Mark Jones, a Production Manager, has been transferred from the manufacturing plant in his hometown of Chicago to his company's overseas manufacturing plant in Osaka, Japan and I am writing to let you know the differences that Mark will experience in managing front-line plant workers in Japan in contrast to in the United States and also address how cultural differences may play a role in individual differences Mark will experience.
Three differences that Mark may experience are:
* Language Barriers
* Technology
* Politics
In the United States individuals tend to speak loudly and are more assertive or aggressive when addressing workers or giving direction. Individuals in Japan speak softly and are generally more passive. With language barriers making a conscious effort to be considerate of others can aid in effective communication in the business setting. The increase of conduct business with each other is due to globalization. Technology aids people to connect one another much easier, however it may be easy for most but there are individuals that are completely lost when it comes to technology. Another thing to consider is the time zone differences. Yes you may be able to video chat with someone in Japan they are not in the same time zone as you are, so ensuring to conduct whatever form of communication you choose is considerate of the time difference. The way a company conducts business can be affected by political influences. Some cultures pose a strong sense of government pride, and nationalism. Other cultures tend to negotiate with companies that have minimum conflict with their culture.
I believe with our help Mark can move overseas with minimum transition problems. I suggest these three things that could stand to aid Mark make the transition as smooth as possible. It is important that Mark researches the Japanese cultural. I recommended this because knowing what to expect can give him a head start so that he