One cross cultural problem is how to complain or raise a problem; a Japanese manager who is culturally unaware, may make a comment or criticize a supervisor in front of their subordinates. For example, a Japanese expatriate and a Thai supervisor walking together in a supplier plant, passing a sub assembly and the Japanese notices that there are bulks of materials which should not be near that station but Thai pass by without comment.
If the expatriate asked the Thai supervisor; “Did you notice what was wrong there? Why as a supervisor, did you just walk past without saying anything or correcting matters?” If he directly made such comments to the Thai supervisor in front of his subordinates, although true this makes the supervisor lose face.
Losing face could discredit the supervisor when he works with his subordinates.