Plant in Mexico
GM501-xx (xx = section #)
Management Theories and Practice II
Introduction (Summary of the Case)
This case study looks at the need for American management in Mexico and the benefits and obstacles to such a working relationship. More contemporary and dynamic management is needed in Mexico for the most part and many firms desire it strongly. Many of the most successful companies still understand that the maquiladora industry needs to be able to step up its level of production so that it can compete on a more versatile level that can play a more rigorous hand within the world market and with what can be constructed within the U.S. There needs to be more of a general perspective of American managers acting as ambassadors of goodwill. There needs to be a more heightened sense of responsibility in this light.
Analysis
Major Issue (What and Why and How)
The major issue of this case study is the fact that there are some very real and very formidable issues in conjunction with American managers taking over a plant in Mexico. One of the primary issues is the fact that they do not share a common language and the cultural norms and standards are different. This makes many of the elements necessary to run a successful company quite difficult to achieve. Furthermore, the overall mentality with which companies are viewed and treated also create a major stumbling block to the success of the managerial goals as a whole. Economic protectionism and the French-style learning system created a mentality where, "In comparison with U.S. workers, Mexican workers may not follow through on tasks, they tend to be activity oriented rather than problem solvers and appear to assume that companies...
Thus, the main problem is the mentality and the learned behaviors in conjunction with work and working for a major company: these behaviors act as substantial impediments to the success of the company at large and to setting achievable goals.
As already stated, the educational and economic systems already in place contribute to the underwhelming way in which work is viewed in Mexico. There's also a more nuanced culture at work in Mexico which creates metaphorical red tape for outsiders who enter the field and who want to accomplish tasks at a different timeline along a different mindset. For example, it's important to bear in mind that Mexican firms are in many ways yet another institution -- just like the government, the church and the greater society at large. For many of these institutions, there's a firm hierarchy in place: structure is good for companies, but an intensive level of rigidity can be truly destructive and damaging to the success of firms as a whole. There's largely an unequal distribution of power which can lead to the person running a given company having an excess of power. This can be quite so problematic as the power is often inherited, instead of earned and comparable power can be gained via friendships and favors done (de Forest, 1994). "Most top managers balance competing interests through consensus rather than engaging in open competition. Mexican firms tend to reward submission, direction, and loyal personal service -- remember, personal service -- to the person in authority" (de Forest, 1994). This can be such a massive problem because it's an example of tradition shaping culture which shapes and solidifies current and future values. This can…
Mexican Political System Mexico has a unique and fascinating political life and a thriving democracy amid constant fears of powerful drug cartels and corrupt politics. It is a country with a rugged history, a rich culture, and an independent spirit separating it from other Central American and North American countries. Its relations with the United States, its biggest neighbor, have been difficult to say the least, ranging from war to friendship,
Mexican Miracle After the era of Avila Camacho ended in 1946, the spirit of revolution still held the country of Mexico enraptured. While it transformed its citizenry from pragmatic public agents to denizens of great hope, it also lent legitimacy to the governments in place until 1970. By the time they stalled in a frozen revolution, the "Mexican Miracle" of 1940-1968, the legacy of the now governmentally-installed revolution manifested itself in
S. were Protestant and that 18% of them mostly converted from Catholicism (Weiss and Solis 2007). The Hispanic population increased by 28% from 2000 to 2005. The survey identified the reasons why Hispanics would not assimilate and integrate easily or smoothly into the non-Hispanic religious culture in the U.S. Many Hispanics have a different approach to religion. They are generally more devout than non-Hispanics. This attitude derives from a mystical
A and those policies that are designed to create a social and political situation that is hostile to immigration (California's clause 187, and other means of reducing benefits and access to social security, education, family reunification, and such like). The overall effect of these policies has been to create a situation of greater social and political vulnerability for migrants, both in the course of their crossing the border and in
Faux finds that this promise has not been fulfilled, in part because of what NAFTA does not do: NAFTA provided no social contract. It offered neither aid for Mexico nor labor, health or environmental standards. The agreement protected corporate investors; everyone else was on his or her own. (Faux 35) For Mexico in particular, says Faux, NAFTA has been a failure, and the economy still depends too heavily on the remittances
Mexican-Americans' Perceptions of Culturally Competent Care:" Peer Journal Review One of the most important goals of any health care provider is insuring the highest level of safe and effective care for their patients. In previous years, the role of cultural influences on patient care, as well as on provider service, has been largely ignored. Today, however, most researchers and health care workers fully recognize the immense influence culture can exert on the success,