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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Problem Definition
1.2. Research Objectives
1.3. Research Design
2. Theoretical Background
2.1. State of Research
2.2. Culture, Intercultural Competence and Good Leadership
2.3. Cultural-Comparative Approaches
2.3.1. Edward T. Hall’s Differences
2.3.2. Geert Hofstede’s Value Dimensions
2.3.3. GLOBE-Project
2.4 Country Portraits
2.4.1 Germany
2.4.2 Japan
3 Differences of Good Leadership Perceptions between Germany and Japan
3.1 Differences based on Intercultural Approaches
3.1.1 A First Overview: Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede
3.1.2 Leadership differences according to GLOBE-Project
3.2 Intercultural Training Program
3.2.1 Conceptual Training Design
3.2.2 Content Training Structure
3.2.3 Implementation
3.3 Cost-Benefit Analysis
4 Conclusion
Research Goal & Topics
The primary research objective of this thesis is to investigate how an intercultural training program, grounded in the scientific findings of the GLOBE project, can be designed to minimize discrepancies in the perception of effective leadership practices between German and Japanese managers, thereby preventing cultural mismatches and associated business risks.
- Comparative culture research and leadership theories (Hall, Hofstede, GLOBE).
- Cultural portraits and behavioral characteristics of Germany and Japan.
- Identification of critical perception gaps regarding "good leadership."
- Development of a conceptualized intercultural training program for managers.
- Cost-benefit analysis of intercultural training to justify organizational investment.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Problem Definition
In intercultural interactions, managers in particular must cope with the increased complexity and demonstrate a high level of intercultural competence in order to do ensure the company’s performance and their own professional success. These assumptions and basic ideas have been proven empirically by identifying and categorizing different global cultures (Hofstede (1980), House et al. (2004), Chhokar et al. (2008), House et al. (2014)).
There are numerous examples of companies that have lost a lot of money due to a lack of intercultural competence or a lack of intercultural training of their managers. The Asian region in particular presents many European and American companies with major challenges in adapting to the local culture and bringing the competencies of managers and business decisions in line with the local cultural conditions. This is proven by the following examples, in which Western companies, especially in Japan, had to give up their business due to intercultural differences and failed due to financial damage.
One of the world largest British grocery retailers, Tesco, tried to penetrate the Japanese market since 2004. Due to intercultural differences Tesco was not able to establish itself in the Japanese market. Tesco went out of business in 2011 after 9 years (Wolfstone, 2012). Despite the fact that Tesco has been operating internationally since 1979, the supermarket giant failed to take into account intercultural differences, because "even in markets which are culturally close to the home market can be serios flaw in downstream operations" (Pham et al., 2016, p. 222). The company's management failed to respond to the preferences of Japanese customers and their culture, thus failed to provide a high level of customer service to the Japanese population (Wolfstone, 2012). For example, in 2010 alone, Tesco made an operating loss just under US$ 8 million on sales of US$ 743 million. In total, the failed expansion cost Tesco around US$ 390 million over the years (Wood, 2011).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines the problem regarding intercultural leadership gaps, sets research objectives, and outlines the methodological approach (Case-Problem-Method).
2. Theoretical Background: Examines comparative cultural research, defines essential terms such as culture and intercultural competence, and presents models by Hall, Hofstede, and the GLOBE Project.
3. Differences of Good Leadership Perceptions between Germany and Japan: Analyzes the specific cultural and leadership variances between Germany and Japan, serving as the basis for a tailored intercultural training program.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis findings, reiterates the necessity of intercultural training, and provides a critical appraisal with an outlook for future research.
Keywords
Intercultural Competence, Good Leadership, Germany, Japan, GLOBE Project, Hofstede, Cultural Dimensions, Cross-Cultural Management, Business Expansion, Leadership Training, Corporate Strategy, Financial Loss, Cultural Mismatch, Communication Norms, Practical Exercises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on identifying and bridging the cultural differences in leadership perceptions between Germany and Japan to prevent business failure and financial loss.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include comparative cultural research, the impact of national culture on management behavior, and the practical conceptualization of intercultural training programs for managers.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks to what extent an intercultural training program, based on GLOBE study findings, can minimize differences in perceptions of good leadership practices between German and Japanese managers.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs the Case-Problem-Method derived from Harvard Business School, utilizing qualitative and quantitative data from prominent cultural studies like GLOBE and Hofstede.
What does the main part of the work cover?
The main part encompasses theoretical foundations, detailed cultural portraits of Germany and Japan, a comparative analysis of their leadership styles, and a concrete intercultural training design.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Intercultural Competence, Good Leadership, GLOBE Project, cultural dimensions, and effective cross-cultural training management.
Why is the GLOBE project prioritized over other models?
The GLOBE study is considered the most modern and scientifically comprehensive model, focusing on implicit leadership theory and empirical data across 62 societies, making it superior for analyzing leadership expectations.
How does the training program account for cost-effectiveness?
The thesis includes a dedicated cost-benefit analysis, comparing the documented financial losses from past international corporate failures with the relatively low investment required for structured, modular intercultural training.
How are the training modules structured for German managers?
The training follows a modular design, combining information-oriented teaching with interactive role-plays that simulate authentic German-Japanese business situations to facilitate hands-on learning.
- Quote paper
- Felix Dittrich (Author), 2024, Intercultural Leadership Problems, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1498194
