International Management - Rodchenko VV

Enterprise

Paying tribute to the art of Japanese managers, foreign experts focus attention on a variety of aspects of their activities. Many emphasize the dynamism of their behavior. British sociologists believe that Japanese managers pronounced flexibility, agility, stealth, indecision, isolation. According to American researchers, they are characterized primarily desire for authoritarianism. This feature is thought to these researchers, due to factors such as the hierarchical structure of Japanese society, group orientation, respect for elders and so on. D. But we believe that their main feature is the entrepreneurial spirit, understood as the organization, resourcefulness, ingenuity, ability to quickly navigate in the changing situation, at the right time to find the best way out of the predicament.

All these qualities show Japanese managers, companies which are fierce competition in foreign markets. This is clearly evidenced by the diverse methods used by them for the development of, for example, non-price competition with the products of those countries to the markets which penetrate the Japanese firm. Confine ourselves here to mention that the Japanese televisions and cars sold in the US market, in fact, at the same prices as the corresponding products of the local industry, but enjoy much greater success, not least thanks to its image, to ensure both the highest quality, skilful advertising and accurate focus on a selected user, on his tastes and material resources, as well as countless forms of "courtship" of the consumer both before and after the purchase.

Competition in the domestic Japanese market also gives a huge amount of evidence of this kind. But the Japanese enterprise management is reflected not only in the "collisions" with each other or with foreign colleagues, but also in each of their specific action. Thus, American researchers who monitored a number of Japanese firms, organization noted with which the restructuring of the work was carried out: "We were impressed by the dramatic nature of the change and the speed with which they have been carried out during the week almost all the top 500 business changed jobs many. moved from Tokyo to Osaka and vice versa. The storm abated, and the work went on as usual ". [15]

Here is an example, taken from the book "Japanese management style" renowned expert in control theory of Professor Iwata. One of the textile companies had to expand the scale of production. In this regard, it was necessary to provide reliable distribution of goods. In this situation, the only solution was the conclusion of a business transaction with a famous wholesaler in Osaka. Managing Factory knew that the wholesaler does not want to establish a business relationship with a stranger businessman nonetheless sent his wholesaler authorized to request consent to the appointment. Wholesaler reacted coolly to the proposal, showed a clear reluctance to such a meeting. But, following the rules of Japanese etiquette, he evaded a direct refusal. The Commissioner, in turn, honoring the norms of relations between older and younger, I made it clear that it is very grateful for the favor of such a famous person in Japan to make an offer, and meekly withdrew. However, he did not think to go back empty-handed. Having asked permission from his boss, Commissioner embarked on an exhausting siege wholesaler.

The first objects of its impact, he chose the company's employees, giving preference to women. Runs them "sometimes" a moment to chat or have a cup of tea, compliments, congratulating on different occasions. This went on for about six months. The Commissioner is not in a hurry, looking for a suitable occasion. Managing wholesaler soon noticed the polite visitor, and once said aloud: "What a well-mannered young man I think I have it somewhere saw!". Since then, they began to meet frequently. And every time the manager never ceased to admire his manners pretty familiar.

Time was running, meetings became more frequent. It took another six months. Between the manager and the authorized textile factory began a close relationship, which went beyond the norms "Senior - Junior" and entered into the framework of "amae" (desire for younger, depending on the elder). Because of the behavior in this framework, the senior expects junior respect, in response to the same pay him protection. As a result, a year after the start of "negotiations" between the wholesaler and the textile factory, a deal was made, and expansion plans successfully implemented.

Or another example. In Japan, as mentioned, a lot of small companies, whose survival requires considerable resourcefulness of their managers. So, far from a private university was a small sporting goods store, the boss is barely making ends meet. Goods are not in demand, the university sports facilities preferred to seek the services of a remote commercial enterprises. What was surprising was that any sports equipment needed by the university and some students had a shop in sufficient quantities. But the owner did not know how to establish appropriate relationships with customers.

Once one of the sellers of this store, a graduate of secondary school, drove to the university, like on a sports base, greeted his friends and left. After a while he made his second short visit. Then became a frequent, but not bothersome guest faculty members of physical education. I talked with them moderately argued for sporting achievements, but never struck up a conversation about the shop business. It flew for six months. At the end of this period, faculty members began to consider the young dealer colleague. Teachers of physical education began to order him a cheap stock, paying a purchase on credit. It was very convenient to them: the seller is in hand. He did not demand immediate repayment of payments, nothing is recorded on the customer's eyes, "believe" their word.

Seller Relationships with faculty members have developed, they have entered into a phase of confidence. And then a seedy shop sporting goods has become a real trading company. Her head ten years after the events became the most enterprising enough ordinary worker. The owner of shop, devoid of much needed quality, resigned his post.

Maybe, with particular strength evident enterprising Japanese managers in the promotion of "human factor". No wonder, according to chairman of the board of the company "Sony" Aquino Morita, if someone has something bad turns, so he engaged their employees too little. According to renowned economist Abernathy, heads of Japanese companies have prepared work force who know what's what, who want to work and psychological work captured. Add to this the following conclusion the group of American researchers' productivity problem - it's not so much the truth known only to the Japanese, as a simple mystery of human loyalty, commitment to the company, which is manifested through effective training, identify personal interests with the company's success, and simply - the human connection between the subordinate and his superior "[15].

As part of the establishment of informal relationships with employees, ordinary workers enterprising Japanese managers truly has no boundaries. Along with a rather conventional manner they handle and frankly substandard. So, the president of the company "Wye Kai-Kai", producing zippers, every day for about an hour working on the shop floor as a simple machine operator. The president does not hide that he wants to show his working relationship with them and convince them clearly: the president can cope with any work he directs staff. In Japanese firms, managers and workers of production lines to eat the same food in the same cafe. And in one of the branches of the British-known Japanese company managing every day at the end of the day off his jacket, rolled up trousers and knee-armed doormat, strenuously "nadraivat" in his office floor. Operating company British were initially shocked by the behavior of the "big boss", but gradually it is because of this his behavior imbued him genuine respect.

Establishment of informal relations with employees and carries a greater function than to stimulate the personal factor productivity. It camouflages the status differentiation between the different layers of Japanese society, hides the scale of social distance. In other words, the enterprise in this case is already political goals, goals of establishing "world class", retention of employees in the zone of influence of the conservative camp.