Assignment: Gung Ho Movie Commentary
Unlike watching a movie for entertainment, this assignment requires you to mindfully pay attention to how leadership is expressed, and how people from different cultures differ in their leadership styles. Specifically, use the guide below to (1) describe leaders, (2) analyze effective and ineffective leadership styles, and (3) provide suggestions for improving leadership in cross-cultural situations. Use the entire movie to inform your answers.
Read this viewing guide BEFORE you begin watching the movie. AFTER watching the movie, write down your observations and analysis pertaining to each of these questions.
Instructions
• Read through the questions in this worksheet
• Watch the movie "Gung Ho"
• Use this worksheet to write down your answers to each of the questions
1) Based on this movie, how would you describe the culture-values and beliefs about what is "right" and "wrong"-in Japanese companies?
2) Based on this movie, how would you describe the culture-values and beliefs about what is "right" and "wrong"-in American companies?
3) Drawing on your answers on questions 1 and 2, what would be an effective leadership style in Japanese organizations? Alternatively, what would be an effective leadership style in American organizations?
4) Gung Ho means working together in Chinese. What tactics did the leaders of this factory use to get workers from different cultures to work together?
5) How would you describe Hunt's leadership style at the beginning of the movie? What about the end of the movie? Support your answers with specific examples from the movie.
6) How would you describe the leadership style of the executives at Assan Motors (such as Kazihiro and Saito)? Support your answers with specific examples from the movie.