新视野大学英语读写教程听力 第三册 te-unit03-b

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[00:00.00]喜欢hxen.net，就把hxen.net复制到QQ个人资料中！Cultural Differences in Western and Japanese Decision-Making
[00:-1.00]To talk about problem-solving or decision-making within a national environment
[00:-2.00]means examining many complex cultural forces.
[00:-3.00]It means trying to measure the impact of these forces on contemporary life,
[00:-4.00]and also coming to grips with changes now taking place.
[00:-5.00]2  In Japan, the most important thing
[00:-6.00]is what organization you work for.
[00:-7.00]This is of extreme importance when trying to analyze
[00:-8.00]the direction-taking or decision-making process.
[00:-9.00]At the least,
[00:10.00]it explains the greater job stability in Japan,
[00:11.00]it explains the greater job stability in Japan,
[00:12.00]in contrast to the great job mobility in America.
[00:13.00]3  While we differ in many ways,
[00:14.00]such differences are neither superior nor inferior to each other.
[00:15.00]A particular pattern of management behavior
[00:16.00]develops from a complex mixture of unique cultural factors -
[00:17.00]and will only work within a given culture.
[00:18.00]4  Let me try to describe three or four
[00:19.00]characteristics of the Japanese environment that in some way affect decision-making
[00:20.00]or direction-taking and problem-solving.
[00:21.00]These characteristics are related to each other.
[00:22.00]5  First, in any approach to a problem and in any negotiations in Japan,
[00:23.00]there is the "you to you" approach,
[00:24.00]as distinguished from the Western "I to you" approach.
[00:25.00]The difference is this: in "I to you",
[00:26.00]both sides present their arguments
[00:27.00]openly from their own point of view -
[00:28.00]they state what they want and what they expect to get.
[00:29.00]A confrontation situation is thereby set up,
[00:30.00]and Westerners are very skillful in dealing with this.
[00:31.00]6  The "you to you" approach practiced in Japan
[00:32.00]is based on each side-automatically and often
[00:33.00]unconsciously - trying to understand the other person's point of view.
[00:34.00]Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual attempt to reduce confrontation
[00:35.00]and achieve harmony.
[00:36.00]7  A second characteristic is based on "consensus opinion"
[00:37.00]and "bottom-up direction".
[00:38.00]In Japan great consideration is given
[00:39.00]to the thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels.
[00:40.00]This is true of both private enterprises and government ministries.
[00:41.00]In Japan there is a drive for unity within the group-whether it is family,
[00:42.00]company,or Parliament.
[00:43.00]8  The difference is that Western style decision-making
[00:44.00]proceeds mostly from top management
[00:45.00]and often does not consult middle management or the worker while in Japan,
[00:46.00]ideas can be created at the lowest levels,
[00:47.00]travel upward through an organization and have an impact on the eventual decision.
[00:48.00]This is "bottom up".
[00:49.00]9  There is also a characteristic style of communication in Japan
[00:50.00]that is different from the Western way.
[00:51.00]10  The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony,
[00:52.00]even if the deal falls through,
[00:53.00]and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a "you to you" approach,
[00:54.00]communicating personal views only indirectly and delicately.
[00:55.00]11  This places time in a different perspective.
[00:56.00]In Japan the Western deadline approach is secondary to a thorough job.
[00:57.00]Owing to this difference in emphasis,
[00:58.00]the Japanese are thorough in their meetings as well as in their production.
[00:59.00]Thus Americans are often frustrated by the
[-1:00.00]many successive meetings in many Japanese businesses.
[-1:-1.00]But where the American is pressing for a specific decision,
[-1:-2.00]the Japanese is trying to devise a rather broad direction.
[-1:-3.00]12  On the other hand, once a given agreement is made,
[-1:-4.00]it is the Japanese who sometimes wonder at the slow pace