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Выводы и перспективы дальнейших исследований. Таким образом, модернизация государственного управления социальным развитием регионов в контексте децентрализации власти должна осуществляться по четырем основным направлениям: институциональном (расширение спектра форм повышения институциональной способности территориальных громад, развития партнерских отношений местной власти и неправительственных организаций); функциональном (законодательное определение функций и полномочий всех субъектов управления на принципах субсидиарности, развитие механизмов взаи-
модействия органов государственной власти и местного самоуправления всех управленческих уровней); организационном (создание новой сети социальных учреждений, способной обеспечить доступность и качество социально значимых услуг) и финансовом (внедрение новых инструментов финансового обеспечения социальной сферы регионов).
При этом, требуется проведение дальнейших исследований по выработке конкретных технологий реализации выше изложенных предложений с целью практического преобразования системы государственного управления социальным развитием регионов.
References:
1. Decentralization of power, available at: http://decentralization.gov.ua
2. Karabin T. O., "The problems of decentralization of executive power in Ukraine and their possible solution", Forum prava, - 2012. - Vol. 4, - P. 439-444.
3. President of Ukraine - 2015, "Decree "On the strategy of sustainable development "Ukraine - 2020"", available at: URL: http://zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/5Z2015
4. Romaniuk S. A., "Regional development and decentralization: theoretical and practical aspects", Rehional'na ekonomika, - 2016. - Vol. 3, - P. 10-18.
5. The analytical report to the annual President of Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine «On the internal and external situation of Ukraine in - 2016», available at: URL: http://www.niss.gov. ua/content/articles/files/poslanya_new-cc2e3.pdf
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/EJEMS-17-2-31-36
Layla Murad Yousif, MBA Student, University of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Maryam Abdullah Alsamahi, MBA Student, University of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Waleid Rashed Alkaabi, MBA Student, University of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Waleed Ali Alnaqbi,
MBA Student, University of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Fermin G. Castillo, Jr. (Post-Doc), Associate Professor, MBA Program University of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates E-mail: [email protected]
Communication Barriers in a multi-diversified workplace: The Case of Fujairah International Airport
Abstract: Communication plays a very vital role in every organization especially in a diversified workplace wherein employees come from different social status, age, religion, gender and race/ethnicity. Or-
ganizational communication plays a major role when it comes to organizational behavior as it affects the performance of individuals and groups alike in attaining advancement in the workplace and business success. This paper also presents recommendations that may be implemented to overcome barriers and ways to communicate effectively in a multi-diversfied workplace like Fujairah International Airport (FIA). Keywords: communication, workplace diversity, organizational behavior, structure, culture.
1. Introduction the world, Fujairah International Airport (FIA) follow
Communication is perhaps one of the most impor- the same protocols and standards.
tant aspect of our lives as we always interact with the people around us. And of course employee and employer has no exceptions. Communication can be compared to a vehicle which transports people going to their destination efficiently and safely. Moreover, it enlightens the gray area that affects both employee and employer as their relationship one way or another. Communication is defined as the process of passing information from one person to another. It involves the sharing of information between two or more people for a common goal.
The receiver of the information must very well understand the meaning and the contents of the information. Most organizations set up goals that they are supposed to meet so that they can continue performing better and they can keep up with competition from other companies. In order for these goals to be achieved that should be communication at different levels of the organization and also the employees should communicate with each other. As organization grows, the managers are usually concerned with the possibility of communication breakdown as the message moves from the top management to the subordinate staff. Every part of an organization wholly depends on communication and therefore a manager of any organization needs to have excellent communication skills [1].
Elements of communication
Communication is a work obtained from Latin word, communis, which has the meaning of common [2]. Communication has different elements namely the sender, the message, the medium, and the recipient. The sender is the originator of the message, it flows from him/her through a medium, and finally it gets to the recipient. In an organization, different mediums can be used to aid in getting the message to the receipt. These mediums may include the face-to-face conversations, printouts, memos and the schemes. The type of the medium used to send the message to the receipt largely depends on the content and purpose of the message. Receipt after receiving the information, he/she tries to understand the message [3].
