How cultural differences can affect communication patterns, Business Management

Assignment Help:

In the past, doing business in Japan was a difficult, complicated, and often unsuccessful venture. In addition to different languages, social customs, and histories, the United States is a low-context culture; Japanese is high-context. In recent year, however, several U.S companies have overcome the many economic and cultural barriers facing foreigners in Japan.

DSP Group Inc. is one such company. The Californian-based semiconductor manufacturer generates nearly half its profits from sales in Japan. That is why the firm's chief executive office moved with his family to Tokyo and lived there for more than one year, cultivating Japanese customers and suppliers. The Tokyo office consists of six desks wedged into a tiny building, but DSP executives see it as a good start in ‘fitting in'. One says, "To compete in the consumer electronics market, we have to be here."

DSP management has also learned to take care of the details. Japanese consumers are discriminating buyers, and small imperfections - small, that is, by American standards - are large for Asian customers. Japanese customers pay close attention to the quality of work put into products, and notice such things as shoddy soldering or welding. Even a slight imperfection can kill a sale if a Japanese consumer questions whether all the products are made poorly. Sloppy packaging signals careless manufacturing to Japanese consumers, so DSP devotes extra care to packaging.

Finally, DSP managers and other foreign businesspeople who want to make money in Japan must learn to watch their image. Firms that sell items through catalogues have found it prudent to remove some low-priced products from Japanese catalogues even though the same products are big sellers in other countries. Why? Japanese consumers tend to judge products according to their product lines and overall performance of their manufacturers. If some catalogue items seem cheap, Japanese consumers may very well question the quality of all the merchandise in the catalogue.

Question:

(a) (i) Explain what you understand by low-context and high-context cultures.

(ii) From reading this case, explain how culture has an impact on the way we communicate, taking into consideration the medium of communication that DSP used for its product.

(b) Discuss some key cultural differences between the United States and Japan.

(c) Explain how these cultural differences can affect business communication patterns.

(d) (i) What can the U.S firms or firms from any other country, learn about doing business in Japan from reading this case?

(ii) Does collaboration make it easier or harder to work through the complexities of a different culture? Support your answers with valid examples.


Related Discussions:- How cultural differences can affect communication patterns

Arguments for a country wishing to restrict free trade, Briefly explain the...

Briefly explain the main arguments for a country wishing to restrict free trade. Protection There may be a require to protect fledgling industries which would not be able

Organiation desgin, How could technology help solve the problems at the fro...

How could technology help solve the problems at the front desk? Explain what you propose very specifically and clearly. Please do not give round-about general answers.

CASE STUDY, It goes by many terms - information overload, analysis paralysi...

It goes by many terms - information overload, analysis paralysis, data dumping, and so on. You know what we''re talking about. It is indeed greater to live in the information age w

Benefits of computer aided design, Explain the benefits of Computer Aided D...

Explain the benefits of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) to an organisation Reduced material wastage By precise design and pattern making

RESOURCES, EXPLAIN AND USE APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR CONDUCTING ...

EXPLAIN AND USE APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR CONDUCTING AN INTERNAL APPRAISAL

Labour in promotion of productivity, What types of quality use for labour i...

What types of quality use for labour in promotion of productivity? Labour in promotion of productivity: a. Enhancement in work methods, via work study techniques b. Pr

Business Math, Calculate the cash discount and the net amount due for the f...

Calculate the cash discount and the net amount due for the following transaction. Amount of Invoice Terms of Sale Cash Discount Net Amount Due $12,660.00 2/10, n/45

Analyse behavioural of organisational , The aim of the assignments is to te...

The aim of the assignments is to test your understanding of some of the key concepts in the material covered in the study modules, examine your ability to critically analyse a part

Why reputation management is important for your organisation, QUESTION ...

QUESTION You have freshly been appointed as the Quality Manager in your organisation following the completion of your studies. (a) Explain why reputation management is impor

Describe the organizations culture, Think of an organization with which you...

Think of an organization with which you are familiar, perhaps one you have worked for or where you were a member. Then answer the following questions. 1) Using the jobs characte

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd