Cultural Problems in Locating Call Centre in Japan

INTERNATIONAL HRM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Cultural problems UK organizations need to consider when locating a call centre operation in
Japan............................................................................................................................................3
Critical evaluation of international human resource management problems UK firms need to
consider when establishing a call centre function in Japan.........................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Biography..................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
International HRM can characterized as set of activities targeting human resource
management at global level. It strives to meet objectives of an organization and achieve
competitive advantages over business rivals at national as well as international extent.
Globalization is one of external factors that put high pressure on HRM practices and activities at
global level. The current assignment is base on UK companies, which seeks to locating a Call
centre operation in Japan. Call centre is an office or a department in which outgoing and
incoming telephones calls from existing and new consumers are handled or managed by a team
of experienced advisors as agents. This report will critically examine HRM issues UK
organizations will need to take into consideration while locating a call centre operation in Japan.
Furthermore, this study will justify models and concepts that link to current assignment and pros
or cons of these in regard to case.
MAIN BODY
Cultural problems UK organizations need to consider when locating a call centre operation in
Japan
Cultural issues comes from problems arise when teams of people believe another unit is
wrong in their behaviours. There are different types of issues relate to culture, need to focused by
UK companies when they locate a call centre as business operation in Japan.
Communication is low down-
When United firms, locate their call centre into Japan, they need to consider all cultural
issues along this one as well (Ewert, 2019). Lack of communication is one of the majors issues
companies need to consider, which may be impact on success and growth of call centre operation
negatively. The main reason behind this problem, is language differences between UK and
Japan. Organizations must, focus on this factor as cultural issue. Assure sign of an unhealthy
culture is communication that does down more than up and across. Without understanding
Language of Japanese consumers, they are unable to locate specific operation in new country.
Local business practices-
Another form covers under term of cultural issues is understood local business activities.
While locating a call centre in Japan, UK companies must consider this factor which is quite
important for them (Madgerova, Kyurova and Atanasova, 2017). Culture problems or barriers do
not only occur at consumer interface. Global business growth and success also requires an in

depth comprehending of local business customs. In every nation, business practices and
activities are quite different, it can be said that without full consideration of how ventures is done
in a foreign market, including political, cultural influences and economic, UK firm cannot be
entered into Japan.
Stakeholders conflict-
Diversity increases issues, it enhances potential for language and other communication
challenges and it enhances risk of value conflicts, ambiguity and decision-making differences.
UK companies also consider this factor as well when they locate a call centre operation in Japan,
because many people have different perspective on different basis, stereotypes and other types of
bias can impact negatively on business plan as well as exchange of ideas and information
between consumers, workers and other people.
Model or framework that relate to case-
Hofstede's cultural dimensions model is a framework for cross cultural communication.
It was developed by Geert Hofstede and reflects impact of society culture on their members
values and how these values link to behaviour of individual, utilizing a structure derived from
factors analysis (Huang and Crotts, 2019).
This model is related to current case because it helps to identify Cultural followed in
Japan, where UK companies wants to locate a call centre operations. It consists of 6 dimensions,
that are-
Power distance-
It expresses extent to which less powerful members of a community expect and accept
that power is distributed unequally. For example, at an intermediate rate of 54, Japan is
borderline hierarchical community, Japanese are always awake of their hierarchical place in any
social setting, and they act accordingly. It impacts on UK companies businesses strategy as
locating a call centre operation.
Individualism versus collectivism-
High side of this element called individualism, it can be defined as preference for a
loosely knit social framework in which each person are expected to take care of only themselves.
Collectivism is its opposite side, it represents a orientation for tightly-knit concept in society in
which individual can require their relatives to look after them in exchange for unquestioning