Intercultural Business Management Development and Education Programs in Business Schools

Introduction

In recent years, the institutional and organizational evolution as a result of the processes of economic globalization, complexity and high levels of uncertainty in the context of which contribute to the formation and development of organizations, these are more diverse and multicultural (Cox 1991, 1993, 2001). The internationalization of enterprises to improve their ability to compete in an environment of market globalization (Gardenswartz and Rowe, 1998 cit. Susaeta and Navas, 2005) has necessitated a greater focus on organizational multiculturalism, with a higher sensitivity to cultural diversity.

People in organizations that are perceived as belonging to two groups can develop intercultural sensitivity if they perceive that it is not unfair be identified in the two cultures. The development of organizational intercultural sensitivity designed to experience the cultural differences provides an understanding of how people construct and live. Intercultural sensitivity in organizations is a relevant competition to complement the development of the mindset and the set of required skills.

Among the topics of global economic integration there are religious and immigration issues and how evolves the firm responses to the challenges of organizational multiculturalism to offer new prospects for development in society. Corporations seeking to operate in global markets assume that should work in intercultural environments with their employees, customers, consumers, suppliers, governments, etc., to whom corporations have to meet their needs, desires and fears in very different ways in where each of the agents try to accommodate to others.

Integrating intercultural organizations establishes processes of different cultural systems that co-inhabit an organization through the use of contacts balances and individual interactions linking the various cultural components and processes connectivity between economic, social, political and cultural contexts of organizations with the same internal processes.

The rise of electronic media has become to be easier, faster and economic contacts and cultural interactions in organizations. Individuals in organizations establish contacts, meetings and cultural interactions, facilitated by organizational mechanisms not only of groups and teams, but as in other gatherings, joint projects, negotiations, etc. Interactions in social structures are defined by values ​​such as justice, freedom, equality, mutuality, diversity, respect, understanding, acceptance, peace building, etc.

Intercultural interactions contrast with other types from each other by differences and intercultural interactions, which are a source of confusion and misunderstanding. One of the most widely used frameworks to analyze the cultural differences of values ​​in organizations that relate to the group's tendency to assign approval to abstract concepts of certain ways of being of a people. Some of these cultural values ​​are analyzed in terms of individualism / collectivism, tolerance for ambiguity, social roles, time orientation, etc.

The cultural differences between people of different cultural backgrounds working in the same team or project are an opportunity for synergy. Each of these individuals has a responsibility to adapt and get to model behaviors that are competitive across cultures creating a third culture throughout the organization.

Contacts and cultural interactions in organizations take place on the job, social and educational institutions contexts, regardless of the interests of individuals from different cultures to meet other people with different cultural backgrounds (Allwood, Lindström, Börjesson, Edebäck, Myhre, Voionmaa 2007, p.18). In intercultural interactions of organizations there are comprehensive mutuality, reciprocity and equality.

Intercultural contact is as much a condition as a result of the functionality of intercultural relations in organizations that support and strengthen environments where members maintain equitable cooperation relations socially accepted with rejection to negative stereotypes (Aneas, 2015). In intercultural organizational business objectives and universality of ideas intersect leaving room for further cooperation between organizations in the private and public sectors.

The Role of Business Schools in Intercultural Business Management

Global business and economic activities are increasingly impacted by intercultural business management competences of managers and businessmen and women, which may be broaden by intercultural business education and development programs taught at business schools. The study of intercultural business management as a global relationship process model has an impact on the global market, the influence of national and organizational culture and intercultural communications decision process. To participate and promote business with a global marketplace perspective is require training in intercultural motivation, communication and leadership skills. An intercultural leadership transforms the increasing international environment of a multicultural organization.

The main objective of intercultural business education and development programs is to provide an intercultural background awareness and competences development based on the understanding of foreign cultures. Intercultural competences become more sophisticated for cross-cultural management. Intercultural competence in international business is defined by Johnson, Lenartowickz and Apud (2006) as “an individual’s effectiveness in drawing upon a set of knowledge, skills, and personal attributes in order to work successfully with people from different national cultural backgrounds at home or abroad".

To internalize the concept of intercultural business management is required to have assignments designed as the outcome of mixing theory with practice. Intercultural business management is a hybrid concept that requires the study of sociocultural, business and management subjects. The essence of intercultural business management is the intercultural communication competence. Intercultural communication competence has been defined by Hall (1990) as a unique manner possessed by an individual who wants to realize his character, goals, and expectations in a specific environment. Several models dealing with intercultural business communication have value-orientations to comprehend the impact on intercultural business management.

Intercultural communication competence includes affective competence, cognitive competence, and behavior competence (Gudykunst and Kim,1997). Until now, intercultural communication in international business relies on the theoretical model based on the five dimensions of Hofstede and used as a soft skill to explain intercultural relationships, and to conduct negotiations.

Business management professionals and students need to improve their cultural awareness and cultural adaptations to international and global exchanges. Intercultural business management is concerned with learning and appreciating reciprocal business values between the involved persons to understand each other´s culture and values. Intercultural management of organizations is defined by Burggraaf (2017) as the combination of knowledge, insights and skills which are necessary for adequately dealing with national and regional cultures and differences between cultures, at the several management levels within and between organizations.

