Kelly’s Assignment In Japan

Please submit your work on time    

Major section (Please don't miss anyone)

Factual Summary of the case 

End of case questions responses ( answer all 3 questions)

Lessons learnt from the case

Overall commentary and reflections   

Subject  :  Case Study : Kelly’s assignment in Japan

Chapter 9  page 311-313

Solution

Date of Submission:

Subject: Case Study: An American Manager in an American Company

Chapter 3, Page no 110-112

Case Factual Summary

This case study explains the difference between the management approach of two different states that depict its culture and tradition. If the cultural pattern of the United States and Australia is considered, then it comes to realize that there is a lot of difference between the managerial and leadership approach. This case study majorly highlighted how the manager of different cultural work in diversified place and how he will manage the different hurdles and deficiencies which is faced in the state. In this case, a person who is an Australian manager worked in a multinational company named Global Oil Company, which operates in different other states. As we lived in Sydney, Australia, and he has to move towards Houston, the United States. He faced different difficulties like the people's attitude, their working style, dealing activities, and especially the hierarchical structure of an organization. As he worked for eight years in the Sydney office of Global Oil Company, whose headquarter is located in Houston, Texas. He got a chance to work in headquarter of Gold Oil Company when his boss encouraged him to apply for a Houston job and achieve the promotion opportunity.

This case study is based on what kind of experience he gets by working in a different cultural environment. When he was selected for a job in Houston, then he, with his family, shifted to the different states where he saw a clear difference in the culture and tradition of people in that state of the United States. Like the people tease the other new person only for amusement. There is a clear difference between the upper and lower-income levels. This thing is continuously teasing him because he belongs to that culture where there is not an autocratic leadership concept. In the GOC, he met with different people who have different cultures and personalities. In the first few weeks, all the things are normal, but with time, when he interacts with different people who belong to the upper, middle, and lower management and also with the working staff. He realized that there were some deficiencies in the communication strategies like there was a broad hierarchical structure that creates barriers ineffective communication.

He considered that most of the employees were talking informally within the same level communication and other informal meetings. But they hesitated to explore their suggestions and opinion to the upper management. Simply it was an autocratic leadership style which was prevailing in the Global Oil Company's headquarter where employees were not allowed to participate in the meeting of the board of directors actively. He tried his best to overcome this communication barrier between the upper and lower management, but unfortunately, people at that time did not show their interest in such informal communication. Like when he organized a gathering where all the management workers and the board of directors were invited, but the people did not show their interest and willingness towards such a meeting.

After this, he started an investigation on what was the major factor behind such behavioral and management approach. After critically analyzing the behavior of working management, he came to know that there is a broad hierarchal structure of GOC with an autocratic approach, which creates a hurdle in the effective communication approach. He met with the Houston boss, named Tom Sanchez, where he discussed that there was a need to make some changes in the hierarchical structure. But his boss told him that the staff members were reluctant to make such some changes in the management style. He also asked what kinds of changes Les would make in his working activities of the staff and management. Les was determinant at his point that if the democratic style adopted by the company, then employees' participation and loyalty towards the work would be enhanced, and a healthy workplace would generate.

Les conducted a meeting with the management and discussed his argument regarding the management approach and asked them their suggestions regarding the medium size of the company management structure. After one minute of silence, one of the senior managers explained his reason for resisting a change in the reporting procedure by highlighting the cost related issues that he was not opposing the improving the working condition, but he was not convinced by Les new method. After this, nobody shared its views regarding this management changing. The meeting was continued, and Les explained his list of changes that were charged with the making of such a democratic approach. In the end, he concluded that Houston owner, Tom Sanchez and his other predecessors had misinterpreted the resistance of staff towards changes. It was because they did not interact with the employees; there did not have a healthy and friendly relationship with the working staff, then how would they estimate what the people with the organization wanted. This factor badly affected the performance and productivity of an organization.

After a week later, when he held a meeting with Bill Crosby, who was another senior manager, where he shared his views regarding the marketing plan. He explained that junior managers must also be allowed to participate in the meeting where their views regarding the marketing strategies were equally discussed actively. After this, more effective marketing plans will be generated in the organization. Bill hesitated at this concept that each participation level is given to every person. He had a perception that employees will not ready to make such changes in the management. He suggested him to observe the behavior of employees for some days and then made a firm decision that either it is a good decision to make a democratic leadership or not. Les, when considering the behavior of the employees, he concluded there was a need for the brainstorming of the employees who considered this an irrelevant management approach.

It was because, at that time, a large number of employees did not show their interest to explore their involvement in the change of leadership style. Then he decided to change the psychology of the employees and manager by creating a collaborative environment in the workplace. He made an outline where he mentions different standards of effective management styles, approaches, and training and awareness sessions to the existing workers. But in all this case, he was disappointed by the mismanagement of American organization culture where there are a large hierarchal structure and bad communication channel within the organization.

