CULTURAL PROBLEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS

Culture includes organization values, visions, norms, working language, systems, symbols, beliefs, and habits. It is also the pattern of such collective behaviour and assumptions that are taught to new organizational members as a way of perceiving, and even thinking and feeling. Organizational culture affects the way people and groups interact with each other, with clients, and with stakeholders. Workplace diversity is an issue which is focused on differences and similarities that people bring to an organization. It is usually defined broadly to include dimensions beyond those specified legally in equal opportunity and affirmative action for non-discrimination status. Diversity is often inter-preted to include dimensions which influence the identities and perspec-tives that people bring, such as a profession, education, parental status and geographic location. People from different cultures in the world find themselves interacting and working with individuals and groups from other cultures, operating and communicating according to differing sets of cultural norms, values, and communication styles. Consequently, researchers and global leadership practitioners stress a heightened need for understanding other cultures and their people, finding possible issues and what factors show potential to impede effective communication within an organization characterized by cultural diversity.