In the fast phasing work environment like Fujai-rah International Airport things operates their way. Same as other local and international airports around
Functions of communication in an organization
The organizational behavior continues to play a very important role especially to the changing role of man in the society. Communication is one of the elements of organizational behavior and it is a key component in every organization. The major role of communication in an organization is to help in connecting the employees so that they can achieve a common goal. Communication in an organization helps to create a community within an organization. In addition, communication also helps to inform the employees about their tasks, rules and other issues affecting the organization. For instance, in a University the Dean may communicate to the students about the examination dates and the opening and closing dates. The lecturers in a learning institution may also be informed about a meeting through communication [4]. Communication also aids the company in setting the goals and the ways it will use to achieve them and the step it will take to make these goals a reality. Communication also assists in maintaining the human resource. It is through communication that a company or an industry can very well evaluate the performance of its human resource and other members associated with the organization. It also helps in the creation of an atmosphere, which allows people to share their views, helps in management, motivation and in guidance [3]. The trust that the employees have with the top management affects the way a message is received in an organization [5].
2. Organization structure and communication
In the United Arab Emirates, workforce diversity is very common in various organizations where expatriates compose majority of the workforce across industries, this is brought about by globalization and the aim of people to seek greener pastures outside of their home countries.
All throughout the years, the Arab world has been willingly accepting of the behaviors and cultures of various ethnicities from different places in the world. Having a diverse workforce makes communicating among groups increasingly complex, employers and managers should have a proper communication net-
work in place in order to ensure that common goals of the organization are met and business will succeed.
A structure is used to aid in the flow of information in an organization. The structure of an organization affects the patterns of communication in that organization. Most organizations are designed in a way, which affects the flow of information. Organizations structure is a term that is used to describe the relationship that exists between the different units of an organization. An organizational chart is a diagram that is used to describe the organizational structure in a company. They show graphically represent the flow of information in an organization. A typical organization chart consists of boxes and lines and the lines are used to represent the different levels of authority (who is answerable to who). The person below the box is answerable to the person above the box.
The information in an organization can flow in different directions namely the upward, downward, and sideward communication. In the upward communication, the message goes up in the hierarchy, it moves from the lower levels of an organization to the upper level in an organization. The information sent through the upper communication includes the problems encountered by the employees, the opinions of the employees and suggestions by the employees. The information normally moves from the junior staffs to the top management within an organization. The employees in an organization should be granted freedom of expression. Normally when information moves from the subordinates to the seniors there is a lot of filtering which is usually done to it [5]. In the downward communication, the information usually flows from the higher level of the organization to the upper level of an organization. The kind of information sent using this type of communication includes orders and warnings. This type of communication consumes a lot of time. Its major setback is the denial of the information and most of the time people have to confirm the information by tracing the path that the information followed [3]. Horizontal communication occurs between people of the same status in a department of a unit within an organization. Diagonal communication occurs between of different statuses in an organization.
3. Fujairah International Airport (FIA) Organization Communication Structure
Fujairah International Airport (FIA) commenced its operation on 29th October 1987 and has around 300 multiracial employees composed of Emiratis, Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis and Maldivians among others. It is evident in FIA's corporate culture though that the concept
of "inclusion" is practiced wherein the voices of workers in a diversified workforce are heard by superiors and respected. It is important that employee's feel that they belong be accepted in the organization [6].
Taking into consideration the diversified workforce of FIA, communicating among groups can be tricky at times since the employees come from different backgrounds and speak various languages and dialects. FIA uses the English language when conveying information to its employees since most of the staff can speak and read English.
Both formal and informal communication network exist in the FIA organizational communication structure. Since FIA is a hierarchical organization, the flow of communication is usually downward and follows the chain of command of the organization. However, newer information are being cascaded and usually runs up and down among managers before being conveyed to the various section heads. The top management also recognizes upward flow of communication; the immediate superiors would communicate with their respective department heads any concerns before escalating it to the top management. The FIA management encourages an "open type" of communication between managers and employees. The FIA formal communication network usually contains information needed in the operation of an aerodrome/airport, the instructions and orders or any amendments to documents coming from external authorities are communicated through the chain of command. Subordinates can communicate problems to their immediate superiors to increase the quality of service being offered by FIA.
