Carlos Ghosn Evaluation
CULTURAL CHANGE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CHANGE EFFORTS OF DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND CARLOS GHOSN IN JAPAN by KOJI NAKAE
B.S. Law, University of Tokyo (1987) SUBMITTED TO THE MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY June 2005 ©2005 Koji Nakae. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of Author: MIT Sloan School of Management May 6, 2005 Certified by: John Van Maanen Erwin H. Schell Professor of Organization Studies Thesis Supervisor Accepted by: Stephen J. Sacca Director, Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership
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CULTURAL CHANGE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CHANGE EFFORTS OF DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND CARLOS GHOSN IN JAPAN by KOJI NAKAE
Submitted to the Sloan School of Management on May 6, 2005 In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration
ABSTRACT
When an organization adapts to a changing environment and struggles through an organizational crisis, its organizational culture is sometimes challenged. At such a time, a leader who can change current culture and embed a new culture is needed for the organization to survive. Dealing with cultural changes is one of the most important roles of a leader. In this thesis, I examine the leadership of two leaders—General Douglas MacArthur and Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn—who came to Japan from the outside during organizational crises and conducted organizational reforms and cultural changes at two different levels—the country Japan and the company Nissan. Using Edgar H. Schein’s (1992) frameworks, culture-embedding mechanisms and basic assumptions, I examine what has, and has not, been changed by the two leaders in terms of organizational culture. I will show how most of
B.S. Law, University of Tokyo (1987) SUBMITTED TO THE MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY June 2005 ©2005 Koji Nakae. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of Author: MIT Sloan School of Management May 6, 2005 Certified by: John Van Maanen Erwin H. Schell Professor of Organization Studies Thesis Supervisor Accepted by: Stephen J. Sacca Director, Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership
2
CULTURAL CHANGE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CHANGE EFFORTS OF DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND CARLOS GHOSN IN JAPAN by KOJI NAKAE
Submitted to the Sloan School of Management on May 6, 2005 In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration
ABSTRACT
When an organization adapts to a changing environment and struggles through an organizational crisis, its organizational culture is sometimes challenged. At such a time, a leader who can change current culture and embed a new culture is needed for the organization to survive. Dealing with cultural changes is one of the most important roles of a leader. In this thesis, I examine the leadership of two leaders—General Douglas MacArthur and Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn—who came to Japan from the outside during organizational crises and conducted organizational reforms and cultural changes at two different levels—the country Japan and the company Nissan. Using Edgar H. Schein’s (1992) frameworks, culture-embedding mechanisms and basic assumptions, I examine what has, and has not, been changed by the two leaders in terms of organizational culture. I will show how most of
References: Ghosn, Carlos., Haruko, Nakagawa (translator). Renaissance: Saise eno Chosen (Challenge for revival). Japan: Diamond Sha, 2001. Ghosn, Carlos., Ries, Philippe. Shift: Inside Nissan’s Historic Revival. Doubleday, 2005. New York: Henshall, Kenneth G Kōdansya International edited. Talking About Japan Updated Q&A. International Ltd., 2000. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1964. Maeya, Tsuyoshi. Ghosn Kakumei to Nissan Syain (Ghosn’s Revolution and Nissan’s Employees). Japan: Syogakkan, 2004. Magee, David. Turnaround: How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan. Publishers Inc., 2003. New York: Harper Collins Masuda, Etsusuke Sakakibara, Natsu. MacArthur-gensui to Showa-tenno (General MacArthur and The Showa Emperor). Japan: Syueisya, 2000. Schein, Edger H. Organizational Culture and Leadership. Publishers, 1992. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass 138 Sodei, Rinjiro, MacArthur no Nisen-nichi (The two thousand days of MacArthur). Chuo Koronsya, 1976.