Changing Culture

Running head: CHANGING CULTURE

Global Issues in Business

Bryan Nickum

Prof. Anthony Shotwell

January 12, 2014

Case Study: Panasonic and Japan’s Changing Culture

During post-war Japan, Panasonic and other companies like it valued a hard worker that valued the company. In exchange employees were offered life-time incentives in exchange for their loyalty to the company. When the 1990s soon came, Japan began to see an economic slump, making it difficult for Panasonic to carry on their traditional and would soon be faced with having to change their traditional values and beliefs. It would be a matter of how they would go about the culture change and not risk unhappy employees who would turn their backs on the business.

1. What were the triggers of cultural change in Japan during the 1990s? How is cultural change starting to affect traditional values in Japan?

The generation after 1964 and beyond did not carry on traditional values that their parents upheld. Japanese workers began to see that western cultures being brought into their way of life seemed greater and more promising. Workers did not want to be tied to just one company for the rest of their lives and also troubled companies began to lay-off older employers that were promised life-time employment with the company. It became more acceptable to have multi careers.

2. How might Japan’s changing culture influence the way Japanese businesses operate in the future? What are the potential implications of such changes for the Japanese economy?

With the changing culture influence, businesses are now able to offer different employment options. Panasonic for instance had three options. First, employees would be able to be employed under the traditional way allowing them eligibility to live in subsidized company housing, go free to company-organized events, and buy subsidized services such as banking from group...