...Founded in 1918 by the Japanese businessman, Konosuke Matsuchita, as an Electric Housewares manufacture, Panasonic emerged three decades after the end of World War II as a symbol of Japan post war economic success. Imbued with the belief that the role of a corporation is to devote itself to the progress and development of society at large, Panasonic’s management closely aligned the company’s culture with the social values of Japanese society, which put a strong emphasis on group identification, social obligation and loyalty. Panasonic took care of its employees by providing a wide range of benefits, such as subsidized housing, lifetime employment and generous retirement. In return, employees worked very hard for the greater good of the company and were indeed very loyal to management. That arrangement, according to many corporate observers, proved to be a very successful formula for the growth and evolution of the company, for by 1970’s Panasonic had emerged as a major international player in the consumer electronics industry. However, by the beginning of 1990’s, Japan found itself in the grip of a severe economic downturn, which coupled with the emergence of a new generation of Japanese who had begun to get exposed to western ideas of individualism and constant exploration for better and greater opportunity, the traditional formula, which had been very fruitful for Panasonic became obsolete as the company could no longer count on the new generation of Japanese workers, who no longer...
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...Case 3 – Panasonic and Japan’s Changing Culture 1. What were the triggers of cultural change in Japan during the 1990s? How is cultural change starting to affect traditional values in Japan? The triggers to Japan changing culture came by way of the “new kids on the block” thinking and becoming more focused on individualism than collectivism. Those participating in the new Japan no longer believe in the Japan is moving towards more individualism than collectivism after the economic bubble. Nonetheless, this is a good opportunity for Japan to adapt to the globalization world and be more competitive. The cultural change will lead to greater mobility of employees, which means people will move around jobs more than before 1.What were triggers of culture change in Japan during the 1990s? how is cultural change starting to affect traditional values in Japan? Cultural change in Japan was triggered by the economic recession in the 1990’s. Traditional Confucian values focused on loyalty, high moral and ethical values and set the pathway for relationships with others in traditional Japanese businesses. When the generation born after 1964 lacked the same commitment to traditional Japanese value as their parents but they grew up in a world that was richer, where western ideas were beginning to make themselves felt, and where the possibilities seemed greater. They did not want to be tied to a company for life, they become a salary man. Traditional ways of doing business and...
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...a "melting pot", the world turns into a multicultural society. With the development of society and technology, people have more opportunity to meet others all over the world. While such kind of impact, limited by various factors such as the era, region, cultural cognition, presents various forms and differences. Ethan Watters, the author of “The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan” who addresses a story of an American pharmaceutical company finds out that their product is not popular in Japan. The reason is the Japanese have a different conception of depression with the American. In order to open the Japanese market, the American company attempts to convince the Japanese to change their cultural perceptions of depressions and accepts a new language to describe depression. Due to the diverse background, personal experiences and cultural assumptions, people have the discrepancy to the same thing. Shared common assumptions impact the everyday lives of people in constitutes normal cultural cognition; however, different cultural models exist different assumption that causes cultural shock which creates a new cultural identity that constitutes cultural fusion. People who grow up in a particular environment share certain cultural value and assumptions. In the other word, people live in the common association long time shape their original...
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...Korean peninsula. Muslim Ummah of North America (n.d.) Japan landmarks have some of the large amount densely populated areas of the world. In addition, there is a great deal of Japan’s 125 million people live in multitude of cities along the coast. Most of Japan consists of mountains and hills. Japan has become a familiar leader in high technology electronics. Japan is an important producer of computers televisions, cameras, and audio equipment. Cultural dissimilarity effective communication has need of translating the basic values, motives, ambition, and supposition that operates across geographic lines. The Importance of Effective Communication (n.d) Therefore gave some theatrical differences across cultures in moving toward to such as time, space and privacy, the chance for mis-communication in cross-cultural situations that are abundant. ( The Importance of Effective Communication) The last visit that I made to Japan occurred while I worked for a Japanese company in the United States. I noticed that the Japanese staff gives details and only the conclusion to Americans when we are spoken to about a problem, rather than discuss the steps to the conclusion. (The Importance of Effective Communication) (n.d). A large proportion of the meaning we obtain from communication we get from the non-verbal cues that the other person gives...
