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We are immensely thankful to Mr.. Manuel Negro Director of “Goethe Institute Karachi” as it had been a great experience carrying out correspondence with him and interviewing him, which helped us in completing our assignment. We would like to show our immeasurable appreciation to “NINA SHAMS UNMAN” our Organizational behavior instructor for her supervision and valuable suggestions, which helped us in completing the assignment work, in time. We hope, this assignment will fulfill its sign efficient purpose.
Introduction The Goethe-Institute is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global reach. They promote knowledge Of the German language abroad and foster international cultural cooperation. We convey a comprehensive picture of Germany by providing information on Germany’s cultural, social and political life. Through their network of Goethe-Institutes, Goethe Centers, cultural societies and reading rooms, alongside our examination and language learning centers, they perform the principal tasks of cultural and educational policy abroad.
They work in partnership with public and private cultural bodies, the German federal states and municipalities, and the corporate sector. They draw on the rich variety of our many-faceted open society and Germany’s lively culture. They combine the experiences and conceptions of their partners in Germany and abroad with their professional skills and engage in a dialogue rooted in partnership. In doing so, they function as service providers and partners for everyone taking an active interest in Germany and the German language and culture, and act independently with no political affiliations.
They face the cultural policy challenges of globalization and develop innovative concepts for a world made ore human through mutual understanding, where cultural diversity is seen as an asset. As far as the international cultural corporation is concerned the dialogue between the Muslim and the Western world is the major part of the activities. In this context, the Goethe-Institute Pakistan organizes and supports not only a broad spectrum of cultural events for the presentation of German art and culture, but also works with its partnership-based projects centers on intercultural exchange.
Here the Goethe-Institute in Karachi closely cooperates with its Pakistani partners as it does with the Marianne-Schism’s-Hausa (the Goethe-Centum, in Lahore), and in a European framework with the Alliance Franchise and the British Council. Their Language Department offers classes for German as a foreign language for beginners and advanced learners as well as executive courses for companies in modern amenities, including an internet class room, and takes central examinations which are recognized worldwide.
In addition to language skills social and cultural aspects are being taught as well. Workforce Diversity Define WORKFORCE diversity is the similarities and differences in the employees of an organization. Workforce has diversified work place all over the world as well as in Pakistan due to globalization, emerging minorities, multi-generation and multi-cultures. Managing workforce diversity is to handle the diversified workforce. Due to diversified workforce differences like age, culture, disabilities, race, religion and gender has emerged in the organizations of Pakistan.
Due to globalization, people from different countries and cities with different culture, race and religion combine and work together which creates differences among employees in terms of thinking, norms, values and religion. Minorities and women are emerging in workplace because they have realized that it is the only way for them to prove themselves and get their rights. Another reason for women taking part in workforce in Pakistan and all over the world is the increasing inflation and worsening economic conditions.
This has reshaped workforce which falsify the practices that were the part of workforce before when the traditional Ways of work Were followed and workforce was not diversified. Multi-generations also leads to workforce diversity. Now elderly people are willing to do work even after retirement age u to increasing inflation and economic problems of Pakistan. One another reason for willingness of elders to do work even after retirement age is to maintain their standard of living and to remain busy. This creates a blend of young and old people in workplace.
They have different goals, values, needs and experiences which create conflict of interest in workplace. Due to globalization, multi-generation and increased number of minorities, multi- cultures can be observed in workforce. Different cultures prevail in Pakistan because it has five provinces which diversify the work force and it become ore diverse when foreign people join the workforce. Culture has impact humans behavior. If different people from different cultures join the workforce, they will have different values and behavior.
In such situations, there is a need of human resource manager who can handle diversity. Multi- cultures reflect different values, ethics and behavior among workforce. All these factors lead to diversity in workforce all over the world as well as in Pakistan. As we enter the 21 SST century, workforce diversity has become an essential business concern. In the so-called information age, the greatest sets of most companies are now on two feet (or a set of wheels). Undeniably, there is a talent war raging. No company can afford to unnecessarily restrict its ability to attract and retain the very best employees available.
Generally speaking, the term “Workforce Diversity” refers to policies and practices that seek to include people within a workforce who are considered to be, in some way, different from those in the prevailing constituency. In this context, here is a quick overview of seven predominant factors that motivate companies, large and small, to diversify their workforces: As a Social Responsibility Because many of the beneficiaries of good diversity practices are from groups of people that are “disadvantaged” in our communities, there is certainly good reason to consider workforce diversity as an exercise in good corporate responsibility.
