DJW Arbeitsgruppe Intercultural Management
Where we are coming from
A workshop at the DJW 30-year anniversary symposium at 18. June 2016 was our start. We already discovered cultural synergy as an outcome of positive intercultural communication as an important topic. From 2019 to 2023 we promoted formation of a workgroup that discusses and shares experiences in order to improve our members’ intercultural competence.
Where we are going
The aim of our new working group consisting of two Japanese German dyads is to develop the knowledge to reach more awareness, encourage positive communication that leads to good solutions via regular discussions at the platform provided by DJW. Heightening the awareness of cognitive processes, needed for negotiation and change management in intercultural workplaces, are the core aims of our on-going monthly discussion.
We are eager to promote DJW members’ ability to build trustful relations as well as create dynamic networks among Japanese and German [business] people. Participants of our meetings can benefit by learning on how to reflect problems and develop useful strategies in the intercultural workplace. By doing so, we enabled already DJW members to become key persons with boundary spanning ability between Germany and Japan.
Specifics
The new program of the AG Intercultural management is completed. The meetings will be organized by dyads of AG Japanese and German team members based in Germany and Japan. It is planned to conduct online meetings and also on the spot and hybrid meetings. These meetings will be conducted
- in Japan, Professor Dr. Rolf D. Schlunze (Ritsumeikan University, Osaka Ibaraki Campus) with Ms. Aoi Ono (Nippon Paint Corporate Solutions Co., Ltd.; Division Human Resources) will host meetings at Ritsumeikan University at the Osaka Ibaraki Campus
- in Germany, Carsten Watanabe (Chowa-Coaching) with Rieko Ishii (Kurimoto, Ltd.) will host meetings at the DJW Office in Düsseldorf.
One reason why we are operating in a dyads or two AG leader teams is that we reveal higher sensitivity and empathy towards DJW members with Japanese cultural background. The idea of managing the AG Intercultural management is to enthuse members to learn by small intercultural teams. This enables us to act as a knowledge bridge between German and Japanese DJW members and / or between German and Japan-based DJW members.
We wish to integrate not only different cultural views, but also functional and professional backgrounds of our DJW members. We wish to learn from each other through our discussion and share our observation, intercultural exchange, feedback and common experiences. We are working to heighten the knowledge towards successful leadership in multi-linguistic teams. The AG will take steps that should result to learn about constructive inter-cultural management.
In 2024 our major topics are as follows: Cultural Sensitivity, Positive Communication, Change Management. We are planning to organize a hybrid workshop on negotiation at the end of Oct. 2024 at Ritsumeikan OIC with Anne Pomsel and Kasuya Yoshida (DJW Office). We will enable all DJW members to participate proactively in our AG meetings sharing their intercultural experiences since we wish to learn from each other.
- March 6: Introduction
- April 10: Cultural Sensitivity
- June 13: Positive Communication
- October 29: Negotiation Workshop at Ritsumeikan OIC with Anne Pomsel and Kazuya Yoshida, DJW
- October 30: Negotiation Workshop at Ritsumeikan OIC with Anne Pomsel and Kazuya Yoshida, DJW
- December 11: Change Management
To join our regular working group meeting, please register in advance at the DJW event homepage or check the invitation via our digital workspace within DJW "Networking Hub".
Contact
Japan
Prof. Dr. Rolf Schlunze (Professor of Intercultural Management at Ritsumeikan University OIC)
Aoi Ono (Nippon Paint Corporate Solutions Co., Ltd.; Division Human Resources)
Germany
Carsten Watanabe (Chowa-Coaching)
Rieko Ishii (Kurimoto, Ltd.)
E-Mail: intercultural@djw.de