| Cross-cultural relations in the United States are fueled by a history that is shaped by a pattern of labeling and fear and perpetuated through a culture of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Philosophical hermeneutics offers new ways to consider how we understand ourselves and the people and organizations around us. As the marketplace and organizations become increasingly diverse, we can educate one another by exploring new ways of understanding and addressing cross-cultural relations in the workplace. For this study, conversations with five individuals were transcribed and reviewed, and three themes were brought to light: identity, history and communication. These themes guided the exploration of the data using parts of philosophical hermeneutic theory. Participants voiced ambiguity with regard to their cultural identity, concern for the future of diversity and frustration with communication among and between cultural and ethnic groups. The data suggest that recruiting and retaining a desired number of individuals from a cultural or ethnic group is not, in and of itself, a means to a more diverse organization. We must create and maintain environments where new forms of conversation are acceptable and possible if we are to encourage diversity. |
