I.

Title page

Research topic: Motivation in multicultural environment.

Name & ID of the student Muhammad Salim Ullah Khan
140200078
Major field of study:
Management
Name of Research Supervisor: Ms. Maryam Qurashi
Name of the University: Virtual University of Pakistan

University Logo :

Date of Submission:

MSBA

AI. Table of Contents

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Table of contents
Introduction
Literature review
Beneficiaries of research
Rationale of the study
Problem statement
Questionnaires for managers
Questionnaires for employees
Significances
Research design
Data Processing, Analysis Techniques and Interpretation
References

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Introduction
Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
Napoleon Hill
My uncle was running a tuition center in Islamabad. A boy aged about
fifteen years Aslam was working in my uncle tuition center as peon. My
uncle offered and insisted him to appear in metric exam. My uncle always
motivated him to continue his education. Aslam at that time sent his
exam forms as private student in Islamabad Board. Inside my uncle
motivation was inspiring him. Aslam did hard work day and night and
when his metric result came it was entirely astonishing. Aslam got 1 st
position in Islamabad board of education. It encouraged him to continue
his further education. Then he cleared his inter, graduation exams with
remarkable positions. After it he prepared for public service commission
exam and again passed this exam with positions. Now he is working in
foreign office as bureaucrat and always says that my uncle motivation
and inspiration have changed his entire life.
Motivation is the power and motivation behind efforts. Without motivation
any task if performed may not achieve its full efficacy. Motivation is a
reality and realism which is significant ingredient in the mix of
achievement. Motivation is a psychological process which involves
psychosomatic variables. In uniethnic working environment the uniform
motivational strategy may be applied to get the desired results. But in
multiethnic environment a uniform motivational policy may or may not be
successful. In these circumstances motivational plan mix have to be
designed which guarantees the desired outcomes. In this research exert
effort is made to answer of this question. My research is based on
especially Middle Eastern countries where the working force is from
multiethnic background. As a student of management sciences I always
observed that to motivate the employees in multiethnic working
environment is difficult task and it should be addressed. Lot of conflicts
arises at work place due to ethnic variation. What motivational strategies
managers have to craft to ensure the required results? The counter of this
query will be hunt in my proposed research view.

Literature Review
On motivational factors of ethnic and multicultural environment relevant
literature review with work completed is offering an invitation for new
researchers to improve the area under discussion.
Okoro and Washington (2012) has done work on impact of globalization,
workplace diversity
Riccucci argues that as the multiculturalism is increasing there is needed
to create new organization culture. Multiculturalism has its most
important force on the organizational performance. Lumadi (2008) has
worked on diversity management and is of opinion that each individual is
unique in his performance. Olsen and Martins (2012) have emphasized on
importance on management diversity. Diverse workforce has its special
attributes like 3beliefs, understandings, and values. Shen, Chanda,
DNetto and Monga (2009) workforce diversity has given challenges to
management policy makers. Javidan and House (2001) Mangers have
their own culture; their culture is influenced by their societal attributes. It
may be difficult for them to work in multicultural environment.
Manolopoulos (2006) there is much importance of technology and
knowledge but much focus has not been put on professionalism with
respect to international viewpoint. Gannon (2008) standardized
motivation practices do not work across borders.
M. Hrakhouskaya and H. van Schuppen in his work Motivation in a hybrid
R&D structure(2011) has invited future researchers to contribute on
motivation across cultures.

Beneficiaries of this research work

Describe the intended audience for your research (e.g., the public,
family therapists).
The beneficiary of my research may be the human resource consultants,
administrators, managers, entrepreneurs who want to know the effects on
the performance of employees by the application of motivational
measures in multiethnic environment. They will be acquainted with that
how motivation is diverse if the workforce is from multiethnic background.
The employees working in multiethnic environment may also be
advantageous from this research that how they can increase their
efficiency.

This research endeavor has tried to advocate the fitting ways of

motivational measures and presumption in multiethnic and multicultural
working environment. In this era of knowledge expulsion and application
of modern tools in the field of research and technology one cannot claim
the final words for anything. The knowledge is going on and new theories
are being discovered.

Rationale of the study

Motivation has its strong effects on the outcomes of the employees.
Leaders and managers cannot ignore the effectiveness and importance of
the motivation. Management always in strives to get utmost output from
the employees. With the provision of other inputs the motivation is a
central one. Now the organizational environment is becoming more
complex. To apply a uniform motivational strategy may be successful in
uniethnic environment but not in multiethnic environment. Motivation
relates with human cultural experience and expression. It has been
observed that in multiethnic environment due to disparity cultural
experience and expression of employees an effective motivational mix
has to be determined. The nature and psyche of man is controlled by his
social, economical demographic and cultural background. How a uniform
motivational policy may be applicable on all employees.

