Discuss the below:
Learning Activity
You have been recently promoted to the position of plant manager in a large Mexican operation owned by your employer, a Fortune 500 company. After taking some time to assess the situation, you have determined that the implementation of Kaizen continuous improvement activities would substantially improve the quality and efficiency of the operation. Pioneered by Toyota and widely adopted around the world by numerous companies, this technique is based on having employees analyze their own working situation and area, identify problems, and suggest changes. It has been shown to be particularly effective and also results in increased employee satisfaction.
After several attempt to implement the techniques, you are becoming concerned that it is not being adopted as readily and enthusiastically as you have seen elsewhere. You begin to suspect some cultural issues and refer to Geert Hofstede's web site for guidance:
https://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html
Answer to the following questions:
1. What cultural issues do you think exist that might impede the implementation in this plant?
2. How would you address them in order to take advantage of the benefits of Kaizen?
Remember to make one initial post and to respond to two of your classmates.
Learning Activity 2
You are a manager employed by a Fortune 500 company that has a reputation for highly ethical conduct and a highly regarded ethical code. You have recently been transferred to your company's operations in Tianjin, China. While attending a meeting with a key supplier, you are dismayed that the senior representative of the supplier has brought a gift, an obviously expensive jade statue, to commemorate the signing of a new contract. You are aware that gift giving is more the norm in China and that refusing a gift can be highly insulting. Yet, you do not want to violate your country's ethical policies. How do you proceed? Do you employ your company's home country ethics, local ethical norms, or some combination?