GROUP DYNAMICS IN THE MULTI CULTURAL WORKPLACE (A STUDY OF SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY)

ABSTRACT

This study critically attempts to highlight the importance of trade fairs as marketing strategy for promoting made in Nigeria products. The researcher used  survey  research  method  in  carrying  out  the  research.  During  the survey, questionnaires, personal interviews and physical observation were used. Secondary data was also used to complement the data gotten. The survey cuts across all facets of stakeholders. Data was analyzed  using frequency distribution of the respondent’s opinion in contingency tables and ranked in percentages. The researcher further reviewed related literatures on the subject matter to sample the opinion of various authors and authorities on the subject. The literature reviewed, centered on group dynamics.  Several findings were made in this research which includes among others that: that understanding and respect of our people cultural background will foster cordial and mutual relationship among employees and thus create an atmosphere of brotherhood. In response to the findings made, some recommendations were made which include that cultural awareness training is important to help members of a multi cultural team identify where things might be going wrong or how best to leverage their differences.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Modern day organizations have a life of their own or so it seems (Robin 2003). In many ways each is unique while they also share much in common. As we begin the twenty first century, those of us who work within organizations are all too often confronted with a vast array or organizational attributes, events, leaders, followers, departments, divisions,

plans performance expectations, and goals and objectives – complexity that is hard to understand in a meaningful may.

We may feel overwhelmed by daily work-life whenever we really stop to think  about  it.  This  and  stressful  workplace  events  can  make  us  feel anxious about others; the future and ourselves. What is really happening? Why? How will it affect me? The harder we examine our workplaces, the more is revealed. Layer upon layer of  organizational and management hierarchy is found to be accompanied by the inevitable interpersonal tensions and conflicts as well as unpredictable outcomes that remind us of how bounded the assumption of workplace rationality really is.

It is difficult to escape from the influence of organisation culture in any consideration of how organizations work. In discussing the various factors that contribute to, and are influenced by organization structure, the issue of culture has to be taken into account. In essence the culture has to be taken into  account. In essence the culture of an organization is its dominant pattern of shared beliefs and values.

Morgan (1986) describes culture as shared meaning, shared understanding and shared sense-making, but according to Handy (1993) any one who has spent time with any variety of organisation will have been struck by the

differing  atmospheres,  the  differing  way  of doing  things,  the  differing levels of energy, differing beliefs, of individual freedom, of kinds of personality.  This  is  because  the  organization  is  constituted  in  a  multi cultural setting with people from different culture backgrounds.

Groups at work are formed as a direct consequence of an organization’s need to differentiate itself. A group is basically a collection of individuals, contributing to some common aim under the direction of a leader and who share a sense of common identity. These group functions are what the organization itself needs to fulfill its purposes. However how these groups perform their functions in a multi cultural workplace will depend greatly on the cooperation that exists in the group.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A group has some central purpose, temporary or permanent, and a degree of self awareness as a group. In the work situation most tasks are in fact undertaken by individuals. Groups are also widely used for solving problems, creating new ideas, making decisions and coordinating tasks. These group functions are what the organization itself needs to fulfill its purposes.  However,  employee  needs  groups  because  groups  provide

stimulus, protection, assistances and other social and psychological requirements.

Although groups can work in the interest of organizations as a whole as well as in the interest of individual members, there always seems to be conflict and  confrontation that exist among  members of a  group.  This conflict often times occur as a result of differences in culture, belief and personal interests.

The problem the researcher tends to tackle in the study will be to know the reasons employees usually have biases about colleagues from different cultural backgrounds and also to what extent this attitude can hinder the productivity of an employee.

1.3     RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Consistent with the problem, this research evaluates group dynamism in a multi  cultural  organization  with  emphasis  on  Shell  Petroleum Development Corporation. Accordingly, the study set out to achieve the following objectives:

1.    To  determine  the  impact  of   cultural,  differences  on  workers performance

2.    To determine the impact of cultural differences on achievement of group goals

3.    The   evaluate   the   extent   cultural   differences   cause   attitudinal differences of employees in the organization

4.    To evaluate the level of conflict generated by cultural differences.

5.    To ascertain to which extent cultural differences impede employees’

productivity.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  Why  do  cultural  backgrounds  affect  the  disposition  of  group members?

2.  How   do    cultural   differences   impact   on   the   organizations profitability?

3.  To  what  extent  does  differences  in  cultural  background  cause attitudinal differences among employees?

4.  To  what  extent  do  differences  in  cultural  background  impede

Employee’s productivity?

5.  To   what   extent   can   cultural   differences   impede   employee productivity?

1.5     STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Arising from the statement of problems, the research questions and the research   objectives,   the   following   null   hypotheses   are   hereunder formulated for the study:

A)    Cultural  differences  does  not   have  any   impact  on   employee performance

B)    Cultural  differences  have  little  or  no  significance  in  relation  to achievement of group goals.

C)    Lack of teamwork has no or little effect on cushioning the negative effect of cultural differences

D)   Cultural differences are not considered as a source of conflict among employees

E)   Cultural difference does not impede employee productivity

This study is a thorough research on group dynamics in a multi-cultural organization. The study will help to determine and establish the Impact of cultural difference on group performance. The study will therefore help to determine how organizations could best position themselves to avoid employee differences arising from difference in cultural background. This study will pinpoint the best approach to be employed by organizations to ensure that employees work harmoniously in a multi-cultural setting.

This  research  is  also  of  significant  because  of  its  contribution  to  the growing field of knowledge.

1.7     SCOPE OF STUDY

The research is aimed at primarily examining group dynamics in a multi cultural organization with a particular focus on Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. This study is focused on evaluating effect of cultural differences of employees on organizational performance.

One  major   limitation  of   this  study  is   finance   as  the   logistics  of transportation to and fro Port Harcourt during sourcing of data was enormous.

The second limitation is associated with data generation. There was a low response as well as non-return of questionnaires. Also getting statistical data from Shell posed some difficulties. This is because of lack of trust on the part of the company. The calculability of local literature on group dynamics  in  a  multi  cultural  workplace  were  insufficient  and  as  such foreign data constituted the majority of the volume of the materials used in the review of the literature.

1.9     DEFINITION OF TERMS

RITE:                     Is defined as relatively elaborate, dramatic, planned sets of activities that consolidate various forms of cultural expressions into one event, which is carried out through social   interactions,   usually   for   the   benefit   of   an audience.

LEGEND:             Is   defined   as   a   handed-down   narrative   of   some wonderful event that is based in history but been embellished with fictional details.

GESTURE:           Is defined as movement of parts of the body used to express meanings.

PHYSICAL:          Defined as those things than surround people’s physical setting  and  provide  them  with  immediate  sensory stimuli as they carry out culturally expressive activities.

Adapted from Trice, 1984.

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