Free Custom «Cross Culture Relations» Essay Paper

Cross-cultural relationships have been an issue of contention for years. Because of migration that has been taking place for years, most countries are inhabited by many people from other cultures. This results in cross-cultural relationships. Cross-cultural relationships refer to interactions between people of different ethnic groups. Different people tend to respond differently to different ethnic groups. In a world, where globalization has become prevalent, cross-cultural relations prove to be inevitable. Globalization unites people of different ethnic backgrounds into one big community. This community operates under the same laws, same trade restrictions, same market opportunities, and the same code of conduct among others. Thus, cross-cultural relations have been heightened by the rise of globalization in the society.   

Globalization has created opportunities that have promoted cross-cultural relations that were impossible in the past. This means that opportunities, such as expansion of markets, have come up improving economies of many countries. Cross-cultural relationships have also resulted in the convergence of moral and ethical values. For instance, the concept of democracy has gained popularity worldwide. These relations have also resulted in a sense of solidarity in the world. Solidarity helps unite people towards achieving world peace and development worldwide (Elmer 200).

 

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Impacts of Cross-cultural Relations on Society

Cross-cultural relationships have had many impacts on society. Through intermarriages, a new generation of people was created, for instance, a child born of an Asian and a black person. This results into cultural confusion, where this child is exposed to two very different cultures. However, this might work to their advantage since they can choose the best aspects of each culture and leave out the bad ones.

When people move from their homes to other new territories, they are most likely going to experience cultural shock that comes as a result of cultural differences that may exist. Getting adapted to a new environment has its difficulties. However, once immigrants get accustomed to their new lives, things get easier.

Society values have also been eroded as a result of these cross-cultural relations. Often, children from third-world countries prefer to adopt western culture and abandon their own. This could be a result of a belief that western cultures are better. The impact of this is that people lose their uniqueness that is only brought about by their distinct cultures. People have altered history by leaving cultures that identify them and adopting cultures that they believe are better. This is a misconception that needs to be rectified fast before it is too late to recover what they have lost (Elmer 90).

Economic Impact of Cross-cultural Relations

Economically, cross-cultural relationships help businesses especially in international trade. This could be in the form of overcoming language barriers and fostering good international relations between people of different countries. This is mainly relevant in marketing as cross-cultural relationships foster good marketing skills in organizations. Today, all companies try to integrate people of all ethnic backgrounds in all their departments because different people have different ways of expressing themselves and also different ways of understanding and interpreting things and situations. Therefore, by putting people from diverse backgrounds together in the work place, the organization is increasing its chances of success in the market.

Cross-cultural relations have impacted international trade in that they have made it easier for people of different ethnic backgrounds to co-exist in the same market. Through imports and exports traders of different ethnic groups interact. This promotes world peace as well as better living standards for respective traders, who fetch better prices on the international markets as compared to the domestic markets. Therefore, cross-cultural relations is the main force behind the success of international trade.

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Cross-cultural relations promote globalization, which requires people to adopt a global- mindset. Management in accordance with a global mindset creates a major challenge for the international management community. This is because it introduces businesses to new innovative managerial notions and research. This helps companies become successful in today's international market. It also gives them an avenue to expand their market. Having a culturally diverse workforce is an advantage to any organization because these diversities offer the organization the workforce they need in the international community (Elmer 50).

Cross-cultural relations also promote marketing skills of the organization in question. Managers can use the diverse workforce to their advantage to reach out to various customers. For instance, a media house can dispatch its employees to their respective ethnic home to carry out field studies since the people would be more receptive there. This gives the organization a competitive advantage that it requires in the business to be successful (Guykunst 100).

Change in company's culture is unavoidable whenever cross-cultural relations exist. Thus, an effective is open to diversity in markets and cultures. Moreover, he is knowledgeable about diversity across cultures and markets and has the ability to integrate diversity across cultures and markets to the advantage of the organization. This collective brain power of employees is what keeps organizations running effectively (Rugimba & Sonny 213).

Multiculturalism in an organization allows workers to understand and respect other people’s diversity. Employees in return learn about the importance of respecting other people's culture and diversity in the work place. This greatly shapes attitudes of employees and helps them set performance targets. When employees respect each other's culture, they are able to work together as a unit towards achieving goals of the organization. Managers need to be prepared to work with people from different cultural backgrounds and to go an extra mile for the firm. The manager has to be open-minded and ready to learn new things about each culture so that they can capitalize on their strong points, especially in marketing. This is mostly applicable when dealing with multicultural clientele (Guykunst 100).

Political Impacts of Cross-cultural Relationships

Politically, cross-cultural relationships help unite people as well as ensure that leaders elected are fair and just. For instance, in America, centuries back, black people were not allowed to hold any political positions. Today, Americans have a black president who was born from a cross-cultural relationship between a white woman and an African man. This aspect shows the rest of the world how open-minded Americans are and makes it easier to transact as well as dialogue with them on international issues (Beryl 168).

