Conveying the Message: Building Relationships in a Varied Team

It is of great importance for the management environment to acknowledge and understand networking practices and diversity issues. To ensure effective teamwork and a stable working environment networking needs to be enhanced and supported. To understand networking in a culturally diverse environment the networking practices were investigated at a Gauteng mine. Data was collected from Kusasalethu mine employees, one of the mines of the third largest Gold producer in South Africa. The respondents were chosen by making use of probability, systematic proportionate stratified sampling. A total of 289 questionnaires were completed which constituted a 100% response rate. One difference identified in the findings indicated that Caucasian Baby Boomers make use of telephones when networking more often than African Generation X'ers. In view of the results it is recommended, among other things, that preferences with regard to network mediums be noted, as such awareness may lead to more effective networking / communication within businesses. Effective communication may lead to a more stable and more cohesive working environment. JEL Classifications: J21, J24, P21