In Christian County alone, there are 23 industrial companies hailing from 11 different countries — each of them possessing unique international customs, cultures and career expectations inside their walls.
During Wednesday afternoon’s Christian County Chamber of Commerce “Learn and Thrive” at the Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville, Chamber Director Taylor Hayes led a panel discussion alongside Toyota Boshoku’s Nagib Mamud and Huhtamaki’s Jason Peach — discussing these nuances, and how they can impact the workplace.
Hired to be senior manager of administration this past January, Mamud recently retired from Fort Campbell after a 26-year career in the Army, and along with his family decided to stay here and get connected to industry through the West Kentucky Workforce Board.
Peach, meanwhile, is a Murray State University graduate and Indiana native who has spent the past two decades working from assembly and floor operations, all the way up to world class operations manager.
At Toyota Boshoku, and many other Japanese manufacturing companies, Mamud said it was pivotal for the entire company to begin its day with stretches — physical releases of mind and body, before turning to daily tasks.
Having worked with several international companies during his career, Peach noted that “patience is key” when trying to overcome and work through language barriers and cultural divides — but to also understand that much of the world has a firm grasp on the English language.
Mamud also noted that, especially in Japanese culture, shorter, succinct comments are the most effective, and that working with a translator has proved invaluable in order to make sure there is clarity, and no confusion.
Peach said “world view,” from Finland, to Japan, to wherever, also has to come into perspective when working for an international industry.
Mamud said “kaizen” also bears considerable importance in Japanese culture and business. “Kai” stands for change and revision, while “Zen” means virtue and goodness, and together it means “improvement” and “change for the better.”
It also means “continues learning,” and “continually getting better.”
Full audio from the panel can be found here:
