Use the steps of analysis learnt to complete the
assignment on the case studies below:
JEREMY: Example 1: Conflict Resolution in a Multicultural
Consulting Team
A global consulting firm with team members from the United States, India, and Sweden
faced early conflicts in a healthcare strategic project. The American members employed
a direct and assertive style, whereas the Indian members preferred a hierarchical and
reserved approach to communication. Swedish members favored consensus decision-
making and felt sidelined by dominant voices.
Conflict resolution strategies included culturally sensitive mediation sessions and
appointing cultural liaisons to bridge communication gaps, allowing mutual respect and
empathy to develop in the team. This fostered a more inclusive environment and
improved teamwork effectiveness.
Issue-Conflict Resolution in a Multicultural Consulting Team
The central issue involves communication and collaboration challenges within a
multicultural consulting team composed of members from the United States, India, and
Sweden. The cultural differences in communication styles and decision-making
approaches led to early-stage conflicts in a strategic healthcare project.
Evidence-Think about how trustworthy and relevant each source is
Observation from real-life team dynamics: The description reflects typical cross-
cultural communication patterns backed by intercultural communication research (e.g.,
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, Trompenaars’ model).
● Relevance: High, as it reflects a real-world, practical issue in international
business and consulting.
● Trustworthiness: The scenario is plausible and aligns with well-documented
research in cross-cultural management, even if the example itself is hypothetical
or anonymized.
Causes and consequences-Look at why the issue exists and who it affects
Causes:
● Cultural communication differences:
○ U.S. members: Direct, assertive communication.
○ Indian members: Hierarchical, reserved interaction style.
○ Swedish members: Consensus-driven, egalitarian approach.
● Lack of cultural understanding and empathy initially.
Consequences:
● Team dysfunction: Misunderstandings, perceived disrespect, and exclusion from
decision-making processes.
● Project delays and decreased morale due to unresolved tensions.
● Risk to client satisfaction and organizational reputation.
Perspectives-Consider different viewpoints and how they influence opinions
American team members: Likely viewed assertiveness as a sign of leadership and
efficiency.
Indian team members: May have seen the direct style as overly aggressive or
disrespectful to hierarchy.
Swedish team members: Possibly felt their collaborative style was dismissed, leading
to disengagement.
Management/Leadership: Concerned with project success and team cohesion;
motivated to find a sustainable solution.
Conclusions-Summarize the findings clearly; supported by evidence
Cultural differences can significantly affect team dynamics, especially in high-stakes
environments like consulting.
Effective conflict resolution required intentional strategies, including:
● Culturally sensitive mediation,
● Appointment of cultural liaisons,
● Fostering mutual respect and open communication.
These steps led to a more inclusive and productive team environment, proving that
with proper intervention, multicultural teams can thrive.
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actions.
Predictions / Recommendations
Future Possible Outcomes:
● Improved cross-cultural competence could enhance innovation, client
satisfaction, and team resilience in future projects.
● The organization may build best practices from this experience to handle similar
situations globally.
Recommendations:
● Ongoing intercultural training for all consultants.
● Structured communication protocols that honor diverse styles.
● Early identification and mediation of cultural misunderstandings.
● Encourage rotating leadership roles to balance power dynamics.
ASHER: Example 1: Conflict Resolution in a Multicultural
Consulting Team
A global consulting firm with team members from the United States, India, and Sweden
faced early conflicts in a healthcare strategic project. The American members employed
a direct and assertive style, whereas the Indian members preferred a hierarchical and
reserved approach to communication. Swedish members favored consensus decision-
making and felt sidelined by dominant voices.
Conflict resolution strategies included culturally sensitive mediation sessions and
appointing cultural liaisons
issues-
issue-Conflict Resolution in a Multicultural Consulting Team
-
JEREMY: Example 2: Building Trust in Diverse Technology
Teams
A multinational tech company with teams from the US, India, and Germany experienced
trust issues due to differences in openness, directness, and hierarchy attitudes. The
project leader addressed this through a cultural awareness onboarding program and
regular trust-building activities such as sharing personal stories and collaborative
problem-solving exercises. These initiatives improved mutual understanding and team
cohesion.
Issue-Building Trust in Diverse Technology Teams
A multinational tech company with teams located in the US, India, and Germany faced
trust challenges. The core issues arose from differing cultural norms related to
openness, communication directness, and attitudes toward hierarchy.
These cultural differences led to misunderstandings and hindered effective
collaboration, affecting overall team cohesion and productivity.
