Understanding Culture Shock: Definition, Stages, And Impact

Question:

Discuss about the Managing Culture Shock of Growing.

Culture shock is defined as the feelings and bundles of confusion along with uncertainty which gives an experience when an individual comes in a contact with any other new culture. Culture shock is commonly used in an organization which helps to describe the feelings that one feel. When one feels the differences between his/her culture apart from other culture, then culture shock takes place. Basically, culture shock is analyzed in foreign students who studies is host country, immigrants and refuses as well. When student studies in host country i.e. living away from their home country, they may feel culture shock (Furham, 2012).

Culture shock can also be defined as a natural phenomenon and it may take weeks and months to develop in any individual. It generally affects the travelers who travel away from their home to other places in a much unexpected ways. Culture shock can also be described as being unfamiliar with the religion, cultures, norms of other place and experiencing new ideas, new foods, and many more. It also helps to impact travelers even though they become familiar to new culture.

Moreover, culture shock involves four different stages that includes honeymoon, frustration, adjustment and acceptance. The experiences involved in these stages varies from person to person and the impact of each stages is different. The different stages helps to know how one adapt changes and cope up with new culture with a proper guidance (Gunn, 2017).

For an example, an American student has planned to go to abroad for higher studies in Australia. The student expected that since America and Australia both are English speaking country, he will not face such difficulties based on cultures. Once the student landed to Australia, it was found that the climatic condition of the Australia is totally different from America. It was hot in America but cold in Australia and the student faced trouble in understanding the culture and language of Australia. He may feel lonely and alone because of lack of family support and friends as well. He may not feel connected to the people living in Australia and may feel to return back to home country. So, this defines the exact definition of culture shock. This may take place in an organization as well when a person moves to host country to do any particular job which may be new for him (Shopova, 2013).

On the contrary, a case of culture shock can be evaluated in the global arena. A famous company named Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc in England has faced a culture shock and successfully managed it. Many international executives visited headquarter to resolve the issues. The company merged with a Swedish American Pharmaceuticals company. Chief executive John Zabriskie suffered huge clashes related to management culture and style and he mentioned many outcomes mentioned what not to do when someone plans to work at Europe. American approached that Upjohn made changes which created a shock in gradualist and consensus oriented Swedish managers. Thus, it was also found that normal US practice of giving reward to customers with available options was difficult to gain because of Sweden’s heavy tax structure. The problem was that Europeans are more international and they are used to work across borders as compared to Americans. However the company managed to do so.

Stages of Culture Shock

It is very important to understand the differences that take place from one culture to another. The culture dimensions differ from one country to another country when it takes place away from home country. Intercultural business plays a very vital role in any organization and it is very difficult to manage such business because it requires lots of effort and managerial skills at both levels i.e. personal level as well as professional level. Every management in an organization is comprised of many people who must be well trained and developed at every levels. It is the human emotions that often come in between and creates a mix feelings in an organization. Those feelings must be addressed properly. When employees work, the performance depends on the way they produce the outcomes (Chaney & Martin, 2013). The performance of the employees is affected by the level of anxiety and depression which may be affected for long term as well as short term. The permanent new role in an organization in a host country may lead to depression when an individual refuses to adapt the changes and denies to accept the new culture and new environment. It may include practicalities of settling down in a new host country with a very different job along with a new place. The employee may feel isolated and he may find stress in relocating a family. The unfamiliarity situation may reduce his efforts for any company. Apart from the organization, he may find difficulties in personal work such as buying groceries, registering for driving license and getting a new car (Kovaleski, 2013).

Not only the business environment will be affected, but many things will certainly be affected along with the performance and results. The employee may not be able to perform well and give the desired results. If an employee is involved in foreign assignments, then he/she must be sure to gain a development package from the company he/she wishes to work with. The package must include coaching classes and support for the role of an international. If a person do not gets such offer, then allocation for counseling support in the new environment and in the new culture may be negotiated. It generally happens that many big corporations hire relocation companies in order to assist and help out with relocation products and services. But there are some companies as well who extends services from only transporting possessions to anything that is a way more comprehensive in nature. They offer services which includes work permits, visas, renewals, pre departure intercultural orientation and foreign language training, international transportation service, property management; international home sales and educational assistance, Changing Identity, Expectations, and Goals (Søderberg & Zølner, 2012).

