Determinants of Cross-Cultural Competence among IT Professionals in Chennai

Abstract

Cross-cultural management entails the application of modern management principles in a diverse cultural setting (Hofstede, 2011; Adler & Gundersen, 2008). While a significant amount of cultural investigation has taken place, the majority of these studies have largely depended on Western management philosophies and theories until recently (House et al., 2004). Most studies on culture in the context of Western management have concentrated on the cultural differences identified in non-Western markets (Hofstede, 2001). The aim is to conduct a cross-cultural study on IT companies operating in India, which is classified as a non-Western market (Gannon & Pillai, 2010). In a cross-cultural environment, various challenges recognized by many scholars encompass cultural differences, assumptions, language barriers, mistrust, and differing methodologies (Stahl et al., 2010; Thomas & Peterson, 2017). This study seeks to explore the elements influencing cross-cultural competencies within IT firms. A total of 121 individuals from IT organizations in Chennai were collected, along with their responses to the study-related questions. This investigation encompasses individuals involved in a cross-cultural platform (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004). The compilation and analysis of data are performed using SPSS v25. The reliability of the study was found to be 0.859 (85.9%) (Tavakol & Dennick, 2011). The findings revealed that the elements affecting cross-cultural competencies in IT firms are defined by collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty (Hofstede, 2011; House et al., 2004). It is essential for organizations to acknowledge individual contributions even within team settings; leaders should have the necessary authority and autonomy to function effectively; and fostering innovation that improves performance should be rewarded; these factors are vital for developing cross-cultural competencies (Adler & Gundersen, 2008; Thomas & Peterson, 2017). Influence of age, education, designation and work experiences on cross culture competencies in IT organizations are observed as significant.