Formalization of a Framework for Cultural Translation in Global Collaboration. The Case of the Lean Organization

Pierre Masai (1) , Cecilia Zanni-Merk (1)

1 ICube - Laboratoire des sciences de l'ingénieur, de l'informatique et de l'imagerie

In the present world, it is not rare to see multiple cultures coexist in large global projects spanning multiple geographies. The misunderstandings arising from these cultural differences are responsible for many failures, which are then blamed by each nationality on the others, without trying to understand and address those differences first. We propose to prepare the ground for the development of culturally aware information systems based on the application of the Hozo ontology to describe this field and the rules that can be applied to correct the understanding of behaviors in one culture by the individuals representing the other cultures, especially when more than two cultures coexist. The American author Erin Meyer has provided a reference model for this, using eight dimensions. The example of Lean will be used to illustrate the approach of creating a common culture that enables employees from all over the world to work together, using a common language, but at the same time highlighting the fundamental task of translating this common language locally in a way that can be understood by each representative of each culture.

Mots clés: Ontologies; Culture; Lean; Toyota Production System

Domaines: Autre

Pierre Masai, Cecilia Zanni-Merk. Formalization of a Framework for Cultural Translation in Global Collaboration. The Case of the Lean Organization. Procedia Computer Science, 2016, 96, pp.375-384. ⟨10.1016/j.procs.2016.08.150⟩. ⟨hal-02320639⟩