East vs. West: Motivation and Innovation
Introduction
The style of management of an organization is the procedure that an organization’s management uses to regulate and control its workforce. It helps connect various business activities in order to achieve the organizational objectives. There is a contrasting view on how the western and eastern parts of the world handle their management activities. Management in the western part involves employee participation in the business activities. In contrast, the eastern part’s management is characterized by centralized systems. Studies indicate that the western management systems help workers to develop their professional abilities.
The eastern system of management is characterized by paternalistic leadership. The employees have little or no power while the top managers are powerful and make all decisions. However, there is a need to have a balance between management styles and the working culture. This helps to raise the standards of professional skills among employees.
Business process management needs to have innovation and motivation. Employees become more productive when they are motivated. Motivation is also the basis of an innovative workforce. The western management systems are effective in terms of innovation because the workers are motivated and given time to develop their professional skills. Research indicates that eastern systems of management do not motivate workers well enough hence; the innovation levels are quite low. This paper focuses on the comparison between the management styles in the western and eastern sides of the globe and how they affect the performance, innovation and motivation of employees.
Impact of the management styles on employee motivation
The style of management in an organization determines the motivation level of employees. The eastern management style is extreme because workers are not given conducive environment to develop professionally. The authoritarian attitude adopted by the eastern managers towards employees cause things such as physical abuse and mental torture. Even though such negative treatment of employees is illegal, most nations do not follow them strictly.
Most western companies adopt the western style of management. However, they break these rules whenever they form partnerships abroad. The progress of employees in situations where the eastern style of management is used is usually stunted. For instance, the management strategy exercised by Apple Inc., a leading computer manufacturer and mobile phones and related software. The innovative, as well as creative strategies employed by Apple have overwhelming approval in the USA and all over the world. However, the approval level is different when dealing with partners and branches in overseas nations. For example, Foxcom, a supplier of iPad and iPhone is notorious for employee mistreatment. Foxcom underpays and overworks its employees. The managers humiliate employees with loads of work and rudeness. There have been cases of suicides among employees as a result of this. For example, in May 2011, 7 Chinese employees of Foxcom committed suicide. This led to an investigation into Foxcom’s working conditions.
After the Foxcom incident at Shenzhen, southern China, the company put up an anti-suicide notice in its servant quarters. Not concrete measures were taken to ensure that the real situation was contained. The employees had been exploited and mistreated. Apple, a western company, has a commitment to ensure that its employees and those of its partners work under proper conditions. Therefore, Apple authorized Fair Labour Association to conduct an audit of Foxcom after public outcry.
Foxcom is managed under the eastern management style where authoritarianism takes centre stage. Employees are mistreated and work under poor conditions. The company emphasizes on its management having the power to make all decisions while employees have not say or power. On the other hand, Apple is a Western company where management seeks to motivate its employees in order to ensure they are more productive. This has helped Apple make huge profits over the recent years due to the innovative structure.
Working culture that promotes innovation
Innovation is an important aspect for success of any organization. The management style that promotes innovation in its work culture is necessary for the company’s development. A set of concepts that are used for developing and establishing innovative culture enhances experimentation and creativity. If the management encourages innovation, it promotes creativity among its workers. The innovativeness in the western and eastern management styles helps workers adopt originality, inventiveness and ingenuity.
The western system of management is famous for its innovative work culture. This has helped in the evolution of several companies to become global leaders in their respective sectors. Most companies are now identified through their management styles. Pressurizing employees makes them more productive hence the organization makes profits. However, some organizations have learnt to develop a solid base for their operations on an innovative and creative work culture. For example, Google, an American company has succeeded in this practice.
Google emphasizes on innovation hence; unbounded success in every area it has ventured. The company is said to have the best working conditions worldwide through its western style of management. The robust corporate culture has been instrumental. Its workers are motivated hence are free to experiment their creativity and become innovative. Workers at Google get free food, play games at work, have gyms, free insurance and some can work from their homes if they wish.
The Google management style allows it to implement the structure in all its offices worldwide. Therefore, all Google employees are motivated to work because they have been provided for by their employer. The employer invests in ensuring that the workers are comfortable, happy and free. This allows them to exercise their innovativeness and creativity.
Combination of management styles
The native eastern management style is authoritarian in nature and innovative work culture is not encouraged. It has evolved over the years since many eastern nations have discovered the benefits of incorporating innovative work culture into their business operations. For example, Infosys is a major software company in India. The company’s eastern management style has helped it to be known for its outsourcing prowess. With several delivery centres all over the world, the company has grown rapidly since its first branch in Bangalore. After 32 years in global business, it has 46000 employees in 40 cities around the globe.
Infosys’ growth can be attributed to the youthful and creative spirit of its young founders. The company has successfully fused the eastern management system with the western style to form a hybrid management system. The company adopted the same method it used to expand in India to break into the international market. Therefore, the hybrid management style where the Western and Eastern management styles are used to increase efficiency is practical and can be used to enhance innovation and motivation among employees.
Conclusion
The Western and eastern management styles have different elements. Every business’ objective is to prosper, increase profits and productivity. The western style is open to innovation and creativity hence; employees are motivated to participate in innovation. The eastern management style is built on authoritarian principles where the top management makes all decisions while junior employees have no say. Innovation and creativity in the eastern management style is limited. However, there are companies that have adopted the hybrid management style. The hybrid is where a company fuses the eastern and western management styles. For example, Infosys has managed to foster innovation and creativity while maintaining all decision making power among its top management.
Bibliography
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