Are Americans always making excuses?
Japanese take very seriously the concept of personal responsibility. When westerners refuse to apologize and instead dwell on all the extenuating circumstances that caused the problem, Japanese view this...
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Japanese and English – Bridging the language barrier
There is a tremendous linguistic gap between the Japanese language and English....
Japanese and American attitudes toward risk
Different structures and incentives of the business environments in Japan and the U.S. also have a major impact on attitudes toward risk. Americans are comfortable charging forward even if...
Overcoming Japanese risk-adverseness
When risk-averse people like the Japanese feel that they need more information, they tend to stall…Thus, many Americans who work with Japanese firms wonder, how can we get the company...
Women working with the Japanese
The number of women in professional and managerial positions in Japan has been rising significantly in recent years. In the past there may have been instances of Japanese who...
“Magic Phrases” when dealing with Japanese
Non-Japanese are often frustrated by Japanese colleagues who do not give sufficient direction or opinions. It can feel like pulling teeth to try to get clear guidance…...
“Tough Love” Japanese style
It has always been accepted wisdom in Japan that a manager must be tough in order to be respected. Being hard on someone, pointing out all their mistakes, and...
Meeting materials in advance is a must when doing business with Japan
Unbeknownst to many non-Japanese, not receiving meeting materials in advance drives Japanese businesspeople crazy!...
Writing reports the Japanese want to read
In any business setting, reports are a crucial tool. When writing reports for your Japanese colleagues, using a few key strategies can decrease frustrations and help you meet your...
Are Japanese secretive?
Japanese seldom intentionally try to hide things from non-Japanese colleagues, but they often inadvertently create that impression through various habits and communication style differences....