The informal network on the other hand consists of personal information and follow no set pattern unlike the formal network, employees can interact with each other directly and this type of network is ever changing and can contain information that may affect the organization's performance such as gossip and rumors.
Mr. Khalifa Ali is the General Manager of the Fujairah International Airport. He has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. He holds both BS in Aeronautical engineering and MS Aviation Science. Aside from that he holds valid license as a pilot in command. His bold step and huge experience in the aviation industry landed him the position aside from his professional etiquette and hard work qualities. He mentioned that "Good communication is crucial to the operations of FIA in order to implement, promote and maintain the existing quality of service to customers. FIA also practice a quality management system that is
suited to international standards to ensure customer satisfaction".
Issues and barriers to communication:
On FIA employee
A communication barrier is defined as anything that blocks, filters or distorts the message during the process of channeling the information from the sender to the recipient. [9] Communication barriers are usually brought about by the words we choose, how we use them and the meaning we give them in a communication. In this modern society of today, technology plays a very important part as a barrier to communication. It usually affects those people who cannot understand the information contained in them. Language can act as a barrier to effective communication. It can also occur even when people are communicating in the same language due to the inability to understand the meaning of some of the words used in the message [10]. Sincerity, ability to communicate, tradition and noise are also some of the barriers to effective communication. To overcome these barrier both the sender and the receipt of the message must have good listening skills, good communication skills, and they must understand the language used to send the message [9; 10].
Mr. Irfan, Operations Supervisor (Pakistani National) is talking to their staffs in Urdu/Hindi most of the time. Mr. Waleed Operations Manager (UAE National) notice that some of the staffs who are not from that region have a hard time to communicate to Mr. Irfan. Because of that Mr. Waleed decided to ask Mr. Irfan to please speak in English as it is the official communication used across the airport. Mr. Irfan argue the fact that more than 40% of the staffs in the operations came from South Asian which includes Indian, Pakistani, Bangladesh and Nepal that's why he is using that language. Mr. Irfan is citing the memo issued by Ms. Layla that any communication or orders should be thru her department. Mr. Waleed said that he knows what he is doing and Ms. Layla is just staying in her office and doesn't know about operations.
After listening to his arguments, Mr. Waleed is not convince therefore he delegate the issue to the top management for their action. Mr. Khalifa Ali- General Manager of FIA call for an emergency meeting in order to solve the conflict at hand. He also invited Ms. Layla on this meeting but unfortunately Ms. Layla has no prior knowledge about the arguments between Mr. Irfan and Mr. Waleed. After he heard both parties reasoning and logic Mr. Khalifa Ali come up with a solution that will benefit the whole organization.
He also identify other issues that confronts both employees/employer including administrator across units/department. Outlined below are the communication issues and barriers that distort or block communication between FIA individuals and groups:
1. Language:
FIA has around 300 multiracial staff speaking different languages from Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Russian, Tagalog and English. The level of competence, however when it comes to speaking the English language varies greatly from one individual to another. There are various groups that are both fluent in oral and written English since the have been exposed to the language at an early age while there are also workers that know little or no English at all. Mr. Khalifa Ali- General Manager ask the division head to identify those employee.
Language barriers can greatly influence the day-today operations of an airport and the FIA management uses the English language as the primary language for most correspondences that are being circulated to the airport staff next to Arabic. Most airport staff however have learned to speak two languages because of their interactions with diverse individuals on a day-to-day basis. The FIA management however ensures that correspondences are composed in a simplified and easy to understand manner to mitigate miscommunication between employees. Mr. Khalifa Ali mentioned that both Arabic and English are the official language (s) to be used by FIA. Those employee who are non-Arabic or non-English must undergone series of workshops that will enhance their communication skills.
