Showa-Packard Case free essay sample

The Tanaka incident came about through several other events preceding. Mr. Tanaka was nominated to replace the late president on the joint venture board. This appointment according to Mr. Harper was based on the Japanese seniority system and not in accordance with qualifications for the position. The seniority system as described by Mr. Harper is giving Mr. Tanaka the position to simply retire into. In addition to Mr. Harper’s description behind the reasoning to Mr. Tanaka’s appointment, Mr. Johnson does not see Mr. Tanaka qualified to fill this position. In response to his own concerns, Mr. Johnson nominates Mr. Abe as the president based on his qualifications and prior experienced working with him. The Showa Company respectfully rejects Mr. Johnson’s proposal on the basis is would be detrimental to the joint venture and to Mr. Abe’s future. The Showa Company also defends Mr. Tanaka’s qualifications for the position by claiming that Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Showa-Packard Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Johnson’s judgment is unfair, because he has yet to meet him. The Tanka appointment has several causes that make it an issue. The Tanaka appointment became a concern to Mr. Johnson, as he feels his appointment could harm the joint venture’s success. It first became an issue, because Mr. Johnson found Mr. Tanaka’s qualifications unfit for the position. The concern seemed to grow as Mr. Harper began to explain the culture of the company’s seniority system that gave Mr. Tanaka the position. This caused negative personal feelings with Mr. Johnson. In the case, it described it as resentment, as if he sees the appointment of Mr. Tanaka deals more with the company’s culture, and the actual business of the joint venture is not important to the Showa Company. Additionally, Mr. Johnson feel this appointment highlights the loss of initiative the Packard management holds in the joint venture and appointing a different person because he said so would regain that initiative. Another possible cause to this issue is Mr. Harper himself, Mr. Harper complains about his inability to integrate and communicate with his Japanese counterparts. Miscommunication and lack of cohesiveness with the company from Mr. Harper’s standpoint could lead to misinterpretation of the real reasoning behind Mr. Tanka’s appointment. It is very possible that the Show Company’s organizational structure functions as Mr. Harper believes, but without the communication and good interrelations, how does Mr. Harper know the true intentions behind Mr. Tanaka’s appointment? Another reason for this issue was pointed out by the Showa Company. Mr. Johnson judged Mr. Tanaka solely on his qualifications on paper, how does Mr. Johnson know that Mr. Tanaka isn’t just as qualified as Mr. Abe? The reasoning behind Mr. Johnson’s recommendation for Mr. Abe was based on his admirations of qualities such as being dynamic, highly motivated, and pragmatic. These admirable qualities are generally not found in the employees work history, but realized through interacting with the individual. Mr. Tanaka could easily possess the same qualities. The Tanaka appointment incident has potential to cause business and personnel cohesive issues. A resolution to such a complex issue must also be complex, and could possibly cause additional strain on the joint venture relationships. The two companies came upon an agreement during the joint venture that the president appointee would be approved by the board and the American company. If Mr. Johnson truly feels that Mr. Tanaka is not qualified, after a fair assessment of his qualifications and putting personal resentment aside, then Mr. Johnson must enforce the previously arranged agreement and disapprove of Mr. Tanaka as president. This enforcement does have potential to cause tension on the foreign relationships. However, it would allow Mr. Johnson to regain his initiative, and allow both companies to have the desired candidate. The newly appointed president should be agreed upon with the equally represented board. This candidate should appease both Showa’s need for seniority and Packard’s need for superior qualifications. Mr. Johnson should also be sensitive to the organizational structure of the Showa Company and create a position for Mr. Tanaka on the joint venture team that he is more qualified for, and can still allow him to retire into it. This conflict branches from several issues but can be resolved through diplomatic and strategic resolutions.