Japanese management – is it possible in Western culture

1. Japanese management – is it possible in Western culture Daiga Plokšta Darja Panova Anna Strēlniece Adrian Specker Ieva Krasovska Caterina De Stefani Gatis Sjanīts

2. Japan • Japan • remarkable country; • interesting history; • wonderful nature; • unique culture • Japan’s management models, principles and business approaches influence management theories and business operations in Western cultures.

3. Facts, which influenced development of Japanese management End of Japan’s Isolating policy Confucianism • family spirit • spirit of harmony • collectivism • respect of superior • importance of relationships, goodness, • good manners • trust • increased unity of Japanese people Japan is open to Western world Industrialization

4. Japanese management style WORK-ORIENTED AREA PEOPLE-ORIENTED AREA Production and engineering functions Human resources management

5. PEOPLE-ORIENTED AREA • Long-term horizon VS. short term horizon • key-role of the human resources - fresh graduates, lifetime employment, seniority wage system - hiring and promotion based on the basis of anticipated future needs VS. current needs • human oriented VS. system oriented • “groupthink”mentality

6. Japanese management philosophy: traditional family values to group settings • Contracts expression of willingness VS. specific set of promises and limitations • Japanese management philosophy -> ownership structure • Companyism VS. Capitalism • Continuously improving products, kaizen method VS. developing innovative new products

7. Work oriented area -the Just in Time production system -subcontracting and quality control -Producing and dispatching

8. Japanese management philosophy • A cost effective system for integrating the continuous quality improvement efforts of people at all levels in the organization to deliver products and services which ensure consumer satisfaction

9. Goal of Total Quality Management • produce and serve the quality the customers need in a most economic manner Critic: more stress for the workers due to „Just in Time“

10. Meetings • For Japanese - a forum of information exchange where everyone is updated on necessary issues; • For British managers - debates and decision taking during the time of a meeting. • A meeting seen by Japanese: ‘British tryto get some sort of a result out of a meeting rather than have a common knowledge and reach a similar level of understanding before decision making’ (Wingrove: 44). • A meeting seen by British: ‘ The role of the meeting is quite different. Meetings are not there to decide policy; they are there for information to be passed amongst managers. Decision making during a meeting is very rare and they are awful at running meetings. There is no chair’ (Wingrove: 44).

11. Language • Japanese have a tendency to issue orders rather than ask, "Please, would you mind doing such and such" • The British are much more outspoken and direct which can cause offence to the Japanese who perceive it to be a rudeness. • Some misunderstandings occur because the Japanese avoidspeaking directly about themselves

12. Decision making • The British finds the decision- making process slow because so many people needed to be involved or informed, Japanese system is found inflexible and unable to work effectively in fast moving environments. • The classic Japanese practice of agreement management is not really democratic participation in the decision making, but rather the gathering of ideas and views of all people involved in the issue.

13. Managing others • A fundamental difference in the role of the managerin both cultures. • British – a manager should be further along the spectrum of being a leader and decision maker, it doesn't dabble in details, trusts staff to get on with their jobs. • Japanese - the co-ordinator, the one who knows all the details of the subordinates' work and loyally follows all instructions.

14. The Japanese do not associate the specific tasks of the manager with either his title or his salary; • Promotions occur once a year; • Japanese have difficulty to understand the British desire to match job with salary and title; • Japanese managers commonly involve themselves in the detail of subordinates' work which demotivates local staff;

15. The Japanese exhibit a strong commitment to training; • The Japanese are extremely motivated people in their work and expect local staff to do the same; • Locals believe of greater opportunities for self-development in a Japanese company • British believethat Japanese bosses were very uncomfortable with the annual review and appraisal system expected in the UK as the Japanese do not like to discuss money, nor do they find it easy to give direct explicit feedback on performance.

16. Conclusions • The Japanese and Western management are very different • The Japanese cherish their ethnical values and implement them when business • The main goal of Japanese is to work efficiently in one team, to trust each other, to contribute in company's history

17. Conclusions • Europeans prefer individual type of work, they try to develop themselves, their professional level • The main goal of a Western company is gaining profit and keep up with the economical growth • In spite of the vast differences between these cultures, Japanese management is very welcome in Western countries

18. Conclusions • The work relations between Japanese management and Western management are carried out with the help of multinational company creation • Nissan and Toyota in the UK. Japanese subsidiaries increased productivity and quality

19. Discussion • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sllusobfs9w • “Ocha-kumi” – women are expected to serve tea, coffee or water to their male colleagues • A tradition since the World War 2 • The women feel discriminated • Their efficiency is not high enough

20. References • Wingrove, T. (1995) Japanese management style in Europe and how to work with it. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 2 (2): 42-48. • - Particularities of Japanese Management, Kristina LAZARIDI, Journal of Business, 1(2):29-34,2012 ISSN:2233-369X • - Japanese Management, R. Anthony Inman and David A. Victor • - Japanese-style versus American-style Human Resource Management Overseas: Examining Whether the Data Support the “Facts”, Schon Beechler, Michelle Najjar, Kristen Stucker & Allan Bird, Working Paper No. 105 • - JAPANESE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: INSPIRATIONS FROM ABROAD AND CURRENT TRENDS OF CHANGE, Markus Pudelko and Anne-Wil Harzing • - Management Practices in the United States, Japan, and the People's Republic of China, Heinz Weihrich • - Mission-Driven Organizations in Japan: Management Philosophy and Individual Outcomes, Yingyan Wang. Journal of Business Ethics • - Japanese and American Management: A Contrast of Styles, Management world, CM article by and for CMS

21. Thank you for your attention!