Global Environment : Case Study about John Higgins

1. Prescott and Higgins demonstrate completely different views about

implementing United States personnel policies in Japanese operations. For Prescott,

personnel policies should be linked to American standards and cultural attitudes.

Conversely, Higgins has adopted a Japanese cultural perspective and this has

emerged in his personnel decision-making.

2. The major reasons for the differences in attitude are linked to different

sociocultural perspectives. Higgins is deeply involved with Japanese culture and

society and this involvement has carried over into the work environment wherein

he has instituted Japanese personnel policies. While Higgins is respectful of

Japanese culture, he believes that the Japanese people are not as rigidly tied to these

cultural practices, and that American notions of innovation and efficiency can more

effectively be implemented.

3. If I was the Weaver manager responsible for managing this conflict there are a

number of considerations. One such action would be to simply transfer one of the

individuals. Still, it might help to have a third party mediate between personnel

decisions wherein the managers disagree. I could also look to consider performance

metrics measuring Higgins’ productivity as a means of gaining an objective

perspective on the effectiveness of this approach. I would then seek ways of

developing a hybrid Japanese and American model within this department. I believe

Higgins’ commitment when combined with strong aspects of the American system

as evidenced in Prescott’s approach could make Weaver a stronger and more

effective operation.