Management and Culture Diversity

According to the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, management is the

act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business,
department, sports team, etc. It is the art of managing: the
conducting or supervising of something.
As we may know, not every culture has the same approach on
management strategies. A few famous cultures famous by their
unique approach are the Japanese, the Americans and the
Europeans.
But we all agree that there are some basic steps in order to do a
good management. These include:

All policies and strategies must be discussed with all

managerial personnel and staff.
Managers must understand where and how they can
implement their policies and strategies.
A plan of action must be devised for each department.
Policies and strategies must be reviewed regularly.
Contingency plans must be devised in case the environment
changes.
Top-level managers should carry out regular progress
assessments.
The business requires team spirit and a good environment.
The missions, objectives, strengths and weaknesses of each
department must be analysed to determine their roles in
achieving the business's mission.
The forecasting method develops a reliable picture of the
business's future environment.
A planning unit must be created to ensure that all plans are
consistent and that policies and strategies are aimed at
achieving the same mission and objectives.
All policies must be discussed with all managerial personnel
and staff that is required in the execution of any departmental
policy.

We can sure notice that there is a difference between how some

Eastern societies manage their bussiness versus how Western
societies do so.
We can start talking about the Chinese style of management Angela

Some of the differences between the American management style

and the Chinse style are:

In the west, the ideal boss is a "resourceful democrat". He sets

the vision and strategy for the business but empowers
subordinates to execute. He encourages two-way
communication with his employees and allows bottom-up
input in decision-making.
In China, the ideal boss is a "benevolent father". He is like a
parent (a Chinese parent, by the way) who supervises his
children on everything that need to be done. He believes in
discipline and attention to details and manages his people at a
micro level. He also spends lots of time caring for the personal
welfare of his employees and regards it as part of his job.

In order to create a productive partnership, both China and the U.S.

must co-adapt to each other. For global organizations expanding to
the other country, managing local talents often require creative
solutions. What motivates Chinese employees is not always the
same as what motivates U.S. employees. There are also
generational differences, for example - something that the Chinese
managers also struggle to cope with as the younger generation
adopts more western values. For most Chinese companies that are
in the U.S., the art of managing a multicultural employee base is still
largely elusive. Trial and error will help, but realizing its importance
and setting a strategy to purposefully managing it is the more sure
way to yield results in successful global business.
The Japanese style - Yoira

Service to the public by providing high-quality goods and

services at reasonable prices, we contribute to the publics
well-being;
Fairness and honesty we will be fair and honest in all our
business dealings and personal conduct;
Teamwork for the common cause we will pool abilities, based
on manual trust and respect;
Uniting effort for improvement we will constantly strive to
improve our corporate and personal performances;
Courtesy and humility we will always be cordial and modest
and respect the rights and needs of others;

Accordance with natural laws we will abide by the laws of

nature and adjust to the ever-changing conditions around us;
and
Gratitude for blessings we will always be grateful for all the
blessings and kindness we have received.

Differences between the American and Japanese style

The Japanese work ethic has its roots in Confucianism, with an
emphasis on respect for work, discipline, and the ability to follow
orders. Loyalty to the organization or group is imbedded in Japanese
promotion policies. Corporate members expect promotion based on
seniority, rather
than individual merit, as in the United States. On the other hand,
American managers value
personal accomplishment for recognition and individual identity.
American managers are also high in individualism, goal attainment,
and future orientation.
Japanese management examines the big picture and long term
when decision making. In contrast, American businesses make quick
decisions for immediate resolution or rapid return on investment.
The long term view means Japanese firms are more likely to frame
decisions in relation to company goals and strategy. The Japanese
decision-making process is designed to avoid uncertainty, which is
considered a threat to group cohesiveness. Thus, its purpose is to
manage continuity.
The American style - Gabriel
American management style can be described as individualistic in
approach, in so far as managers are accountable for the decisions
made within their areas of responsibility. Although important
decisions might be discussed in open forum, the ultimate
responsibility for the consequences of the decision lies with the boss
support or seeming consensus will evaporate when things go
wrong. The up side of this accountability is, of course, the American
dream that outstanding success will inevitably bring outstanding
rewards.
Therefore, American managers are more likely to disregard the
opinions of subordinates than managers in other, more consensus or
compromise- oriented cultures. This can obviously lead to
frustrations, which can sometimes seem to boil over in meeting
situations. (See 'Approach to meetings' below.)
Titles can be very confusing within American organisations with a
bewildering array of enormously important-sounding job descriptors

on offer (Executive Vice-President etc.). Titles, in any case, tend to

be a poor reflection of the relative importance of an individual within
a company. Importance is linked to power, which could be
determined by a number of factors such as head-count
responsibility, profitability of sector or strategic importance to the
organisation at that point in time.
A distinction is often made between management style (around
organisation and process) and leadership style (more strategic and
inspirational.) Great leadership is expected at the top of an
organisation ratrher than competent management but it can be
difficult to define what 'great leadership' actually is.

European management style