CC BY
5
https://doi.org/10.29013/EJEMS-22-3-53-55
Kavtidze Eduard, PHD in Economics, Associate Professor of Georgian Technical University Lagvilava Giorgi, PHD in Business Administration Tbilisi, Georgia
CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTIETHNIC TEAM. FORMATION OF NATIONAL STEREOTYPES
Abstract. The basis for emergence of national attitude should be sought in formation of national stereotypes. As a rule, national (ethnic) stereotype is recognized as schematic picture of personal (autostereotype) or other's (heterostereotype) ethnic society, describing a simplified knowledge regarding the psychological and other properties and conduct of representatives of some specific people.
This is stable and emotionally colored opinion about one nation, about other person or about self. The same psychological complex according to its attitude towards representative of some particular nation might be called spontaneity or irresponsibility, reasonable economics or anger, strength of character or stubbornness. Often national stereotype constitutes primitive judgment: a concept hard to understand, as a rule is concretized by means of available, real picture and the concept of national phenomenon is decreased by adjustment one or several similar properties.
Keywords: Multiethnic team, national stereotypes, national phenomenon, simplified knowledge, different groups.
Whilst ethnic stereotypes are revealed in organization's staff, the representatives of some different groups try to protect and overstate the definition of their positive values in front of other topics. The groups adjust and absolutize the properties, which meet their positive social status, higher than status of other ethnic topics.
The superficial knowledge about other's or own ethnic object creates phenomenon of ethnocentrism and whilst negative political or ideological content appears - a nationalism phenomenon is being established in organization.
National stereotypes exist as the stereotypes of national conduct and stereotypes ofperception. Thanks to stereotypes of national conduct (stable, schematic models of conduct) the situations are split into types and ethnic microgroup choses the answer to manage-
rial impact into organization. The leader's knowledge on specific properties of conduct allows to preliminarily determine the actions and responses of staff individuals and representatives of ethnic micro-groups.
National stereotypes of perception are stable images, those which were worked out among representatives of some particular ethnic societies and are revealed in relations between the components of cognitive and emotional evaluations. During the perception of other culture and people of different race, some particular keys exist, by means of which the human freely perceives the representatives of his / her circle, but the keys are not operational whilst the representatives of other culture are about to be perceived.
In such cases the human has no choice but to perceive the representations of other ethnic groups in his / her organization according to some particular
Section 4. Management
simplified schemes. This describes the maintenance of perception stereotypes, which reflects not only lack of tolerance but some particular superstitions as well.
Process of national stereotypes fulfils objectively necessary functions, thus giving an opportunity to rapidly, easily and often reliably differ and simplify an individual social environment - a member of multinational staff and multiethnic object of administrative impact as well.
The leader of multiethnic staff should separate so-called national superstitions of national stereotypes and deny them.
The head of multinational team should plan more meetings by negative tendencies of ethnical relations and conduct more events, where the representations of ethnic groups will be able to increase their personal experiences of contact, as the direct interaction decreases the level of stereotypic evaluation and
judgment, including the national superstitions.
During the management of multinational staff, it is important to strengthen positive national attitude and the stereotypes of conduct and perception. It should be foreseen that influence and emotions greatly impact on formation and change of stereotypes.
Positive affect (extreme emotional disturbance) might remove the national superstitions and dramatic and very bright events might influence on negative stereotypes. Someone can revise the perception of tidiness and punctuality by German people, provided if one will see the German person being late on the meeting because of loss of air ticket. This strictly contradicts the ruling ethnic stereotype, causes the influence and sharp change of stereotype.
The professional leader of multiethnic society should possess the firm knowledge of the following:
- National, psychological and other properties of representatives of different ethnic communities;
- Forms and methods of their conduct and activities during ethnic relations, communications and different standard situations of interaction;
- Traditions and stereotypes of perception of some particular people by representatives of different nationalities; basic cases and phraseological units of the language of ethnic communication objects; singularity of national identity's functioning that significantly affects the perception of managerial impact from administrative side;
- Needs, motives and valuable orientation in ethnic group of their staff, also ethnic specificity of their communication's manifestation;
- Manifestation nature of intellectual and cognitive components of national self-awareness during individual and collective activities;
- Facts indicating on ethnic groups' need and motivation components and existence of resistances in the group, also political and interethnic interaction norms of traditional business for the given region.
The manager of multiethnic group should be aware of his / her national heterostereotypes and autostereotypes while taking the managerial decisions, he / she should take part and expand an information about positive national psychological properties of representatives of our country and different people from foreign countries, thus making organizational goals more achievable.
The management of multiethnic team might be a precious experience, giving an opportunities to leaders to closely cooperate with officers with different origins and to have a chance for personal and professional development. Besides, the functioning of team of truly different humans has many other challenges the surpassing of which is necessary to create the productive working environment.
The leaders should possess the knowledge and mind set about different cultures to better introduce with officers with different origins and find the solution to work together in one team.
Often multiethnic teams are manned by such humans, which otherwise have rare communication with each other. Notwithstanding the fact that their individual cultures should be mentioned (critical part of inclusive management and the expansion of
borders), it is important to form the listed and constructive atmosphere.
Creation of strong, organizational culture, when humans work remotely like nowadays - might become extremely hard for leaders.
During of recent years, sociocultural approach to study an identity, staff and organization is asserted in scientific society. It unites theoretical problems and methods of culture and sociology of identity, cultural research and social anthropology. Its further application during the work would be a new incentive to study the HR management originalities of multiethnic staff.
Some culture has more direct style to solve the problems, some of them prefers to be relation-oriented and use more perfect and reserved approach. Team members from different regions and with different culture might have to put some effort to adopt with style and expectations of each other.
Time is another important issue that often causes divisions in multicultural teams. Notwithstanding the fact that some particular culture plans its hour according an hour - other cultures are far more inert often. The officers with such origin might believe that it is completely acceptable to conduct the meeting in the planned term or to appear later if they are in the middle of important talk - these issues disturb people who strictly obey the schedule.
The saying: "time is money" can be nicely translated for most of cultures as money is a universal priority in the business world. If everybody respect each other in the team like they do towards their money, then this might become a long road.
While diverse members of the group are geographically split also and work remotely, the management of a multicultural team feels more complex.
Cultural intellect is opportunity for human to function more efficiently and it is characterized by cultural differences. Under "culture" we imply national culture, but also other diversity like age, gender, ethnical belonging, profession, organization, religion, social-economic condition, sexual orientation and other.
Today, sometimes almost everyone needs to work in multicultural team. This has a sense as collection of evidences show us that cultural intelligence predicts the significant results existing in the real world.
Conclusion. People with higher intelligence make better choices in intra-cultural situations: work better and be more effective leaders, achieve better results in intra-cultural negotiations and sales, have better relationships with people from different countries of the world, are more creative and innovative, tend to create more diverse (culturally) social networks and less tired during global work. It should be noted that cultural utility goes beyond experience, cognitive ability, and personal effect.
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