Global business management is critical competence that requires intercultural learning and training (Bi, 2014). Intercultural management in organizations deals with different models at national, business and ethnic diversity levels to recognize some similarities and differences. People meet in intercultural settings with a specific situations and environments to make decisions and solve problems.

The intercultural perspective of business management curriculum to be taught at business schools must be student-focused. Individuals involved in organizations, business and institutions in international situations and environments tend to acquire and perform more intercultural sensitivity and capabilities. Intercultural management practices both within and among cultures benefit the reliability and the trustworthiness of the organization, processes of cooperation where the interests of economic factors play a relevant role as a result of human actions. Intercultural management by projecting morals gives form to relationships between cultures and organizations.

Intercultural business management requires adequate study and research programs to promote intercultural awareness and to improve culture learning at the core of instructional and linking with business practices. Intercultural business management learning and teaching theories with practical implications in global business and economic activities must be aimed to improve professionals and student’s capabilities. The learning activities are placing emphasis on intercultural business management at the organizational level (Cao 2012).

However, some scholars argue that these skills, such as intercultural communication cannot be learned from a course and from a body of knowledge, but only from communicating across cultures. To achieve these goals, business students are encouraged to have overseas living, studying and working experiences to have opportunities on interactions in intercultural business management.

Cultural Diversity

The intercultural organization is located in two-way interactions between the reality of society and organizations. It is in this space where the roots of cultural diversity are. The intercultural organization is a resource that consists of cultural diversity in terms of racial and ethnic heritage, gender and sexual orientation, age, physical ability, sexual orientation, professional group, etc.

The background and cultural features that shape the identities of the organizations, behaviors, values, attitudes, perceptions, etc., influence the development of organizations. The cultural capital is defined as the stock of values upon which the structure of each society is characterized it as different from others (Throsby, 2005). Among the main values ​​that are considered practices are integrity, power levels, the purely cultural aspects and respect (Himmelstern, 2007).

The diversity of cultures can be explained from perspectives such as philosophy, emerging systems of complex interactions between cultures and human habitat and in terms of intercultural contacts. Cultural diversity is viewed as dynamic interactions between ethnic-racial, social, religious and cultural differences, etc., they are essential to the promotion of intercultural organizations. Religious expression is an important component of intercultural organization is pushed as an issue for firms and organizations for several demographic trends and public sector.

Intercultural organizations ensure the mix of individuals with diverse ethnic and racial origin, gender, religion, beliefs, values, etc., with ability to influence its internal work environment in accordance with the society in which it is immersed. Organizations with a wider range of the population are more sensitive to understand from the nature of intercultural organizational needs, desires and fears of prospects and customers and therefore provide satisfactions, services and products of superior quality (Adler, 1983; Griggs, 1991; Gasorek, 1998; Gardenswartz and Rowe, 1998, 1994: Susaeta and Navas, 2005).

In this atmosphere of cultural diversity, the meetings of individuals to implement policies and corporate and business strategies, develop new satisfaction, implement joint projects and solve problems that require long periods of time, also require resources and technical expertise, resources and intercultural competencies that provide the interaction of different national cultures.

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism as a dynamic and dialectical process recognizes the existence and convergence of various cultures as a space between the local and global processes that intersects social and cultural networks articulating personal and collective identities (Hall, 1973). In organizational multiculturalism are allowed and included a diversity of individuals in cultural groups with equal status but remain one’s side by side of others, many times isolated from each other.

Tolerance is valued and differences are celebrated in cultural expressions but the differentials of power untreated and exchange among the different groups are not allowed, only focuses on the representation, i.e. it is required only a superficial and friendly social interaction (The United Church of Canada (2011).

Intercultural Organization Concept

The intercultural organization is defined in this analysis as a set of contacts and interactions that often occur among the various members of an organization having different backgrounds and cultural identities, in terms of a common understanding of the meanings of language, values, attitudes, thoughts, emotions, actions, etc., defining the ways of being, thinking and acting, and understanding of different lifestyles.

To understand the notion of intercultural organization is essential to understand the concept of subjective culture rather than objective culture. Subjective culture is understood as a pattern of beliefs, behaviors and values ​​that are maintained by groups of people interacting. This subjective culture allows analyzing the interactions between the expressions of differences existing between the complexity in epistemological diversity of the local and international culture beyond the historical, economic and political environment (Bennett, 2001a).

Intercultural interactions in organizations are mutually reciprocal between and within cultures.

Intercultural organization move in a different direction that the modernization process aimed at homogenization and standardization on the imposition of behaviors, attitudes, ways of being, and to assess resulting prejudicial stereotypes and mental structures, etc. This is exactly the opposite of intercultural organization.

