HR6055 Managing and Organising Across Cultures

This study has some limitations that should be considered in future research. First, organizational cultures influence intercultural interactions (Hamada, 1989) and should be examined in future research. Second, the Japanese perspective should be examined in future studies. For example, some of the alleged information filtering  be explained by Japanese managers’ ignorance or their perception of the information as irrelevant to expatriates. Japanese managers were interviewed in the beginning of the research project, but these interviews were terminated owing to a lack of transparency. Scholars have discussed the problem of Western researchers’ ability to gain valid data through interviews in East Asia (Vallaster, 2000). Alternatively, local managers could have been concerned that the interviewer would make interviews available to expatriates. Redding (1990), after realizing that ‘‘reliable’’ data could not be obtained through conventional methods in China, collected data through interactive dialogues in a group setting after dinner and drinks. A similar approach can be used in Japan. Some of the problems can also be solved with combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

In future conceptualizations and research, a further integration of cultural anthropology, cross-cultural psychology, intercultural communication, and sociolinguistics literature could provide a more comprehensive account of the various challenges encountered by expatriates in foreign subsidiaries. In addition to existing qualitative studies (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1997, 1999; Neal, 1998; San Antonio, 1987; Wright et al., 2001), quantitative methodology could also be used to examine the specific role of language on issues, such as social categorization, in international subsidiaries.

Please answer both parts (a and b) of the following question:

a)Applying your knowledge of relevant theory and with reference to examples in the case study, explore the concepts of “in group” and “out group” orientation. (70%)

b)Identify some of ways in which the Nordic expatriates in Peltokorpi’s (2007) study sought to mitigate the effects of “in group” and “out group” orientation. (30%)

Vertical collectivism refers to perceiving the self as a part (or an aspect) of a collective and accepting inequalities within the collective (Triandis, 1995). In-groups refers to groups of individuals about whose welfare one is concerned, with whom one is willing to cooperate without demanding equitable returns, and separation from which leads to anxiety. Out-groups refers to groups of individuals with which one has something to divide, perhaps unequally, or which are harmful in some way; groups that disagree on valued attributions; or groups with which one is in conflict (Triandis, 1995).

Interview guide

(1) May I have your name, age, and position in this subsidiary? How long you have been working and living in Japan? Can you speak Japanese? How many people are working in this subsidiary?

(2) Could you describe some cultural and communication particulars of Japanese employees in your subsidiary?

(3) What is it like to work with Japanese?

(4) Please describe your interactions with local employees and managers as well as between local employees and local managers. What cultural, communication, and linguistic challenges do you face in working with local employees?

(5) Who are the most important people to you in terms of information flow?

(6) How do you cope with the problems initiated by cultural, communication, and language differences?

(7) How have these strategies worked?

(8) What kind of advice would you give to expatriates working in Japan?