Negotiating Cultural Identities And Organizational Terrains

This research examines the complexities of identity negotiation for African- American female students at both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). It analyzes the intersections of gender, and race/ethnicity (among other salient attributes of social identity) as these women define, negotiate, and communicate their identities in both organizational settings. More specifically, it examines how these students navigate the different organizational settings of both HBCUs and PWIs while simultaneously negotiating self-defined aspects of their identities with notions projected onto them in these environments. In-depth interviews with co-researchers who have experience with both types of universities reveal that negotiating stereotypes of black women and their limited visibility in the curriculum can be difficult to manage, particularly at PWIs. Although the co-researchers report feeling invisible, they interestingly also feel hyper visible when interacting with professors and peers as they often feel placed into the role of the "educator" of African-American culture. Establishing boundaries and bringing in limited aspects of social identities often helps the co-researchers mitigate negative experiences they encounter and the tension they feel between their invisibility and hyper visibility. The co-researchers enjoy more of a racial and ethnic cultural fit at HBCUs, which makes identity negotiation easier for them. Gender causes much more of a concern for them in these environments. The co-researchers often engage in uncomfortable interactions with their peers and faculty members and feel the brunt of gender discriminatory attitudes and practices. Although many of the co-researchers have experienced gender-related discrimination, they still regard the HBCU as a positive environment for African-American women due to the supportive interactions with other African-American female peers and faculty members, which are not largely present in other academic environments. These results demonstrate how identity negotiation differs in different organizational contexts as people construct their social identities in manners that help them adjust to their educational settings. Having experiences at both PWIs and HBCUs helps African-American women learn to negotiate multiple organizations which prepares them for their professional goals while providing opportunities for personal growth and identity development.

International Public Relations: Negotiating Culture, Identity, and Power offers the first critical-cultural approach to international public relations theory and practice. Authors Patricia A. Curtin and T. Kenn Gaither introduce students to a cultural-economic model and to the accompanying practice matrix to explain public relations techniques and practices in a variety of regulatory, political, and cultural climates. Key Features: Illustrates how theory informs practice: The cultural-economic model is built around the circuit-of-culture theory, and the associated practice matrix shows students how to apply this theory to any particular problem or issue. Offers a truly international scope: Going beyond the Western, democratic, corporate perspective, this book critically examines the global diversity of public relations practice with examples from countries around the world. Represents a paradigm shift in international public relations scholarship: Extending well beyond regional and case study approaches, the integrated critical-cultural technique of this book extends current theory. Emphasizes values and ethics: Guidelines for ethical practice are provided to more effectively negotiate the international terrain. Intended Audience: This text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in International Public Relations. In addition, it is an excellent supplemental text for courses such as Public Relations Theory, Public Relations Campaigns, Public Relations Planning and Management, and Public Relations Case Studies.

This book explores and analyses women’s participation in local urban governance in West Bengal, India. It is developed from empirical research with in-depth understanding of ground situations of freedom, functioning and obstacles of women councilors in India. The central idea of this book revolves around two central research questions: 1. How are women’s positions and spaces changing due to their political participation in the urban local governance? and 2. What are the major hurdles they face in their day to day lives barring their emancipation? The main strength of the book lies in the in-depth grounded research in four small cities (Darjiling, Balurghat, Raniganj and Hugli-Chinsurah) using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This volume can be considered as a reference book for Gender Studies, Women’s Studies, Urban Governance, Women and Policy Research, Gender Development Studies.

This thesis describes the ways in which organizational culture and sub-cultures inform how individuals work across the fragmented terrain of higher education. Through a qualitative case study at George Mason University eighteen individuals were interviewed to explore the role of organizational culture and sub-cultures in their collaborative interactions. Among the results are that the motivations, awareness and strategies of individuals are informed by both the overarching organizational culture and sub-cultural differences. Each of these aspects of individuals reifies another. Organizational culture in the form of shared mission and goals motivates individuals to collaborate beyond subcultures. This motivation requires a deep awareness of others in the organization. By broadening their knowledge base, individuals are better able to construct strategies for successful collaboration. When successful, these strategies - relationship and network building, tailored communication, active listening, advocacy and adaptable approach - in turn, provide new motivation and greater awareness. These findings are useful in that they provide insight into collaborative effectiveness that internal boundary spanners can use to bridge the loosely-coupled components of their institutions for greater organizational success.

This Routledge Companion provides a timely and authoritative overview of cross-cultural management as an academic domain and field of practice for academics and students. With contributions from over 60 authors from 20 countries, the book is organised in to five thematic areas: Review, survey and critique Language and languages: moving from the periphery to the core Cross-cultural management research and education The new international business landscape Rethinking a multidisciplinary paradigm. Edited by an international team of scholars and featuring contributions from a range of leading cross-cultural management experts, this prestigious volume represents the most comprehensive guide to the development and scope of cross-cultural management as an academic discipline.

Organizational Culture provides a sweeping interdisciplinary overview of the organizational culture literature, showing how and why researchers have disagreed about such fundamental questions as: What is organizational culture? What are the major theoretical perspectives used to understand cultures in organizations? How can a researcher decipher the political interests inherent in research that claims to be political neutral -- merely "descriptive"? Expert author Joanne Martin examines a variety of conflicting ways to study cultures in organizations, including different theoretical orientations, political ideologies (managerial, critical, and apparently neutral); methods (qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid approaches), and styles of writing about culture (ranging from traditional to postmodern and experimental). In addition, she offers a guide for those who might want to study culture themselves, addressing such issues as: What qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid methods can be used to study culture? What standards are used when reviewers evaluate these various types of research? What innovative ways of writing about culture have been introduced? And finally, what are the most important unanswered questions for future organizational culture researchers? Intended for graduate students and established scholars who need to understand, value, and utilize highly divergent approaches to the study of culture. The book will also be useful for researchers who do not study culture, but who are interested in the ways political interests affect scholarly writing, the ways critical and managerial approaches to theory differ, the use and justification of qualitative methods in domains where quantitative methods are the norm.

Joining the modern-postmodern debate, this book suggests that the polarizing polemics of the radical postmodernists who once dominated the discussion have given way to a new critical postmodernism characterized by dialogue, accommodation, and synthesis. A comprehensive survey, Negotiating Postmodernism also marks the arrival of a powerful, critical presence on the scene, one that advances the idea of a late modern-postmodern social and cultural transition.

This research reviews emerging research in cultural psychology and cross-cultural management studies to recommend negotiation of culture in organizational change. Organizations may partner with public institutions or other organizations and negotiation of this partnership with cultural awareness may improve communication and creativity. The research begins with a brief introduction to the fields of cultural psychology and cross-cultural management. The research continues to provide a review of research in organizational change. The research then proposes a model for negotiating culture in organizational change. The research provides a risk assessment for testing and evaluating the model and concludes with recommendations for negotiation of culture in organizational change.

Vivid and Animated recounts of personal triumphs and tribulations also shed light on how to succeed in a variety of cultural environments. Case studies, anecdotes, social tips, self-tests, and tables provide important insights into communicating, marketing, and negotiating globally.".

Addressing Cultural Issues in Organizations provides conceptual models and practical approaches to organizational interventions which take account of cultural difference.