05-04-2010, 01:05 AM
Cultural differences
Culturally speaking west believes more on working and achieving goals individually.
They feel proud and happy for their achievements independently.
Mr. Ahmad is working as a “Manager” in a Multinational Software development
Company “Softronix” in USA. He uses to distribute all the tasks amongst the employees
individually. Everyone was happy to work for the goals attainment of the organization
and personal fulfillments. The organization was one of the leading profit generators in
USA. All the employees were happy working with the organization under Mr. Ahmad’s
supervision.
With this mind set and experience of USA, he was transferred to Japan, where emphasis
is given to working collectively. Collectivism is the main feature of eastern culture. Mr.
Ahmad adopted the same strategy in Japan and distributed the tasks individually. It was
the point where problems begin to create for the company. Gradually the productivity of
the employees decreased, resulting in low profits and difficulties in achieving the goals
effectively and efficiently. The employees were dissatisfied with the job and gradually
turnover increased.
The top management of “Softronix” decided to find out the causes of bad performance
despite of being a successful manager in USA.
Q.1: As CEO of the “Softronix” what reasons do you see for the poor performance in
Japan? (10)
Q.2: Keeping in view the GLOBE framework for assessing the cultures, what other
considerations should Mr. Ahmad look at in order to assess the two totally different
cultures? (10)
Culturally speaking west believes more on working and achieving goals individually.
They feel proud and happy for their achievements independently.
Mr. Ahmad is working as a “Manager” in a Multinational Software development
Company “Softronix” in USA. He uses to distribute all the tasks amongst the employees
individually. Everyone was happy to work for the goals attainment of the organization
and personal fulfillments. The organization was one of the leading profit generators in
USA. All the employees were happy working with the organization under Mr. Ahmad’s
supervision.
With this mind set and experience of USA, he was transferred to Japan, where emphasis
is given to working collectively. Collectivism is the main feature of eastern culture. Mr.
Ahmad adopted the same strategy in Japan and distributed the tasks individually. It was
the point where problems begin to create for the company. Gradually the productivity of
the employees decreased, resulting in low profits and difficulties in achieving the goals
effectively and efficiently. The employees were dissatisfied with the job and gradually
turnover increased.
The top management of “Softronix” decided to find out the causes of bad performance
despite of being a successful manager in USA.
Q.1: As CEO of the “Softronix” what reasons do you see for the poor performance in
Japan? (10)
Q.2: Keeping in view the GLOBE framework for assessing the cultures, what other
considerations should Mr. Ahmad look at in order to assess the two totally different
cultures? (10)