ABSTRACT
Now imagine that you’re an American, working in the United States for a Japaneseowned subsidiary, and your immediate supervisor is Japanese. What issues might that present for you in terms of performance appraisals or promotions? Or how about the reverse? What kinds of challenges and difficulties do you think a Japanese supervisor would run into with American subordinates? What kinds of struggles do global companies face as they try to blend their (successful) home cultures with local ones? These issues are something that multinational firms struggle with, and increasingly so as they seek more revenue from abroad.3 Think about these issues as you read this chapter. You’ll be learning a great deal about cultural values and some of their managerial implications. Then take a look at “Up to the Challenge?” at the end of this chapter for some insights into the difficulties that can arise when American and Japanese people work together and how to bridge those differences.4
