Assessment of the “Cross-Cultural” Strategies Adopted by Multinational Organisations to Manage “Cross-Cultural” Issues: A Case of Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Abstract

Multinational organisations (MNOs) are investing heavily in transferring employees across borders. This transfer of knowledge has aspired organisations such as KimberlyClark Corporation (K-CC) to multiculturalism where employees from different nationalities, thus different cultures, face “cross-cultural” issues. This study aimed at assessing the “cross-cultural” strategies adopted by K-CC to manage the “crosscultural” issues their employees faced at the workplace. The objectives were: to establish the “cross-cultural” strategies adopted by K-CC to manage the “crosscultural” issues, to determine the “cross-cultural” issues at K-CC, and to assess the relationship between “cross-cultural” strategies and “cross-cultural” issues at K-CC. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The respondents were drawn from the West, East, and Central Africa (WECA) unit. The questionnaires were used as the primary data collection methods. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). From the findings, it emerged that there were insignificant correlations between the “cross-cultural” strategies and the “crosscultural” issues. The “cross-cultural” strategies adopted by K-CC were not satisfying to manage the “cross-cultural” issues the employees faced. Finally, the study recommended the emphasis on a feministic approach, the enhancement of employees’ involvement, and the establishment of a “cross-cultural” management function which would be vital to develop efficient “cross-cultural” strategies to help the employees face the “cross-cultural” issues.