The Benefits of Cultural Diversity Management in a Hotel

The Benefits of Cultural Diversity Management in a Hotel Different cultures have varyingt perspectives. Some perspectives and attributes can affect the operations and performances of an organization. For example, some cultural practices and attributes can dictate what to do and what not to do. Companies should focus on managing this diversity in people for the betterment of giving a good value to the operations of the company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Benefits of Cultural Diversity Management in a Hotel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Anca and Vazquez (2007, p. 13), companies should focus on identifying dominant as well as rising values in the people. These values should be enhanced for the betterment of maintaining cohesiveness. This cohesiveness in workplace is vital for organizational performance. Hospitality industry provides a perfect means of effective management of diversity in workplace. This is because this industry attracts employees from diverse backgrounds. This is as opposed to regional companies whose workplace staff is likely to be from one region. Hotels and restaurants are most visible in hospitality industries. The paper looks at ways and means of managing workplace diversity in an international hotel. There also some difficulties that are associated with management of workplace diversity, especially diversity based in culture. There exist a number of benefits accrued out of management of workplace diversity. This paper discusses a number of benefits that are attached to management of workplace cultural diversity in a hotel. Management of this diversity can optimize user experience. It is possible to facilitate exchanges of cultures among people in an organization. Management of this diversity can help in identifying as well as removing barriers associated with equal opportunities. Workplace diversity can enhance team performance and operations of the organization when it is managed well. It can encourage th e employees to enhance their talents and provide an opportunity for managers to retain the talents. Holden (2002, p. 95) writes that management of cultural diversity in workplace is the same as managing innovative knowledge. People in the organization have different talents, the same way they have different cultural perspectives. Management of talent ensures that performance of organizational operations is enhanced. In countries such as China, cultural influences on performance are huge (Holden, 2002, p. 158).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are some means of managing this workplace diversity in the organization. Phillip (2006, p. 36) lists some of means as enhancing a psychological contract, enhancing personal motivations, giving referrals to the employees and building employment relationships plus confidence in employees. This paper specifically analyzes ma nagement of recruitments and utilizations of people and personnel from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A typical international hotel has people from the whole world visiting and spending some nights in it. For this therefore, the kind of employees in the organization to serve these people must be well trained. They must be thinking on the same line so as not to cause confusion on the visitors. The cultures of these people must be enhanced and given an organizational outlook. This is where cultures belonging to the employees are directed to have similarity with organizational policy. There are however various difficulties that come with various practices of managing workplace diversity. Management of workplace diversity in an international hotel Diversity in cultures in a hotel is a major factor. According to Deresky (2002, p. 34), management of diversity in culture in an international hotel or restaurant provides a classic example of international human resource managemen t. The same way an organization can put measures of managing people from different countries is the same way an organization can manage people of varying cultural and religious backgrounds. Two most popular areas of management of diversity are in recruitments and utilizing people from different backgrounds. Recruitment as an area of management of diversity Recruitment in an organization is a way of adding human resource in the organization. It helps the company add to potentiality of performing in the competitive market. For an international hotel, recruitment is a way of adding human resource and knowledge in the company to manage visitors in the hotel/restaurant. Recruitment is critical and should be done with utmost care. The company has a choice to either put people of homogenous backgrounds or people of diverse cultural backgrounds. A well thought out recruitment process is capable of putting committed employees in the organization. Committed employees would put a working staff that is loyal to the management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Benefits of Cultural Diversity Management in a Hotel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Healey (2002, p. 22), management of diversity is a crucial way of managing cohesiveness in an organization. This cohesiveness helps in removing some common barriers that come with organizational management. A workforce that does not operate from one front is capable of developing some conflicts. These conflicts can affect the performance of the organization. For an international hotel, group conflicts can alter how people and especially visitors value the organization. This cohesiveness and elimination of group conflicts can only be done if the recruitment process is fair and well balanced. Strategies of managing cultural diversity in recruitment for competitive advantage External recruitment for cultural diversity Price (2005, p. 570) qualifies exte rnal recruitment as the best form of recruitment in managing diversity. In