Paragraph 1: Japanese managers believe
that change and initiative within an organization should come from those closest
to the problem. So they elicit change from below. Top-level Japanese managers
see their task as creating an atmosphere in which subordinates are motivated to
seek better solutions. Paragraph 2:
Japanese managers do not view themselves as having all the answers. When a
subordinate brings in a proposal, the manager neither accepts nor rejects it.
Rather, he tactfully, politely asks questions, makes suggestions, and provides
encouragement. Paragraph 3: In the
Japanese system, junior(middle) managers are initiators who perceive problems
and formulate tentative solutions in coordination with others; they are not
functional specialists who carry out their boss’s directives. Because so much
emphasis is placed on coordination and integration, solutions to problems evolve
more slowly, but they are known and understood by all those who have been a part
of the solution generation process. Horizontal communication is stressed as
essential to the coordination of problem-solving efforts.
Paragraph 4: The Japanese are less inclined to think
in terms of absolutes, that is, the solution (which is right) versus the
alternatives (which are wrong). Rather, they recognize a range of alternatives,
several of which might work and all of which possess advantages and
disadvantages. When a group makes a decision, all members become committed to
the chosen solution. From a Japanese perspective, that commitment, and the
ensuing dedication toward working to make the solution successful, is probably
more important than the objective quality of the decision. The Japanese have an
interesting concept of consensus. Those who consent to a decision are not
necessarily endorsing it. Rather, consent means that each person is satisfied
that his point of view has been fairly heard, and although he or she may not
wholly agree that the decision is the best one ,he or she is willing to go along
with it and even support it. Paragraph 5:
Japanese managers have a kind of paternalistic attitude toward their
employees. Traditionally, Japanese organizations have offered their workers
housing, extensive recreational facilities, and life- time employment. The
Japanese believe that it is impossible to divorce a worker’s personal and
professional lives. Good managers express concern for workers as persons with
homes and families as well as for the quality of products the workers produce.
Managers work alongside their subordinates, counsel them regarding their
personal lives, and encourage much peer interaction. Now
match each of the items (61 to 65) to the appropriate statement.
Note :there are two extra statements. Statements [A] Consensus as
a way of making decisions [B] Top management as facilitator [C] Bottom-up
change [D] Top-down initiative [E] Middle management as impetus for and
shaper of solutions [F] Concern for employees’ personal well-being [G]
Likely to think in terms of extremes Paragraph 4