based
Just
Fair
Sincere
Appreciative
“Small man”
Humility
Trustworthy
Empathetic
Harmony
Feel obligated
Reciprocated in kind

24. MOTIVATING
Malays are motivated by their affiliation to groups, families & individuals.
They would respond better if they could see benefits not just to the company but also to their family, community, nation and religion.

25. MOTIVATING

26. COMMUNICATION Good manners Indirectness & subtle Tactfull Holistic
Give and take
Gentle
Softness (vocal, tone)
Proper decorum
Politeness (BERBUDI BAHASA)
Diplomatic
Less disclosure (face saving – jaga maruah)

27. HOW OTHERS SEE US
DELIGHTS
Food, eating and entertaining
The Malaysian handshake
The concept of working in teams
Ability to empathize due to diversity
Family values are still intact
Malaysians proudly fly their flags in their public buildings, private homes and private transportation

28. PUZZLES
• What is the concept of face in the East versus the West?
· Making decisions can take a long time. Why?
· Malaysians tend to wait for their bosses to make decisions and give them
directions before they act. Why are they so slow to move?
· Meetings tend to be long winded and decisions take time. Why are they not bothered about tim
· Datelines are not strictly adhered to. Why is it so?
· Building relationships is so important at meetings. It takes time fora meeting to get started.
Why do they call for meetings?
· They say “Yes” but when they cannot meet the commitment theynever explain why theycannot
fulfil their earlier promise.Why is this so?
· There is a “blaming syndrome” when something goes wrong. Why?
· How do we convey negative feedback to Asians?
· What is the indirect and direct way of speaking?
· What is the polite system that we have to understand and respect?

29. Core Value of British
Openness and directness in face-to-face discussion
“If you don’t know, please say don’t know” (uncertainty avoidance)
Recommended to Malaysian to adapt this value in business activities but have to be sensitive and responsive to Malaysian cultures

30. Leadership
Criteria that a leader should have is leading from the front likes military
Communication skills is important to deliver clear instruction including the objectives and time frame (what, why, when).
Expected subordinates to work in instruction but need to be sensitive to the way of instructing and asking
As a leader, it is advisable that not to scold subordinates in public (preserving face)

31. Communications Direct and explicit
When conveying negative news, direct approaches are more better and efficient
Equality is important than hierarchy
Prefer address first-name basis, even in the formal meeting
All is same level, so that discussion can be more openness and directness

32. Motivation
Although working is important but also need to spend time to relax, eg. travel
Spectrum of reward vs. punishment systems at Malaysia is very wide and broad
Building relationship with subordinates is important to motivate them to work but the relationship is not in deep and personal basis.

33. Managing Crises and Problems
Direct and explicit communication is important to convey clear instruction
Being open and direct
Prepare to listen and accept others suggestion where appropriate and relevant in making decision
Setting clear objectives with time frame

34. Issues and Challenges of Working Across Cultures
Need to be always aware and alert of the ways of doing things at Malaysia
Issues of religion and hierarchy
Ways of communication (indirect, passing the buck or play ‘taichi’)
Languages

35. Expectation for Malaysian Workers
Values that found from Malaysian are respectful and helpful
Malaysian are encourage but not a force:
to be more openness and directness where appropriate and applicable
not be shy in working relationship
be on time

36. Part 4
Key concepts and theories in the field of cross cultural/multicultural mgt.
Globalization
Guilt
Harmony
Hierarchy
Homogeneity
Indigenization
Individualism
Industrialization
Ingroup-outgroup
Intercultural
Internalization
Intracultural
Locus of control:
Localization
Modernity
Modernization
Monochronic time
Multicultural
Particularism
Polychronic time
Power distance
Accommodation
Acculturation
Affirmative action
Assimilation
Assumptions
Attribution theory
Collectivism
Colonization
Consensus
Context: Low/ High
Control
Corporate
Cross cultural
Culture
Diversity
Egalitarian
Emic-Etic
Ethnocentricism
Face saving
Related self
Relationship orientation
Rituals
Role models/heroes
Secular
Sensitivity
Separated self
Shame
Socialization
Symbolic conformity
Symbols
Task orientation
Uncertainty avoidance
Universalism
Values
Westernization

37. SURFACE and REPLACE reinvent
CULTURAL SURGERY:
Culture can be both a tool and a trap. By understanding
the values and assumptions of our culture, managers
will be able to know what to:
Very Productive
STRENGTHEN respect
NURTURE develop
Nurture own local indigenous values and assumptions which can be harnessed to drive productive work practices in order to be globally responsive
Shared work practices which we already do well and are supportive of productive work habits
Work
Output
DISCARD ignore
SURFACE and REPLACE reinvent
Not so productive
Discard practices (symbols, rituals) which
when taken to the extreme tend to create
dysfunction- waste time, energy
and block work efficiency (pathology)
Surface existing values and assumptions which are unproductive and has no value added benefit
Conscious Unconscious Mental state
@asma
If a particular value is taken to the extreme it risks creating a dysfunction, a pathology

38. FINAL EXAM
 Focus will be given on the ability of students to analyse key dimensions/elements of own culture and other cultures, and relate and propose solutions to issues and challenges in the multicultural workplace contexts.

39. FOKUS PEMBELAJARAN
Amalan pengurusan yang berasaskan budaya Malaysia(Dimensi budaya) -Kebaikan/kekuatan & Boleh diperbaiki - strategi
Lima Dimensi budaya dan perkaiatan antara dimensi
Amalan tempat kerja - kes
Budaya masyarakat individu dan kaitanya dengan tempat kerja
Pandangan orang luar terhadap budaya kerja Malaysia

40. FOKUS PEMBELAJARAN 5. Konsep penting Komunikasi dalam organisasi
Kepimpinan dalam organisasi
Malu dan Rasa Bersalah
Tugas dan Hubungan
Konteks Komunikasi Tinggi
Intercultural dan crosscultural Organizations

41. TERIMA KASIH KERANA BERSAMA-SAMA KITA BELAJAR
Prof. Madya Dr. Hj. Azizan Asmuni
SHUKRAN
MAMNON
TERIMA KASIH KERANA BERSAMA-SAMA KITA BELAJAR
Prof. Madya Dr. Azizan Asmuni