2. Cultural Diversity
Another barriers to communicating effectively in FIA is cultural diversity because cultural differences can cause various differences in behavior and personality like manners, body language, thinking, speech patterns and intonation, which can cause miscommunication in the workplace [10]. A receiver may easily misinterpret some actions and words especially if a word has been mispronounced or the receiver may have a different interpretation of its meaning. Different people have different ways of assigning meanings to words while others include body language (nonverbal communication) when communicating as an indication of active listening, for example most Filipinos interpret a nod as a yes while Indians do a head bobble or a head shake when agreeing to something. Body language plays important role in communication at FIA as diversity in the workplace provides both positives and negatives. Mr. Khalifa Ali suggested to have one (1) day per month as global day
wherein any employees can wear their traditional attire with respect to existing customs and traditions.
3. Religion
Religious views often influence how one thinks about others and this creates a difference in opinion and can disrupt communication [11]. At FIA, everyone are given the rights to practice their faith provided they are not in conflict with existing laws, rules and regulations of UAE and FIA.
4. Cultural Sensitivity and awareness
Employee at Fujairah International Airport (FIA)
came from diverse background and ethnicity. As an initiative by Ms. Layla- Head of HR, she started to include cultural programs to be included in the job orientation.
5. Conclusion
An organization should accord communication the respect it deserves because it forms a very important element in organization behavior. The leadership of an organization undergoes constant changes and such information should be carefully relied upon for the concerned parties. By carrying out the levels of satisfaction that the employees have in an organization, it clearly indicates that efficient communication in an organization increases the productivity of the employees in an organization. The responses from the employees can also be used during decision making in an organization.
Most of the employees who had worked for long within the organization i. e. for more than five years were satisfied with the form of communication used in the organization while the newcomers had a problem with the form of communication used in the organization. When asked what should be done to improve the communication within the organization, most employees suggested that they would really appreciate if their suggestions were considered during decision-making. Most of the employees were also dissatisfied with the speed at which the message is sent from the top management to the employees.
6. Recommendation
In view of the emergency meeting the following are the recommendations of the committee that will mitigate or overcome the common communication barriers in Fujairah International Airport (FIA).
1. Use simple and easy to understand language: FIA uses the English language for most of its correspondences. It is important that simple and clear words are used and emphasized to avoid miscommunication between groups. If possible use of specialized language or corporate jargons should be avoided [12]. If possible, documents can be translated to the language that fits the
maj ority of the audience like English/Arabic with translation from other languages.
2. Proper media selection or use of the right channel: just give a call to transmit messages or new information rather than sending an email if it is easier. This delivers the message quickly and obtains response immediately from the receiver. Follow the protocol in all of its correspondence.
3. Encourage feedback: Check and ask the receiver of the message on how they interpret the information given to them. FIA managers should embrace a culture of open communication between colleagues to obtain information that can contribute to the growth of the organization. Both negative and positive feedback should be solicited by the managers from their employees [11].
4. Cooperation: motivate employees to cooperate and interact with each other by assigning them to groups/teams and delegating tasks for each member, this way, coworkers learn to communicate effectively and avoid repetition of tasks to in order to achieve a common goal or realize results [12]. This is very important in any organization as it signify solidarity and unity among employees.
5. Efficiency: to improve the profitability and to uphold the excellent service of FIA, clear communication is vital. Being able to clearly communicate avoids wasted time and effort and promotes efficiency in the workplace thereby leading to increased returns [12]. Fast and responsive medium and mode of communication is very important piece of any communication both internal and external.
Case Questions:
1. Do you think the action of Mr. Waleed is proper in this case? If you are in his situation will you do the same or not? Explain and support you answer.
2. Is the chain of command followed in this case? Yes or no. Explain and defend your answer.
3. Among the issues and barriers to communications, which one is the most important and why? Do you agree/disagree with the recommendations of the committee? Explain and support your answers.
Note: This case was written solely for the purpose of class discussion and decision making. It was not designed to illustrate neither correct nor incorrect handling of Management problems. Names, figures, and places have been disguised, some details modified/improved. No portion of this paper will be reproduced without written consent from the author/publisher.
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