He conducted a meeting with five people, where he discussed different points of effective management style. He majorly emphasized on creating a good brainstorming project within the people of an organization. It was because he believed in the democratic leadership style with a simple hierarchy, would positively impact the confidence level of the employees in an organization. But he misconducts the difference between the American and Australian cultures. That was the major reason that he could not adjust to the culture of the American organization. His vision of doing things was different from American Culture. Due to this factor, the owner of the company was allowed to go on vacation and his own desired.

The above case study is informative regarding the influence of a diversified culture on the behavioral pattern of an individual. As the company is the same in both the countries, but it has a different cultural and social impact that diversified its operating activities. Like in Sydney, there is a culture of democratic leadership with an effective communication channel, while on the other hand in Houston headquarter, there is a completely a different culture and moral values of an organization in which there are an autocratic leadership and bad communication between the upper and lower-level employees. This is the major factor of difference between both Human Resources Department Strategies that reflect their social and behavioral pattern. This case study explores the exact figure of the cultural difference between Australian and American culture.  

Response to the case question

Question 1:

Comparison between the cultural characteristics of Australia and the United States based on Greet Hofstede's theory:

Answer 1

In this case study of "An Australian Manager in an American Company," there is a clear description of how a person who belongs to a specific culture adjust in a different culture. According to Hofstede's cultural dimension theory, there is a direct impact of society's culture on the member's value, and these values are related to behavior. The above case study is a clear reminder of Greet Hofstede's theory of cultural dimension that explores the major differences in the culture of two different developed countries. There was a concept of Power Distance in the American Company in which Lens tried his best to overcome the difference between their management and operating activities and create a friendly environment in the workplace, but the people of different cultures did not show their interest in such organizational changing. When the comparison between American and Australian culture is considered that it comes to realize that there is a high strategic behavior in Australian managers like they make long-term decisions. There is a higher rank of effective communication and persuasion that is shown in the behavior of Lens in the above case study. On the other side, American managers are majorly focused on co-operation factors within the organization and believed in the higher authority concept in the organization. Australian culture, based on democratic leadership and American culture, believed in autocratic leadership.

Both are the developed state who believed in different norms, values, and traditions. Australian use humor as a self-deprecating and American value the showmanship, but both the cultural value the slick presentation and professional. Australian management based on creating a long term and loyal relationship, while on the other hand, American culture makes less focus on the business relationship. Australian have a preserve and dry sense of humor in their operating activities, but on the other hand, American culture is based on irony and explicit form of communication style. There is also a language difference between both Australian and American culture. The working style of Australian culture is based on the typical relaxed culture, they have an attitude to say OK at the end of each deal, But on the other end, American culture majorly based on the time and its related money factor and the people are judged based on their output. There is an outwards looking in Australian companies as compared to the American Company. According to the Australian management, there is a bad concept of criticizing anybody in the competition; there is a concept of fair play in the organization. While on the other hand, American culture is majorly based on the competition and revenge factor that contradict the Australian sense of leadership. As far as the organization structure is concerned, there is a flat structure in the American companies, and the upper management makes most of the decisions. While in Australia, there is a democratic style of leadership where the concept makes most of the decisions of consensus. This case study majorly emphasized the major factors that differentiate the working style and nature of both developed countries.

According to the above case study, there is a perception of Les Collin's regarding the management style of American Company that there is a lack of success factor in Houston management activities as there is a different style of management and leadership, which varies on a country to country basis. Like if any American manager goes to the Australian country, then he will consider their culture as an inappropriate one. But in the global perspective, the Australian culture of effective communication with the democratic approach is one of the effective and attractive cultures to attract a large number of employees at the same time. It is because that it majorly highlight the important rights of employees in an organization who is its asset and, most importantly, a stakeholder, so it must be a priority of a company to create a healthy and friendly environment in the workplace. After this, the employees become loyal to the company's management, and the productivity of an organization will become enhanced. 

Question 2:

Outline the action plan of the GOC to prepare the executives:

Answer 2

Les Collins was working in Global Oil Company for eight years, where he majorly deals with the Human Resource Management related issues in an organization. As he needs promotion in the Sydney franchise of this company, so there is a need to get two years of working experience in the headquarter of this company, which was located in Houston, United States. The Global Oil Company operated in different countries, so it had a different organizational culture based on the country's social, political, economic, and cultural values. In that case, whenever the employee of one country when transfer to another country, then it will be quite challenging for him to adopt the cultural differences in the new state for a particular period. Les faced a similar situation in the Houston brand of GOC, where he saw a different employee who followed different values and traditions.

Global Oil Company appointed Les to find out what are the major deficiency in the working activities of the employees in Houston Company. As clear that there is a major variation of cultural approach between the two states, and it will be a tough decision in front of Les to convince the upper management to change their management strategies. This was an international assignment in front of him to handle the diverse workplace with his intelligence and leadership skills. There was also a family influence on Les's performance that he was bounded to shift to another country to become an executive of an organization. The company should have to inform Les regarding the culture of Houston Company.

