Human Resource within Microsoft Corporation - Case Study Example

Name Tutor Institution Date Introduction Japan is significantly one of the most developed economies of the world with an exclusive culture. Having experienced a speedy economic growth, the Japanese Workforce can be credited for establishment of Japan as the second largest economy of the world. As the newly appointed manger of Microsoft Corporation assigned to work in Japan, human resource is one of the fundamental aspects that has to be effectively managed because the workforce is actually the core of an organizations performance and effectiveness. This particular presentation aims at highlighting an informed and critical manner in which I would manage human resource within Microsoft Corporation. The scope of the analysis will cover the evaluation of Japanese culture and its influence on the Management of human resource, secondly the various human resource development strategies that I would adopt when managing human resource in Japan. The philosophy of human resource in Japan is based on the emphasis of ideologies such as community orientation, egalitarianism and groupism. A survey carried out on companies indicated that most of the managers and employees in Japan believe that human resource is actually the most essential of all the existing managerial resources. Peter and John (2007, 210) state that managing human resource is a role that managers carry out in relations to the employee of an organization. Management actions towards employees includes various factors such as allocation of resources and planning, providing vision, directions and goals , creating an environment were the workforce is motivated and can contribute to the general running of organization. However as the newly appointed manager of the Microsoft Company in Japan it is vital for me to effectively understand the society in which I am working in, understand the workforce in terms of their culture, their priorities, the appropriate code of ethics and their leadership preference. The culture of business in Japan is greatly influenced by religious perspectives of Buddhism, Confucianism and Shinto. The Shinto religion having large number of followers has greatly influenced the business world and issue in human resource management. For instance the Shinto related notion of joge, on, haji, refers to a strong relationship that should be between the superior and inferior in that, a strong sense of obligation should exist between the state and the citizen’s ,employer and the employees. The fusion of such an ideology into the business world results to adoption of values such as caring for the welfare of the employee both at work at the family level, Yim Yu and Thomas (1994, 42), highlight that through the integration of religious ethics within the business world, there is fusion of the family and the business world, whereby the private and the business world are perceived as related avenues. As a result it is essential for human resource managers to be concerned about employee welfare in his/her environment outside the work place. This calls for provision of sufficient remuneration, less stress at the workplace in order for the individual to live comfortably at the family level. When making an evaluation of the aspect of leadership preference, Hodgetts and Luthans (2002, p. 431) highlight that the culture of a particular society can result to certain problems if concepts of universal leadership are used. For instance in Japan, leaders usually display their management strategies more frequently through Laissez-faire and management by exception style as opposed to the contingent reward method which is more frequent. Research further indicated that the application of universal models within the Human resource in Japan may eventually prove difficult, as a result it is essential to take note of the fact that culture plays an essential role in the conceptualization of leadership. Hodgetts and Luthans (2002, p. 432) state the culture of leadership in Japan is moderated on power distance, uncertainty avoidance and high on musicality. Ajiferuke and Boddewyn, (1970, 115) acknowledge the fact that cultures do change and further develop. Due to wide spread management education and internationalism reflected by western practices and values, many societies have conformed to western ideologies and Japan is not an exception. In addition the latest economic recession that also affected Japan may have speeded cultural change. A recent research done on employees of a certain company in Japan indicated that most of the work force preferred the participative type of leadership. In order to manage human resource in the Microsoft Company it is vital to utilize a leadership style that is in consensus with the society’s acceptable code of leadership. Human resource management is basically aimed at giving leadership to the work force in order to meet the objectives of the organization, Peter & John (2007, 108) as a result in order to effectively manage the workforce I would utilize the participative type of leadership which advocates for developing a working environment were employees are not excluded in the running of the organization and are free to take part in the decision making process. With increased globalization, being that Microsoft is a multinational company, adopting a participative leadership practice in Japan would not actually be a wrong move, thus I would also apply alternative leadership practices that can be beneficial to the company and at the same time useful to the workforce such a the transformational leadership whose basic aim is to develop positive change within groups, individuals and the entire organization. Negotiation is another essential concept in the management of human resource. The role of a manager is to conduct local negotiations (within the company) and also act as the representative of the employees in negotiations undertaken nation wide, this could be as an advisor or a critic in respect to trade. Some of the issues affecting the workforce that are negotiated upon include the nature of contracts of work, external regulation, case laws and labour legislations. In order for me to be a successful negotiator in maters concerning the workforce, it is essential to comprehensively understand the Japanese negotiation styles .Oikawa& Tanner (1992, 55) highlight that the Japanese negotiation style is attributed to cultural values and the social system in Japan. There