1. Based on the information in the case and your reading of the chapter, what would you recommend to be included in the following assignments you are given as a member of a large multinational corporation training department?
a. How would you make the teams of the Japanese subsidiary more effective?
b. How would you make the cross-functional team that is working on new product development for both the U.S. and Japanese markets as effective as possible?
2. How do you personally react to the statement in the case that “the Japanese are more interested in everyone in the team being cooperative and helpful. Harmony is more important than productivity”?
3. How do you explain that the Japanese have been using teams way before the United States, but they have had economic problems for the past decade? How would you explain to the CEO of your company that you recommend the use of teams in light of the prolonged Japanese competitive problems?