Your company has recently entered into a cooperative venture with a Japanese firm. A team of Japanese engineers has come to your plant to teach your engineers a new manufacturing process. However, the senior member of this team, a Japanese engineer with very traditional cultural views, refuses to work with a female member of your team despite the fact that she is a highly qualified engineer. What should you do?
• Reassign the woman engineer. After all, it is best not to make waves.
• Tell the Japanese engineer that he must either work with all the members of your team or leave your plant.
• Try to reason with the Japanese engineer, telling him that in your culture women are highly qualified and work side by side with men.
• If this doesn't work try persuading him through other members of his team or by contacting his supervisors in Japan and informing them of the problem.
What is your recommendation? and Why?