This document discusses cultural issues that arose when Toyota opened a factory in Valenciennes, France. Some key cultural differences between French and Japanese culture included individualism vs collectivism, long vs short-term orientation, and high vs low power distance. Issues at the Toyota factory included language barriers, differences in corporate vs national culture regarding uniforms and seniority, and misunderstandings due to cultural differences. Toyota addressed these issues by providing language support, encouraging flatter hierarchies, involving young workers, and increasing informal cultural exchange between Japanese and French employees. Their efforts helped improve communication and acceptance of Toyota's practices, enhancing cross-cultural awareness and collaboration.

1. L/O/G/O
Managing Across Cultures
Case study: Toyota in France
Lecturer: Mr Jeffrey Tan
Group 6: Long, Khoa, Nanda, Lydia

2. Contents
Conclusion
Reflection
Toyota in France
Cultural issues and solutions
Introduction
Content

3. Introduction
An understanding of cross-cultural issues coming up
when Toyota opened its factory in France
Research questions:
•What cultural issues in Valenciennes factory of Toyota were
caused related to the differences and interaction between
French and Japanese culture?
•How could these issues be resolved and how to increase
cross-cultural awareness?

4. France Culture
SPECIFIC
LOW MASCULINITY
INDIVIDUALISM
MEDIUM CONTEXT

5. Japan Culture
ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTED
HIGH MASCULINITY
COLLECTIVISM
HIGH CONTEXT

6. Culture in Toyota as a Japanese Company
Value harmony and teamwork
Emphasizes on developing good employees
Employees from various nationalities

7. Japan Versus France 1 - Geert-Hofstede.com

8. Cultural Issues

9. Cultural Issues
Language and communication
Power Distance
Individualism versus Collectivism
Long-term orientation
Corporate culture versus National culture

10. Language and communication
• Main communication is in
ENGLISH
• The second language with
both Japanese & French

11. Language and communication
The scale of high context and low context cultures of Hall

12. Power distance
FRANCE 68 High PDI – JAPAN 54 Medium PDI

13. Individualism vs collectivism

14. Long-term orientation
Japan
Long-term
orientation
France
Short-term
orientation
34
80

15. Corporate Culture versus National Culture
Toyota
- Uniform for the
employees
- Prefer to hiring young
employees
French employees
- Seniority is a privilege
- Do not like wearing
uniform

16. Solution and result

17. Preparation and Policies
Minimising the influence of cultural differences
is TMMF’s strategy
Many Japanese employees had been sent to
live and study in France

18. Toyota’s efforts
‧Language - Communication
Inviting interpreters to the work floor,
even in every interview to assure that no
misunderstanding happen.
‧PDI
Encourage a flatter organizational structure.
Enhance internal communication.
Inspire young workers to participate to group
discussion and to speak up their opinions.
- Creating green fields
Recruiting unskilled young people

19. The fruit of their efforts
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-Employees did exercises together at 8h every morning
before starting their work.
- The company's attire was accepted
- Alcohol ban at workplace was respected by employees

20. Enhancing Cross-cultural Awareness
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-By increasing the informal exchange of information,
Toyota is able to generate and leverage knowledge
and create a ‘learning company’.
-The influence of corporate culture can be improved
if the company closely links to the employee
community
- The interaction between national culture and
corporate culture can create competitive advantages
and disadvantages

21. Reflection

22. Reflection
Initial Difficulties
‧Language and communication problems
‧Vietnamese members - more individualistic
‧Low uncertainty avoidance of Vietnamese

23. Reflection
Overcoming challenges
to reach agreement
‧Build perception
‧Utilized an effective communication tool → SKYPE
‧Vietnamese → Long-term orientation
‧Taiwanese and Indonesian → Positive attitudes

24. Conclusion

25. Conclusion
‧Clarify the theories of culture and management
declared by Hofstede, Hall and GLOBE study
‧Analysis of the cultural conflicts between the
expatriate subsidiary with local workers and the
evaluation their solutions aim to illustrate for the
study of Heenan and Perlmutter (1979).

26. Conclusion
‧Good preparation for organisation's internationalisation
‧Utilising the contrasts and avoiding blind spot cannot
be forgotten.
‧Underlying cultures conflicts always exist in MNCs

27. Three limitations
‧ Lacking of knowledge
‧ Time and length
‧The information

28. L/O/G/O
Thank You!