The Different Assumptions between American and Japanese Management
Posted by Ripon Abu Hasnat on Monday, September 8, 2014 | 0 comments
Just
as Douglas Mac Gregor's theory X and Y were based on management assumptions
about people, so too is Ouichi's Theory Z approach. Here are 5 Theory Z
principles.
1. Job Security :
The
Japanese Theory Z approach believes that people are a far too valuable resource
to be lost when the economy has a downturn. In a recession, the Japanese don't
fire people, they'll reduce their hours until things pick up. By contrast, when
a US company is in trouble, they waste no time laying people off and as a
result lose all the knowledge, skills, and expertise that go with them.
2. Trust :
The
Japanese feel that you should never give people a reason to distrust you.
Loyalty is expected of all employees. In American companies, distrust and
suspicion are endemic. If a person or supplier is not delivering, the company
will go elsewhere for a better deal.
3. Decision-Taking :
There
are two differences between the Japanese and American approaches to
decision-making. In Japanese companies, everyone gets involved in the
decision-taking process as part of their commitment to the organization. As a
result, the process is slow. In the US, decision-taking is the responsibility
of the few and so is quick.
4. Teamwork:
In
Japan, organizational success is viewed as the result of team effort, so it is
illogical to reward individuals. In the US, there is still a belief that, if
you do the work and claim the results, you should get the reward.
5. Motivation and Target-Setting:
The
Japanese corporation rarely sets individuals targets as a way of motivating
them. They believe that individual motivation comes from others in the team. As
a result, it often takes years before a Japanese employee receives their first
performance evaluation and even longer before they are promoted. By contrast,
the American corporation believes that the role of management is to set their
subordinates targets and ensure that these are met, using evaluation and
promotion as incentives and rewards.
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