Hitachi Ltd. has announced that it is shaking things up in an effort to better fit into a global market. The company has announced that is is currently seeking female CEOs of Western culture to bring diversity to the company.
Other changes are also on the horizon. Hitachi has announced that they will add more outside directors to the board, which will mean they will then outnumber the in-house board members This will be a first for the company during it’s 102-year history.
Unlike many western companies, Japan has resisted diversity in the past. Since men still control Japan’s boardrooms, past attempts to diversify have not been openly accepted.
The company’s new board will be comprised of 2 western businessmen and one Japanese female. Although the company wants a foreign woman on their board, so far, they have been unable to locate the right chief executive for their needs.
Even finding the right female executive in Japan was tough, especially since less than 6 percent of the companies presidents in Japan are made up of women.
While searching for the right women to fill these positions, one problem that the company sees is the ability for a westerner to adapt to the Japanese work culture. Japanese work culture is so unique that it makes it difficult for outsiders to conform. One example of this is the incredibly long work week.
