CULTURE AS A POSSIBLE FACTOR AFFECTING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF HISPANIC EMPLOYEES WORKING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF NON-HISPANIC AMERICAN MANAGERS By

People from different cultures may perceive the same situation in different ways. Productivity may increase in a multicultural work environment as each worker brings different abilities and skills that can be applied to solve problems. However those same differences have the potential to cause conflict, if workers are unable to work as a team, or if they refuse to work to their full capacity. This study was conducted in an effort to contribute data that can help Americans and Puerto Ricans better understand each other, thus making it possible for them to live together in productive relationships. This research focused on errors caused by differences in language and culture in the workplace and was conducted in local and multinational companies. Data regarding possible cultural productivity problems, resulting from managers and employees differing in their respective cultures, and/or conveying instructions in English to Spanish-speaking employees, was collected with a survey constructed especially for this study