Cultural Considerations

One sees a great many differences betweennot as significant as was first observed, as a result of
Japanese and Americans in not only the approach tosome cultural shifting over the last ten or fifteen years.
leading and managing in the work environment directlyThe Japanese at first did not seem interested in hiring
but in the approach to business as a process. TheseWestern managers for the plants they were relocating
differences are underscored in the approach to cellto Western nations. They wanted basically to utilize
manufacturing. In the Japanese model, the workers areWestern workers under Japanese management. They
involved in the cell operation and in producing thehadn't considered the cultural differences between
highest-quality product possible. They are expected toJapanese workers and Western workers. This had
get it right the first time, but they are not expected tosome unusual and obviously unintended outcomes.
address (and culturally would not think to address) theWorkers who had once felt free to argue with
way business decisions are made concerning themanagers about process were now rebuffed, and
company vision or how the company is organized anddidn't respect their new managers. After some time,
run. They would not make any suggestions regardingthe Japanese did add some leaders, supervisors, and
human resources operations.low-level managers, with shadow Japanese managers.
American workers have a distinctly differentTheir approach evolved to the point where they have
experience. The American worker feels very free toplants with local leaders who report to their Japanese
ask questions about how the company is being run, tocorporate leadership.
suggest improvements in the company vision, and toBut does this mean the continuous improvement
speak out on the quality of management. This lasttheory is discredited? Does it mean that the well
thought is particularly interesting, as it addresses theestablished kaizen theory is being re-examined? No
core difference between Westerners (epitomized bymore than any management theory is discredited.
Americans), and Easterners (epitomized by theRather, quality management is being re-examined all
Japanese). It is the democratic nature of Westerners inthe time. All theories go through periods of fad-like
general, and Americans in particular, considered againstpopularity, and all reach a point of reexamination.
the Confucianism culture of Asians in general, and forAcademicians and business managers will constantly
this argument, the Japanese, that marks the dividing linewant to determine whether there is a better way to
for this whole argument.get the best quality and the right product the first time,
To take note of a current development, thewith the least effort and resource requirements.
performance of the Japanese in the internationalThere are certainly different approaches in how to
business community is troubled by the changingmanufacture a product, and how to lead workers to
demographics of the Japanese population, and it ismanufacture that product. But ultimately, the goal is to
evident that similar social ills are now troubling theget the highest-quality product with the least effort.
American economy. The aging population, troubled realThe Japanese are culturally different from the
estate market, and a weakened banking program areAmericans, as both are coming to recognize. They are
very disconcerting issues for the professional andfiguring out how to get to the crucial end result in spite
academic community.of those differences. The monitoring processes they
Is there a measurable problem with the methods inwill use will have some similarities to their
general due to the cultural differences? The problem ispredecessors, but they will grow and evolve as well.