a study involving 29 heads of departments in a health care provision center, use of external recruitment method was noted as the best. External recruitment is pitted against getting employees from relatives and friends of organizational employees. Price (2005, p. 570) notes that 21 of the participants supported this kind of recruitment on the basis that it will give fair representation in terms of cultural and religious diversity. Soliciting workforce amongst members of the workforce would mean that the kind of cultures in the employees would be increased. In a hospitality industry, getting people outside makes the organization have a pool of cultures. Competitive advantage comes when a pool of talents is brought into the organization through different cultures in the organization. Agency recruitment for cultural diversity Price (2005, p. 568) adds that external recruitment is largely carried out by agencies. The agencies carry out advertisements for available jobs and conduct interviews. Zanoni and Janssens (2007, p. 1386) write that agency recruitment is recognized as ideal form of recruitment. In study involving minority employees in the organization in terms of cultures, it was discovered that the use of agency recruitment goes for diversity in areas such as culture, religion and experience. This is opposed to using human resource department in the organization to get people. Such a case may prompt employing people who are favored by some people in the organization and so resulting to homogenous kind of organizational culture.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Utilization of personnel from different backgrounds Cox and Blake (1999, p. 53) write that there are some positive and negative issues that come with taking people from varying cultural backgrounds. However, it is recognized that utilizing people from varying cultural backgrounds is beneficial for enhancing balanced organizational performance (Cox and Blake, 1999, p. 53). It has become a trend in international management especially in considering people from different countries. Utilization of people from diverse cultural backgrounds is a way of management of competition in the company. This is because with diverse people, there are diverse talents (Cox and Blake, 1999, p. 45). The contemporary globalization trends, especially the business trends are making organizational managers turn to differences in cultural backgrounds in the organization. Utilizing people who come from different backgrounds is beneficial because it makes the organization have a fair image among its publics. We therell (2008, p. 46) adds on this and writes that an organization that is full of homogenous people in terms of cultural backgrounds maintains the status quo. However, an organization that utilizes people of different backgrounds is capable of improving in performances. This is because there would be multiple talents carried by people of different backgrounds. Strategies of utilizing people of diverse cultural backgrounds Selective training opportunities for competitive advantage Lau (2006, p. 300) uses the example of preferential trainings for parents in hospitals by use of cultural adaptations. Some training is more adapted to particular cultures than others. In a hospitality organization, some communities or cultures are more suited to some professions than others. Lau (2006, p. 300) notes that adaptability is not the same in various cultures. For example, there are some communities known for customer service while others are known for manual operations. This is good for gaining a competitive niche. Some people would be used for capturing the market in some ways or means while other communities would be used for other ways. However, all trainings should be evidences from parent training.† John Wiley publication, 13(4), 295-310. Philip, G. 1996. Managing workforce diversity a response to skill shortages? Journal of Health Manpower Management, 22 (6), 34 -37. Price, E. G. 2005, â€Å"The role of cultural diversity climate in recruitment, promotion, and retention of faculty in academic medicine.† Journal of general internal medicine, 20(7), 565-571. Umans, T. 2009. â€Å"Research angels on cultural diversity in top management teams.† Journal of problems and perspectives in management, 7(1), 90-101. Wetherell, M. 2008. Identity, Ethnicity, Diversity and Community Cohesion. Singapore: Sage Publications. Zanoni, P. Janssens, M. 2007. â€Å"Minority employees engaging with (diversity) management: An analysis of control, agency, and micro-em ancipation.† Journal of management studies, 44(8), 1371-1397.

Biography of Empress Theodora, Byzantine Feminist

Biography of Empress Theodora, Byzantine Feminist Empress Theodora (c. 497–June 28, 548), wife of Emperor  Justinian I, is regarded as the most powerful woman in  Byzantine  history. Because of her intelligence and political savvy, she was Justinian’s most trusted adviser and used her influence to promote religious and social policies in line with her interests. She significantly expanded the rights of women. Fast Facts: Empress Theodora Known For: Most Influential Woman in the Byzantine EraBorn: c. 497 on Cyprus or in SyriaFather: AcaciusDied: June 28, 548 in Constantinople, modern-day TurkeySpouse: Justinian I Early Life Little is known of her early years. According to the historian Procopius- whose historical work, according to one source, which resembles a tabloid newspaper but is the best available- her father Acacius was a bear keeper at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, a large stadium where chariot races and other events were staged, including bear-baiting. He died when she was 5. Her mother remarried and started Theodoras acting career. Theodora had two sisters, Comitona and Anastasia, and as a child she worked on stage as a mime with older sister Comitona before becoming a full-fledged actress, though in that day much of what was termed acting