Hunt Arrives in Japan Interrupts

Hunt Arrives in Japan Interrupts several different individuals in an effort to locate appropriate building Creates disturbances throughout Tokyo Hunt Intrudes on "Management Training Seminar" Hunt does not remove his shoes Hunt barges into rooms demanding direction Hunt interrupts Kazihiro's session of self reproachment Hunt presents his pitch Hunt barges into the conference room late Hunt begins by rudely asking whether or not everyone speaks English Hunt is very informal with the assembled which is in contradiction to Japanese custom Hunt includes a nearly indecent photograph as a female employee Hunt makes crude jokes about said employee Hunt uses profanity Japanese Management arrives in Hadleyville A red carpet was rolled out causing the arriving passengers to haphazardly remove their shoes A huge group of people were assembled An impromptu speech was required by Kazihiro Hunt becomes Liaison between Japanese management and American Workers Hunt agrees to position based solely on potential raise Arrives late Makes crude joke about managers last names Brings up Kazihiro's disgrace Agrees to bring the employees around to Japanese business practices and expectations First day of operation with Japanese Managers Hunt openly mocks the Japanese managers to the workers Indicates to men that they are just "letting" the Japanese make the opening plays in what is ultimately their game Hunt begins the dangerous game of playing the men against the Japanese apparently for his own gain Believes that he is ultimately going to be able to get everything the workers want without actually having to change their behavior or production Japanese managers attempting to retrain employees Hunt failed to actually inform the workers of the potential changes Hunt indicates to the men that he will "fix" the problems rather than attempting to explain the Japanese position Hunt uses humor and diversion as opposed to honest dealings Japanese managers alter protocols Hunt was aware these changes were to be made Workers were not adequately prepared for coming changes Hunt adopted a position of ignorance though he had been informed Hunt indicates that he would intercede on workers behalf when he had already agreed to terms Softball Game Workers see this as an event totally separate from corporate life Workers are allowed to aggress against Japanese Mr.

Saito is knocked over Reassignment of Hershiser The game was not strictly extra curricular Hershiser, perhaps the most vocal opponent of Japanese changes is publicly humiliated Hunt sides with the Japanese in the eyes of Hershiser Japanese are seen to be vindictive and retaliatory Sympathies and aggressions of workers are roused Dinner at Kazihiro's house Hunt is fired He barters to save his job, again employing false pretenses Relies on the honor code of the Japanese to secure his own position despite his acknowledged inability to produce results 15000 cars in one month Hunt challenges the Japanese management Agrees to completely unreasonable terms unilaterally Tells workers half truths about the challenge Indicates to management all is and will be well False pretenses result in emporary peace and success Kaz & Hunt get drunk Both men come clean to each other Each gains an increased understanding of the other Hunt begins to doubt his decision to continue his charade of allegiance Googleman gets hurt Major breaking point in American Japanese relations Kazihiro defies Saito Kazihiro stands up for American method of working Japanese position becomes further strained as accident results in further decrease in efficiency and output Kaz & Hunt have a falling out As a result of the injury, the truth of the lies in Hunt's promises is brought to light Hunt perpetuates the myth of his innocence and allegiance to the workers This results in the decision by workers to cal a union meeting Hunt approaches Kazihiro with the expectation that Kazihiro will make good on the false promises he made to workers Physically aggresses against Kazihiro when for reasons Hunt was already aware of Kazihiro is unable to come through on those promises Mr.

Sakamoto closes the plant As a result of the deception of Hunt and the relative gullability of Kazihiro, the plant is closed It is announced at the 4th of July picnic Hunt is shamed Kazihiro is shamed The situation seems completely beyond repair in their own ways each man has been completely ruined It appears that both a successful career and the future of Hadleyville have been lost as a result of the two mens stubbornness Kaz & Hunt join forces Each at a breaking point the two decide to join forces The plant was 1000 cars short with one day remaining until the deadline Rather than give up they vow to work together to save the plant even if they have to build all 1000 cars by themselves This determination inspires the other workers The entire plant comes back to work inspired by Kazihiro and Hunt's ability to put differences aside for the greater good Kazihiro publicly stands up for the workers and the plant to Mr.

Saito Though the workers work feverishly it appears that they will be unable to achieve the ultimate goal Kazihiro challenges Mr. Sakamoto's Honor Kazihiro removes power from Mr. Saito and challenges Mr.

Sakomoto directly This move if unsuccessful will definitively result in the complete failure of Kazihiro as a business person This is a move which shows Kazihiro as a melding of Japanese and American work ethic Plant is Re-opened Plant workers despite their best effort do not meet the 15000 car minimum It looks as though all is lost Sakomoto however realizes that though they may not be as efficient, they are motivated The American workers produced a product they believed in, at a plant they were as invested in as any Japanese worker was in their own factory Sakomoto moved by the display of solidarity re-opens the plant Mr.

Saito is shamed in front of all of the workers Japan is a culture which prides itself on decorum and respect. Hunt has arrived in this country with no knowledge of the language and no understanding of where he was actually intended to be going. Hunt also had no existing knowledge of the culture. All of these resulted in a rather unceremonious introduction to the homes of the people who were intended to save his town.

An effective mediation of the situation would have been to send Hunt with a translator familiar with Japanese customs and also to provide him with a consultant on the proposal. This would have ensured that no one was insulted and the relevant information was conveyed in a manner which was palatable to all involved. This first introduction of Hunt to Assan Motors is indicative of the relationship to come. He walks into a room in which something meant to be private is clearly taking place.

He takes no time to observe the cultural norm of removing one's shoes and he ignores the repeated requests of the secretary who is unseen to wait. This breech in protocol is one which sets the entire film up for the audience. Hunt is ultimately acting in the best interest however he goes about it in a manner which is self serving and ultimately counter productive. A successful mediation here as above would have been for Hunt to have more education regarding the customs and culture of Japan.

This pitch was made to top executives at a Japanese automotive firm. In Japan especially, business is extremely important and extremely formal. The fact that he was late and approached the meeting jovially were signs of extreme disrespect. The inclusion of suggestive photograph as well as inappropriate jokes regarding that employee were highly inappropriate for the setting.

When Hunt began using profanity and ultimately abandoned the actual planned pitch he showed initiative to a degree and passion, but he also showed that the American work ethic was distinctly different from that of the Japanese. The Japanese are extremely formal. This impromptu attention was highly embarrassing. The expectation of an impromptu speech is highly irregular and a breech in decorum. The fact that Kazihiro over Mr. Saito was expected to make the speech was also a breech of protocol.

For a town trying to impress the Japanese, ultimately they did exactly the opposite. In this instance, either the Japanese team should have been informed that this was the type of welcome they would be receiving or the American workers should have investigated what would be an appropriate greeting and welcoming. This event is fairly indicative of the entire problem. While both parties were trying to impress, neither actually investigated what would work most effectively towards those ends.

This approach of Hunt's is representative of the larger American "attitude" towards industrial progress and the new "forced" influence of the Japanese management. He took the prospect of the factory being reopened.