Importance of cross-cultural management in an international company: A practical guide in Japan
Introduction
In a globalized environment, cultural difference is a significant consideration for managers within organizations. Therefore, we will try to understand the connections between management and culture.
Many MNCs have focused on Asian markets due to their rapid economic growth, large market size and investment potentials. However, to develop and implement effective human resource management strategies in their expansion into Asian markets, it is imperative for MNCs to understand Asian cultural values.
For the purpose of this work, we will focus on the case of Japan.
Fundamental concepts of cross-cultural management and different aspects
Concept 1 - national cultural dimension in the business context
Concept 2 - the influence of national culture on the business culture
Concept 3 - value orientations and dimensions
They are complex and they result of interaction between 3 elements: cognitive, affective, and directive.
Three assumptions:
- Universal nature of values orientations
- Many ways of solving problems
- Preferences in choosing solutions
Concept 4 - reconciling cultural Dilemmas
Kluckholn and Strodtbeck identified six dimensions of culture:
The nature of people
What do people assume about the basic nature and beliefs about other people?
The relationship with nature
What do people think about nature and their responsibilities and rights around it?
Duty towards others
What duty do we have towards others?
Mode of activity
What is the primary mode of activity in an organization or society? “being” or “acting”?
Privacy of space
How is space treated in a society? Who owns it?
Temporal orientation
Which is more important: past, present or future?
Research on national culture : Geert Hofstede - one of the first researchers to analyze the influence of national culture on management practices based on empirical study at large multinational company like IBM for instance.
There are four aspects of
In a globalized environment, cultural difference is a significant consideration for managers within organizations. Therefore, we will try to understand the connections between management and culture.
Many MNCs have focused on Asian markets due to their rapid economic growth, large market size and investment potentials. However, to develop and implement effective human resource management strategies in their expansion into Asian markets, it is imperative for MNCs to understand Asian cultural values.
For the purpose of this work, we will focus on the case of Japan.
Fundamental concepts of cross-cultural management and different aspects
Concept 1 - national cultural dimension in the business context
Concept 2 - the influence of national culture on the business culture
Concept 3 - value orientations and dimensions
They are complex and they result of interaction between 3 elements: cognitive, affective, and directive.
Three assumptions:
- Universal nature of values orientations
- Many ways of solving problems
- Preferences in choosing solutions
Concept 4 - reconciling cultural Dilemmas
Kluckholn and Strodtbeck identified six dimensions of culture:
The nature of people
What do people assume about the basic nature and beliefs about other people?
The relationship with nature
What do people think about nature and their responsibilities and rights around it?
Duty towards others
What duty do we have towards others?
Mode of activity
What is the primary mode of activity in an organization or society? “being” or “acting”?
Privacy of space
How is space treated in a society? Who owns it?
Temporal orientation
Which is more important: past, present or future?
Research on national culture : Geert Hofstede - one of the first researchers to analyze the influence of national culture on management practices based on empirical study at large multinational company like IBM for instance.
There are four aspects of