The Barriers Of Multicultural Teams - 1865 Words

1. Which of the four barriers for multicultural teams (or groups) have you experienced in the past? What strategies or interventions were used in response to these barriers? After considering the interventions suggested by Brett, Behfar, and Kern (2006), explain how you might change the strategy if you encounter the barrier(s) in the future and if so, why? If you have not personally experienced any of these barriers during your education or work history, research an example of a barrier from literature, explain the intervention used in that example, and your suggestions for overcoming the barrier in the future. The world consists of many different cultures and nationalities. International business is thriving and companies need to be†¦show more content†¦Other cultures tend to use an indirect form of communication where their true response is embedded in the presentation of the message. Accents and fluency problems also cause barriers as it is hard to understand someone with a thick accent or to speak with someone who has little knowledge and working use of a foreign language that another team member might use. The group member might have an idea of how to say something in their head but can’t find the words in another language to share the idea (Brett, Behfar, and Kern, 2006). Some individuals on the team might also want to be treated according to their status in the organization. â€Å"A challenge inherent in multicultural teammates is that by design, teams have a rather flat structure. Team members from some cultures, are uncomfortable on flat teams† (Brett, Behfar, and Kern, 2006, p. 124). It is important to recognize the hierarchy structure of the country and how their citizens handle conflict before conducting business with them. Lastly, different cultures have conflicting norms when it comes to decision making. Some cultures like to make decisions quickly while others want to think about the decision and analyze it before coming to a conclusion as far as action to take (Brett, Behfar, and Kern, 2006). There are four strategies, according to Brett,