In addition to this, every person tries to cope up with new environment and new situation and he/she will likely to identify changes that take place within himself/herself. The changes may be positive such as building confidence and motivating oneself, creating higher diplomacy, developing high tolerating power and higher level of patience, boost assertiveness and independency, a self-motivation and understanding to know people better by listening to them and trying to understand them as well. Culture chock will not only affect the identity but it also creates changes in the overall life values of an individual (Kocak, 2014). It can further be improved by developing interpersonal skills and reduce the communication gaps. When a person plans to work in host country, the changes in goals and expectations may take place which will change the overall career of an individual. This may be taken as an opportunity to create a valuable growth that may be not be given to every individual. Moreover, this may also be a chance to choose a new career path. On the contrary, this may develop an unpleasant taste to adopt new environment and new culture along with nee norms. So some may find it as an opportunity while some may find it difficult to accept (Furham, 2012).

Case Example of Culture Shock in an Organization

When an international team is assembled, it is very important to spend time in the establishment and development of the team processes because if in any cases, team members are not well experienced or of they are unfamiliar with the new culture, then it may create many challenges and issues. Communication skills is also one of the key factor important for an organization because it helps in generating open and healthy environment and break stereotype work place environment  as well (Haslberger, Brewster & Hippler, 2013). The poor team performance may find an excuse because of differences in the cultures. A person will definitely fails to adopt processes when he/she feels uncomfortable while working in a team for a long duration. However, an organization must employ some kind of team exercises in order to gauge new perceptions and they must also conduct several training programs that will promote harmony and create new intercultural concepts (Chen, Lin & Sawangpattanakul, 2011).

It all depends on the duration of stay in any foreign environment. It may create reentry problems for a sojourner when he/she plans to return back to home. It generally seems that the process of returning back home is easy but in fact it is a complex task. The sojourner may likely to change based on the new language, culture, rituals, customs and environment. The original culture can also be changed till that particular period of time. It is responsibility of both the individual as well as corporation to accept the changes and work according to it through reentry process. Thus, a culture shock is again experienced when a sojourner plans to return back to home country (Marx, 2011).

Conclusion

Thus, from the above essay it can be concluded that international mobility is a quite glamorous term which may seems interesting to hear but difficult to actually understand it. But when it comes to international assignments, it must not be treated as exotic extended vacations. The location to work plays a very important role in the life of any individual. The location can be foreign and intriguing. The changes can definitely be seen during the sojourn and also when he plans to return back to home country. A person must be personal as well as professionally developed. Today every business has plans to expand their business internationally, and they have faced high failures because of the lack of skilled business managers. They fail to have a sufficient international outlook which creates issues and challenges for the employees to adopt new culture and new environment. The failure for such business operations may lead to culture chock which can be managed too by developing several training programs and developing managerial skills as well (Cameron, 2017).

References

Cameron, K. (2017). Cross-cultural research and positive organizational scholarship. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, 24(1), 13-32.

Chaney, L., & Martin, J. (2013). Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed.

Chen, A. S. Y., Lin, Y. C., & Sawangpattanakul, A. (2011). The relationship between cultural intelligence and performance with the mediating effect of culture shock: A case from Philippine laborers in Taiwan. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35(2), 246-258.

Furham, A. (2012). Culture shock. Revista de Psicologéa de la Educación, 7.

Furnham, A. (2012). The psychology of behavior at work: The individual in the organization. Psychology press.

Gunn, S. (2017). Globalization, education and culture shock. Taylor & Francis.

Haslberger, A., Brewster, C., & Hippler, T. (2013). The dimensions of expatriate adjustment. Human Resource Management, 52(3), 333-351.

Kocak, M. (2014). Management of Culture Shock. CRIS-Bulletin of the Centre for Research and Interdisciplinary Study, 2014(2), 63-82.

Kovaleski, A. (2013). Managing Culture Shock for Employees in International Business Settings. Retrieved 29th March, 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236610956_Managing_Culture_Shock_for_Employees_in_International_Business_Settings

Marx, E. (2011). Breaking through culture shock: What you need to succeed in international business. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

Shopova, M. (2013). Managing the culture shock of growing a successful business. Retrieved 29th March, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2013/sep/30/managing-company-culture-shock-growth

Søderberg, A. M., & Zølner, M. (2012). Short-term International Assignments. In Global Collaboration: Intercultural Experiences and Learning (pp. 107-122). Palgrave Macmillan, London.