1. What cultural aspects are likely to affect the negotiation?

2. To what extent will gender play a role in this negotiation?

3. What are your two main objectives in the negotiation with Mr Hagashi?

4. What could your BATNA be in these circumstances?

5. How important are the terms in your contract to you (on a scale of 1-10)?
 
 

Transcribed Image Text:

CONFIDENTIAL ROLE INFORMATION FOR KELLY You have been working for the Soto Board of Education in Japan for the past six months. You are the only foreigner working in the office and were hired to assist with the English language program in the city's public schools. You recently graduated with a degree in management from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Although not a prerequisite for this position, you have studied and speak some Japanese. You decided to spend some time in Japan in order improve your Japanese and to make yourself more marketable when you return to Canada to start your career. This is your first time in Japan and aside from the inevitable culture shock; you have had relatively no problem adjusting to your new surroundings. You attribute your ease of adjusting to the Japanese culture to the organization back in Canada which hired you. They were very thorough in briefing you about life in Japan. and provided you with what you considered to be excellent pre-departure training. One aspect that you find hard to adjust to is the commitment which the Japanese have for their work. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. and officially ends at 5:00 p.m., but no one ever leaves the office before 7 or 8:00 p.m. The Japanese employees also work on Saturdays, which you find absurd since it infringes on what you consider to be personal and family time and you know that their salaries do not reflect the extra time put in on the weekends. You have a standard North American contract that you were given before leaving Canada which stipulates your hours, number of vacation days, how many days sick leave you're entitled to, etc. You work from Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5:00 p.m., but stay later if you have legitimate work to do (which is practically never). No. one has ever asked you to stay after 5 p.m. and you have never been requested to come in on the weekend. You know that you receive what could be considered preferential treatment but the conditions of your employment were carefully outlined in your contract, and the people in your office seem to be following them to the letter which suits you fine. The only person in your office who speaks English is your supervisor, Mr. Higashi, and since your Japanese is not very good, you rely on him for all important office communications. Mr. Higashi is what you consider to be a traditional middle aged Japanese man. He works late every night and often goes out with the other men in the office to discuss business at the local sake establishments. He seems to have very conservative values and frowns upon innovation or change. His wife stays home to run the household and raise their two children, and Mr. Higashi doesn't think that women should be in the work force after marriage. Mr. Higashi is constantly bugging you to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and lifestyle. When you started practicing Kendo, a Japanese style of fencing, he was very pleased and you hoped he would drop the issue once and for all. You don't mind. trying or adopting some of the Japanese ways, but you don't like feeling pressured to convert. After all, you have been hired only on a one year contract basis, which is renewable to a maximum of three, so you know that you are not going to be staying in Japan forever. CONFIDENTIAL ROLE INFORMATION FOR KELLY You have been working for the Soto Board of Education in Japan for the past six months. You are the only foreigner working in the office and were hired to assist with the English language program in the city's public schools. You recently graduated with a degree in management from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Although not a prerequisite for this position, you have studied and speak some Japanese. You decided to spend some time in Japan in order improve your Japanese and to make yourself more marketable when you return to Canada to start your career. This is your first time in Japan and aside from the inevitable culture shock; you have had relatively no problem adjusting to your new surroundings. You attribute your ease of adjusting to the Japanese culture to the organization back in Canada which hired you. They were very thorough in briefing you about life in Japan. and provided you with what you considered to be excellent pre-departure training. One aspect that you find hard to adjust to is the commitment which the Japanese have for their work. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. and officially ends at 5:00 p.m., but no one ever leaves the office before 7 or 8:00 p.m. The Japanese employees also work on Saturdays, which you find absurd since it infringes on what you consider to be personal and family time and you know that their salaries do not reflect the extra time put in on the weekends. You have a standard North American contract that you were given before leaving Canada which stipulates your hours, number of vacation days, how many days sick leave you're entitled to, etc. You work from Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5:00 p.m., but stay later if you have legitimate work to do (which is practically never). No. one has ever asked you to stay after 5 p.m. and you have never been requested to come in on the weekend. You know that you receive what could be considered preferential treatment but the conditions of your employment were carefully outlined in your contract, and the people in your office seem to be following them to the letter which suits you fine. The only person in your office who speaks English is your supervisor, Mr. Higashi, and since your Japanese is not very good, you rely on him for all important office communications. Mr. Higashi is what you consider to be a traditional middle aged Japanese man. He works late every night and often goes out with the other men in the office to discuss business at the local sake establishments. He seems to have very conservative values and frowns upon innovation or change. His wife stays home to run the household and raise their two children, and Mr. Higashi doesn't think that women should be in the work force after marriage. Mr. Higashi is constantly bugging you to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and lifestyle. When you started practicing Kendo, a Japanese style of fencing, he was very pleased and you hoped he would drop the issue once and for all. You don't mind. trying or adopting some of the Japanese ways, but you don't like feeling pressured to convert. After all, you have been hired only on a one year contract basis, which is renewable to a maximum of three, so you know that you are not going to be staying in Japan forever.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

1 Cultural aspects likely to affect the negotiation include the emphasis on conformity and hierarchy ... View the full answer