The
Importance of Human Relations in an Age of Globalization
Written by: Dr.Gandham Sri Rama Krishna
Published
in the Journal of PRIMAX
International Journal of Commerce and Management Research (PIJCMR), Bangalore,
March, 2015, Vol.II, Issue No. 4, PP.77-80. Print ISSN: 2321-3604, Online
ISSN: 2321-3612.
Abstract
Globalization refers to the increasing integration of the
world countries brought largely by closer economic interaction, that is, by
expanded international flows of trade, investment, human resource, capital,
knowledge and information. Contemporary globalization has rapidly developed
into a complex system of circuits of exchange, interactive dynamics, and
structures that collectively interact at high levels to produce rapid change
affecting most aspects of human life. Human relations is the study of human
behaviour at work and efforts to better
action producing desired goals. Human relations have become diverse due to the
increasing personal and workplace complexities. Similarly many Indians are
working overseas who have their own values and norms. Globalization involves a process of stretching or extension of human activities, relations and networks
across the globe.
Key Words:
Human Relations, Globalisation, Social
Change, Norms, Culture
Introduction
Globalization is a process of
change mostly affecting the social, cultural and political gamut of life. The
twentieth century ends as the globe moves towards a new era
characterized by a globally integrated economy, where decisions regarding
production consumption and other aspects of social relations increasingly
includes transnational dimensions. Forces of globalization are real and their
influences are felt everywhere. It entails free trade, free mobility of both
financial resource and products, technologies, information, markets, and human resources aspects.
Globalization refers to the
increasing integration of the world countries brought largely by closer
economic interaction, that is, by expanded international flows of trade,
investment, human resource, capital, knowledge and information. It means
operating and planning to expand business throughout the world. Globalization
of markets, production, investment, technology, HR. Contemporary globalization
has rapidly developed into a complex system of circuits of exchange,
interactive dynamics, and structures that collectively interact at high levels
to produce rapid change affecting most aspects of human life.
The spread of globalization has been so rapid and
comprehensive that its effects are being felt in the smallest and most remote
human communities and natural areas in both developed and undeveloped
countries. It is making
the world a smaller place and HRM must respond appropriately. It is a term in
business that refers to the integration of an organization's operations,
processes and strategies into diverse cultures, products, services and ideas.
Because of its emphasis on diversity, globalization also has a deep impact on the
way companies manage their employees. Understanding the effects of
globalization on human relations can help managers to better equip their
organizations for the increasingly global business environment.
“Globalization can thus be defined
as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant
localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring
many miles away and vice versa” (Giddens,1990). “Globalization can be thought
of a process which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of
social relations and transactions – assessed in terms of their extensity,
intensity, velocity and impact – generating transcontinental or interregional
flows and networks of activity, interaction, and the exercise of power” (Held
et al, 1999).
Significance of Human Relations
It
was industrial revolution which led to the replacement of the old domestic
system of production by the factory system. A large number of men worked
together on machines in return for wage. This destructed the old personal tie
between workers and their employee. Employer
began to regard workers as a commodity and almost forgot that he was a human being.
An area of management in integrating
people into work situation in a way that motivates them to work together
productively. The term “Human Relations” applies broadly to the interaction of
people. Human relations is the study of human behaviour at work and efforts to better action producing
desired goals. Human relations is integration of people into work situation
that motivate them to work together productively, co-operatively to provide
economic psychological and social satisfaction.
Human relations is motivating people
in organizations to develop team work spirit in order to fulfill their
needs and to achieve organizational goals efficiently and economically.
The term “Human Relations” does mean the relationship between two human beings. Human relations in
industry implies that relationship between employer and employees as human
beings but not in the capacity of
employment relations whereas industrial relations implies relationship between
employees and employer in the process of employment. The term human relations
include the relationship during and out of employment situations.
Role of Human Relations
·
Diversified Culture
Diversity involves a wide range of
group and individual characteristics. One should be capable of accepting these
kinds of diversities and working with people of diverse behaviours in personal
life and work places.
Diversity
isn’t a slogan—it’s a reality when you’re hiring people everywhere. Robert M.
Teeter, U.S. Pollster and business executive.
Globalization refers to the spread
of new forms of non–territorial social activity (Ruggie, 1993; Scholte, 2000).
Human relations have become diverse due to the increasing personal and
workplace complexities. Similarly many Indians are working overseas who have
their own values and norms. This type of diversity may be useful in learning
new and more efficient ways of doing things. If the individuals are better
trained in accepting the diversities they will be more successful in their
personal and organizational life.
Globalization is introducing and
instilling cross cultural values in people. Many people from overseas are
working in various organizations in India who come from different cultures. The
cultural differences may exist within the same country or from different
countries. Being able to work well with people from other cultures, both
outside and inside of country is important for personal and organizational
success. Being able to relate to a culturally diverse customer base is also necessary
for success.
Globalization
brings about both evolution and extinction. On one hand, they have an
inter-twining culture—learning new languages, connecting to people from
different parts of the globe, getting a taste of varying music etc. On the other
hand, there’s an increasing dilution of cultural inheritance and stressed
relationships.
Kofi Annan proves right “arguing against globalization is like arguing
against the law of gravity”. Because of globalization – which started as
an initiative towards economic prosperity by opening up trade routes,
eventually led to cross cultural mixing.
People from some cultures accept
power distance at different organizational levels; in some other cultures
people do not recognize a power hierarchy. There are cultures where people work
as a team in an organization. In Indian culture there is hierarchy of power.