are two major relationships types have to be established in order to have a successful negotiation in Japan; these include a personal relationship ands a rank relationship. Oikawa& Tanner (1992, 56) further highlight that in Japan people start negotiations by first asserting their ‘ranks’ or positions and they behave according to their positions , the Japanese society generally feels uncomfortable if rank is not appreciated . The power position of business relations in Japan is dependant on the prestige and size of a company. Establishing personal relationships is the key to any negotiation which are established through extension of eye contact. Having acquired such information concerning negotiation within the Japanese context as the Manager of Microsoft Corporation, one of the leading multinational organizations of the world it is essential for me to adopt negotiation tactics that are suitable within the Japanese society such as, when trying to negotiate with the employees concerning internal issues such as contract terms and remuneration it is essential to establish personal relationships which is attained through eye contact. When dealing within external negotiated on matters concerning the workforce such as case laws and labor legislation which Multinational National organizations have to conform within to the country of operation, I would put into consideration the fact that the rank Microsoft Corporation internationally is highly regarded in addition in Japan the Company is also prestigious as a result , when presenting issues concerning the employees of my organization, I would act with confidence and I would also not be willing to settle for terms that are not useful for the employees of Microsoft corporation. Team building or working in teams is another important human resource management strategy. Team work assists in increasing efficiency and productivity of the organization, improves the manner in which the employees interact with each other and also enhances trust levels within the workplace. As a manger adopting the team work strategy would be an excellent method of building teams within the organization. In Japan, management is usually group oriented and also gives high priority to the survival of teams / groups within the organization. Groupism or group orientation referred to in Japan as ( shudan- shungi) which means that a group views itself as a closely tired community therefore it shares a common destiny thus puts emphasis on realizing the potentials and aspirations of each member of the group . Jong (199, p126) highlights that the origin of groupism in Japan can be traced back to the edo period of the feudalist system (1600-1868) were close community life was empathized, respect for harmony and joint responsibility. Therefore adopting the team building strategy in Japan is actually an acceptable practice that would be profitable to the organization. Motivation of the workforce is another essential aspect in managing human resource. In the context of Japan, Hideo (1986, 105), highlights that; motivation is among the fifteen fundamental organizational practices, that employees of any organization are entitled to. Motivation is perceived as an essential practice that strengthens the workforce to produce the desired work behavior outcomes. For instance the aspect of promotion in Japan is basically an achievement that an employee has to gain after extremely working hard as a result it is essential for the organization to provide a conducive working environment were the employee can realize their potential, workers in Japan work hard within the organization to be promoted rather than seeking promotion from other firms, therefore most of the workforce upgrade their qualifications and abilities through training and upgrading their education in order to be promoted. As a manger I will therefore put emphasis on enhancing training and development programs in order to assist the employees achieve their potentials as outlined by the Maslow theory of motivation. Hideo (1986, 110), outlines some of the human resource management principle that can effectively serve people of In the Japanese society and culture. Hideo highlights that Japanese management tends to follow the egalitarianism policy whereby a manger does not just give orders from the top but rather the best style is to provide the workforce with a large volume of information, encourage their initiative and encourage their views. In addition another management practice in Japan advocates the elimination of class differences within the organization, In that bottom level workers are provided with the same opportunities as those in high ranks. Therefore when managing the Japanese workforce it is essential for me as a manager to adopt the egalitarianism policy in order to minimize conflict resulting from class differences. Another strategy of managing human resource that is commonly practiced in Japan is the establishment of job security for the workforce, which is often done by recruiting fresh employees from school. The strategy is basically aimed at internalizing the labour market. The freshly recruited employees undergo training and promotion, regardless off their social background. The strategy results to a type of human resource management method that acts as a long term investment. Adopting this strategy of recruitment would be useful in maintaining of human resource by elimination of problems linked to early retirement and lack of adequate employees, which would result to the burdening employees with increased workloads due to inadequate staff. Conclusion Microsoft is a multinational company, however in despite of multinational companies being autonomous in their operations, it is essential for any manger to actually confirm to the cultural requirements of the country in operation for effective running of the organization. As a result as highlighted by the analysis above the Japanese society has its own exclusive cultural values which are also operational within the business world, thus in order for me to effectively manage human resource in Japan I have to conform to the regulations of the countries human resource management codes of ethics. However in despite of the fact that the saying goes; when you go to Rome do as the Romans do, other aspects of Japanese culture such as male chauvinism which is also extended to the work environment, is not a practice that I would adopt. 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