Cross-Cultural Perspectives essay

Introduction

Global organizations and international companies face different cultural, ethical, and social challenges in different parts of the world. American organizations deal with the clients of similar backgrounds in the United States. However, these organizations need to deal with the stakeholders of different religious and cultural views in foreign countries. Recently, National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has faced various issues and challenges in Afghanistan (National Atlantic Treaty Organization, n.d.). This paper analyzes the cultural issues of NATO in Afghanistan and describes viable solutions to these issues.

Analysis

NATO is an intergovernmental military organization which works for a global peace program. NATO soldiers are responsible for sustaining peace in Afghanistan and other foreign countries. However, these soldiers face different cultural, social, and ethical issues at workplace. Studies show that the NATO soldiers are affected by the cultural and religious issues in two ways. First of all, they come from different cultural backgrounds and need to work in same groups, for example, American and Dutch troops work together in some missions. In such conditions, soldiers face cultural challenges in soldier camps and workplace. Secondly, NATO soldiers need to perform daily operations in Afghan localities. Also, they are responsible for maintaining good relation with local people. Hence, they need to communicate with them every day. However, during such communication, soldiers face different challenges in terms of local Muslim culture. Studies show that Afghanistan is a culturally backward country. Therefore, local Muslim people follow hundred-year-old cultural traditions. For example, the country does not have equal rights for women, and they must cover their faces with veils. Such traditions and culture practices cause different challenges to identify criminals (Arnstein, n.d.). Moreover, the NATO officials deal with tactical and technical issues in the backward areas of Afghanistan. As a result, the soldiers fail NATO missions. In addition, different complex issues arise between soldiers and the local population such as the lack of trust, misunderstandings, wrong impressions, and different confusions. Often, peacekeepers depend on the local people to fulfill the mission. The cooperation of local inhabitants is important to sustain soldiers’ safety and duty. Hence, it becomes difficult for soldiers to perform regular patrolling duties during festivals and ceremonies. These traditions may cause roadblocks or crowd gatherings. Sometimes, soldiers may feel fear of causing traditional or religious offence. Furthermore, some NATO officers reported that they need to command soldiers of different countries. Hence, sometimes, they have some hesitation in commands. Studies show that peacekeeping cultures are different across countries. Thus, these soldiers face various ethical, cultural, and social issues in their day-to-day work in Afghanistan (National Atlantic Treaty Organization, n.d.).

 

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NATO and other global organizations have found different solutions to these cultural and social issues. These organizations may take strict actions against local population, but such actions are not ethically and morally correct. People should respect other cultures and traditions. Hence, they should find some other alternative solutions to perform their patrolling duties in peace. For example, the authorities should provide special lessons for the soldiers, who visit Afghanistan or some other culturally backward countries. These lessons may include local language training classes. In addition, these trainings should involve ethical and religious contributions. The soldiers should learn local gestures to greet people. NATO has launched various programs and set offices that work and deal with cultural and social issues. Also, the troop-contribution nations prepare their armies for multinational tasks and operations. Thus, NATO and other global organizations may solve cultural, social, and ethical issues in a foreign country (United States Mission to NATO, n.d.).

Conclusion

In conclusion, global organizations face different ethical and cultural issues in foreign countries. NATO armies often encounter such issues in Afghanistan. Their soldiers come from different nations, and they need to work in a group. Moreover, they need to deal with local inhabitants. Therefore, they face different ethical and moral issues at work. However, NATO has found different solutions to such issues, such as training programs for soldiers and other officials, which enable it to sustain peace in foreign countries.