Creation, Organizational Development and Management of Intercultural Capital

The intercultural capital consists of the stock of forms and types of symbolic capital to represent the thoughts, emotions, values, experiences, skills and competencies, etc., in ways of being, acting, thinking, etc. Intercultural experiences from the action of the skills are internalized in individuals with common meanings to generate organizational synergy and empathy influencing performance of intercultural groups. Organizational diversity and intercultural organization have an impact on competitiveness and organizational performance (Cox and Blake 1991; Cox 1991, 2001; Milliken and Martins 1996; Thomas and Ely 1996; Williams and O'Reilly 1998; Pelled et al 1999; Kochan Bezrukova, Ely, Jackson, Joshi and Jehn et al. 2003; Jackson, Joshi & Erhardt 2003; Joshi and Roh 2009).

Intercultural and cultural diversity in organizational settings influence the dynamics of the groups and the organization of work (Milliken and Martins 1996; Williams and O'Reilly 1998, Ely and Thomas 2001; van Knippenberg and Schippers 2007). Intercultural capacities of organizations compounded by international experiences increase levels of intercultural organization capital and cultural levels of cosmopolitanism, both at the individuals and the organizations themselves.

The development of intercultural competences is the result of complex processes that require time and abundant resources. Organizations and corporations that will dominate the 21st century global market are those who are able to realize their full potential of intercultural capital in human resources and group teams. The development of intercultural competencies has implications for people and organizations that have to work in intercultural environments and global contexts

Distefano and Maznevski (2000) typify the intercultural teams as leveling where members were successfully integrated to meet the objectives without necessarily generating the added value resulting from the synergy of a team that has cultural homogeneity. The ethnocentric approach contrasts with the acquisition of intercultural organizational capital because it is based on prejudices and stereotypes rather than cultural generalizations based on serious research on culture.

The processes of creation, capture, development, integration, retention and administration of this intercultural capital that go across the geographical frontiers. It is in this sense that for -Alcázar, Romero Fernandez, Sanchez & Gardey, (2012) diversity of human capital is a concept formed by demographic attributes such as age, gender, nationality, education, type of training, status in employment, and functional expertise. Aswell human capital attributes include knowledge, experiences, cognitive styles and values

The policy-oriented companies by intercultural organization provide intercultural training programs and human resource development to strengthen this area through a process of integration of diversity and inclusion in their daily activities.

Method of Analysis of Organizational Intercultural

The analysis of the intercultural organization phenomenon is based on the understanding of the interrelationships in the cultural diversity of individuals interacting in concert to achieve common goals. Intercultural relationships in organizations start with the first contacts and intercultural encounters with people who have a variety of ethnic and racial attributes of gender, religion, etc. The analysis of intercultural organization meant when offers tools for strategic management of ethnic-racial, religious, gender and sexual, differences of individuals who are members of organizations.

Intercultural organization strengthens when reference frameworks of most universal cultures under trans disciplinary approaches of sociological research, communication, anthropological, economic, etc. are analyzed, because they provide knowledge and methodological tools for analyzing cultural differences and contrasts. The analysis of the behavior of people with intercultural relationships between local management processes with multiple considerations of global organizations simplifies the processes of intercultural management.

Moreover, the complexity of the analysis of cultural differences in cultural diversity is a limiting factor for intercultural management organizational groups and teams without having the tools that the precise situations call for specific cases.

The analysis of cultural interactions are erroneously supported on generalizations that do not always have specific applications to culture groups, such as cognitive style that can be concrete or abstract, communication style that can be high and low context, the use of language in the rituals of verbal greetings, nonverbal behaviors in visual contact, etc.

The multidimensional construct metacognitive CQ (Earley and Ang, 2003) is defined as the ability of consciousness and alertness that individuals have for intercultural interactions through mental, motivational and behavioral components. Therefore, intercultural organization reflects the mental capacities of the individual members to acquire and understand culturally diverse situations through the processes of knowledge and control over individual thinking (Flavell 1979).

Monoculturalism and little intercultural organization are phenomena coupled with prejudice made by the method of analysis that can lead to a variety of dysfunctions and organizational deficiencies. All organizations, including companies, to reach the level of intercultural organization require moving from an exclusionary monocultural organization of minorities to a intercultural organization inclusive of all groups and minorities around values-centered in the diversity and intercultural relationships between members.

The various dimensions and components of the national culture are factors that influence decisively in the interactions, relationships and behaviors among individuals and organizations. These relational factors affecting strategy and management (Trompenaars, 1993), and therefore organizational performance, can become more important than the technical factors (Whiple and Frankle, 2000).

Differences of culture in organizations have an influence on the contacts and interactions of intercultural organization (Hamada, 1989; Garsten, 1993). Organizations seeking to reach diverse consumers and markets (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin and Cardy, 2001) require the creation and development of an organizational culture focused on diversity and plurality that is based on the promotion of values, behaviors, attitudes, activities, ceremonies and rituals that encourage intercultural organizational processes. The organizational culture, or corporate culture is rooted in the values of the founders converted into common practices and rules for members of the organization, where differences are understood values (Hofstede, 1999, p. 19).

