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The Diorama

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  • Fiona Moore

    (Royal Holloway, University of London)

Abstract

This paper uses an incident in which a diorama was set up at the entrance to the Final Assembly section of the BMW MINI plant near Oxford to anlayse the impact of gender and ethnic identities on cross-cultural management, through the anthropological concept of the ‘native category’. Its aims are to explore the ways in which the diorama symbolically exposed tensions in the workplace relating to ethnicity and gender; to consider the role of a German dominance effect on the workforce; and to examine the implications of these for cross-cultural management. The data was gathered through participant-observation on the assembly line and managers’ offices, and through both unstructured and semi-structured interviews with managers and workers, during two fieldwork periods, the first in 2003 and the second involving intermittent visits from 2003–2006. The paper explores the ways in which the diorama reflected and contributed to unspoken tensions within the workplace relating to ethnicity and gender, and assesses the role of the German dominance effect on the workforce. It investigates the impact of tacit discourses on organisations, and considers ways in which cross-cultural management activities can be successfully carried out in MNCs. The management of gender and ethnicity within BMW were affected by the ‘native categories’ of British and German managers and workers; furthermore, taking a native categories approach to cross-cultural management reveals areas of friction, and sheds light on normally-overlooked problems in merged organisations.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiona Moore, 2012. "The Diorama," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 52(5), pages 619-642, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:manint:v:52:y:2012:i:5:d:10.1007_s11575-011-0119-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11575-011-0119-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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