Managing across borders - Essay Example

? Managing Across Borders Introduction Kelly and her family are clearly being affected by the cross-cultural differences between themselves and the Japanese people. The family of Kelly is having a difficulty to adapt to the new environment thus, finding it hard to live in Japan. In addition, Kelly and her family have very little information concerning the area and thus, they keep on doing things in the American style thus, they end up having a hard time to survive with the Japanese. Kelly experiences a hard time at work due to the fact that she is a female while the Japanese are used to being led by males. Thus, gender discrimination is also a major issue in Kelly’s case. Clashes in culture customs Kelly’s case presents to us a number of clashes between the American culture and the Japanese culture. This is because; the Japanese culture is very different from the American culture and the two are characterized by different ways of handling issues (Baidya & Westline Media (Firm), 2009, 50). Kelly has worked in London and Boston as a female and yet, there was no one who thought it being funny or weird for a woman to be a boss. However, in Japan she has a hard time since; the Japanese employees expected that the boss would be a man as opposed to a woman. Thus, there exists a clash in cultures since, according to the Japanese culture, it is men that should lead the women while, according to the American culture, women can also lead the men. According to the cross-cultural management theory formulated by Fons Trompenaars, cross cultural differences at work between employees can be solved can by communication (Van Mol, 2005, 31). Kelly experiences difficulties at work due to lack of fluent communication between her and the Japanese people. Therefore, she has to seek advice from Peter, her assistant, each time she experiences difficulties. However, had there been fluent and perfect communication between Kelly and the Japanese employees, the former would be aware of what to do each time when working with them. In addition, the Japanese employees are also finding it difficult to adapt to the fact that their new boss is a female. Hence, they end up having trouble in doing their work. According to the cross-cultural management theory, cross-cultural differences can also be eliminated through accepting and respecting them. Kelly’s husband Joe is experiencing a hard time in Japan because he has not yet accepted the fact that Japan is different from America. For instance, he finds it hard to adapt to the Japanese meals and keeps on complaining to her wife. Joe’s expectations were that; they would have a new experience in Japan, full of new experiences. Contrary to his expectations, Japan has turned out to be a very expensive country to live in, with a lot of difficulty in finding a new job. The family also had expectations that the expensive apartment would be big and spacious to fit all their possessions. Contrary to their expectations, the house has turned out to be very small and tiny, with no back yard for the children to play (Sanger, Intercultural Press & Bull Worldwide Information Systems 1990). Kelly’s stage of culture shock The first stage of culture shock is usually Jet-Lag and Wonder (Tabak, 2007, 1). This stage is also referred to as the honeymoon phase, where an individual gets excited by the new experiences about food, culture and language (Munan, 2008, 33). Kelly’s family went through this stage at first when they arrived in Tokyo tired but very excited. At this time, all they could see was the beauty of Japan in spring and were just making plans to spend their weekend sightseeing and travelling around. The second stage of culture shock is frustration (Tabak, 2007, 1). This is a period during which a person gets to experience the hardship of living in a new country (Ellis, 2001, 34). The individual finds it difficult to understand the new language used and gets laughed at when he or she makes mistakes while communicating. The usual response at this stage is normally anger and frustration. Kelly’s family also goes through this stage when each individual in the family is frustrated and annoyed by the way Japanese do their things differently. The kids feel depressed by the fact that they cannot understand Japanese programs, and that the school is filled by Japanese children who do not speak English. Furthermore, they also feel bewildered and perplexed by the new customs at school and the different foods at lunch. Kelly is also frustrated by the way her Japanese employees treat her differently and almost laugh at her when she is speaking to them. The potential Japanese clients fail to give her company the contract due to the fact that she is a woman, and that she handles things in a way that is different from their normal Japanese ways. This deeply frustrates her since; she does not find the reason as to why she was not given the contract. Her husband, Joe, is also frustrated by the fact that he cannot find a job in Japan and yet, the companies at home are not doing anything to help him. The third stage of culture shock is depression and feeling stuck (Tabak, 2007, 1). This is a stage of hopelessness where an individual wishes that they could just go back home to their normal way of life (Zakowich, 2009, 54). Kelly’s family is at this stage of culture shock. Each of the family members is very miserable and depressed by their new environment. Joe is completely depressed about the small appliances in the