Transcultural Management: A New Approach for Global Organizations

Transcultural Management presents a compelling new model for transforming cultural clashes into cultural synergy. Going far beyond the dos and don′ts of mere protocol, it explains how cultural issues affect today′s global business practices, provides a theoretical framework for transcultural management, and offers practical applications for managing any type of cross–border concern, including overseas branches, strategic alliances, acquisitions, and foreign personnel.

Part One: The Impact of Culture on Global Business.

1. The Tragedy of Ignorance.

2. Why Culture?.

3. Language Matters.

Part Two: Transcultural Management for Individuals and Organizations.

4. Globalization and Cultural intervention.

5. Enabling Global Organizations: Five Core Competencies.

6. Achieving Competency: Seven Mental Disciplines.

7. Managing Cultural Context.

8. High–Context, High–Content Management: The Direction of Global Organizations.

Part Three: The United States And Japan.

9. Root Causes of Cross–Cultural Business Conflict.

10. American Companies in Japan.

11. Japanese Companies in the United States.

12. United States––Japan Alliance Management.

Part Four: Moving Forward Across Cultures.

13. Embracing Bridge Persons.

14. Searching for a New Identity for the 21st Century.

Appendix: Interventions for Transcultural Organizaions.

ATSUSHI FUNAKAWA is program director of organizational learning and global development at Globis Corporation in Tokyo. His seminars on global organizational management have assisted thousands of professionals throughout Asia, the United States, Russia, and Europe in their quest to build cultural synergy across their organizations. He brings seventeen years of multicultural corporate experience to the writing of this book.

"Highly recommAnded for anyone interested in the theory or practice of global business relationships, particularly between Japanese and Americans. Full of excellent examples and applications." (Robert T. Moran, Ph.D., professor of international studies, Thunderbird American Graduate School of International Management)

"This book brings a new identity to business based on a cultural intervention for adapting, surviving, and prospering in a new age." (Hiroyuki Sawada, president, Gemini Consulting (Japan), Inc)

"This is the first business management book based on a truly multicultural perspective. Only a multilingual, multicultural, multiorganization consultant can render such keen insights into managing today′s multicultural organizations. Funakawa offers solid theories, realistic strategies, and crucial communication methods. I highly recommend this book to any manager who wants to take on a genuine global perspective." (T. Todd Imahori, Ph.D., associate professor, San Francisco State University)

"This is a rare book of great importance. It provides comprehensive perspectives and guidelines on cultural aspects of global business management that are critically important to business success but too often neglected by international managers." (Masazumi Ishii, managing director, AZCA, Inc)

"This book presents the best Japanese–American cultural paradigm I have seen for business. Funakawa respects and carefully explains the relevant differences in the cultures while providing an excellent blAnd of theory and the facts. If your task is to develop a new organizational culture in Japan, reading this book is the best way to gain the needed understanding and at the same time a very practical place to start." (Rex Valentine, general manager, Diabetes Health Care, Nippon Becton Dickinson Company, Ltd.)

"As an international business consultant I highly recommend this book, not only to anyone doing business with Japan, but also to key people in companies doing international business anywhere." (William T. Grubb, managing director, InterContinental Marketing Systems)

"Transcultural Management provides the critical linkage of such soft issues as culture and communication and hard corporate strategies. Funakawa has proved the importance of the convergence for practitioners." (Hisataka Takasugi, managing director, Dentsu Burson–Marsteller Co., Ltd.)