Since the second half of the 20th century, various studies and approaches of comparative culture research and comparative culture leadership research have been increasingly conducted to further explore the multifaceted relationships between human behavior, social culture and leadership behavior. Examples from recent years show that internationally operating companies in particular need managers who demonstrate a high level of intercultural competence in order to do justice to the company's performance and ensure their own professional success. The focus of this thesis is on the avoidance of intercultural leadership problems in the perception of the respective society on good leadership practices between Germany and Japan. Applying on the approaches of Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede in general and the results of the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) studies, behaviors are identified that give German managers an indication of what kind of leadership is likely to be considered effective in terms of good leadership in Japanese society. As a solution approach an intercultural training program is designed and presented. Following successful implementation, companies can train their managers in the concept of good leadership in Japan. In this way, intercultural leadership problems can be avoided from the outset and the company can be protected from financial damage and loss of reputation.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Problem Definition
- Research Objectives
- Research Design
- Theoretical Background
- State of Research
- Culture, Intercultural Competence and Good Leadership
- Cultural-Comparative Approaches
- Edward T. Hall's Differences
- Geert Hofstede's Value Dimensions
- GLOBE-Project
- Country Portraits
- Germany
- Japan
- Differences of Good Leadership Perceptions between Germany and Japan
- Differences based on Intercultural Approaches
- A First Overview: Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede
- Leadership differences according to GLOBE-Project
- Intercultural Training Program
- Conceptual Training Design
- Content Training Structure
- Implementation
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This master's thesis aims to identify and address intercultural leadership problems stemming from differing perceptions of good leadership practices between Germany and Japan. It seeks to provide practical solutions for companies operating internationally, specifically focusing on how to avoid misunderstandings and improve cross-cultural communication in leadership.
- Comparative analysis of leadership perceptions in German and Japanese cultures.
- Application of established intercultural frameworks (Hall, Hofstede, GLOBE).
- Identification of key leadership behaviors valued differently in Germany and Japan.
- Design of an intercultural training program to bridge cultural gaps.
- Cost-benefit analysis of the proposed training program.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Introduction defines the problem of intercultural leadership differences and outlines the research objectives and design. The Theoretical Background chapter reviews existing literature on culture, intercultural competence, and leadership, applying the frameworks of Edward T. Hall, Geert Hofstede, and the GLOBE project. It provides country profiles of Germany and Japan. The chapter on Differences of Good Leadership Perceptions analyzes the identified differences in leadership perceptions between Germany and Japan using the theoretical frameworks. This section focuses on the analysis of the differences, prior to the presentation of the solutions.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Intercultural leadership, cross-cultural management, Germany, Japan, leadership perceptions, Edward T. Hall, Geert Hofstede, GLOBE project, intercultural training, cultural differences, comparative culture research.
- Quote paper
- Felix Dittrich (Author), 2024, Intercultural Leadership Problems, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1498194