Another political change that has come up as a result of cross-cultural relations is democracy. In the past, many countries were administered under the monarchial system of government. Today, thanks to cross-cultural relations, people have become enlightened and more countries are opting to apply democratic system of government. Thus, people can practice their human rights more efficiently as compared to when they were afraid of repercussions from their dictatorial leaders.

Negative Implication of Cross-cultural Relations

As stated earlier, cross-cultural relations are enhanced by globalization. Therefore, Indigenous culture has eroded resulting in cultural confusion. These interactions have resulted in a society that believes that western cultures are better and offer more opportunities. The overall result of this will be a society with a confused generation that does not know their authentic culture.

Future of cross-cultural relationships

Due to globalization, cross-cultural relations are here to stay. People have gotten accustomed to sharing information, ideas, and commodities with people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, stopping this process in the society and in this generation may prove to be difficult. Society today is already accustomed to interrelations across-cultural boundaries. People worldwide have gotten closer than before. For example, we witness Africans interacting with Europeans in trade. We see world leaders interacting in conferences in an attempt to find solutions that will enforce world peace (Beryl 18).

Another reason why cross-cultural relations will remain a big part of our society is because of the improved infrastructure and technology. Thus, people can travel and communicate with people from other ethnic groups much more easily.

Cross-cultural relations are too deeply rooted in our society and chances of them decreasing in the future are very minimal. The world is a better place because these relations exist, and people should strive to maintain them. This is because the advantages of cross-cultural relations outweigh the negative consequences. For instance, when the WTO intervenes in trade disputes, issues are solved more amicably and peace is enhanced. Cross-cultural relations have revolutionized the world in many ways. Trade is more efficient because markets have been expanded. Competition in the global market has increased and, as a result, commodities of  quality are made, people can interact freely with no fears, and the world is united with the aim of developing and helping each other. Cross-cultural relations should not be eliminated. Rather, measures should be taken to uphold this spirit even in generations to come since this has proved to be nature’s way of making human beings co-exists with each other irrespective of their cultural backgrounds.

Annotated Bibliography

Gudykunst, William B. Cross-cultural and Intercultural Communication. Thousand Oaks u.a.: Sage Publ, 2003. Print.

This book gives readers a deeper understanding of cross-cultural marketing relationships and cultures. The book also covers the role of national culture in cross-cultural marketing. Different concepts of culture as well as their impact are analyzed at length. The author focuses on helping readers understand the model building process and attendant parameters for analyzing aspects of cross-cultural relationships marketing management as well as managerial implications. The author mainly focuses on implication of cross-cultural relationship to trade, both locally and in the international market. The impact of these relationships is also reviewed as they greatly influence the progress of trade. The book further discusses various ways of creating a cross-cultural marketing strategy to give the organization a competitive edge before is competitors. Finally, the book gives managers various strategies and aspects of cross culture that can be beneficial to the organization. The book teaches managers to use cultural differences in the organizations as a strategy rather than view it as a stumbling block.

Rugimbana, Robert, and Sonny Nwankwo. Cross-cultural Marketing. London: Thomson Learning, 2003. Print.

Chapter 11 of this book talks about the role of marketing in cross-cultural contexts. The chapter talks about various ways in which cross-cultural relationships can be used in marketing strategies. The authors further discuss the impact of cross-cultural relationships on trade and how these interactions can improve it. On page 213, there is a model of cross-cultural relationships showing various marketing dimensions that managers can apply. The model aims to show managers various ways in which they can develop and manage these cross-cultural relationships. In addition, it aims to show managers how to manage these international relations when they arise, and, finally, how to capitalize on the networks created between partners involved in the trade and international relations.

Berry, John W. Cross-cultural Psychology: Research and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print.

The book analyzes both internal and external impacts of cultural interactions as well as cultural invariance in the society. The book also focuses on psychological organization of cross-cultural differences. The book mainly tries to explain psychology of individuals during cultural interactions. It also tries to explain the process people undergo as they try to adapt to new cultures and new people. It also tries to explain the immediate impact of these cross-cultural interactions on the society and indigenous people. Cross-cultural transfers are also covered in the book. It discusses various ways people from different cultures share and borrows various aspects of their cultures from each other. It also talks about adaptation of these new cultures altogether. Finally, the book tries to explain the difference between adoptions, adaptation, and assembly of different cultures as a result of cross-cultural relationships.

Elmer, Duane. Cross-cultural Connections: Stepping Out and Fitting in Around the World. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 2002. Print.

This book talks about culture, its importance, and value to the society. It also talks about cultural shocks, what they entail to an individual as well as it talks about attitudes and skills required for cultural adjustment. The book speaks about how different new cultures can be confusing and how to cope with such situations. This book mainly urges its readers to be bold enough to move around the world irrespective of different cultures that they are likely to encounter. It shows what hardships people undergo in a foreign country or place as well as it talks about the best way they can adjust to new environment. Finally, the book talks about 'returning home'. This is mainly applicable where these immigrants or foreigners return to their original homes after undergoing rigorous assimilation process in a new country, which is never easy.