Australian Managers in South Africa - Assignment Example

AN analysis of the case study on Australian managers in south Africa (Author’s name) (Institutional Affiliation) (Number of words, 1500) Executive summary The collaboration between two or more countries is one of the current trends in business and trade. This is credited to the inception of global trade that encourages the investment in different parts of the globe. Australia and South Africa are located in two different locations of the world. Despite the distance between the two countries, they managed to form a relationship based on their constant migration. The good relationship between the two countries has created the premise for the collaboration and investment in both economies. This however, has experienced a number of challenges owing to the difference in culture, ideologies and policies in both countries. In order to reduce the challenges experienced after sending employees to work as expatriates, both countries should invest in training so as to adapt to the different working environments (Bacheland, 2005). The case of the Monash Company displays the disadvantages that arise from the lack of the integration of both social economic cultures. This is credited to the adaptation of failed strategies that did not complement the policies and laws set forth by the hosting government. To overturn the situation of the Monash Company, the management needs to invest in local and qualified talent so as to meet the demands of both countries. This can be done though improvement of the human resource department which is responsible for overseeing this issue. The company should select a strategy that caters for the growth of both countries in regard to the performance of the business. Setting up joint ventures is one of the effects of entering into an open market. Australia’s venture into the South African market is ideal for the future viability of the country’s economy. International trade and investment continues to take centre stage due to the advantages that are received in the end. It is thus inevitable to rule out joint venture as a future form of investment (Snedden,2007). Table of contents Executive summary 2 What would assist South Africans and Australian managers before sending them on overseas assignments? 4 What strategy in managing the process of internationalization did Monash South Africa adopt in establishing a campus in South Africa? 5 What strategy should be selected given that it had lost so much on this venture? What possible actions could you recommend to correct this situation? 5 Why would it be better to set up joint ventures in with partners in countries like south Africa and China rather than stand alone operations? 7 1).What would assist South Africans and Australian managers before sending them on overseas assignments? The relationship between the two countries is highly recognizable owing to their existing pasts. A majority of South Africans are familiar with Australia due to their migration to the country during the protests. Australians on the other hand exploited the African country on several occasions making investment in the country unavoidable (Murphy, 2006). Despite the strong relationship that has been formed as a result of their collaboration, both countries face an enormous amount of issues when they take on positions as expatriates. One of the solutions that would assist both South African and Australian managers before sending them oversees is extensive training in human resource management. Managing the functions of a workplace entails the implementation of the same managerial ideologies across the globe (Cohen, 2009). Despite this notion, different countries have different ideas and policies owing the cultural influence practiced over the years. Australians should be trained on how to approach the issue on race which is sensitive to the South African citizens. This will create awareness of the situation at hand thus reducing the lack of communication in the workplace (Masters, 2002). South African employees are used to a more assertive form of leadership. Australian managers should ensure that they take this into consideration so that they can blend in the country when conducting a variety of business transactions. South African on the other hand still stay true to their African roots when managing Australian companies. Such managers should learn how to involve the entire company during decision making and policy implementation. The study of different cultures is ideal for the proper understanding of the business environment. Both countries will be better suited if they become more open to different forms of management and leadership. 2).What strategy in managing the process of internationalization did Monash South Africa adopt in establishing a campus in South Africa? South Africa has a long history of colonization making the case of the natives a sensitive one. The elimination of the apartheid policies initiated their equal treatment in all aspects of life (Setlow,2006). One of the implications of the apartheid policies is the imbalance of qualified personnel amongst the citizens. This has created a vacuum of human capital in the black communities. The introduction of the AA policies forces all investing countries to abide by the rules set forth by the government. The Australians conduct business with the observation of a number of strategies. These strategies involve hiring from different parts of the globe and focusing on the qualifications as opposed to the balance of opportunities. Monash South Africa adopted the strategy of growth and development which entails the investment in a beneficiary country so as to form a strong trading relationship. Encouraging a globalised form of management provides an enormous amount of profit in the long run. The Monash South Africa focused on hiring people from all over the African continent. This policy was implemented to ensure that qualified employees filled the managerial positions. This as a result, conflicted with the AA policy which advocates for the hiring of a certain number of minority employees to reduce on the implications of the apartheid policies. 