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Does Hunt Demonstrate Cultural Differences And Approaches To Motivation?

Decent Essays

Gung Ho! Discussion Questions 1. In the opening scenes Hunt observes Kaz being berated in a Japanese “management development center”. According to at least one expert, this is a close representation of Japanese disciplinary practices. Would such an approach be possible in an American firm? How does this scene illustrate different perspectives and approaches to motivation? Reinforcement? Feedback? No, I don’t not thing such a thing would be possible in American business. An employer would risk a lawsuit, assuming the employee doesn’t just walk out first. American’s don’t hold company loyalty to as high importance as the Japanese. American’s own self-respect, self-preservation, and ego are far more important to them than any company. A shaming tactic would only anger American employees into walking out, not motivate them into trying harder. 2. …show more content…

How do the scenes where the Japanese Manager’s wife was about to give birth and the American worker who wanted to take his child to a doctor’s appointment illustrate cultural differences in focus? These scenes reflect the American idea of self-focus and individualism, and the Japanese idea of group-focus and collectivism. When the American employee wanted to leave to be with his son, hunt says, “he lives for his kids,” and the Kaz replies, “But the work suffers.” In America, it far more important to us to be with our individual families and care for them, than it is to care for the company. It’s the opposite in Japan as reflected by the Japanese employee who stayed to help the company, even when his wife is giving birth. He acted for the good of the

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