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...Cultural Differences between Japan and U.S. There are many cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan. Each country has their culture and lifestyle. While we may feel that Japanese cultural and lifestyle seems strange, they likewise look at Americans as being different. It is important to realize that Japanese and American culture is swayed by the society of people. Americans belong to a number of subcultures due to immigration, while Japanese society has less immigration and is not as diverse when it comes to subcultures. Since there are so many cultural differences between Japan and the U.S., we cannot discuss its entirety but review a few differences as it relates to the family, greeting, business, and government. First, the family structure is much different. In the Japanese culture, the man is the head and the wife services all of his needs first. While in American culture, the husband and wife are equal partners and share in responsibilities. The family structure in Japan is defined by tradition while the American family structure is free and family roles are chosen according to likes and dislikes of the family member. Japanese traditionally feel that a married woman’s place, especially older women, should be at home taking care of her husband and children. However, Americans feel that a woman can do both home and career and she is free to chose, especially since both partners are equal and share in responsibilities. Japanese are also known to take care of extended...
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...Cross-Cultural Perspectives 1 Week 5 Cross-Cultural Perspectives ETH/316: Ethics and Social Responsibility University of Phoenix Cross-Cultural Perspectives Cross-Cultural Perspectives 2 McDonald’s is the largest fast food chain restaurant in the world. Ray Kroc founded the franchise in 1955 in California. McDonald’s server millions of customers daily. The company pride itself on their tasty hamburgers and delicious french-fries. McDonald’s is also known for its quick service and its drive through. The company went from one restaurant location, to locations in different states, to a global corporation. McDonald’s continue to thrive on providing meals at a low cost to customers. McDonald’s have more than 30,000 restaurant locations in more than 100 countries around the world. McDonald’s makes billions of dollars each year but they still issues in the global sector (McDonald’s, 2011). McDonald’s established their first restaurant in Japan in 1971 (McDonald’s, 2011). This establishment brought about some issues because of the cultural differences. Some of the issues are food preparation, food organization, and food delivery. Even though McDonald’s way of doing business contradicted with the Japanese ethics, and traditions, through compromise, and social responsibility they have managed to minimized there differences. Besides McDonald’s other businesses have expanded globally such as auto companies like Ford Motor Company. However, their approach was different in comparison...
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...conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster” (ITIM International, 2003). Communication across culture is not an easy assignment for an international manager to learn within a short period of time especially it is an ongoing learning process. Communication is “a process of shared meaning by transmitting messages through media such as word, behavior, or material artifacts” (Deresky, 2008). Language discrepancies are an obvious factor. Likewise important are people skill as well as understanding and adapting to the social and working etiquette’s of the foreign country. Japan is one of the most well known for its culture in the world. For an international manager to work there, it is important they will have to understand and identify the Japanese communication system because Japanese communication is ambiguous. This is to eliminate any communication noise. Past history is believed to shape the culture of the country and the people identity. Japan has evolved in many era from the early Jōmon period till to the current Heisei period, their culture had also evolved. However the “most important principle will be the wa, the peace and harmony” (Deresky, 2008). Japanese tend to work as a family unit similar to working in the organization. One clear example is the rice cultivating “which they highly need cooperation from their village and neighbors twice each year in result reflects on the long term effects on Japanese social system and life...
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...are cultural differences that needs to be taken into consideration in order to fully understand the reason for the increase of childhood obesity among the Japanese There are numerous connotations to describe and point out differences of one’s culture, many sociologists describe culture as an adoption and process of behavioral patterns that influence people within a society. Cultural factors that play a key role in the increase of obesity within the Japanese population are; attitudes and customs. Japan’s cultural and eating habits has for many years included a seafood-based cuisine, rice and fresh vegetables. Japanese food portions are smaller compared to American portions and simply prepared with fresh ingredients. 50 Years ago a stable meal consisted of soup and rice three meals a day. With the adaption of Westernized eating habits, Japanese are eating bigger portions for breakfast, eating lighter lunch and having a big dinner. With the influence of bigger portions, Japanese are increasing their diets with more sweets and fatty calorie rich foods. With a change in life styles and a more westernized eating habits, there has be an increase on childhood obesity within the last decade. Japanese children’s eating habits include more intakes of fast food burgers, fried foods and instant noodles, instead of their older generation of fish, rice and soup. Japan has been known as the Country with the longest-living population, with the rise of diabetes, this can change Japan’s...