3).What strategy should be selected given that it had lost so much on this venture? What possible actions could you recommend to correct this situation? The conflict between the company policy and the government polity placed the company between a rock and a hard place (Hill, 2002). This compromising situation was not ideal for the proper management of the Monash which in turn, recorded a colossal amount of losses. The strategy that the company adopts should reflect on the current laws enforced by the government. The strategy should however, follow the guidelines set by the company in order to achieve the projected profits at the end of the financial year (Almond, Brenda & Parker, 2003). The root of the problem is traced back to a conflict of policies that forces the company to hire unqualified employees so as to meet the standards of the AA system. At the top of the list of the recipients of the jobs is African women followed by African men. The next in line to benefit from the intended policy is the Indians who also require affirmative action in order to receive an equal representation in the workplace. The company should invest in training beneficiaries of the AA system so as to improve the qualifications of the possible employees (Sherlock, 2002). This involves recruiting outstanding students who possess the qualities and skills of an effective manager. To reduce the losses made in the previous years, the company should cut down expenses of departments that do not require frequent funding. These finances should be allocated to the human resource department which plays a significant role in the viability of the company. One of the issues creating the immense losses is the hiring of unqualified employees. The company should look for alternative sources of funds to cater for the newly implemented policies. This will reduce the strain of the company in terms of finances, security and strategic alliances. The selected strategy will require time to indicate some level of improvement (Herren,2003). Using the suggested strategies is thus the ideal choice so as improve the chances of the sustainability of the company (Park, 2001). 4).Why would it be better to set up joint ventures in with partners in countries like south Africa and China rather than stand alone operations? The adaptation of joint ventures is one of the effects of the introduction of an open market. International trade is ideal for the growth and sustainability of any modern economy. A number of countries have chosen to go it alone due to the fear of the loss of national assets and local development. Operating in a closed market however has its disadvantages due to the lack of exchange of ideas, products and currency. International trade on the other hand ensures the creation of high quality goods and services across the globe. The interaction between different countries improves the standards of trade owing to the invention and innovation that comes with the trade. Another advantage experienced from joint ventures is the creation of efficient trade. Most of the business transactions performed in the past entails the implementation of bureaucratic policies that strained the development of trade. The elimination of the policies opens up the market which gives rise to a thriving economy. Setting up joint ventures is the way to go in the current economic states. Globalised trade ensures the collaboration of two or more countries during investment. Foreign investment creates the increased rate of development in countries that take part in this form of trade. There are a number of challenges faced when partaking of international joint ventures (Herring,2006). This involves factors like the different in ideologies, culture, political, socials and economic policies. Australia will thus be best suited in the involvement of joint ventures with countries like South Africa and China so as to benefit from the advantages that come with this form of trade. Reference Almond, Brenda & Parker .Michael. Ethical issues in the Engineering Management? Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd, 2003. Bacheland, M 2005, ‘Monash loses more on S Africa campus’, The Australian, 26 May, p. 6. Case study: Australian managers in South Africa (pp. 198-199). Cohen Marina. Engineering. London: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2009. Herren, Ray. Introduction to Strategic Engineering. London: Cengage Learning, 2003. Herring Mark. Engineering Management. London: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 Hill, Walter. South African Managers in Autsralia: A Primer. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2002. Masters, Colin. What you need to know about technology. New York: UNSW Press, 2005. Murphy, M 2006, ‘African campus a costly test for Monash’, The Age, 15 June, p. 12. Park, Chris. Principles and applications. London: Routledge, 2001. Setlow, Jane. Manager and Engineers. London: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006. Sherlock, Richard & Morrey, John. Management issues in Engineering. Utah: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. Snedden, Robert. Monash University. London: Heinemann Library, 2007. Read More