Domain

Explanation

Multi-national office?

• MNO: Multi-National Office
• A working environment with people from many different countries, cultures, languages, religions & basically, lifestyles
• In this age of competition, customerism & globalisation, it is increasingly not uncommon to encounter such an environment
• On one hand, it gives us the exposure & pleasures of working & living with other nationalities
• On the other hand, it tickles uncertainty, relationship difficulties & our sore spots towards others & vice versa

Under what circumstances?

• MNO is prevalent in universities, multi-national organisations and any other institutions at & above the regional or national level
• Universities are the breeding grounds of ideas & exchange of diverse cultures & people
• Organisations need to source out the best talents, often from around the world

This instance?

• It applies to the research office in the university department
• The people come from all over Asia - China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore
• With as many as 18 multi-nationals researching & literally living at brush-hair distances, it is indeed encouraged to ignite synergy & sparks of research spirit, but inevitable that HRM comes into play
• Depending on your perspective, fate might just conspire against you

Why conspire?

• Peoples have vastly different temperament or personalities:

1. Quiet, unfriendly, want to be left alone
2. Quiet, unfriendly, associate as needed
3. Quiet, friendly, approach sparingly
4. Noisy, friendly, entertain & attract elsewhere
5. Noisy, unfriendly, segregate or approach cautiously
6. Noisy, unfriendly, want to be left alone
7. Noisy, unfriendly, ill-intentioned: careful

• A willful combination of (2) & (7) is a recipe for conflicts especially on the personal level which is destabilising to co-working as well as research spirit

Is it that bad?

• It depends on the way of handling as well as the intentions
• Peoples from different backgrounds have different experiences, lifestyles & opinions, which is only rightfully so
• However, it is only a thin line between association and absurdity
• The event-in-question relating a reference incident might in turn be caused by other events, so that the boundaries are blurred as time & experiences pass
• Maybe this is the reason for the abstinence of some from NMO & the duty of association of others

What happened in the event-in-question?

• Many things listed in chronological order:

1. China Java: thinking local conspiracy to allow low-grade local talents to enter
2. Voice: answering phone or just talking
3. Printer is repaired slowly for other nationalities but faster for locals
4. PC is received faster for locals
5. Local RS is low-grade, unknowledgeable, lazy, incoherent & redundant
6. Unapproachable, unfriendly, nonchalant, noisy, fidgeting, uncomfortable, annoying character & mannerisms

Wow, looks like deep in mud? Settlements?

• No instantaneous settlement can be done, as first impressions last, but remedy can be used with ways
• Care & concern for troubles, victories & jokes alike
• Being the 5 H's:

1. Happy
2. Humorous
3. Humble
4. Hardworking
5. Helpful

• Professional towards work & research consultation & exchanges
• Win-win philosophy: to inspire giving & receiving
• 己立立人, 己達達人
• 自強不息, 學以致用
• 教育為立國之本, 興學乃國民天職
• 非淡泊無以明志, 非寧靜無以致遠