Name: SURname: form: date: 30th November I. E. S. “Zorrilla” Valladolid Curso 2010/2011 management in america
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FORM: DATE: 30th November I.E.S. “Zorrilla” - Valladolid Curso 2010/2011 MANAGEMENT IN AMERICA Do it my way Cultural differences between Japanese and American managers have presented the biggest obstacles to Japanese companies investing in America. A seminar for Japanese executives working in America was attended by 25 men, nearly all of them in identical dark suits. Despite the room's stifling heating system, they resolutely refused to remove their jackets. Their coffee break lasted exactly the scheduled ten minutes. They did not ask any questions until after they had got to know one another a bit better at lunch. They were usually deferential and always polite. A similar seminar for 25 Americans working for Japanese subsidiaries in America included eight women. Several of the men removed their jackets on entering the room. A ten-minute coffee break stretched beyond 20 minutes. Participants asked questions and several aggressively contradicted what the speakers had to say. According to Mr Thomas Lifson of Harvard and Mr Yoshihiro Tsurumi of New York's Baruch College — the two main speakers at both seminars misunderstandings between Japanese and American managers are possible at nearly every encounter. They can begin at the first recruiting interview. A big American company typically hires people to fill particular slots. Its bosses know that Americans are mobile people, who have a limited commitment to any particular employer or part of the country. As a result, jobs are clearly defined and so are the skills needed to fill them. American firms hire and fire almost at will. The assumptions (and the expectations) of the Japanese managers of Japanese subsidiaries in America could hardly be more different. They hire people more for the skills they will acquire after joining the company than for their existing skills. American managers rely heavily on number-packed memoranda and the like. The Japanese colleagues prefer informal consultations which lead eventually to a consensus. According to Mr Tsurumi, they find comical the sight of American managers in adjacent offices exchanging memos. Confronted with a dispute between middle managers, most Japanese superiors refuse to become involved, expecting the managers themselves to resolve the issue. The Americans conclude, wrongly, that their Japanese bosses are indecisive or incompetent. Japanese managers do not share the American belief that conflict is inevitable, and sometimes healthy. They want to believe that employees form one big happy family.
1 This article is about American companies in Japan. F 2 At one seminar the Japanese removed their jackets when they got hot. F 3 The Japanese did not ask questions until after lunch. T 4 At another seminar, some of the Americans were not polite to the speakers. T 5 Americans and Japanese are likely to misunderstand each other in any situation.T 6 American employees are very loyal to their companies. F 7 Japanese companies are likely to recruit less experienced employees. T 8 The Japanese rely less on meetings than the Americans. T 9 Japanese managers send more memos than their American counterparts. F 10 Japanese managers solve problems without involving their boss. T
A Fenton Engineering. B 1)Number / Extension 473, please. A I’m afraid the line’s 2)broken / engaged . Will you hold? B Yes.
B Thank you. C Paint shop. B I’d like to speak to Mrs. Isaacs. C 4)Who's / Whose calling, please? B Jacques Duval, C 5)Wait / Hold on , M Duval. I’ll 6)bring / get her.
C I’m 7)afraid / regret - she’s in a meeting. Do you want to call 8)up / back later? B No, it's urgent. Could you 9)leave / take a message? C Yes, 10)I will / of course B 11)May / Could you ask her to call me back? C Does she have your number? B No. It’s Paris — the 12)code / area is 00 331 then the number is 46 58 93 94. Could you 13)say / read that back to me? C 00 331 46 58 93 94. B That’s right. C 14)Anything / What else? B No, that’s 15)anything / all . Thank you very much. C You’re 16)welcome / fine . B Goodbye.
be over / call back / cut off / get through / give up hang up / hold on / look up /pick up / put through
try some Greek food eat anything on the plane the restaurant or the hotel first sort of food do you like have a good flight to meet you your first visit A Mr Hathaway? B Yes, that’s right. You must be Mr Strieber. A Yes. Pleased 1) to meet you. B And you. A Is this 2) your first visit to Athens? B Yes, I’ve always wanted to come but I never had the chance. A Good, I can show you around. Did you 3) have a good flight? B Yes, it was fine, thanks. No delays or problems. A Good. Let me take your case. The car’s just outside. Did you 4) eat anything on the plane? B No, I wasn’t hungry A Well, what would you like to do? Shall we go to 5) the restaurant or the hotel first? B The hotel, I think. I’d like a shower. We can eat later, if that’s OK. A That’s fine by me. What 6) sort of food do you like? We’ve got a good choice of restaurants here — French, Italian, and Greek, of course. B I’d like to 7) try some Greek food. A Good, that’s settled. I’ll drop you off now and come and pick you up again at about eight.
agenda proposal views agree should waste opinion meetings people ONE MAN’S MEET IS ANOTHER MAN’S POISONThere are many different sorts of business meeting, and how the participants behave varies from country to country. In France meetings are generally used for briefing and co-ordination rather than discussing 1) views and making decisions. They follow a detailed 2) agenda and comments are well thought out rather than spontaneous. The same is true at formal meetings in Germany, where you 3) should be well prepared if you wish to express an opinion. In the UK, on the other hand, participants often arrive at meetings unprepared, and papers distributed beforehand will not be read. This does not prevent anyone from expressing an 4) opinion or putting forward a 5) proposal though. Everyone is expected to contribute their 6) meetings. Meetings in Italy seem to be the most informal in Europe. They don’t usually follow an agenda and 7) people often come and go as they please. In fact, sometimes Italian meetings are more like a social gathering, used to reinforce a sense of togetherness. It’s very different in Spain, where meetings do little to create a team spirit. The Spanish prefer to be independent and make decisions on their own. Meetings are often a 8) waste of time because it is impossible to get everyone to 9) agree. ANSWER SHEET
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often choose to write
usually telephone
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shall be able to confirm this
shall be able to confirm this
lease