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...to turning Nissan around from his appointment of COO at a very critical time in Nissan’s history. After many years of success, Nissan began facing difficulties in the 90s and Carlos Ghosn was invited to help turn the organization around. Both national and organizational culture was very strong in Nissan and made changes difficult, but Ghosn’s management style enabled him to implement the Nissan revival plan (NRP), which turned the company around to profitability. Background The case revolves around Nissan and its management. The company was established in 1933 under a different name, but quickly changed to Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Following the Second World War, Nissan expanded its operations around the world and grew steadily. By 1991 Nissan was highly profitable and had four out of the top ten cars in the world. The success didn’t last though. In the years 1993-1999 Nissan had seven consecutive years of losses and credit rating services were threating to lower their status from “investment grade” to “junk”. Part of the problem was the managerial decision to emphasize short-tem market share growth rather than long-term success. Inspired by local Japanese culture and customs, especially keiretsu, Nissan invested heavily in suppliers. This was done to encourage loyalty and cooperation between members of their value chain. Unfortunately, the Asian financial ended up devaluating the yen from 100 to 90 yes = 1 dollar, a 10 % decline in valuation. Obviously, Nissan were...
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...Shaiq Rahi Cross-Cultural Perspectives July 16, 2014 University of Phoenix Cross-Cultural Perspectives McDonald’s is the largest fast food chain restaurant in the world. Ray Kroc founded the franchise in 1955 in California. The company pride itself on their tasty hamburgers and delicious french-fries. McDonald’s is also known for its quick service and its drive through. The company went from one restaurant location, to locations in different states, to a global corporation. McDonald’s continue to thrive on providing meals at a low-cost to customers. McDonald’s have more than 30,000 restaurant locations in more than 100 countries around the world. McDonald’s makes billions of dollars each year but they still issues in the global sector (McDonald’s, 2011). McDonald’s established their first restaurant in Japan in 1971 (McDonald’s, 2011). This establishment brought about some issues because of the cultural differences. Some of the issues are food preparation, food organization, and food delivery. Even though McDonald’s way of doing business contradicted with the Japanese ethics, and traditions, through compromise, and social responsibility they have managed to minimize their differences. Besides McDonald’s other businesses have expanded globally such as, auto companies like Ford Motor Company. However, their approach was different in comparison to McDonald’s. McDonald’s Cultural Issues in Japan: Food organization The Japanese are known for preparing...
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...the Japanese were and still are one of the biggest investors in Thailand, under this cross-cultural context; the Japanese management system applied in Thailand is mismanaged. In the article Culture and Conflict: Japanese managers and Thai subordinates, Fredric William and Jun Onishi did their research based on the cultural dimensions of Hofstede’s conceptual framework, it conducted a study on possible conflicts between Japanese and Thai subordinates when they have different perceptions. The research provided evidences that the expectation of Japanese managers and Thai subordinates adapting in a different cultural context are reversed according to three aspects which are culture characteristics based on Hofstede, Japanese HRM system, and unique Japanese social and business practices. The authors collected data from ten Japanese manufactures to research and find the differences in real situation. From the culture dimensions, we can see the differences as follow: 1) Thai subordinates have higher power distance, they believe that company should have clear hierarchy. 2) Thai are less individualistic, they prefer to receive instructions than come with own ideas. 3) Japanese have higher masculinity, they always work voluntarily on weekends. 4) For the uncertainty avoidance, Japanese managers prefer specific company rules but Thai subordinates prefer flexibility. 5) Thai subordinates do not like long-term work plans which the Japanese managers set for them. The Japanese HRM...