Characterization of Intercultural Organization

The intercultural organization is characterized in that the organization offers conditions of support and help to its members to adapt socially, culturally integrate and improve their psychological health and their professional competence involve in high level of acceptance. The intercultural organization facilitates creating inclusive work environments, to respect and promote its vision, cultural values ​​and sustainability of local communities where they operate, to establish more effective cooperation relations with investors and suppliers, to promote investment social programs, to meet and satisfy the needs, desires and specific fears of the different segments of prospects and customers, etc.

The intercultural organizational characteristics has as mainstreaming, individual subjectivity, tasks and labor relations, contextual influence, learning processes, data analysis and complex decision-making and the integration of cognitive, emotional, attitudinal and behavioral components. However, in the intercultural organizational processes are common that cognitive and emotional elements overlap. Intercultural processes all benefit from the changes through interaction with others (The United Church of Canada (2011).

The sociocultural characteristics of the members of an organization are crucial to the diversity of relationships and interactions of intercultural organization, which can identify differences in membership and group memberships that are significantly different in their culture, their characteristics and personal attributes (Cox, 1994; Harrison, Price and Bell, 1998; Milliken and Martins, 1996). The interactions between people of different cultural groups learn and grow together, develop interactions, share knowledge and experiences with each other, they are transformed and molded shape.

Assumptions of Intercultural Organizational Model

The assumptions of intercultural organization are interdisciplinary informed by paradigms or ways of thinking that emphasize cultural diversity or differences, the interpretive approach that emphasizes the context in which manifest the interactions and critical theory approach that analyzes the interactions under historical contexts if power. Considering the assumption that cultures develop their own structures of thought, therefore develop an "unconscious cultural” showing the deep cultural codes and ways of thinking, establishing the differences between one culture and another (Rapaille, 2006).

The intercultural organization is reflected in the diversity of the cultures represented in the dynamics of organizations that include the cultural background of individuals to their ethnic, racial, and religious belief structures, gender, age, perceptions, expectations, assumptions and priorities, processing information (Cox and Blake, 1991; Ely and Thomas 2001; Maznevski 1994; Tsui and O'Reilly 1989).

The intercultural organization is expressed in contacts and interactions between people with different cultural backgrounds. The use of intercultural empathy generates an appropriate temporal behavior to the cultural objective. Intercultural empathy is related to the change of frameworks which involves temporarily removing their own assumptions about global views and temporarily replaces them with a different set of values ​​and beliefs. These intercultural organizational capabilities that emphasize intercultural interactions and exchanges of information among team members working from different cultures, allow questioning the cultural assumptions and make adjustments in mental models (Nelson 1996) with a high impact on organizational performance.

Intercultural organizational paradigm (García Alvarado, 1999) in an environment of economic globalization processes raises the need for cultural integration that is in contradiction with the model of intercultural organization based on the diversity of cultures and not of multiculturalism. Intercultural interactions of organizations deepen more than multicultural and cross-cultural models. Cross-cultural connections express in complex processes of interaction between multiple identities that are potentially powerful facilitators of intercultural. The organizational model of intercultural is inclusive of all cultures and are not segregated as multiculturalism intended as exclusive model of cultural integration.

The method of the Intercultural Development Inventory supports the conceptual, theoretical and methodological framework of Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity to evaluate the intercultural sensitivity of people in organizations. Intercultural organizations occur because the structures and behaviors that facilitates their members to act without prejudice or cultural bias (Dubrin, 2003).

Managing Organizational Diversity and Multiculturalism

Organizational management of intercultural is manifested in the very nature of intercultural relations in organizations operating in environments of globalization processes and seek to reach the stage of globalization. This evolutionary process of managing intercultural organization is expressed in developing adaptation sensitivities of a global culture of organizational behaviors, processes, products and services in tune with the communities they seek to serve.

Organizational management is an imperative of intercultural organizations, especially companies that are the ones at the forefront of dealing with global intercultural issues have already begun work on intercultural management and potential experience in tools to try to get common goals, growing economies and to work in a global environment in organizational cultural construction.

The entrepreneurial attitude can an attribute of the intercultural organizational management.

Entrepreneurial collaboration targeted deliberately encourages intercultural organizational foundations for peace.

The psychological, social, cultural and economic welfare of the members of an organization are ends of the management system diversity and intercultural. Stephan, Stephan and Gudykunst (1999: 62) developed the theory of threat that treats of the psychological-emotional processes of intercultural and distinguishes consciously perceived real threats to economic, social and political system symbolic or different perceptions of moral, religious and other values ​​derived from the interpersonal and intergroup relations and negative stereotypes. In managing organizational intercultural relations, psychological health harmoniously integrates cognitive, emotional and behavioral components (Cattails Alvarez, 2015).

The role of intercultural management that play businesses in the economy by encouraging intercultural organizational position from below the line to understand and share the values ​​of identity and purpose with stakeholders. Firms and other organizations have initiatives to promote intercultural organization through business.

There are numerous initiatives to promote intercultural organizations best practices that are dealing with different aspects of the business environment. Business organizations have a very important role in promoting intercultural organizational environment to emerge from the operating levels of the organizational pyramid base and connect to the management level for achieving the objectives. Intercultural organizational exchange can be promoted by business organizations in broader communities through investments in social programs, philanthropic support, etc.