Evidence-Think about how trustworthy and relevant each source is
Causes and consequences-Look at why the issue exists and who it affects
Perspectives--Consider different viewpoints and how they influence opinions
Conclusions-Summarize the findings clearly; supported by evidence
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actions
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actionsASHER:
Example 2: Building TeamsTrust in Diverse Technology
A multinational tech company with teams from the US, India, and Germany experienced
trust issues due to differences in openness, directness, and hierarchy attitudes. The
project leader addressed this through a cultural awareness onboarding program and
regular trust-building activities such as sharing personal stories and collaborative
problem-solving exercises. These initiatives improved mutual understanding and team
cohesion.issue/topic-Building TeamsTrust in Diverse Technology
evidence-trust-building activities such as sharing personal stories and collaborative
problem-solving exercises.
JEREMY: Example 3: Water and Sanitation Project in Rural
Ghana
In a rural community project in Emem, Ghana, cultural differences led to communication
challenges and management issues. The engineer and project manager, a foreigner,
struggled with local power distance and collectivist culture, which affected participation
and motivation. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were applied to analyze the situation,
revealing the need for culturally adapted management structures. Engagement of local
leaders was critical for project success.
Issue- Water and Sanitation Project in Rural Ghana
Issue:Cultural clashes between a foreign project manager and the Ghanaian
community resulted in communication barriers and project setbacks.
Evidence-Think about how trustworthy and relevant each source is
Evidence: The case study uses Hofstede's cultural dimensions (power distance,
individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance) to explain the cultural gap and its
impact on project execution.
Causes and Consequences-Look at why the issue exists and who it affects
● High Power Distance: The local community had a strong hierarchical structure,
where decisions were primarily made by elders and leaders, which created
challenges for the foreign manager who was accustomed to a more egalitarian
approach.
● Collectivist Culture: Ghanaians tend to prioritize the needs of the group over
individual needs, which differed from the project manager's more individualistic
perspective, leading to difficulties in fostering collective participation
Perspectives-Consider different viewpoints and how they influence opinions
● The project manager's perspective: They might have felt frustrated by the slow
pace of decision-making and the perceived lack of direct involvement from
community members.
● Local community perspective: They might have felt excluded from the
decision-making process and not fully considered in the design of the project.
Conclusions-Summarize the findings clearly; supported by evidence
● Critical Role of Local Leaders: Engaging and actively involving local leaders in
the project planning and execution was crucial for bridging the cultural gap and
ensuring community buy-in.
● Culturally Adapted Management: Implementing management strategies that
respected the local collectivist culture, such as facilitating group discussions and
building consensus, were necessary for project success.
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actions.
Cultural Training:
Providing cultural sensitivity training for project staff to better understand the local
customs and communication styles would be beneficial.
Community Engagement Workshops:
Facilitate workshops to involve community members in the planning process,
discuss their needs and concerns, and build trust.
Capacity Building:
Supporting local leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively
participate in project management and decision-making.
JEREMY: Example 3: Water and Sanitation Project in Rural
Ghana
In a rural community project in Emem, Ghana, cultural differences led to communication
challenges and management issues. The engineer and project manager, a foreigner,
struggled with local power distance and collectivist culture, which affected participation
and motivation. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were applied to analyze the situation,
revealing the need for culturally adapted management structures. Engagement of local
leaders was critical for project success.
Issue- Water and Sanitation Project in Rural Ghana
Issue:Cultural clashes between a foreign project manager and the Ghanaian
community resulted in communication barriers and project setbacks.
Evidence-Think about how trustworthy and relevant each source is
Evidence: The case study uses Hofstede's cultural dimensions (power distance,
individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance) to explain the cultural gap and its
impact on project execution.
Causes and Consequences-Look at why the issue exists and who it affects
● High Power Distance: The local community had a strong hierarchical structure,
where decisions were primarily made by elders and leaders, which created
challenges for the foreign manager who was accustomed to a more egalitarian
approach.
● Collectivist Culture: Ghanaians tend to prioritize the needs of the group over
individual needs, which differed from the project manager's more individualistic
perspective, leading to difficulties in fostering collective participation
Perspectives-Consider different viewpoints and how they influence opinions
● The project manager's perspective: They might have felt frustrated by the slow
pace of decision-making and the perceived lack of direct involvement from
community members.
● Local community perspective: They might have felt excluded from the
decision-making process and not fully considered in the design of the project.
