Case Study
Question 1
How would you describe Higgins’s and Prescott’s attitudes toward implementing U.S. personnel policies in the Japanese operations?
Answer
Based on the case study, it is shown that Prescott emphasize greatly on applying the U.S. policies into the Japanese company operation while Higgins prefer to follow the Japanese working culture. Although Higgins’s and Prescott’s are doing well with their job it's just a matter of time when disagreement occurs between Higgins and Prescott since they both have different thinking and own ideas. Furthermore, Prescott wants every employees inside the company to follow the company policies which was setup by the parent company which was located at US. However, Higgins refused to follow the policies as he find the best way to deal with the operation is following the Japanese culture. This is caused by the difference in culture between the working environment of U.S. and Japan.
In Japan, they are classified as High-context culture. High-context culture is focus much more on group development. This context is important as what actually said and what is not being said can carry more meaning than what is said. In the U.S., they are classified as Low-context culture. Low-context culture focuses more on individual development. It is the information that contained explicitly in words that what is said is more important than what is not said.

Question 2
What are the major reasons for the differences in attitude?
Differences in Culture
The cultural differences are the reasons for the differences in attitude between Prescott and Higgins. Higgins believed that the changes contrary to the Japanese norm will affect the working environment of the company. Therefore, Higgins tend to cling on the Japanese custom instead of accepting changes. However, Prescott believes that the company's real contribution to the Japanese society is by innovation. Furthermore, Higgins had been emotionally involved with the Japanese which Prescott believes that this affects his ability Higgins ability to judge as Higgins had taken on many characteristics of a typical Japanese executive at work.
Conflicting Styles
Higgins stated that U.S. managers tended to impose their value systems, ideals, and thinking patterns on the Japanese. On the other hand, Prescott insist the best international executive was one who retained a belief in the fundamentals of the home point of view while also understanding foreign attitudes. Higgins whom prefer the Japanese culture began to lose the point of view from the U.S. and begun to think one side. Furthermore, the situation where Higgins objected vigorously on the dismissal of a manager which showed less improvement due to the company had never fired anyone before shows that Higgins had divert his attention and point of view away from the host company goals. The styles of working are differs from each another as Prescott are more into the U.S. culture while Higgins are more into the Japanese culture.
Different Perceptions
Although all of us can see the world through our lens, differences in perception may causes conflict. This is because one person knows something that the other person doesn't know, but doesn't realize this. This is the situation between Prescott and Higgins as both do not have a good understanding between each other perception. As stated, Prescott believed it was helpful to learn the feeling of middles managers from Higgins, but he disliked having to deal with Higgins as an adversary rather than an ally. Thus Prescott became hesitant to ask for his assistant opinion as Higgins invariably raised objections regarding changes that were contrary to the Japanese norm.

Question 3
If you were the Weaver corporate manager responsible for the Japanese operations and the conflict between Higgins and Prescott came to your attention, what would you do? Be sure to identify some alternatives first and then make your recommendations.
Answer
First of all, base on what Prescott mentioned regarding Higgins's behavior, Higgins is doing his job well, but he can do it better if he obeys Prescott orders and follow the company policies. Furthermore, Prescott realized that Higgins prefer the culture of Japanese more than U.S. even though the company was originally from the U.S. For example, the company have the policy for every employees where they are granted two months of home leave every two years, with transportation paid by the company for the employees and their family. But, Higgins declined that and instead to visit some local places in Japan with his wife.
Secondly, Higgins refused to obey Prescott and follow the policies because he doesn’t like the way Prescott operate the company with U.S. culture since he prefer Japan culture more. For example, Higgins is not satisfied about the policy of basing promotions on seniority taken away. Therefore, the employees complained to Higgins to intercede on their behalf and Higgins did so and justified. Furthermore, there is also a case where a manager had been dismiss due to unable perform. However, Higgins demand that the manager has to be kept as the company which operates in Japan has not fired anyone before.
In my opinion, as Weaver corporate manager, I will suggest both of them to discuss base on the benefit of the company. For example, does the Japanese working culture affect the productivity and efficiency of the company? This is because adaptation is important but one must not lose sight of the goal. It is not easy to change the mindset and working behavior of the employees in a foreign country as they already comfortable with it . The changes of company in foreign countries are hard for the employees who prefer their own culture than other country culture. Therefore, the Weaver company should make an adjustment to balance both side.

Manners and customs could be use for the situation above. Firstly, it is about the understanding of different ways of thinking. This is where both sides have to understand each other before make a decision. Secondly, the goal of the company must not be diverted from the host country. This is important as employees in foreign country must understand the acknowledge the reason for the company to set this policy. For example base on the case study, the employees of Japanese should understand first about the company policy before make any complaints and judgment. This is because the each company has its own rules. Therefore, Weaver must decide whether to set the rules and policy globally or allow Higgins to set the rules and policy according to the Japanese culture. Lastly, there must be allocation of time for negotiations. This divided to three distinct section which applying the condition of allocation of time. It depends on the representative as well. For example, Prescott and Higgins can have a meeting and discuss the problem they are having now and make the best decision for the future of the company. The discussion must base on the benefit of the company as well as not to affect the current working performance. The issue must be brought up or else the longer it takes, the more trouble it will cause to the company.
As a conclusion, it depends on either one or both sides, willing to step back to see the differences since everything has a solution in it. And by putting oneself in another shoe, one will have more than one way of thinking as well. Furthermore, Prescott is a person whom is skillful, knowledgeable, and have enough experience to know about the culture shock for the foreign employees. Therefore, Higgins have to understand the policy set by Weaver company before make any rash decision. The behavior of Higgins and Prescott may cause other employees to be unmotivated and confuse, if the problem continue to persist. Thus, Prescott and Higgins have to put an effort by co-operating together. Although both have different point of views, both their efforts are towards the company benefits as well.