Int mgt 4073

Class 11: Chapter 4

"In all of your endeavors, you have opportunities to be a powerful and positive influence on the lives of other people. But first, you must care enough to understand them and become familiar with their personal interests and expectations for life."

The Key and Importance of Culture; Nature of Culture and Effects on International Management Leadership; Research Studies of Cultural Dimensions; and Culture Management Leadership: The Globe Project

The Key and why is the Issue of Culture Important?
• be flexible and positive
• make a difference in the lives of employees and customers

Nature of Culture and Effects on Management Leadership
• What is Culture? It is acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate a set of social behavior.
• Characteristics:
• Learned
• Shared
• Trans-generational
• Symbolic
• Patterned
• Adaptive
• Effects on Management Leadership
• Central vs Non-Central Decision Making
• High vs Low Context Negotiations
• Safety vs Risk
• Time Sensitive Orientation
• Informal vs Formal Dress
• Informal vs Formal Procedures
• Value Differences and Similarities Across Cultures
• High vs Low Organizational Loyalty
• Cooperation vs Competition
• Short-term vs Long-term Outlook
• Individual vs. Group Rewards
• Stability vs Innovative Perspective
• Cultural vs Cross-Culture Biases

Research Studies of Cultural Dimensions
• Hofstede's:
• Power Distance:
• Uncertainty Avoidance
• Individualism
• Masculinity
• Trompenaars':
• Universalism vs Particularism:
• Individualism vs Communitarianism (Collectivism)
• Neutral vs Emotional
• Specific vs Diffuse Space
• Achievement vs. Ascription
• Time-Base Activities: Sequential vs Synchronous
• The Environment

Culture and Management Leadership: The Globe Project---Nine Determinant Cultural Dimensions:
• Uncertainty Avoidance
• Power Distance
• Collectivism I (Group-Oriented)
• Collectivism II (Individual-Oriented)
• Gender Egalitarianism
• Assertiveness
• Future Orientation
• Performance Orientation
• Humane Orientation

Why are these topics important?

Class 12: Chapter 5

"The success you as a managerial leader attract into your life, and the life of your organization, will depend significantly upon the positive nature of your attitudes, thoughts, and feelings"

Management Leadership Across Cultures; Cross-Cultural Differences and Similarities; Building a Culturally-Focused Organization; and Success in Management Leadership Across Cultures

Strategic Management Across Cultures
• Predispositions:
• Ethnocentric:
• Polycentric:
• Regiocentric:
• Geocentric:

• Globalization Imperative: Worldwide Approach by many MNCs

Cross-Cultural Differences and Similarities
• Parochialism and Simplification
• Similarities and Differences across Cultures
• Examples of Differences in Selected Countries and Regions
• China
• Russia
• India
• France
• Brazil
• Japan
• Arab Countries
• Nordic Countries

Building a Culturally-Focused Organization
1. Set sights on the right targets
2. Treat customers the way they expect
3. Treat your people as valuable resources
4. Have the right kind of managerial leadership assistance as coaches to direct this process

Rules for Success in Managing Across Cultures
• Keep in mind that successful management must also include successful leadership
• Be sensitive for was to enhance management leadership perspectives and values
• Remember the freedom of choice, and the most important choice being your thoughts
• Be guided by a consistent set of values and operational principles
• Don't be overcome by cultural issues, and allow time to relax and reaffirm
• be disciplined and organized in fulfilling responsibilities, and use time productively
• have a plan (A) and contingency plans (B) and ( C) for key responsibilities
• be a creative and idea-oriented person, enhancing the store of knowledge
• Maintain a flexible and adaptive mind-set, aware of the needs for change
• Be knowledgable regarding responsibilities, but attuned to intuitive impulses
• Develop a network of contacts and constantly cultivate and nurture those contacts
• Respond in a positive and appropriate manner to opportunities available to your firm
• face the futures with positive expectations for what can be achieved by you and your firm
• be proactive---not reactive, consistent----not inconsistent, and decisive---not indecisive
• learn from your successes/mistakes, and from the successes/mistakes of others

Why are these topics important?

Class 13: Reading B

"Remember this guiding principle regarding crises: "It's not what happens in your personal and professional life, it's what you do about it that counts" Find purpose in adversity, and expect victory in your journey.

Characteristics for Success in Crises Management; Stages of a Crises; Cross-Cultural Crises Management at Toyota; and Major Dialogue Questions in the Toyota Case

Characteristics for Success in Crisis Management

• Unquestionable Integrity: without Integrity, nothing else counts
• Authenticity: Grappling, Sweating, Interacting, Encouraging, and Caring
• Perspective: Informed, Educated, Curious, Communicative, and Collaborative
• Positive Energy: Willingness to make tough decisions, and endurance to execute
• Self-Confidence and Humility: Based upon both knowledge and experience
• Resilience: Own failures, learn, regroup, and begin again with vigor and conviction
• Visionary: Ability to see ahead, and the ability to anticipate the unexpected
• Nurturer of Associates: Hire, network, develop, mentor, and utilize them effectively
• Execute Effectively and Timely: Keeping Commitments and completing plans

• Stages of a Crisis
1. Pre-Crisis Stage
2. Acute Crisis Stage
3. Chronic Crisis Stage
4. Crisis Resolution Stage

Cross-Cultural Crisis Management of Toyota
• What are some of the ways that cultural misunderstandings can occur between Japanese and Americans? (Also see Ch. 5)
• How are these differences mirrored in societal cultural values of Japanese and Americans?
• In what ways does the typical Japanese organizational culture compare to the American organizational culture with regard to management-employee relationships and employment practices?
• How did Toyota mirror these cultural differences?

Major Dialogue Questions in the Toyota Case
• How did the actual Toyota culture reflect the "Toyota Way 2001?"
• What were the primary cultural issues in this crisis situation?
• Regarding these issues, how would you characterize the pre-crisis internal culture characteristics of Toyota?
• What should the management leadership of Toyota have done differently to resolve this crisis?

Why are these topics important?
• People who can deal with crisis are the people whom people want to follow; people who will move up
• If you embrace these things in a positive manner, you will be more successful than the rest
• the sooner you adjust these "issues" you will achieve great outcomes