Conclusions-Summarize the findings clearly; supported by evidence
● Critical Role of Local Leaders: Engaging and actively involving local leaders in
the project planning and execution was crucial for bridging the cultural gap and
ensuring community buy-in.
● Culturally Adapted Management: Implementing management strategies that
respected the local collectivist culture, such as facilitating group discussions and
building consensus, were necessary for project success.
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actions.
Cultural Training:
Providing cultural sensitivity training for project staff to better understand the local
customs and communication styles would be beneficial.
Community Engagement Workshops:
Facilitate workshops to involve community members in the planning process,
discuss their needs and concerns, and build trust.
Capacity Building:
Supporting local leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively
participate in project management and decision-making.
ASHER: Example 3: Water and Sanitation Project in Rural
Ghana
In a rural community project in Emem, Ghana, cultural differences led to communication
challenges and management issues. The engineer and project manager, a foreigner,
struggled with local power distance and collectivist culture, which affected participation
and motivation. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were applied to analyze the situation,
revealing the need for culturally adapted management structures. Engagement of local
leaders was critical for project success.
JEREMY: Example 4: Cultural Diversity in Healthcare
At St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, serving over 125 nationalities, a multicultural health
committee was formed to address cultural barriers. Employing community liaisons who
understood local cultural nuances and language accessibility initiatives improved
patient satisfaction by 20%. Similarly, the UK's NHS implemented bilingual training and
cultural competence workshops, reducing culturally related service issues and fostering
inclusivity.
Issue-Cultural Diversity in Healthcare
Definition:
The presence of varied cultural beliefs, practices, and languages among patients
and providers in a healthcare setting.
Relevance:
This is a significant issue because cultural differences can impact patient-
provider relationships, quality of care, and health outcomes.
Evidence-Think about how trustworthy and relevant each source is
St. Michael's Hospital:
A hospital serving over 125 nationalities successfully addressed cultural barriers
by forming a multicultural health committee and employing community liaisons
who understood local nuances.
NHS (UK):
Implemented bilingual training and cultural competence workshops, which
successfully reduced culturally related service issues.
Overall Impact:
Initiatives at both institutions improved patient satisfaction, reduced service
issues, and fostered greater inclusivity and patient-centered care.
Causes and Consequences-Look at why the issue exists and who it affects
Causes:
● Language barriers: Differences in language hinder effective
communication between patients and providers.
● Differing health beliefs: Patient beliefs about illness, healing, and health
that differ from the standard biomedical model can lead to misalignments
in care.
● Fear of discrimination: Experiences or perceptions of discrimination can
deter patients from seeking or engaging with healthcare services.
Consequences:
● Reduced patient satisfaction: Patients may feel misunderstood,
disrespected, or have their needs unmet.
● Health disparities: Inequities in access and quality of care for minority
populations.
● Poor communication: Leading to diagnostic inaccuracies and less
effective treatment plans.
Perspectives-Consider different viewpoints and how they influence opinions
Patient Perspective:
May feel vulnerable due to language barriers or fear of discrimination, leading to
a lack of trust.
Provider Perspective:
Can lead to communication breakdowns and frustration when faced with diverse
cultural values or health beliefs.
Organizational Perspective:
Institutions that embrace diversity see benefits like increased patient satisfaction
and a broader appeal to their communities.
Conclusions-Summarize the findings clearly; supported by evidence
● Cultural diversity is an unavoidable reality in healthcare.
● Proactive efforts, such as the formation of multicultural health committees and
the implementation of bilingual training and community liaisons, are effective in
improving care quality and accessibility for diverse patient populations.
● Investing in cultural competence and addressing language barriers leads to
better patient outcomes and a more equitable healthcare system.
Predictions/recommendations-Suggest future possible outcomes or actions.
Increase funding for culturally sensitive programs:
More resources should be allocated to support community health workers and
language services.
Mandate cultural competency training:
All healthcare professionals should undergo ongoing training to improve their
understanding and respect for diverse cultural backgrounds.
Develop culturally tailored health education materials:
Information should be available in various languages and formats to ensure it is
accessible and understood by all patients.
ASHER: Example 4: Cultural Diversity in Healthcare
At St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, serving over 125 nationalities, a multicultural health
committee was formed to address cultural barriers. Employing community liaisons who
understood local cultural nuances and language accessibility initiatives improved
patient satisfaction by 20%. Similarly, the UK's NHS implemented bilingual training and
cultural competence workshops, reducing culturally related service issues and fostering
inclusivity.
