Cross-cultural communication
4 differences between Japanese and German approaches to work, communication and customer service
There are well-known similarities between Japan and Germany, but according to Professor Ulrike Schaede, there are also four fundamental differences....
Business presentations should be thought of like math exams
Rather like a math exam, you have to show the working out in your presentation, not just the answer, to get full points....
Strive to let your Japanese counterpart see what you mean
Next time you need to make a proposal to a Japanese person, see if you can draw it first....
American expressions that the Japanese have difficulty with
When Japanese are asked “Can you do it?”, unless they are 100% certain that they can, they would not answer “Yes we can.”… Americans, on the other hand, sometimes say...
When Japanese say “We must confirm”—what does this mean?
Your Japanese colleagues probably have a pretty good command of English, but they may not be aware of the nuances a seemingly simple sentence such as “We must confirm” may...
Non-verbal communication in Japanese business
Western communication style relies heavily on words. In contrast, Japanese communication relies less on verbal manipulation, and more heavily on non-verbals. Japanese are able to rely more on...
Low-tech can sometimes be best when presenting to Japanese
Japanese can be turned off by slick presentations…handwritten things more clearly show the effort of the person who was making it, and thus have more power to pull on the...
Overcome kishotenketsu to improve your communication with Americans
For Americans who are used to a more straightforward style, kishotenketsu can be very confusing…It can be hard to follow what Japanese have to say as they go on and...
Working effectively with Mexicans – What Japanese companies need to know
Japanese companies often fail to appreciate the unique aspects of Mexican culture. The result, many Japanese firms experience high turnover and other problems in their Mexican operations. These can be...