When East meets West (management problems)

The problems that arise when US engineers work for Japanese companies are examined. The problems stem from the need to reconcile two radically different styles of communication and decision-making. Many communication problems are due to the vagueness of the Japanese languages, but some are the result of cultural differences; for example, a Japanese manager will expect many things to be tacitly understood that are not understood by the US engineer. Even more frustrating than the language barrier is the decision-making process, which for the Japanese is a consensus-building process. The legal climate in the US also has an impact, inhibiting the Japanese style of decision-making by limited information-sharing. Further friction arises over feedback. Americans expect praise for work well done whereas, for a Japanese, a good job is expected and a manager only discusses unsatisfactory work. Discrimination and the feeling that working for a Japanese company is disloyal to the US also create problems.<>