Running Head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Case Study Analysis; CASE 10-2 LaJolla Software, Inc. Billy Arnette BUS 600 Management Communications with Technology Instructor: Thomas Steinhagen November 28, 2011

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS Table of Contents

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ABSTRACT.....3 BUISNESS AND COMMUNICATION ISSUES...4 COMMUNICATION RESOLUTION RECOMMENDATIONS..5 WORKS CITED..7

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Abstract LaJolla Software, Inc. is a small to midsized American software company that specializes in enterprise software with customized systems integration and supply-chain management. The company was started 5 years ago by college roommates Chad Lucas and Joshua Flynn with $8 million in capital and no revenue. Today the company is publicly traded with annual revenues of $150 million. Todd Batey is a marketing manager that has been working with Chad and Josh for several months on a joint venture with a Japanese firm to distribute the companies S-4 supply chain management software throughout much of Asia. Their hard work has finally paid off and they have reached an agreement with Ichi Ban Heavy Industries of Japan. In seven days Ichi Bans management team will be in California to visit the LaJolla Software headquarters and Chad and Josh are asking Todd to develop a plan to help integrate the Japanese visitors into the company and American business culture.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Business and Communication Issues The visiting Japanese transition management team consists of 8 managers and one senior manager by the name of Kazushi Yakura. Mr. Yakura has experience dealing with Americans but the members of his transition team have never been to Californias Silicon Valley much less America. The Japanese teams lack of experience with American business culture is only one issue to consider. The language barrier and more importantly the non-verbal differences will pose a challenge to communication as well. The LaJolla Software Company is a small with a very open and casual atmosphere. Most of the meetings are impromptu and lack traditional American business formalities. This atmosphere is what fostered the creative environment that put LaJolla Software where it is today. It will be important to define the companys history and how it has correlated to its current success. The Japanese transition team will need to fully understand the current culture and see that there are open lines of communication between them and the LaJolla employees. Proper communication with the LaJolla employees is important. The employees can feel threatened that their way of life will be changed and not for the better. This merger is great for the companys growth and exposure but if the transition is not managed correctly there could be some unwanted turnover and loss of creativity and productivity.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS Communication Resolution Recommendations The first thing Todd should do is contact Mr. Yakura immediately to find out more specifics of the transition team members for example; age, sex, education, marital status etc. Todd can also let Mr. Yakura know about LaJollas corporate culture and demographics. Find

out if there are any potential language barriers and find out what would be the protocol for him to send a small questioner to each of the transition team members. Todd will need to make it clear to Mr. Yakura that the purpose of the questionier is to identify commonalities between the team and the LaJolla employees as well as identifying and special considerations i.e. dietary. Even though the team is coming to America learning some statistics about Japan would show interest and understanding. Non-verbal communication is very important in Japanese culture they often trust it more than spoken words (Japan Language, culture, n.d). Todd should contact someone from the Japanese Consulate and find out if there is any documentation they can send to him regarding Japanese business culture. Todd can also use the Geert Hofstede analysis to further his understanding of the different cultural dimensions (Global Leadership, n.d.). The information he collects can be used to put together a communication to the LaJolla employees about the new business merger. The communication should provide access to additional information and ways for the LaJolla team members to ask questions with an option to attend an open Q&A session. Being culturally sensitive is essential to your success. In Japan, for example, the presentation of a business card is done with reverence, almost like an intricate dance. Cards, which represent the persons importance to the company and personal identity within the community, are gently presented with two hands and accomplished with a bow (ORourke, 2010). As highlighted in the excerpt something as simple as proper business cards protocol will

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS be important to the Japanese transition teams first impression of the American company. The first impression is important since the team will be working at the LaJolla headquarters for an unknown period of time and will allow the transition team to concentrate on the task of implementing the needed changes for the merger. Todds success will primarily come from highlighting the commonalities between the Japanese and American cultures and communicating those effectively to the Japanese team as well as giving the current LaJolla employees as much information as possible. The first interaction with the Japanese team will set the stage for the merger and help bridge a culture of collaboration between the American team and the future Asian expansions.

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References Global Leadership MBA Graduates from the University of Texas Dallas, (n.d.). The Web's Leading resource for International Business Etiquette and Manners Retrieved from http://www.cyborlink.com/default.htm

Kwintessential. (n.d.). Japan - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved from the Kwintessential website http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/globaletiquette/japan-country-profiles.html ORourke, J. (2010). Management Communication: A Case-Analysis Approach, 4th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall