Japan Intercultural Consulting primarily works with Japanese organizations and non-Japanese organizations that have Japanese customers, suppliers, investors or partners. The following is a description of what we offer to each of those groups.
Japan Intercultural Consulting has a depth of experience in working with Japanese global organizations, both at their headquarters in Japan and at their overseas operations. We understand Japanese corporate culture, and will be able to suggest approaches that are appropriate for your firm’s environment. Our programs and methods are tailored to meet the needs of both Japanese and non-Japanese managers and employees.
The overseas operation of a Japanese firm is a meeting place of different cultures and work styles. The challenge for an organization is to skillfully blend the most effective components of each culture and management style. Coordination and integration with the parent organization, as well as flexibility and responsiveness to local business opportunities and conditions, require communication, understanding and mutual respect. Our training programs and consulting services for both Japanese expatriates and locally hired employees provide the tools to bridge cultural gaps and improve performance.
Overseas operations are also large – and often crucial – investments that require monitoring and strategic resilience on the part of headquarters. In Japan, we help global Japanese companies prepare employees for overseas assignments, setting them up for success. We train Japan-based employees who interact with overseas operations and customers, helping them to distinguish helpful interventions from counter-productive ones. We also provide training and coaching to non-Japanese employees coming to work in Japan, or visiting Japan for special training. Throughout, we work to support headquarters in developing win-win solutions that give these long-term investments their best chance of exceeding expectations.
We also offer training in Japan that is geared to the domestic needs of the organization, helping Japanese managers manage Japanese team members more effectively and addressing issues such as leadership, change management, productivity improvement, and sexual harassment prevention. In all our work, we focus on bringing ideas and techniques popular outside of Japan to a Japanese audience in a way that is relevant to the Japanese context.
Global firms operating in Japan
Since the founding of our Japan branch in 1999, we have worked with many major firms from around the world that have operations in Japan. We have assisted with post-arrival training for expatriates assigned to Japan, coaching for non-Japanese executives, and training for local hires on working effectively with non-Japanese employees. We are also often called upon to lead bilingual and bicultural teambuilding sessions for the executive teams of the Japan operation. Recently many of our global clients have turned to us for help addressing low engagement scores, and for helping employees at headquarters to learn more about working effectively with the firm’s team in Japan.
Suppliers and partners of Japanese firms
With our in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics and business practices of Japanese organizations, we help firms from other countries improve their ability to work effectively with Japanese customers, suppliers, investors and partners. These clients particularly appreciate our cross-cultural seminars, which help them develop strategies for improving communications and relationships. We also assist firms in tailoring their marketing approaches when targeting Japanese customers.
