MULTICULTURAL ELEMENTS IN GUNG HO

Running head: MULTICULTURAL ELEMENTS IN GUNG HO
MULTICULTURAL ELEMENTS IN GUNG HO
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Introduction
In the age of rapid globalization, business organizations are required to expand the
scope of their business activities and operations in different regions of the world in order to
tap into new markets and gain a competitive advantage over its rivals. This process of
globalization in the business industry has facilitated individuals belonging from different
cultural backgrounds to communicate and collaborate with each other within the scope of the
organization. Such communication among culturally diverse individuals or groups of
individuals is particularly necessary as it helps the organization to utilize its talent pool to
incorporate innovation and creative into its activities and operations (Rothacker & Hauer,
2014). This process of innovation in creativity is propelled through an exchange of ideas and
information among different individuals with different cultural origins, but cooperating to
achieve common organizational goals and targets. In this regard, it may be mentioned that
multiculturalism plays an important role within the scope of a business organization to make
complete use of the opportunities available to them and prevent the organization from getting
affected by the threats in the external environment (Brett, Behfar & Kern, 2009). The essay
will further analyze the elements of multiculturalism in a business organization as can be
observed in the 1986 American movie Gung Ho. This comedy movie directed by Ron
Howard depicts the impact of cultural diversity in the workforce upon organizational
performance and efficiency. The two clashing cultures depicted in the movie are that of the
United States of America and Japan. Various theories pertaining to the multicultural
interaction between the two groups of employees and members of the organization will be
discussed in detail in the following sections, along with the identification of certain
recommendations that may aid in improving the efficiency of such cross-cultural
communication.

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Discussion
Overview of Gung Ho
The plot of the American comedy gung Ho concerns the collaboration of two
opposing culture, namely that of the United States of America and Japan. The business
organization depicted in the movie is that of Assan motors Corporation, a Japanese company
that is about to resume its business activities in the operational unit located in Pennsylvania
(Kappelhoff, Grotkopp & Gaertner, 2016). Initially it has been noticed that the Japanese
company attempts to run the business operations of the organizational unit in America on the
basis of the working culture in Japan. Such a working culture is characterized by high
standards of performance and efficiency without adequate payment of wages according to the
American wage standards. These strategies adopted by the Japanese executive of the
company Takahara Kazuhiro results in a disarray among the American workers due to the
culture shock received from the differences in dominant working cultures in America and
Japan (Littler, 2004). In spite of the efforts made by the American executive Hunt, to bridge
the gap between the two cultures and convince the workers and other employees of the
organization belonging from an American cultural background into compliance, the initiative
results to a major failure, where the administration of the organization loses control over the
employees.
The differences in the working ethics of the workers and other employees belonging
from a Japanese and American culture causes difficulties in management, thereby causing
major discrepancies in the organizational performance and efficiency. However, this
challenge is met when the two leaders are successful in inspiring the workers to perform their
duties with utmost dedication and engagement, by stepping in to work themselves (Saha,
2013). The level of dedication and involvement thus achieved, helps the organization to

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partially achieve its targets where the chief Executive Officer of the company finally
appreciates the efforts put in by the employees and workers and calls them “good men”.
The plot of the movie concludes with the observation that the management of a
culturally diverse workforce involves effort from the different cultures in trying to bridge the
existing differences among them. In this regard, it may be observed that the movie depicts an
increase in the level of cooperation and effort put in by the workers and employees belonging
from the American culture and a reduction of strictness and discipline of work ethics form the
Japanese executive (Pratychia, 2017). Efforts put in by both the parties to adapt to the
differences in the working of the two cultures helps the organization to integrate the interests
of the different members and encourage them to achieve the organizational targets and
expected business outcomes.
Figure 1: Poster for Gung Ho