The management of intercultural organization has to use available resources to develop the capacities to promote behaviors, attitudes, skills and abilities to facilitate the interrelations between individuals beyond their personal differences of gender, race, religion, lifestyles and social attitudes (Dubrin A., 2003). These social programs are aimed at the intercultural organization through managing the impact of their business sensitivity to local cultures and defend their strategic and political decisions that encourage social relationships in intercultural organization.

The management of intercultural organization can be oriented instrumentally to create a competitive advantage, but its scope would be very limited because of its pragmatism. Managing intercultural diversity in organizations can benefit by offering advantages in marketing, cost reduction by reducing staff turnover and absenteeism and increased job satisfaction. Thus, in this way it is achieved greater cultural diversity with the participation of workers from minority groups (Cox and Blake, 1991 Orlando, 2000) is achieved.

Therefore, intercultural management organizational moves away from standardization processes of organizational behavior to develop the knowledge of individuals to be full integration with the rationale of the organization. It is in the connection between the different levels of the organizational structure that processes intercultural organizations have an important role because they eliminate discrimination and stereotypes, demystify privileges through intercultural dialogue processes to build confidence and a sense of common purpose

Strategic Management of Intercultural Organization

Few business organizations take the intercultural organization approach as strategic vision of sustainability and philanthropy to support the development of their communities by addressing their critical needs, make social investments that encourage sustainability working in partnership with government and civil society. Organizations, especially business firms that have greater clarity in their view, have an interest in supporting the efforts of communities to promote the principles of intercultural, cooperative relations, sustainability, tolerance, etc.

It is in this sense that the promotion of the principles and values ​​of intercultural as part of the organizational approach to sustainability is reflected in its programs to promote sustainable business practices such as human rights, rights in the workplace, business peace, diversity, etc. This can be checked with the innovative actions that firms made to achieve intercultural which can be identified more as diversity issues in the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities.

The intercultural organization is the source of all creativity and innovation. Among the findings of research conducted in intercultural organization it has been found that the most creative and innovative organizations have diversified groups and teams and greater results in reducing racism, classism and sexism (Kanter, 1983).

The intercultural organization is assumed through knowledge management and experience of unity and oneness of humanity recognizing its cultural diversity based on respect. These capabilities of mental consciousness experiences and standards for cross-cultural interactions include planning processes, monitoring and review of mental models

Under this assumption, intercultural organization is an organizational philosophy that influences the contacts and interactions of individuals in organizations, societies and cultures. In intercultural organizations diversity and plurality of individuals and groups contribute to comply with the organizational mission under the support of an organizational philosophy. The organizational values ​​of equal opportunities, open communication, gender equality, fraternity group, labor justice, etc., have their sustenance not only in organizational philosophy but in individual conviction that engenders an atmosphere of diverse intercultural. An organizational environment where these values are always present, ​results in rampant non barriers.

Inclusive policies and citizen participation guarantee social cohesion of civil society. The intercultural organization powers participation of the various actors and stakeholders’ involvement in the organizational structures with behaviors and attitudes that create an organizational climate and a favorable working environment for carrying out the processes of strategic management, production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. In addition, intercultural organization ensures integration of organizational structures so that all members have the same opportunities of access to the benefits offered by various positions without any benefits due to religious, ethnic, racial, gender, etc., (Foster, Jackson, Cross, Jackson, Hardiman, 1991).

The strategic management of organizations is facing challenges related to the formulation and implementation of policies and practices of intercultural organizations. The strategic management of intercultural organization is a challenge for the integration of individuals in organizations considering the individuality of people that have their own paradigms rooted on values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, feelings, etc. This diversity of deeply held individual paradigms difficult organizational integration processes where collective contribution is more important.

The intercultural organizational environments affect strategic management due to the different ways of running induced by different cultures. Conflicts caused by dysfunctional management of diversity and intercultural organization generate high levels of stress that lead to attitudes of intolerance, aggression and understanding of others in the organization. In the processes of intra and inter intercultural conflicts arising from cultural differences and diversity are common, constantly threatening the local and global organizations (Bendick & Egan, 2008). Organizational diversity and intercultural has an impact on the management of intra- and inter-organizational conflicts (Pelled, Eisenhardt & Xin, 1999).

Innovative business practices promote intercultural relations of cooperation in conflict or post-conflict situations. Risky investments in conflict situations can provide an interface for contacts and interactions between the communities involved, as a result of business activities by profits.

Organizational Learning and Intercultural Training

Intercultural organizations systems have as characteristics that are learned transmitted and facilitated through the development of social skills that focus their action on communication patterns to members of different cultures. The most advanced stage of intercultural organization communication is developing the inter-linkages and establishing permanent ties in a solid organizational reputation. The media and intercultural organizational communication processes are essential in identifying the collective identities for both the institutional and organizational changes

The phenomenon of intercultural organizational communication is complex because it involves many individuals who have cultural background not very homogeneous and is likely to be very different. In intercultural communication, language and symbols and representations as not discursive they are affected if they do not have common codes for representing thought forms, emotions, feelings, ideas, values, etc., and which are common to a community, village or nation.