would later be euphemistically called adult entertainment. Offstage she was known for having numerous lovers and wild parties and for prostitution. She became the mistress of a wealthy man named Hecebolus, who for reasons unknown threw her out in roughly 521. She found religion, renounced her former lifestyle, and made a living as a wool spinner, returning to Constantinople in 522. Marriage When Justinian somehow met her, he was attracted by her beauty and intelligence and made her his mistress before marrying her in 525. Because of her disreputable background, special legislation was required to legalize such a marriage. (The independent record of this law being changed supports Procopius account of Theodoras lowly origins.) Justinians uncle and adoptive father, Emperor Justin I, died on August 1, 527, the date that Justinians reign is usually said to have begun, though modern scholars believe that he actually took over the government as early as 518. When Justinian took the throne, Theodora became the empress. Theodora exercised considerable influence, though she was never made co-regent. Because of her intelligence and unerring political sensibility, many believe that she, rather than Justinian, ruled Byzantium. Her name appears in nearly all the laws passed during that period, and she received foreign envoys and corresponded with foreign rulers, roles usually taken by the ruler. Nika Revolt Her influence in political affairs is illustrated by the Nika Revolt of January 532, which involved the Blues and the Greens, two Constantinople political factions that sponsored chariot races, animal contests, and stage plays in the Hippodrome and had attained substantial political power. The Blues and Greens had set aside their traditional rivalry to unite and oppose the government and establish a rival emperor. The revolt started on January 13, as the chariot races were to begin. Before the day was over, many public buildings were in flames.  Justinian had failed to head off the situation, and most of his advisers urged him to flee. Preparations were made, and a ship sat ready in the harbor to carry the emperor and empress to safety. At a meeting of the Imperial Council on January 18, Theodora sat listening to the men debating whether they should flee the city. Then, according to Robert Brownings Justinian  and  Theodora, she stood and addressed them: Whether or not a woman should give an example of courage to men is neither here nor there....I think that flight, even if it brings us to safety, is not in our interest. Every man born to see the light of day must die. But that one who has been emperor should become an exile I cannot bear.   She suggested that Justinian, his generals, and the other officials stay and save the empire. After she sat down, the men looked at each other and the generals began to discuss military plans. Belisarius, one of her husbands generals,  eventually herded the rebels into the Hippodrome, where they were slaughtered. Religion Theodora was a monophysite Christian, believing that Jesus Christs nature was purely divine, while her husband reflected orthodox Christianity, which holds that Jesus nature was both human and divine. Some commentators, including Procopius, allege that their differences were more pretense than a reality, presumably to keep the church from having too much power. She was known as a protector of members of the Monophysite faction when they were accused of heresy.  She supported the moderate Monophysite Severus and, when he was excommunicated and exiled- with Justinians approval- Theodora helped him to settle in Egypt. Another excommunicated monophysite, Anthimus, was still hiding in the womens quarters when Theodora died, 12 years after the excommunication order. She sometimes explicitly worked against her husbands support of Chalcedonian Christianity in the ongoing struggle for the predominance of each faction, especially at the edges of the empire. At the end of his life, Justinian was said to have moved significantly toward monophysitism, though he took no official action to promote it. Death and Legacy Theodora died in 548, possibly from cancer or  gangrene. Her death illustrated how important she was in Byzantine political life: Little significant legislation dates from the period between her death and 565 when Justinian died. Theodora had given birth to a daughter, either before she met Justinian or early in their marriage, but the girl didnt live long. No other children were born to the imperial couple. Through her relationship with her husband, who treated her as his intellectual partner, Theodora had a major impact on the political decisions of the empire. Justinian wrote that he had consulted Theodora when he promulgated a constitution that included reforms meant to end corruption by public officials. She is credited with influencing many other reforms, including expanding the rights of women in divorce and property ownership, prohibiting forced prostitution, giving mothers some guardianship rights over their children, and forbidding the killing of a wife who committed adultery. She closed brothels and created convents, where the ex-prostitutes could support themselves. Sources Browning, Robert. Justinian and Theodora. Gorgias Pr Llc, January 1, 2003.Garland, Lynda. Byzantine Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204. 1st Edition, Routledge, January 8, 2011.Holmes, William Gordon. The Age of Justinian and Theodora, Vol. 1: A History of the Sixth Century. Paperback, Abridged edition, Forgotten Books, July 6, 2017.Procopius. The Secret History. Penguin Classics, Peter Sarris (Editor, Translator, Introduction), G. A. Williamson (Translator), Paperback, New Ed. / edition, December 18, 2007.Underhill, Clara. Theodora: The Courtesan of Constantinople. 1st Edition edition, Sears Publishing Company, Inc., 1932.Theodora: Byzantine Empress. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Theodora. Encyclopedia.com.