Some cultures emphasize assertiveness and the acquisition of money and material
objects. At the other end of the continuum is concern for others, an emphasis
on personal relations, and the common welfare.
There are some cultures which are
high context, and there are others which are low context. Chinese culture is
high context culture. High-context cultures make more extensive use of body
language. People in low-context cultures seldom take time in business dealings
to build relationships and establish trust. Another diversity is regarding
being present or future oriented. Those
people who belong to present oriented culture believe in rewards in present,
whereas future oriented people believe in future rewards.
In the ‘Eiffel Tower Culture’,
relationships are specific, contractual, hardboiled and formal. Managers in
this rarely create off-the-job relationships with people, since they fear that
it will taint their rational judgmental process. In this type culture, the boss
is highly revered. In the ‘Guided Missile Culture’ is characterized by strong
emphasis on equality in the workplace and orientation to the task. All team members treat each other with
respect, because of their sense of mutuality and need-based requirements from
each other. UK and USA fit well into the description of this type of culture.
The main principle to recognizing
cultural differences is to be alert to these differences, and to be sensitive
to how they could affect to dealing with people. To improve interpersonal
relationships on the job, recognize that a person’s national values might
influence his or her behaviour. For example, emphasize non-verbal communication
with a person from a high-context culture.
·
Processes of Social Change
A process can be described simply as a series of developing
changes. In this sense, globalization is the process of becoming global, but
not yet complete, that is, the condition
of being global. There are, however, processes that point in that direction.
These processes are multiple and cover most areas of social life and human
relations such as economy, polity, culture, ideology, religion. Since
globalization is a work-in-progress, the end result – what a global society
would look like – is yet undetermined.
·
Deterritorialization
and IT
Under
conditions of globalization, territory becomes less relevant to human
relations. For instance, gratitude or thanks to information technology, anyone
in the world equipped with a computer and an internet connection can play the
stock markets, chat online with friends,
up-load or down-load all sorts of information and data from any place in the
world from other individuals similarly equipped, as well as watch a television
network via satellite. Territories and borders have become irrelevant to such
interactions that are therefore global in nature.
Globalization involves a process of speeding up, or
increasing velocity, of human
activities and relations. Developments
in technologies of transportation and communication have accelerated the speed
of social interactions as well as the diffusion of material goods and ideas,
money and people
Practically
every phenomenon that can think of has acquired such supra-territorial qualities: electronic communications,
environmental degradation, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, financial flaws,
health threats, etc. All these areas of human life are being globalized insofar
as they are no longer attached to specific territories but develop and affect
us at a transnational level. The process of globalization, as deterritorialization,
turns the world into a single space.
·
Gender equality
The
relationship between globalization and gender equality, and the relevance of
globalization for transforming gender relations has been increasingly well
documented. The significant gender differences and disparities with respect to
decision-making powers, participation, and returns for effort that prevail in
different societies need to be taken into account when responding to the forces
of globalization. Because of gender inequalities and discrimination in all
parts of the world, women can be affected negatively by globalization processes
to a greater extent than men. On the other hand, there can be significant gains
for women with globalization. At the policy level, the impact of globalization
on women and gender relations continues to be neglected nationally and
internationally. The extension of the employment market can have both positive
and negative effects for women’s situation and gender relations. In both
developing and developed countries, on gender relations is still not too clear.
For
many countries, trade could be the primary vehicle for realizing the benefits
of globalization. Trade policies affect employment, production, distribution
and consumption patterns, cultural values, social relations and the
environment, all of which engage and affect women as well as men. Increases in
world trade, particularly in the services, has increased the involvement of
women in the various occupations and professions of the services sector.
Globalization involves a process of stretching or extension of human activities,
relations and networks across the globe. Events taking place in one part of the world have an impact for
other people in distant locations, a process akin to the butterfly effect. Globalization
involves a process of intensification of
human activities and relations. Intensification refers to the sheer magnitude of existing global
relations. More and more aspects of our lives are tied, in one form or another,
to locations and people in other parts of the world. Most of the consumer goods
were manufactured and assembled in different places. We are also more
intensively connected to the whole world through a growing number of treaties
and agreements that cover practically every area of social relations, from
human rights to environmental statutes to the production and sale of weapons of
mass destruction.
Conclusion
In the age of globalization, the
gap between high and low income countries is not only persisting, but in many
cases it is widening. Globalization brings about a change in people's
lifestyles and behaviours. Globalization brings in significant changes not only
in operating boundaries, but also in the corporate HR functions and
strategies. Forms of alternative income
earning have grown faster than formal and secure employment. Global companies
have maintained control over planning, and sent to LDCs (less developed
countries) all stages of production that involve financial and human risk. Life
in LDCs has become more unstable, generating and/or expanding many different
types of conflict, from crime to intra-household violence, from environmental
destruction to unfair competitive practices in human relations and commerce. The aftermath of liberalization and globalization has made
Indian companies conscious of competition and quality and acquire a totally
global mindset.
Reference
·
Dubrin,
A.J. (2005). Human relations: Career and Personal Success. Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey, 07458.
·
P.Subba
Rao(2009), International Human Resource Management, Himalaya Publishing House,
Mumbai.
·
Peter
J.Dowling, Denice E.Wilch. (2006), International Human Resource Management,
Thomson Publications.
·
Ruggie,
J. G. (1993). “Territoriality and Beyond: Problematizing modernity in
international relations”. International Organization 47; 139-74.
·
http://www.ripublication.com
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