There is an increasing need for organizations to manage processes to lead intercultural learning value differences in a diverse world but globally connected and form the inclusive mindsets and attitudes among investors, suppliers, employees, customers, prospects, levels of government and other stakeholders in local communities in general. For contacts and inter relationships between cultures to be more effective are required recognition of cultural differences under the conditions of having an intercultural mentality, intercultural sensitivity and intercultural skills (Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman 2003: Bennett, 2001ª, 2001b, 2001c; Bennett, 1993).

The discussion on intercultural competition has developed for some time now. In recent years the field of organizational multiculturalism is starting with the development of a theoretical framework and some methods of intercultural competence that help global leaders to learn how to learn in intercultural situations. It is in the cultural interfaces where intercultural organizational processes are developed and results in the generation of intercultural skills such as mediation empathic abilities and distinctions from strong cultures and underlying cultures.

The intercultural organization is geared more to the creative development of competencies rather than to consider the limitations of traditional academic programs. Intercultural organizational mentality has to be established before the skills and competencies acquired by individuals.

The intercultural organization is a valuable skill in organizations that is the result of integrating exercise of intercultural competence, which according to Aneas (2009) emerges when symmetry conditions are presented in intercultural relations, psychological, social and cultural integration of all members working in legal, fair, equitable and cooperative status in achieving common goals form.

The intercultural organization encourages development of administrators in their mentality and their skill set for the development of intercultural skills to adapt to situations that require intercultural competence. The leader with intercultural organizational mentality recognizes global corporations that gave origin and administer third cultures that become dominant cultures in the working lives of those organizations (Bennett, 2001a).

The intercultural organization for intercultural competence is integrated in the development of cognitive, emotional, attitudinal and behavioral components of all members of the organization and the design of structures, processes and technologies, culture and organizational strategies that interact with the environment and that despite an increasingly complex and uncertain environment, facilitate the fulfillment of their duties through intercultural relationships.

The development of intercultural competences is essential for the development of intercultural dialogue in organizations. These skills are defined as the complex skills necessary for effective and appropriate performance when interacting with those who are linguistically and culturally different (Fantini, 2007). These skills are added to the curriculum of learning organizations to learn continuously in global environments to think globally and act locally. For example, racial and cultural imbalances of power are treated in such a way that people learn from each other and change.

Organizations promoting intercultural structures focus on building contacts and relationships between people, deep contacts, and interactions with mutual benefits, respect and learning from each other. Managers of organizations recognize the crucial role that education programs supported by governments and academics for organizational learning and intercultural training. The BMW Group, for example, annually awards the prize rewards the intercultural learning for new ideas and projects that are exemplary and deal with issues that make innovative contributions to the global intercultural and to international understanding.

Intercultural organizational learning is an element of social activities. It has been understood the importance of learning and training in intercultural organization not only in relations between people of different ethnic groups that depend on the ability to handle differences in a positive way for both individuals and for organizations. Learning processes of intercultural organizational enable the capacity of awareness contact and interaction between individuals and their internal and external reality to create ways of thinking through the experiences, values ​​training, emotions, attitudes, behaviors, etc.

The intercultural organization is an ethical imperative for respect for the dignity, respect and tolerance for cultural diversity. The formation and maintenance of organizational values ​​is central to the philosophy of the organization, which serves as a guide to ethical behavior and pluralistic conduct, which influence the formulation and implementation of strategies and policies that govern the action. Experience and positive attitudes of people who exercise an intercultural ethics contribute to the development of intercultural mediator activities in organizations.

As a strategy, intercultural organization requires committed leadership with the formation of behaviors and structures centered on the assessment of organizational culture focused on prioritizing the plurality resulting from diversity. The organizations involved in the exchange of training programs to create organizational intercultural knowledge, build the necessary structures and develop the competencies and skills.

The intercultural organization has been considered as part of the intercultural problematic by Steizel, Dumas & As (2006) when organizations consciously focus expatriation policies of executives and employees of long duration in situations where people come together from different national cultures. Employees, who are expatriates to work in international projects in a subsidiary of the same corporation in a host country with a different culture and diversity, need to adapt to the new culture through support programs of training, including intercultural organizational diversity management and provide them with the plurality of actions in structured experiences (Rubio, 1999).

Operationalization and Implementation of Organizational Programs Multiculturalism

The diversity in intercultural organization can materialize into a competitive advantage for organizations (Dubrin, 2003) with the implementation of strategies and organizational structures that facilitate behavioral processes, communication and attitudinal change among members. The implementation of core competencies of firms to promote intercultural organizational processes through dialogue, practical and culturally sensitive activities, contributes to improved relations with all internal and external groups of the company stakeholders in the local community.

With the operationalization in scale and scope of intercultural organizational programs come geographical and cultural differences and challenges. HSBC, for example, promotes exchange programs in the context of intercultural organization where the core of the brand is the cultural heritage. This is essential in innovative marketing initiatives aimed at different customers, and culturally sensitive to the principles of sustainability with various suppliers’ promotional programs.