Problem statement
Whether a uniform motivational strategy successful in multiethnic and multicultural
environment

Research Questionnaire
(For managers)
1. In your organization how many nationalities employees are workings
a. Less than five
b. Six to ten
c. Eleven to fifteen
d. Sixteen and above
2. Do you think that uniform motivational strategy is successful
a. Very successful
b. Success
c. Unsuccessful
d. Very unsuccessful
3. Do you think that a uniform motivational strategy may motivate some and de
motivate others at the same time
a. I do not think so
b. May be
c. I think so
d. I strongly believe it happens
4. Do you think that a uniform motivational strategy is successful for male and female
employees
a. I strongly agree
b. I agree
c. I disagree
d. I strongly disagree
5. What is the main reason for high labour turnover in organizations
a. Good opportunities offered
b. De motivation at existing workplace
c. Less chance of promotion at existing workplace
d. Any other
If any other then please explain
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
6. According to you what may be the potential causes of conflict between employees
a. Ethnic issues
b. Work load
c. Peer relationship
d. Deprived anxiety
7. According to you how employees may be more motivated
a. By giving monetary rewards
b. By non monetary rewards
c. Mix of monetary and non monetary rewards
d. Any other appraise
If any other measure then please explain
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
_______________________________

Questionnaire
(for employees)
Strongly
Disagre
e
Tota %
l
Do you think that ethnic
concern in your
organization has its effects
on employees motivation
Do you think that in
multiethnic organization a
uniform motivational policy
is successful
In your organization Is there
any discrimination on the
basis of faith.
In your organization Is there
discrimination on nationality
basis
Is there leg pulling on the
basis of specific ethnic class
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Disagree
Total

Agree
Total

Strongly
Agree
%

Total

Female employees are

better motivated than male
employees
Employees at this
organization are
increasingly de motivated
Do knowledge and skill of a
specific country is
preferred.
Management behavior is
not a problem at this
organization on ethnic
concern
Are you fully satisfied with
my job
Is there any discrimination
in your organization on
ethnic basis?
Is it easy to continue job in
uni cultural environment?
Do you believe that at the
time of induction
discrimination is made on
the basis of specific ethnic
class?
Your colleagues of other
nationalities appreciate
your achievements
Are you facilitated to
perform your religious
affairs during job
Are you given holiday on
your religious rituals
Is there biasness on your
promotion on the bases of
your specific
nationality/religious
background
You feel more comfort if
your boss is your
country/cultural fellow
Are you satisfied with the
existing motivational
measures of your
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organization?

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Significance

The underlying research work will be beneficial for policy makers, human
resources managers in formulating motivational strategies in a
multiethnic environment. Motivation is an outcome of a mindset which
enforces the individuals to work .Mind set is influenced by many variables.
Cultural back ground is most important and powerful influencer to set a
mind. The effort is made to search out the factors which may or may not
motivate the individual in multiethnic working environment.
Human nature and habits are set by the society in which he grooms. His
likings and disliking are influenced by the surroundings in which he
survives. To change the mind of individual is other name to motivate him
for work. How the motivational efforts may be differ due to multiethnic
aspects is the underlying presumption of this research work.

Recommendations of this research task which may be used for crafting

effective motivational strategies in multiethnic and multicultural
environment. This exert may provide some guiding principles which may
be used by managers to stimulate the efficiency of employees belong to
various cultural and social background.

To motivate an individual it is greatly recommended to study his nature

and mind set. Unsuccessful motivational efforts cause losses for
organization. This research effort will provide a framework to understand
the situation and then apply effective motivational measures. With one
stick all animals cannot be handles (see the quotation). Multiethnic
environment has its special attributes. Uniform motivational procedures
may not be very successful in such working environment where the social
and cultural background of employees varies. One word may motivate
one but not for other. The research effort will search and recommend any
middle way of motivation for all.

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Research Design

The data will be collected about ten to fifteen international companies

hold international employees located in Sultanate of Oman. The major
source of data collection will be questionnaire but alongside the personal
interviews will also be carrying out to make the data more accurate. Two
types of questionnaires will be setup for employees and for managers.
In quantitative research logic and data is used to know the response of
people on a topic. Then statistical and numerical formulas are applied.
Questionnaire with Likert scale to measure the strength of response is
used to collect the data.
In qualitative research it is examined that how people feel and what they
think and how they make decisions on a matter. This research based on
discussion with open questions. Motivation, association and behaviors are
examined. Interviews and focus groups are tools used for examination.
If I perceive my research exercise then I may believe that my research will
be a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Data will be
collected through questionnaire side by side behaviors will be observed by
conducted certain interviews. Focused groups will be observed.
Combination of these two types of research will produce insightful results.

