International Management 8th Edition by Fred Luthans,Jonathan Doh

Exercise 2

Using Gung Ho to Understand Cultural Differences
Background
There is no avoiding the increasing globalization of management.Few, if any, current students of business can expect to pursue a successful career without some encounter of an international nature.Gaining early and realistic exposure to the challenges of cross-cultural dynamics will greatly aid any student of business.
The Pacific Rim will continue to play a dominant role in North American transnational organization and global markets.The opening doors to China offer an unprecedented market opportunity.Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan continue to be unsung partners in mutually beneficial trading relationships.And, of course, Japan will always be a dominant player in the international arena.
An important aspect of cross-cultural awareness is understanding actual differences in interpersonal style and cultural expectations, and separating this from incorrect assumptions.Many embellished stereotypes have flourished as we extend our focus and attention abroad.Unfortunately, many of these myths have become quite pervasive, in spite of their lack of foundation.Thus, North American managers frequently and confidently err in their cross-cultural interactions.This may be particularly common in our interactions with the Japanese.For example, lifetime employment has long been touted as exemplifying the superior practices of Japanese management.In reality, only one-third of Japanese male employees enjoy this benefit, and in 1993, many Japanese firms actually laid off workers for the first time.Also, Japan is promoted as a collectivist culture founded on consensus, teamwork, and employee involvement.Yet Japan is at the same time one of the most competitive societies, especially when reviewing how students are selected for educational and occupational placement.
Films can provide an entertaining yet potent medium for studying such complex issues.Such experiential learning is most effective when realistic and identifiable with one's own likely experiences.Case studies can be too sterile.Role plays tend to be contrived and void of depth.Both lack a sense of background to help one "buy into" the situation.Films, on the other hand, can promote a rich and familiar presentation that promotes personal involvement.This exercise seeks to capitalize on this phenomenon to explore cross-cultural demands.
Procedure
Step I (110 minutes) Watch the film Gung Ho.(This film can be obtained at any video store.)
Step II (30 minutes) Use one of the following four formats to address the discussion topics.
Option A Address each issue in an open class forum.This option is particularly appropriate for moderate class sizes (40 students) or for sections that do not normally engage in group work.
Option B Divide the class into groups of four to seven to discuss the assigned topics.This is a better approach for larger classes (60 or more students).This approach might also be used to assign the exercise as an extracurricular activity if scheduled class time is too brief.
Option C Assign one group to adopt the American perspective and another group to take the Japanese perspective.Using a confrontation meeting approach, have each side describe its perceptions and expected difficulties in collaborating with the other.Then, have the two sides break into small mixed groups to discuss methods to bridge the gap (or avoid its extreme escalation as portrayed in the film).Ideas should extend beyond those cited in the movie.Present these separate discussions to the class as a whole.
Option D Assign students to groups of four to seven to watch the film and write a six-page analysis addressing one or more of the discussion topics.
The concepts of multiculturalism and diversity are emerging issues in modern management environments.The importance of recognizing and responding to racial, ethnic, and other demographic factors has been widely debated in the popular press.What does Gung Ho offer to the discussion (both within and across the two groups)? How does each culture respond to different races, genders, and cultures?