Business organizations can play an important role in the promotion of intercultural organizational values ​​in area such as corporate social responsibility and organizational sustainability to include intercultural issues such as human rights, labor rights, ethical principles business, love and business, tolerance, etc., responsible marketing approaches, support for community projects and tolerance in society. Tourism activities contribute to local economic growth and cooperation between countries, facilitating organizational intercultural cooperation for developing joint projects and joint marketing activities.

Representatives of international business organizations such as the Alliance of Civilizations of the United Nations and the Global Compact of the United Nations recommends the implementation of intercultural organization and intercultural understanding policies and intercultural dialogue in the global sustainability agenda to expand collaboration between business, governments and civil society. These driven by United Nations programs were inspired by the interests of the business communities’ organizations and affinity with NGOs and civil society to provide a platform for discussion of concerns about aspects of intercultural organization.

The implementation of intercultural and diversity organization affects activities because it assumes the moral responsibility to eradicate labor discrimination and support equal opportunities for all members. The company BMW Group offers the LIFE program in theoretical and practical ideas and materials on multiculturalism. Furthermore, in collaboration with governments, BMW Group for example, manages the impact of its core business as sensitive to local cultures aimed at reducing the challenges that businesses face in society for cultural bias in collaboration

The implementation of strategies for the development of intercultural competences of individuals in organizations is based on the intercultural sensitivity to particular issues that need to be resolved. To achieve intercultural sensitivity in organizations, people require intercultural skills training to recognize and experience cultural differences so that they can adapt their organizations.

Intercultural sensitivity in organizations reaches greater sophistication if construction of cultural differences is more complex. Once that is achieved and experienced sensitivity to intercultural organization is acquired the competence to differentiate cultures against generalizations, so that it is maintained a general approach to cultural differences regardless of culture remains concerned. People who achieve the level of sensitivity of the intercultural organization is able to adapt in a dual perception to another culture without degrading itself.

Dysfunctional Governance of Organizational Intercultural

Organizations that are diversified across cultures tend to facilitate the development of the potential of the individuals involved in the various activities and functions, without the cultural, social, ethnic, gender, religion, etc., differences represent serious obstacles that occur in conflicts and intra organizational dysfunctions. In part these dysfunctional organizational diversity and intercultural organization are due to the lack of a management system that relies on policies and strategies that support governance processes focusing on intercultural organization and organizational diversity.

The interactions and relationships between individuals within organizations have their support in the complexities of communications with their dysfunctions from the diversity of languages, technicalities, verbal language, idiosyncrasies, etc. which lends itself to misinterpretation, distortion of meanings, misunderstandings, etc. The oil company Shell has established a set of principles relating to cultural practices through diversity, leaving out those local considerations that are considered dysfunctional as corruption (Shell General Business Principles, Shell 2015).

It is questioned whether intercultural organization can harmonize the principles of cultural diversity that are more than an ethnocentric orientation with universal ethical principles. The firm Deloitte emphasizes its shared corporate values underlying the harmonization of both approaches from cultural diversity (Deloitte 2011, p. 12 and Sandyford and Molenkamp 2015).

Some of the barriers to achieving intercultural diversity in organizations (Triantis, 1994) as well as prejudice and individuals own assessments, so are the processes and intra-cultural and intercultural such as ethnocentrism or the consideration that the own culture is the best in the world. Other barriers are generated by disorientation, anxiety and tension when the interaction is intended in times of intercultural organization (Ramirez & León, 2008). Contacts and intercultural encounters between individuals in organizations always involve cultural tensions depending on the value system and the context in which such organizational intercultural interactions occur.

Audits of Organizational Diversity

Make a correct diagnosis of the causes of organizational problems in the absence of intercultural organization is fundamental to identify associated variables. There are a number of methods and tools to perform these organizational diagnoses among which audits of organizational diversity that determines the main causes of the low presence of intercultural organization to intervene with techniques of organizational development to improve the situations. The intercultural organization is one of the roots of organizational development.

The identification of best practices to foster understanding and intercultural dialogue on organizational is necessary in order to share the progress with a wide range of organizations.

The positive assessment of intercultural relations benefits and maintains the permanence of diversity and intercultural contacts. Responsiveness, compliance and value of the results (Aneas, 2015) are components that promote a climate of contacts of intercultural relationships in organizations.

Challenges

The intercultural organization challenges today are present in the internationalization processes where staff employed have different cultural backgrounds, belief systems and values, languages, customs, etc. This diversity in the cultural background of the people is the cause of continuous clashes and conflicts with local markets from any of the cultural perspectives approached, either from the cultural universalism or at the other extreme cultural relativism (Donaldson 1996).

Among the challenges facing today's organizations to promote intercultural organizational platform supported by a diverse subcultures of members, can be discussed processes of cohesion and group integration that encourage development opportunities and meeting the needs of those involved.

The diversity and intercultural organizational challenges facing the emergence of intercultural conflicts arising from the absence of human rights practices in relations between different actors and stakeholders both within and outside organizations. This lack of exercise of human rights is manifested in actions of unequal access to resources, employment opportunities, promotions, incentives, etc., and expressions of attitudes of intolerance based on ethnic origin, gender, religion, age, functional ability, etc.

