Japanese and American management practices application in the Singapore context

Abstract

This study is carried out with two objectives in mind : (1) to gain a better understanding of Japanese and American management style, and (2) to examine whether local companies' management practices are influenced by the two styles. A literature review on the two styles of management is done to enhance the understanding of them and to bring out the differences between them. A survey is then carried out to collect data on the management practices of local companies. This enable us to analyse whether local companies' management practices have been influenced by the two styles. Also, if so, what is the extent to which they have been influenced? A sample of one hundred local companies from various industrial sectors are chosen for the survey. They are requested to complete and return the questionnaire. Various statistics methods are used to analyse the data, including descriptive statistics and t-tests. From our findings, we concluded that local companies' management practices follow mostly the American style of management, except in the area of decentralization where local companies adopt their own style of management.As Singapore economic development has all along been based on individualistic competition, though a large part of the population's forefathers imbibed much of Confucius' teachings, the education system that is largely western in design has produced "go-getters" bent on achieving individual and instant success. Introduction of the Japanese Corporate ideology into Singapore would be difficult as people are instilled with the value of individualism. This, therefore, accounts for the ease of transfer-ability of the American style to local companies.