By diversifying our workforces, we can give individuals the “break” they need to earn a living and achieve their dreams. As an Economic Payback Many groups of people who have been excluded from workplaces are consequently reliant on tax-supported social service programs. Diversifying the workforce, particularly through initiatives like welfare-to-work can effectively turn tax users into tax payers. As a Resource Imperative The changing demographics in the workforce, that were heralded a decade ago, are now upon us. Today’s labor pool is dramatically different than in the past.
No longer dominated by a homogeneous group of white males, available talent is now overwhelmingly represented by people from a vast array of backgrounds and life experiences. Competitive companies cannot allow discriminatory preferences and practices to impede them from attracting the best available talent within that pool. As a Legal Requirement Many companies are under legislative mandates to be non-discriminatory in their employment practices. Non-compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity or Affirmative Action legislation can result in fines and/or loss of contracts with government agencies.
In the context of such legislation, it makes good business sense to utilize a diverse workforce. As a Marketing Strategy Buying power, particularly in today’s global economy, is represented by people from all walks of life (ethnicities, races, ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, etc. ) To ensure that their products and services are designed to appeal to this diverse customer base, “smart” companies, are hiring people, from those walks of life – for their specialized insights and knowledge.
Similarly, companies who interact directly with the public are finding increasingly important to have the makeup of their workforces reflect the makeup of their customer base. As a Business Communications Strategy All companies are seeing a growing diversity in the workforces around them – their vendors, partners and customers. Companies that choose to retain homogeneous workforces will likely find themselves increasingly ineffective in heir external interactions and communications. As a Capacity-building Tumultuous change is the norm in the business climate of the structure.
Company sees that prosper have the capacity to effectively solve problems, rapidly adapt to new situations, readily identify new opportunities and quickly capitalize on them. This capacity can be measured by the range of talent, experience, knowledge, insight, and imagination available in their workforces. In recruiting employees, successful companies recognize conformity to the status quo as a distinct disadvantage. In addition to their job-specific abilities, employees are increasingly valued for the unique qualities and perspectives that they can also bring to the table. According to Dry.
Santiago Rodriguez, Director of Diversity for Microsoft, true diversity is exemplified by companies that “hire people who are different – knowing and valuing that they will change the way you do business. ” For whichever of these reasons that motivates them, it is clear that companies that diversify their workforces will have a distinct competitive advantage over those that don’t. Further, it is clear that the greatest benefits of workforce diversity will be experienced, not by he companies that that have learned to employ people in spite of their differences, but by the companies that have learned to employ people because of them.
Diversity Management The purpose of Diversity Management is to tap into the positive potential of diversity and transform this potential into a reality. Organizations are reassessing their structures and processes in light of equal opportunity. Awareness of diversity and competence in its management are necessary prerequisites for Success. Many business and other organizations have already developed diversity management programs with some success. Having originated in the US in the early 1 9805, DMS is to some extent already established in many organizations.
Also, in Europe organizations are learning to use diversity as an advantage. Valuing differences makes the difference for success. Management meant management of problems and conflicts because some demanded changes and others reacted politically, relying on different perceptions of social justice. Consequently, conflict management was the way to manage. Intercultural conflict management, as it was and still is known, often involves managers’ collecting tools in a toolbox to deal with cultures as fifed, foreign identities.
Modern diversity management does not necessarily see cultures as fixed entities which repel against one another. Rather, the emphasis is on a meeting of different cultures, co-cultures, genders, age groups and other diverse groups and individuals from all directions in a cooperative, dynamic, creative, challenging process. Analysis of Workforce Diversity, Commitment of Employee’s and its Effects on Organizational Performance: Study reveals that diverse workforce and committed work environments could be sighted as a collaborative mean of influencing organization commitment and other employee attitudinal outcomes.
If the employees perceive consistencies con injecting the diversity and committed work environment at their workplace, an expected positive response will emerge from their end. Employee commitment and satisfaction can be achieved by ensuring appropriate diverse workforce practices and providing sound conducive work environments. The employees express negative attitudes only when they are treated unfairly. The employee attitudinal outcomes may be in negative as well as positive forms.