Concerns about the sustainability involve economic, social and environmental challenges. The vision of sustainable development is relevant to any form of organization that considers what is important and the role to help achieve the organizational challenge of intercultural. To meet these challenges, business organizations develop concrete and innovative responses that are intercultural organizational orientation to promote intercultural cooperation relations in the business environment. Organizations and companies take the discipline of intercultural organization as a management perspective of diversity, to respond to challenges and opportunities, business needs evolve and develop new practices and principles.

Diversity and intercultural in organizations tend to retain talented minorities (Thomas and Gabarro 1999). Pless and Maak (2004, p. 130) recommend that organizations embrace diversity and encourage mankind for attaining some of the organizational benefits of intercultural as reducing the rotation of talent from minority groups, inclusion and improving quality of life (das Neves & Scrum, 2013).

Intercultural Business Management Development and Education Programs in Business Schools

The ultimate goal of cultural education is to cultivate intercultural communication and business management competences which should be emphasized in learning activities at business schools. University plans and programs of study at business schools must create and develop a curriculum in the intercultural business, management and culture to provide students with better understanding, skills and capabilities. Business management programs are to cultivate multi-talented students mastering economics, and management, and who possess high level of intercultural communication competence (Chen & Wang, 2009). Qualified intercultural business managerial talents are required to learn and practice intercultural communication and understanding in their contents.

The overall academic program in intercultural business management must promote intercultural awareness, leadership and communication skills. Understanding, gaining awareness and learning intercultural business management based on relationships of cultural and social values exchanges can be achieved through the acknowledge of diversity, analyzing perceptions, organizing cultural and social values information and posing the challenges to behave in “other cultures”. To get cultural awareness of differences and acquire cultural understanding for intercultural business management is crucial capability to foster correct behaviors and attitudes will intercultural abilities and skills of well-rounded professionals.

Expertise in intercultural business management is gained through culture learning based on lectures and discussion of cases in such a way that students are involved with practices closely with doing global intercultural business management. Practices involving student and expatriate returns from their overseas assignments can give presentations on their intercultural experiences which will provide valuable insights to others. Business contacts within the global corporations can provide good intercultural business management experiences and expertise.

Learning materials must state clearly to the students the important functions of intercultural knowledge in business management as the core to improve intercultural education (Zhao, 2013). Intercultural relationships are the cause and the consequence of the need to learning and teaching techniques nowadays. The research findings on intercultural business management should be learned by professionals and students in the global business and economics environment.

Improvement of intercultural learning must develop knowledge and skills on cross-cultural business management in different cultural context, clearly stating the intercultural elements and theoretical and methodological frameworks. To set the goal with an emphasis in intercultural learning, business schools must be more specific on aspects of business management, such as how the development of intercultural skills improves the understanding between people of different cultural backgrounds.

Business schools must prioritize cultivating intercultural business management competences and skills through learning experiences to foster development of global and international businessmen and women, as well as global managers. Global management courses need to be taught in an intercultural method. Intercultural business management capability cannot be realized by taking courses but through the learning elements, methodology, teaching materials and activities of the entire program of intercultural studies and training. Training in intercultural awareness promote meeting of individuals with different backgrounds to practice their cultural traits and values followed by a discussion on the basis and principles of intercultural interaction. Also the techniques of role playing and script analysis can be employed to enhance practices on intercultural business management.

Proposals

Finally, some concrete proposals for implementing the strategy of intercultural management in organizations are suggested:

Organizations must create a climate of respect for diversity and intercultural that generates organizational conditions to attract and retain organizational intercultural capital.

The management of intercultural organization should be more oriented to achieve competitive advantage as a means of strategic nature rather than an end in itself.

The management of intercultural organization should use available resources to develop the capacities to promote behaviors, attitudes, skills and abilities to facilitate relationships between individuals.

Organizations should develop programs that promote intercultural organizational integration that celebrates diversity as a reflection, according to Triandis (2003) of variables of behaviors, attitudes, norms and social, cultural, demographics, etc. Organizations that compete in global environments need to invest in development intercultural competence programs of their staff

These training programs should create intercultural organization and developing values, attitudes and skills in communication processes, motivation and intercultural leadership that discourages violence and employment discrimination.

The leader of the global corporation should develop intercultural organizational skills to achieve better results with teams that are more multicultural teams than the monocultural to work considering that corporate values must be respected.

Organizational leadership should promote codes of intercultural communication and organizational motivation from the sensitivity of the values of a new, more universal and objective organizational culture, free of subjectivity and discrimination, able to strengthen the inter-open spaces for communication free of conflicts and cooperation between different people.

Therefore, authentic intercultural organizational processes must be based on humanistic and critical direction; policies and strategies focused on organizational core values of intercultural and also promote the creation of an environment of formation and development of all members of the intercultural diversity.

Aknowledgments

This work was supported by UNAM-PAPIIT for the PAPIME project PE306217. Thanks to the General Direction of Affairs of the Academic Staff (DGAPA) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) for support the project.

References