The research paradigm is positivistic in a sense that the reasons and facts
will be searched which relate with motivational variables of multiethnic
environment. This research work may guide the motivation policy makers
in a way that how employees from different cultural backgrounds may be
motivated. Pragmatism is the perception which makes a theory into
practical. Motivation is the key success variable of organizations today
.This research assignment is practical in a logic that it relates with
motivation and inspirational aspects.

Data is the strength of character of any research exert. Accuracy of data

has its vital importance in authenticity of the research work accomplished.
In proposed research work the data will be collected by specially designed
questionnaires. Two questionnaires are designed one for executives and
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other for employees. Side by side personal interviews will be conducted.

Interviews option is considered when questionnaires may not be
considered seriously.
I have concluded my research in Sultanate of Oman. From 1970 to date
the era of Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed has attain exceedingly high economic
and societal escalation and progress. I have selected 10 to 15
international companies having more than 150 employees. The
companies are selected from manufacturing, trade and services sectors.
The questionnaire is distributed on simple random basis by personal visit
in these companies. From each company thirty employees and five
executives are selected as sample.

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Data Processing, Analysis Techniques and Interpretation:

The response acquire in the course of questionnaire is further examine by
assigning numerical values to each reply.
It is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming and modeling data.
Data analysis is also called as data modeling. In data analysis process the
raw data is collected, analyzed and hypothesis are tested.
Procedures for analyzing data, techniques for interpreting the results of
such procedures, ways of planning the gathering of data to make its
analysis easier, more precise or more accurate, and all the machinery and
results of (mathematical) statistics which apply to analyzing data.(Johan
Tukey). Data when collected then it is organized for analysis. Then data
cleaning is required to culture it into more meaningful form. Now
exploratory data analysis is performed. The real meaning within data is
understood. In data modeling and algorithms the variables are defined in
the data. In regression analysis is described as Y = aX + b + error. In data
product the software application is done which creates the relationship of
input and output. All this defined steps will be taken in my research exert.

The proposed computer software which will be used to process the data is
SPSS. It is window based software which is used to analyze data in to
tables and graphs and other statistical tools may also be applied. This
software is used in social sciences.

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References
M. SANDY HERSHCOVIS1* AND JULIAN BARLING2 1 I. H. Asper School of Business,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 2 Queens School of Business, Queens
University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Towards a multi-foci approach to workplace aggression: A meta-analytic review of outcomes
from different perpetratorsy
Ruth Mayhew, Demand Media
How to Manage & Motivate a Multicultural Workforce

Jinsoo Terry (Founder and CEO of Advanced Global Connections, San Francisco, CA, USA.)
Motivating a multicultural workforce
Anita Rothacker a*, Georg Hauera
Leadership in multinational management A behavior-set to motivate multicultural teams

U.S. Department of State, Office of Inspector General. Year 200 Lessons Learned: Strategies for
Successful Global Project Management. May 2001.
Lawler, Edward E., III Motivation in Work Organizations.
Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 540 Abrego Street, Monterey, California 93940
By Bernard Mausner, Barbara Bloch Snyderman
Motivation and work behavior 7th edition

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By Lyman W. Porter Graduate School of Management IJ niu er sity of C alif ornia-Ir q,tine
Gregory A. Bigley U niu er sity of Washington Richard M. Steers Lund4uist College of Business
[,Jniuersity of Oregon
Euro-African Management Research Centre Brussels-Belgium or Division of Business and
Organisation Stirling Management School University of Stirling Stirling, UK. E-mail: eamac@cuci.nl or o.v.iguisi@stir.ac.uk. Motivation-related values across cultures
Daniel W. Barrett a,*, Wilhelmina Wosinska b , Jonathan Butner a,1, Petia Petrova a , Malgorzata
Gornik-Durose c , Robert B. Cialdini a(2004) Individual differences in the motivation to comply
across cultures: the impact of social obligation
Trishita C. Mathew (trmathew@bond.edu.au) Bond University, Australia Richard E. Hicks
(rhicks@bond.edu.au) Bond University, Australia Mark Bahr (mbahr@bond.edu.au) Bond
University, Australia Work Motivation, Personality, and Culture: Comparing Australia and India

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