house, and the complex food packages whose instructions are hard to understand. He is also stressed out by the fact that the cost of living in Japan is very high and yet, he has not yet found himself a job to support the family. He therefore feels that Kelly's salary only will not be sufficient for their survival in Japan. The kids have also become disheartened to the point that they inform their mother that they want to go back home. Kelly herself is completely depressed and feels that she should have spent more time to prepare for the assignment before accepting it (Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm), Films Media Group, & Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.), 2009). What should have been done differently to ensure a successful assignment After Kelly had been offered the deal by her boss, she should have considered a number of factors without looking at the positives only. For instance, Kelly did not consider the effect of the difference in culture on the children. In addition, Kelly’s boss should not have told her about the good part of the deal only. He should also have told her the challenges that she was going to experience in Japan, in order for her to brace herself for the forthcoming challenges. In addition, Kelly's employees in Japan should have been fully informed about the fact that the new boss who was being posted was a woman (Diller, 2011, 13). This way, Kelly would not have had a difficult time to work with the two Japanese employees. Another way that Kelly could have made her assignment successful is by taking a certain period to study her assignment field. Kelly should have requested her boss a period of about a month to travel to Japan, and observe different factors such as the schools available, cost of living and type of food. This way, she would have prepared both her children and husband for the challenges and difficulties in Japan. Kelly could also have familiarized herself with the Japanese culture such that, she would have known how to treat the Japanese people. This way, she might have even got the contract. Therefore, all that was needed is time. Kelly’s company gave her a very short notice and, thus, Kelly did not take her time to analyze the situation thoroughly. Remedy of the situation If i were Kelly, I would not stagnate at the third stage of culture shock. In addition, I would not choose to go back home and lose my job. Instead, I would move to the fourth stage which is acceptance, and making the new place my new home (Hart, 2012, 23). I would also encourage my children and husband to accept their new environment and try to make the best out of it instead of criticizing everything about it (Gudykunst & Kim, 2003, 43). About the situation of my husband’s joblessness, I would encourage him to find any available job for the time being without relying on the help from home. This way, he would not be frustrated by the hardships of being jobless. I would also encourage my children to learn Japanese language so that they can understand Japanese programs, and be able to play with Japanese children at school. At work, I would struggle to understand the Japanese culture in order to do things right. This way, each member of my family would be happy in Japan. Conclusion In conclusion, cross-cultural difference is indeed a factor that can affect a person’s stay in a new place. However, Kelly’s family is experiencing such paramount challenges due to lack of acceptance. The family has not accepted the fact that they are in a new country with different cultures. The family members keep on comparing Japan with America and thus, they find it difficult to adapt to Japanese lifestyle (Storti, 2007, 40). I would recommend Kelly’s family to accept and appreciate their new environs and take each challenge that they face positively instead of complaining about everything. References Baidya, R., Cott, G., & Westline Media (Firm) (2009). Understanding culture shock. New Hampshire: Westline Media. Diller, J. V. (2011). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Ellis, C. (2001). Culture shock!: Vietnam. Portland, Or: Graphic Arts Center Pub. Co. Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm), Films Media Group, & Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.) (2009). Adapting to Change. New York, N.Y: Films Media Group. Gudykunst, W. B., & Kim, Y. Y. (2003). Communicating with strangers: An approach to intercultural communication. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Hart, R. (2012). Preparing for your move abroad: Relocating, settling in, and managing culture shock. London: Kuperard. Munan, H. (2008). Culture shock!: A survival guide to customs and etiquette. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Editions. Sanger, S., Intercultural Press, & Bull Worldwide Information Systems (1990). Cultural diversity at the heart of the Bull. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press. Storti, C. (2007). The art of coming home. Yarmouth, Me: Intercultural Press. Tabak, R. L. (2007, November 20). The 4 Stages of Culture Shock (And How To Beat Them) | Matador Network. Retrieved April 17, 2013, from http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/the-4-stages-of-culture-shock-and-how-to-beat-them/ Van Mol, E. (2005). Aspects of Intercultural Communication. NY: Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen. Zakowich, P. E. (2009). Culture shock!: A survival guide to medical safety. Tarrytown, N.Y: Marshall Cavendish Editions. Read More