CROSS CULTURAL TRAININGIM CONSULTANTS

With you today:Ian HaskettMonica ChudyNjazi ZyberajCandice ClementsAmy GurneyShannon McCallam

IM Consultants• Who we are.We are IM Consultants Based in Bournemouth with twenty

years experience in cross cultural training. We cover Europe, China Japan and India.

• What we do.We offer bespoke cross cultural training packages. Designing

and delivering training seminars and consultancy programmes to corporate and public organisations.

We asses our clients needs through initial meetings and make detailed proposals based on the specific requirements identified

Overview of the assignment• Karen Jenkins, TOPSHOP• Brief profile / biography of the manager• Karen Jenkins has a background in Buying and procurement

for Marks and Spencers where she had an indirect link with the buyer for Malaysia and The Philippines. Four years ago she started working for Topshop as a senior buyer and has been promoted to Buying manager for the Japanese stores.

• Brief overview of the assignment• The new role is Buying Manager for the recently formed

franchises of Topshop in Japan.

Cross-Cultural Profiles: Japan & UKTime focus Japan:Japan: polychronic society; time is flexible and fluid, activities less structured; multi-tasking-tend to do many things at the same time; building a long-term relationship is a priority of most Japanese businessesUK:UK: monochronic society; time is inflexible, time is tangible, activities are structured and scheduled in a linear fashion; tend to do one thing at a time; control systems involving strict timetabling/deadlines

Power cultureJapan:Japan: high power distance; organisational structure is strict & hierarchical; everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy in a social or business situation; practice of lifetime employment

UK:UK: flatter and less bureaucratic approach; less adherence to hierarchy with more impact to get work done effectively and efficiently; ideas of ‘jobs for life’ overtaken by change in work patterns and prospects

Source: Browaeys & Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management ,1st Edition. Pearson education 2009

Polychronic

Hierarchy

FutureCollectivism

High-context

japan

UK

time focus

power

time orientationstructure

communication

Cross-Cultural Profiles: Japan & UK

Source: Browaeys & Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management ,1st Edition. Pearson education 2009

StructureJapan:Japan: Collectivistic culture-interests of the group prevails over individual; strong sense of belonging to a groupUKUK: High Individualistic culture- ‘I’ predominates over ‘We’; promotes individual goals, initiative and achievement

Communication Japan:Japan: high context culture; indirect and implicit messages; less written and formal information; much nonverbal communicationUK:UK: low context culture; direct, simple and clear messages; value straightforward, concise and efficient communication; more focus on verbal communication than body language

Time OrientationJapan:Japan: past and long-time future oriented; business engagements require long-term commitment and focus on long-term benefitsUK:UK: present and short-time future oriented; determined to achieve short-term goals and objectives rather than developing objectives in the long-term context or through long time cooperation

Polychronic

Hierarchy

FutureCollectivism

High-context

japan

UK

time focus

power

time orientationstructure

communication

Tasks & Challenges Facing the Buying manager in Japan

Buying Manager

Leadership & task distribution -Different leadership style -Communication (different language, unspoken communication) -Hierarchy organisational structure with strong emphasis on status (gender, age)-Little work/life balance

Recruitment & training-Recruiting process-People expect continued employment and training-Emphasis on group work and team building

Negotiations-In Japan could be lengthy process-Focus on long-term relationship -In High-context culture much of

information is implicit and indirect -’saving face’ is important

for the Japanese-Punctuality is very important

Performance management & compensations-Informal check of performance-Seniority-based pay-Fixed compensation packages -group reward rather individual

Institutional environment -Labour and other legislations - Unions & collective bargaining -Trade regulations -Healthcare system

Training Objectives

Short term objectives:• Awareness: expectations and realities of working overseas• Cultural understanding: behaviour patterns inside and outside the business

environment• Language skills: a basic working knowledget of business Japanese• Communication: effective conversation, meeting etiquette and negotiation skills

Long term objectives:• Outcome of assignment?

Proposed Training Program

Measuring Our Success

Source: Browaeys & Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management ,1st Edition. Pearson education 2009

Timings and Costs

Any questions?