Professional Documents
Culture Documents
JAPANESE CULTURE
PROTOCOL
WOMEN EMPLOYMENT
GREETING
COMMUNICATION
GREETING
Heightened sense of formality & professionalism. The bow is an integral part meeting, getting attention, to show gratitude, to express sympathy or as an apology. Whilst doing business in Japan as a Westerner, you would not be expected to bow. You will most likely be greeted with a handshake combined with a slight nod of the head. Introduction full name followed by your company name. Important to use proper titles when addressing someone.
COMMUNICATION
Maintaining harmony resulted in vague forms of expression. Clarify meanings, dig deeper for more information. Japanese - implicit communicators. "Say one, understand ten," i.e. you will be expected to understand nine additional points to every one made.
Decisions are rarely made in a meeting. Group consensus is important. Very detail orientated. Like dealing with quiet, sincere and compromising individuals. Extroverts seen as brash and arrogant. Silence is considered a virtue. Every meeting ends with food.
AMERICAN CULTURE
Food and meals do not have the social significance found in many cultures. Family isnt as important as in most cultures. Americans like change. American frequently change jobs and move. Employment is not tied to companies or industries or location. Getting ahead is usually done via changing jobs. Americans take pride in job achievements; i.e. my son the doctor. Most Americans actually pay their taxes. It's a legalistic society The understanding of other cultures is very low, as is the understanding of non-American history. There is little interest in foreign cultures in most areas of the country.
WORK
Work comes first Being very clear in what is said Honesty is the best policy Logic rules over emotion Respecting the old guys Women are equal players Taboos: dont go there Businessmen and sports Apt topics to talk about
PROTOCOL
Punctuality Deadlines are strictly adhered to Famous for individualism and diversity Negotiations and final decisions in the US are frequently made by one person who has chief authority Common for Americans to make clear distinctions between work colleagues and friends in their social life. Politeness.
NEGOTIATION
American negotiators are selected based on their record of success Gender, age, and social class are not criteria for selection Individual characteristics are criteria for selection
Get the job done quick Assess the situation and get results quickly Dont spend too much time building relationships Message is conveyed through speech, not through gestures Time is money Set a schedule and prioritize Move through the process and control the time allotted Take risk Let the senior executive make the final decision Detailed contract will formalize negotiation
HOW?
JAPANESE WOMEN
Matrilineal prior to 15th century AD Confucianism, Buddhism, Samurai feudalism highly discriminatory to women Confucianism: A woman is to obey her father as daughter, her husband as wife, and her son as aged mother. Buddhism: No salvation for a woman Samurai feudalism: A woman should look upon her husband as if he were heaven itself.
STATISTICS
Women accounted for 50.8 percent of all workers in the high-paying management, professional, and related occupations. Outnumbered men registered nurses insurance underwriters medical and health services managers social and community service managers human resource managers education administrators advertising and promotion managers accountants and auditors public relations managers budget analysts financial managers medical scientists By 2018, about 71 percent of men and 59 percent of women are expected to be in the labor force.
JAPAN Vs AMERICA
Cultural Values Expressed Type of Logic The American culture The Chinese culture Linear (More causal relationships and direct associations between A and B) Spiral (more roundabout and subtle)
More argumentative, willing to express More difficult to say no even if disagreement verbally one means no, disagreement expressed nonverbally More meaning is in the explicit, verbal Meaning is often implied or message. Use of direct language must be inferred. Use of indirect language patterns "I"-oriented or Sender-oriented "We"-oriented or Receiversensitive
The Japanese culture Tends to take context and the specific situation into account in rule interpretation COLLECTIVISTIC - Group duty preservation of harmony Most important business cannot occur until relationship if sound, written agreement secondary to it, hard to form, long lasting. More mediation though trusted third parties Appointments less driven by exact start and end times Win-Win / To lose is to win / Lose in order to win
Thinking Orientation More rule based or based on application of abstract principles such as regulations or laws The Individual INDIVIDUALISTIC - Has to have rights and greater need for autonomy and individual achievement Nature of the Business Less important, tend to substitute Relationship relationship for written agreement, superficial, easy to form, not long lasting Conflict Resolution Time Sense During Meetings Conflict results Trial or confrontation, use of lawyers and courts Be on time and end on time. Perception of two states: win or lose
ERRORS COMMITTED
Not sensitized to the Japanese style of engaging in new deals and decision making Wanted things to happen fast and in that one single meet Failed to build a relationship before coming to the point Curt in giving the specifics, got up and left which might have been perceived as lack of respect
ERRORS COMMITTED
The hesitance of the translator/interpreter to follow suit after Oats had left should have been an indication that the meet was yet to be over Carol had directly approached a firm for a job as an attorney in a culture where women were rarely given critical jobs and were perceived as wallflowers and making tea
DOs
DO address your American business colleagues with a title, such as Dr, Ms, Mr, or Mrs, and their last name when meeting someone for the first time. DO say please and thank you to everyone for even the smallest kindness. DO be prepared to partake in preliminary small talk with your American counterparts at the beginning of a business meeting
DOs
Be punctual. Be professional. Treat women as equals. Be explicit in your views be direct dont beat about the bush.
DONTS
DONT expect all companies to be the same DONT make any other form of physical contact such as hugging when greeting your American counterpart for the first time. DONT be offended or surprised if your American colleagues cannot accept a gift.
DONTS
Dont look to building relationships with people in the work place. Dont be offended if your ideas are being criticized or disagreed to directly. Highly legalized society resorts to courts for any problem.
Thank You