Les, with his team members in Houston Company, outlined the five action plans regarding creating the brainstorming session in the workplace. In the headquarter of GOC, there was a little bit of concept of the meeting where all the important points discussed with people. Most of the time, a meeting occurred among the upper management, and due to the large hierarchal structure, it becomes difficult to transfer the exact information effectively. So the GOC should focus on the regular meeting pattern, either formal or informal, within the organization where all the employees can easily communicate with one another on the same page and derived an effective outcome.

Question 3:

Write down the opinion regarding the difference between managers and their direct report in the United States companies and what re their management styles that impact the organization?

Answer 3

The case study is informative for the management point of view on how a person will behave in a different culture. There is a clear difference between the Australian and American management systems. After evaluating and analyzing the critical aspects of the United State Company's culture, it is concluded that there is an autocratic leadership style prevailing in this state. I believe that autocratic leadership is not effectively work in the modern world. The reason is that the distance will create between the upper and lower management. After reading this case study, I come to realize that there is an improper and complicated organizational structure where one person is at the above level over another one. The upper management does not want to involve the lower management in the decision making process. I think that there is a mindset generate among the Americans that the servant should obey the powerful person. There is not a friendly environment in the workplace that directly impact the employee's loyalty towards the company.

Due to the huge difference between the manager and the working employees, then there will be contradicted between the perceptions of both individuals. Like in the above Case, Tom considered that employees would be reluctant to adopt some changes, but the reality was different. It was because there was a clear difference between the perception level of both sectors that made contradict in effective decision making. So, I believe that the Global Oil Company has to work on the management approach like they have to make some feasible strategies to attract a large number of employees. The company should have to take such steps to remove the autocratic leadership style in the workplace.

It is because that this autocratic leadership badly impacts the confidence level of employees, their sense of belongingness, and the company's reputation in the society. This type of management leadership negatively impacts the motivated and highly skillful employees within the organization. There will be a lack of creativity and productivity in an organization. Such type of leadership will be unable to handle a large number of diversified employees at the same time. Autocratic leadership leads to an unwelcome culture of an organization where there is a lack of accountability in the management structure.

It leads to a lack of interest, high dependence on a leader, bad communication channel, bad decision-making process, and results in a joyless experience for team members. This type of management ignores the skills of competent workers within the organization and increase the working burden on the leader. In short, there is not a professional approach in this autocratic leadership where there is not an independence based concept within the organization. Only one-way communication occurs that creates indirect hurdles in the achievement of organizational goals. So, this type of leadership should be reduced in the United States Companies.

Lesson learned from the case

The lesson that I learned from this case study is very important for a manager who wants to enhance his productivity level in an organization. This case study enhances my knowledge regarding the importance of effective communication within the organization. I learn regarding the cultural differences of both American and Australian culture of an organization. I learn a lot regarding how the management effectively works in a diversified place. The strategies which made by Les in this case study helps a lot to understand what is the professional approach to overcome any adverse situation in the workplace. I believe that democratic leadership is one of the effective leadership which motivates and indulged all the diversified employees in one place and increases the productivity of an organization.

This case also explores the impact of the social and culture of a country on the company's management and operating activities. Just like in Global Oil Company, whose headquarter having any autocratic leadership which was located in the United States. While in its Sydney franchise, there was a democratic leadership approach due to social influence. But overall, the Democratic leadership is a more attractive and effective style of management as compared to autocratic leadership. I also learned a lot regarding how the complex organizational structure badly impacts the transfer of information from one place to another place. It is because, if there is a complex hierarchy, then it will become difficult for the management to coordinate with the working employees. The time, money, and productivity are sacrificed due to this factor.

This case is informative for the upcoming business graduates to understand which type of management approach is more effective in the current and future era. It explores the importance of effective communication in the form of meetings. This paper enhanced my knowledge regarding American and Australian culture and their society's concept. It also tells us how to behave in a diversified place with effective management skills in the workplace.

Overall Commentary and reflection

After reading and critically analyzing the case study, it is not surprising that the lack of cultural knowledge like norms, values, and language of the host country then it will become difficult in front of a person to adjust in the local culture which is the major cause of the expatriate failure. A major reason for the Les failure factor in his foreign assignment is based on the lack of awareness regarding the company's management style and policies. Headquarter of GOC did not have a proper management structure that creates a major hurdle in the effective decision making of an organization.

My overall concept of this case study is to provide essential information to the company's management to consider the importance of employees in organizational development. Lack of effective information regarding the employee's perception badly impacts the performance of an organization.

In conclusion, there is a quote of Karl Marx on the democratic leader, the production in the useful thing in too many useful people, every person in society have an equal right to participate in the society. There is not a concept of master and servant in a society. This concept relates to the democratic leadership of an organization that each working employee is having equal rights and contributions to the decision-making process

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