Question 1

My cultural orientation is similar to that commonly found in the United States. According to my cultural orientation, I believe in a mixture of good and evil and with the dynamic world, people can not be trusted as much as they used to be in the past. My nature is that I believe in giving people an opportunity to express themselves and learn new things. My relationship with the external environment is that the environment should be altered to fit people’s needs. My primary mode is to better manage my time performing duties without interruptions and working towards a future goal.

Question 2

Working for an international company requires that one is sent in other countries for work related purposes. This enhances the working in the organization to ensure that there is harmony among employees from different cultural backgrounds. In the Middle East, the cultural orientation is completely different from that of the United States. People there are not as hard working as in the United States. Most of them report to work late and leave early before time. During the lunch break, you find people idling in cafeterias even after completion of their meals. The work ethics there are not very strict probably because not so many people are well educated to compete for white collar jobs. Competing for jobs is also a challenge because most business there are family businesses and ownership is passed to the heirs. They are also not keen on invention and they believe that the environment should not be altered to fit anyone’s preferences.

My values differ with theirs especially where all people are not given equal opportunities to compete for white collar jobs. People from this cultural background also mismanage their time spending more time idling and less time working. This could be a point of conflict between their culture and my cultural orientation.

However, the people there are very friendly and welcoming. Unlike in the United States where people are not concerned with their neighbours, it is a different story there. The most impressive thing is that people in this area are very trusting. They leave their valuable items out in the open without worrying that someone would steal from them. These are things that I appreciate from these people and I could use them to my advantage.

Question 3

Culture is an element that is instilled in an individual from the date of birth. Growing up in a specific culture, it is inevitable to adopt the values, behaviours and attitudes acceptable by that specific culture. While growing up, we strive to live according to the norms of our societies doing what is right in right according to our culture. My culture has influenced my values, attitude, thinking and behaviour. In my culture, it is a requirement to uphold moral values and work hard for personal benefit and for the benefit of the community. Living harmoniously as a group is a value that is highly emphasized in my culture allowing all to live in peace.

My cultural orientation makes it easier for me to work with people from different cultures. Besides being a hard worker, living harmoniously is a value that has been instilled in me since childhood. Though working from people from different cultures can be quite challenging, it is important to have an open mind and give everyone the opportunity to express themselves.