Reference no: EM133267767

Question: Case - intercultural team As records manager for an Australian-based international manufacturing business, your department is responsible for storing and providing access to company data, including policies, sales information, and employee details. You work in the Sydney head office with a large and diverse team. Each team member contributes critical skills and experience. Recently you held a team meeting about a possible upgrade to the data management system. The upgrade would require a significant investment, but would potentially streamline the process for users.

During discussions, you noticed some team interactions that made you consider your business communication and management skills. The meeting began on time and soon after Noam, one of the team leaders, spoke about his experience at a previous workplace when tackling a similar upgrade.

Originally from Israel, Noam had significant technical knowledge and was vital in recruiting and mentoring new IT specialists. As a team leader, he regularly consulted with co-workers in problem-solving and idea generation. "I encourage my team to use their expertise", he would say, "because that's how we uncover brilliant solutions that make a difference." When problem-solving, he preferred to go directly to the relevant staff member, regardless of their position in the company. He was very sociable, and his workmates spoke of the time he casually invited the CEO from the UK to his home for a BBQ when the international manager was visiting the Sydney headquarters. Because of his IT and organisational knowledge, people were keen to work with Noam. One staff member said, "he's flexible and adjusts to whatever needs to be prioritised. He's a great collaborator with people at all levels of the company". Other feedback mentioned his tendency to often leave tasks to the last minute. One employee observed, "His head is in the short-term.

There doesn't seem to be much structure or long-term planning in the way he looks at our workloads - or his - so we're often left waiting for a decision." Noam often worked with Himari, a fellow team leader who was originally from Japan. She was known for her meticulous scheduling and forward planning. She tended to instruct team members in detail which, as one observed, was "useful but leaves no room for our initiative". Some of the more junior staff members had commented on her "strict" management style as she regularly checked on their progress and didn't express herself emotionally at work. As the meeting progressed you observed how Noam's contributions were sometimes accompanied by anecdotes and stories, while Himari always sought your acknowledgement before beginning her explanation of key points. After the meeting, you reflected on how these interactions had highlighted the need to understand your team members' communication styles so you could help bring out the best in them. 

Question: Discuss relevant case evidence for the concept you have identified in Q1. Explain how the evidence illustrates the concept (approximately 150 words). Sources: Use two academic sources, the textbook AND one more academic source (book or academic journal article), to justify your arguments.