1. CROSS CULTURAL TRAINING
IM CONSULTANTS
With you today:
Ian Haskett
Monica Chudy
Njazi Zyberaj
Candice Clements
Amy Gurney
Shannon McCallam

2. IM Consultants Who we are. What we do.
We are IM Consultants Based in Bournemouth with twenty years experience in cross cultural training. We cover Europe, China Japan and India.
What we do.
We offer bespoke cross cultural training packages. Designing and delivering training seminars and consultancy programmes to corporate and public organisations.
We asses our clients needs through initial meetings and make detailed proposals based on the specific requirements identified

3. Overview of the assignment
Karen Jenkins, TOPSHOP
Brief profile / biography of the manager
Karen Jenkins has a background in Buying and procurement for Marks and Spencers where she had an indirect link with the buyer for Malaysia and The Philippines. Four years ago she started working for Topshop as a senior buyer and has been promoted to Buying manager for the Japanese stores.
Brief overview of the assignment
The new role is Buying Manager for the recently formed franchises of Topshop in Japan.

4. Cross-Cultural Profiles: Japan & UK
Time focus
Japan: polychronic society; time is flexible and fluid, activities less structured; multi-tasking-tend to do many things at the same time; building a long-term relationship is a priority of most Japanese businesses
UK: monochronic society; time is inflexible, time is tangible, activities are structured and scheduled in a linear fashion; tend to do one thing at a time; control systems involving strict timetabling/deadlines
Power culture
Japan: high power distance; organisational structure is strict & hierarchical; everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy in a social or business situation; practice of lifetime employment
UK: flatter and less bureaucratic approach; less adherence to hierarchy with more impact to get work done effectively and efficiently; ideas of ‘jobs for life’ overtaken by change in work patterns and prospects
Time Orientation
Japan: past and long-time future oriented; business engagements require long-term commitment and focus on long-term benefits
UK: present and short-time future oriented; determined to achieve short-term goals and objectives rather than developing objectives in the long-term context or through long time cooperation
Source: Browaeys & Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management ,1st Edition. Pearson education 2009

5. Cross-Cultural Profiles: Japan & UK
Structure
Japan: Collectivistic culture-interests of the group prevails over individual; strong sense of belonging to a group
UK: High Individualistic culture- ‘I’ predominates over ‘We’; promotes individual goals, initiative and achievement
Communication
Japan: high context culture; indirect and implicit messages; less written and formal information; much nonverbal communication
UK: low context culture; direct, simple and clear messages; value straightforward, concise and efficient communication; more focus on verbal communication than body language
Women in Business
Japan: high masculine-oriented culture; largely equal footing with men in terms of legal rights however, some companies retain very traditional views; average annual income stands at around half of the male level
UK: women make up large percentage of the workforce- almost 50%; still paid less for performing the same tasks as male colleagues; more frequently found in managerial positions than in most other European countries
Source: Browaeys & Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management ,1st Edition. Pearson education 2009

6. Tasks & Challenges Facing the Buying manager
Leadership & task
distribution
-Different leadership style,
-Japanese find it hard to say ‘No’ (even if
they know the task is unachievable)
-Hierarchy organisational structure with
strong emphasis on status (gender, age)
-Little work/life balance
-Compulsory socialisation
Recruitment & training
- Recruiting process
-People expect continued
employment and training
-Emphasis on group work and team
building
Negotiations
-In Japan could be lengthy process
-Focus on long-term relationship
-In High-context culture much of
information is implicit and indirect
-Non-confrontational style, ‘saving face’
-Punctuality is very important
Buying Manager
Institutional environment
-Labour and other legislations
- Unions & collective bargaining
-Trade regulations
-Healthcare & education systems
Performance management
& compensations
-Informal check of performance
-Seniority-based pay
-Fixed compensation packages
-group reward rather individual

7. Training Objectives Short term objectives:
Awareness: expectations and realities of working overseas
Cultural understanding: behaviour patterns inside and outside the business environment
Commercial law: knowledge of the legal requirements in Japan for businesses
Language skills: a basic working knowledge of business Japanese
Communication: effective conversation, meeting etiquette and negotiation skills
Long term objectives:
Successful intergration into the Japanese business environment
Effective management of both local and international team members to meet long term business growth objectives
Ensure re-integration into the UK business environment after 2 year
assignment

8. Proposed Training Program
Pre-departure:
Didactic training – general and specific cultural
- Orientation briefing with partner and line manager
- One to one and group lectures and workshops
- Reading materials and textbook study
- Case study discussions
- Videos
Experiential training – general and specific cultural
- Workshops on cultural differences and their implications
- Theoretical exercises
- Role play
- Immersion
- Language oral scenarios

9. Proposed Training Program
In-country:
Local immersion: accompanied meetings can be offered by local support network
Weekly support sessions: identifying issues and additional training needs
Office hours support line service for any queries or issues with understanding local events and/or customs
Support documentation:
Printed copies of all training materials
Online access to case studies, video materials and translation services
Language training can also be provided in mp3 format for ongoing study

10. Measuring Our Success
IM Consultants use Kirkpatrick’s (1994) 4 levels of training evaluation to report on the
progress and success of our training.
Reaction: how the delegate reacts and interacts with the training
e.g. feedback forms and self assessment exercises
Learning: measuring the knowledge increase (before vs. after)
e.g. interview, observation and formal testing
Behaviour: measure of implied learning, how knowledge is used ‘on the job’
e.g. interviews and observation over time
Results: the final effects on the business and environment of the training
e.g. management appraisal systems, line manager interviews
All evaluation documentation will be provided weekly for discussion on
progress against the agreed training objectives.

11. Timings and Costs
Time scales are based on one day per week of training time
We recommend that integration into the Japanese team begins as soon as possible, with live training taking part as the candidate moves into the role
Language training should be allocated extra out-of-work study time

12. IM Consultants have over 20 years of experience delivering bespoke cross cultural training solutions. We have successfully integrated over 250 candidates into Asian positions in the last 5 years. Any questions?

13. References
Businessballs, Kirkpatrick’s learning and training evaluation theory. Available from:
[accessed 22nd April
2011]
Businessballs, Training program evaluation. Available from:
[accessed 22nd April 2011]
Kwintessential, Culture awareness and etiquette training. Available from:
[accessed 22nd April
Sachiko, T International management lecture slides. Bournemouth: Bournemouth
University.