What Is Cultural Translation of Management Philosophy?

Abstract

“Management philosophy” is one of the important themes that has drawn attention in business administration research; however, new issues have emerged with the global expansion of companies. An important issue, in particular, is the transmission and acceptance of management philosophy which is accompanied by establishing foreign sites of a company. How should the management philosophy of the headquarters be communicated to overseas branches that have different cultural and social backgrounds? What outcomes and issues will arise as a result of such transmission? In a different cultural situation, will the management philosophy be transmitted with the same meaning as in the home country?

“Management philosophy” generally means a company’s action policy or the management’s beliefs and is often designated as a certain phrase; however, our research does not only cover these elements that have been “turned into text.” Instead, it is understood as a “dynamic process” that is “generated” through interactions with the surrounding environment, with a focus on the founders. Then, this is interpreted by those who accept it and “transmitted” through reinterpretation, and there is “succession” as times change over the years. The purpose of the research is to investigate the transmission of management philosophy from the viewpoint of “cultural translation.”