CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

            Organizational communication is a complex phenomenon which is used inside and outside the organization. It affects overall activities, it determines success, failure and future and it involve rules and instructions which are applied in all departments. Organization cannot move forward without effective communication and this means that it is vital since both external and internal groups understand the responsibility and objectives (Cohen, Eimicke & Heikkila, 2013). Eternal communication is essential as it plays an important role in creating collaborative cultural organizations, promoting organizational activities and corporate identity. Communication is important to both internal team and external audience as it ensures the groups are informed and engaged.  In addition, communicating with eternal groups such as stakeholders is important for the protection of public awareness and for the creation of strong relationship with regulatory network (Cohen, Eimicke & Heikkila, 2013).  Communication also strengthens public relation and collaborative partnership and builds a public image. In working in a networked structure, both public and nonprofit organization focus on creating public relations and through communication, organizations are able to portray the image based on company’s workplace and environmental efforts. External communication is important for public awareness and it also helps the organization to create its reputation (Cohen, Eimicke & Heikkila, 2013).  As a leader, I would communicate with external group through advertising.  This is an effective way of spreading the message about the organization’s products and services. Internet and social media are also effective since the organization is able to provide the organization’s overview.

 Johnson III & Borrego (2009) assert that U.S is an industrialized nation with an aging population and growing diversity which is due to demographic shifts. The article asserts that with this current trend, it is important to consider social equality and justice between dominant culture and minority cultures. In other words, it is important to develop a cultural competency in order to manage demographic changes and ensure quality services to clients (Johnson III & Borrego, 2009). As a leader, I would ensure culture competency through creating an accessible and a visible public services programming or in other words by ensuring translated program. This means that the target populations will again an awareness of services they are entitled to achieve. As a leader, I understand that the high level of demographic changes leads to an increase of opportunities in public sectors and innovations. Thus, as a public sector leader, culture competency will play a great role in developing inclusive work cultures (Northouse, 2013).  Cultural competency will also help me as a leader to develop a socially equitable organization which will serve the diverse populations. Due to culture difference, cultural competency will help employ knowledge and skills-based components which help serve the diverse population. However, culture competency is an area which requires effective approaches in order serve all cultures in an effective manner.  As a leader, it is my responsibility to develop cultural competency at a personal level.  The first approach is to develop culture awareness, gain adequate skills and knowledge on other cultures and developing cross-cultural skills (Northouse, 2013). To demonstrate culture competency, I would implement culture-awareness by evaluation values and assumptions and accepting personal bias and culture diversity.  In addition, I would learn about other cultures and interaction with cultures in cultural backgrounds. This is effectively done through interacting with community organizations, reading about other cultures and attending seminars. Finally, I value cross-cultural skills and  I would develops these skills through  cross-culture communication, creating collaborative models with  people from diverse backgrounds and  identifying  barrier which may hinder collaboration with diverse people (Northouse, 2013).

 

Reference

Johnson III, R. G., & Borrego, E. (2009). Public Administration and the Increased Need for Cultural

Competencies in the Twenty-First Century. Administrative Theory & Praxis (M.E. Sharpe), 31(2),

206-221. doi:10.2753/ATP1084-1806310204

 

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

 

Cohen, S., Eimicke, W. B., & Heikkila, T. (2013). The effective public manager: Achieving success in government organizations.