Outsourced: I to We

The motion picture, Outsourced (Pine, Hamilton, Dharker, & Jeffcoat, 2009), contains some excellent examples of the Bordas’ “Nine Principles of Multicultural Leadership” (Bordas, 2007, p.17).  In order to better understand some of the cultural differences encountered in the movie, Kwintessential.com provides a great primer prior to watching the movie ("India - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette", 2014).  Another good source is the book Kiss, bow, or shake hands: The bestselling guide to doing business in more than 60 countries (Morrison, & Conaway, 2006).

At one point in the film, Josh Hamilton’s character, Todd Anderson, comes to the realization that he should stop operating the Indian call-center like an American office and asks the employees “what would make a more positive work experience” (Pine, Hamilton, Dharker, & Jeffcoat, 2009).  This scene both exemplifies (in spirit) and then immediately contradicts (with good intentions) Bordas’ second principle of Multicultural Leadership: “I to We” (Bordas, 2007, p.18).  For the first time, Anderson’s thoughts begin to transform from individualism to a collective identity.  However, shortly thereafter as an incentive, Anderson offers company products as a reward for improving individual employee MPI numbers.  This is where he contradicts his altruistic intentions.  Here, we see Anderson unknowingly introducing a western concept of inter-office competition for individualistic gains.  According to Bordas, individualism and competition tend to fashion “a society in which people have a greater orientation toward their individual needs and desires than to the collective good” (p.23).  Kwintessential.com notes that Indian’s “typically define themselves by the groups to which they belong rather than by their status as individuals.  […] This group orientation stems from the close personal ties Indians maintain with their family, including the extended family” (2014).

Cited

Bordas, J. (2007). Salsa, soul, and spirit: Leadership for a multicultural age. San Francisco:            Berrett-Koehler.

India - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. (2014, January 1). Retrieved December 9,       2014, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-   profile.html

Morrison, T., & Conaway, W. (2006). Kiss, bow, or shake hands: The bestselling guide to doing    business in more than 60 countries (2nd ed.). Avon, Mass.: Adams Media.

Pine, L., Hamilton, J., Dharker, A., & Jeffcoat, J. (2009). Outsourced. Toronto: Distributed in       Canada by Cinemavault.