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...strategies adopted by Mattel for Barbie and it examines the different marketing strategies and the reasons for the success of Barbie. The case also explores changes in Barbie's image along with the changes in worldwide. The most important thing about marketing strategy of Mattel is adaptation of different environments. When it entered the US market with Barbie, the environment was very clear. I mean the expectations of customers were known more easily. And also Mattel had a high adaptation skill to changes and cultural trends. For example black Barbie was one example of it. When it entered the European market and it could be seen directly that, US children and European ones had quietly same expectations, attitudes to like Barbies. But the situation was a bit more complex in other countries. Because cultural and social differences were clearly affect to buyer behavior. For example for Iran or Brazilian or Japan market, Mattel could have to make something change in Barbie and it did. And I like the Sisi’s philosophy from the case that, “young girls want dolls that show them as they are, not as they want to be” But I don’t agree because mostly young girls are quickly adopt the changes and also they want to look like that they don’t so it affects that their behavior of likeness. On the other hand while entering the Japanese market,...
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...International Business and Cross-Cultural Management CASE STUDIES 1. Lecture 2 Doing Business in Saudi Arabia Read the case Doing business in Saudi Arabia and answer the following questions . (a) Has religion been the main factor shaping Saudi culture, or are other factors at work here? What are those factors, and how important do you think they are? (b) Do you think that business practices in Saudi Arabia are likely to differ from business practices in Germany, and if so how? 2. Lecture 2 Matsushita’s and Japan’s Changing Culture Read the case “ Matsushita’s and Japan’s Changing Culture” and answer the following questions (a) What were the triggers of cultural change in Japan during the 1990s? How is cultural change starting to impact on traditional values in Japan? (b) How might Japan’s changing culture affect the way Japanese businesses operate in the future? What are the potential implications of such changes for the Japanese economy? (c) How did traditional Japanese culture benefit Matsushita during the 1950s-1980s? Did traditional values become more of a liability during the 1990s and early 2000s? How so? (d) What is Matsushita trying to achieve with human resource changes it has announced? What are the impediments to successfully implementing these changes? What are the implications for Matsushita if (a) the changes are made quickly or (b) it takes years or even decades to fully implement the changes? 3． Lecture 2 McDonald’s and Hindu Culture ． Read the case...
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...Goddard BSOP-326 Week-5 In Japanese kaizen means continuous improvement. In order to understand the philosophy of Kaizen we must first look back at the history of the total quality movement in Japan following World War II. Once the war ended, there was very little left of Japan’s manufacturing infrastructure. Leading Japanese industrialists understood that in order to get the country back on track they would need to compete on an international level. They also understood that they would not be able to compete on cost alone. The Japanese industrialists invited two Americans to come and visit the war torn country and offer they philosophy on total quality. (David L. Goetsch, 2012) The work of Deming’s and Juran helped to turn around a Japanese manufacturing industry that had been plagued with quality problems into a world class manufacturing industry producing best in class quality products. Kaizen a term coined by Masaaki Imai embodies much of the Deeming’s and Juran philosophies in that it focuses upon ongoing improvement involving everybody all the time. In 1986 Masaaki Imai published Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success, translated in fourteen languages the book allowed the world to get a better understanding of the principles of kaizen. Developed on the concept of continuous small incremental changes leading to larger changes accumulated over time. Kaizen promotes a culture that is dynamic and seeks to always make change for the better; by fostering this...
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...term “leadership?” Some may define leadership as the ability to influence others. Others may define leadership as one who inspires organizational members to want to achieve. (Munley, 2011) Leadership is directing a team through communication to reach the organizational goals. Leadership communication is essential to businesses and organizations especially when companies are opening branches overseas, conducting business through conference calls or working with a manager from another country. With this new era of business relations companies are facing cultural differences, and these cultural differences need to be taken into consideration. Dutch social psychologist, Geert Hofstede, pioneered a study on cultural differences and developed the five dimensions of culture. The five dimensions are power/distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty/avoidance, and long term orientation. This paper will discuss the cultural dimensions of Japan and Denmark. It will be interesting to see the differences and the commonalities of Japan and Denmark of their vastly different cultures. Power Distance Power distance, PD, looks at the degree of equality between individuals in societies. The degree of equality can also be expressed by how cultures accept inequalities and how that power is distributed unequally. A high score for PD points to strong hierarchical societies. Whereas a low PD signifies shared power where supervisors and employers are considered relatively equal...
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