The negative and positive forms are dependent on diverse workforce practices and committed ark practices and conducive work environments provided. Diverse workforce positive affects the organizations which includes the ability to attract new employees, welcomes their creativity with more flexibility in system to enhance the quality. Poor diversity and ethical conducive work environment result in a great deal of behavioral problem which are of immense apprehension to the organizations. This crucial nature of problems needs to be deliberated and solved on priority to ensure the survival of the firm in competitive market.
Most of the organizations come frontward and sake imperative actions by nourishing positive committed cultures within the organization that helps the employees in coping with work desired environment. Statistics of workforce diversity in Goethe-Institute Karachi in terms of Religion. Answer by Manuel Negro really don’t have exact figures in mind. I think more like as same as in Pakistan Majority are Muslims! Yes I think perhaps 80% are Muslims and these rest are Hindus and Christian. I think Hindus are 10% and Christians are 10%; 80% Muslims and its same as outside other organization do.
We have majority of Muslims. Subtitles of interview taken by “Manuel Negro” . Have been working for 26 to 27 years. I have worked in different countries like Brazil, Japan, and Bolivia and now in Pakistan. I came to Pakistan 2 years ago. And the first position worked on was a language teacher in Germany and then they sent me abroad to work as a language teacher. 2. Pakistan is a country which is going through pump time, politically so it’s a bigger challenge to work here as compared to Germany. But on the other hand, it is very rewarding to work here. Eave see many young Pakistanis who are interested in international exchange in spite of the difficulties here, there re many artists who hate this bad situation. I think the potential in Pakistan is a big one. You have young population and many young talents, I think it is very rewarding and challenging to work here and it is worth it. 3. Goethe Institute Karachi belongs to the region of South Asia. Our regional head office is in Delhi and our activities are coordinated from Delhi. We have the freedom Of organizing anything if we think it makes sense here. It depends on your work profile also that what work you want to do.
In my case, I’m focused on music; I was a music teacher when I was younger. I think Pakistan has a lot of good music may it be rock, pop and fusion also the traditional music, heritage seawall and sitar. It is a very rich culture so we really enjoyed being and there are good Pakistani musicians here so we love it here. 4. Didn’t bring any changes beside just the focus shifted. My predecessor was into philosophy and literature. I think it is a very good topic but shifted it to music. After me someone will come and change it to arts or whatever, we have the freedom of choosing also. 5. No not that much.
Actually the standard of working is very high, the culture, here is the advantage of speaking many languages so that is a challenge. The organization is very good and it is run a very well manner. There were no special challenges for me. 6. We do it by integrating them in anything we do. They should like a part of the team. Of course, We have a structure like director and all but every employee is important like answering a phone call in a civilized manner is very important. So every colleague of ours is important on this working place. So it is important to make this work through team work. 7.
One of my strength is to make them a part of our work cause you have to organize good concerts, good lectures which is very exciting but you have to explain it also that what is going on how important is it. My weakness is, perhaps, am not a good administrator, the paper work and the bureaucratic stuff so I depend a lot on my colleague, the head of administration department Mr.. Baroque. He is far better in these things than me, without him I would have been lost. Every employee counts as a whole. Different heads of department acquire different skills and when it combines it forms the whole organization and a perfect one. 8.
No I didn’t face any such problem. We speak German and English here. Of course my Urdu is weak and I’m learning it a little bit. If there is some employee who does not understand English someone else would get it translated so that is not an issue. 9. Of course due to the current situation, people read newspapers and see it on internet that negative things are going on. So must say honestly that it is difficult to invite people here. Admit that 50/60 percent people do come but 20/30 percent people are quite reluctant to come, you know. Subtitles of interview taken by “Mr.. Faro Parch” 1 . What did you mean by a change? .. Actually before him we had another dead here and his style of working was really different than his working (Present director of organization). The head we had earlier was a philosopher but he is a music lover. So we have different programs and the head we had earlier arranged many of cultural program’s concerned with philosophy but he is concerned with more musical programs. The programs that he had depend upon his field of interest. 2. He is very polite, firstly, and he is very friendly, he is always open for question, I can go anytime in and ask him for anything. He is very very Like he is always available for us.
No one has to ask or any permission to go in. He is there to answer everybody question and anyone can just go in and ask him whatever it is. 3. Actually we cannot recommend having a local (Pakistani Manager) head of departments. As this is a German culture centre then only option we have here is to have a German head. So we cannot have an option to have a German head. So we cannot have a Pakistani boss here.