Browse through the hundreds of articles by our team members on a wide variety of topics related to Japanese business and culture. Find articles on specific topics of interest using the search box in the sidebar.
Making sure problems don't happen again is a good thing, and the Japanese have developed a structured process for doing this. Many non-Japanese are not comfortable being forthright about...
An ideal salesperson drops everything and rushes to be at the customer’s side no matter what time it is or where they are. An ideal salesperson exceeds customer expectations,...
Americans expect to have a feeling of control about their work, and a sense of ownership. They may feel that this is lacking when they work with a supervisor...
Spending time with your Japanese colleagues in a relaxed situation outside the office is important for relationship-building. Japanese want to get to know the people they do business...
Various issues should be considered when planning sexual harassment prevention training programs for Japanese. Addressing these items will help you ensure that your programs are effective and your company...
It’s important to be prepared when a Japanese customer, supplier, or other guest is going to be visiting your office. Making a good impression is vital to the success...
Many Japanese expatriates don’t have a clear idea of what their role is….most don’t even have job descriptions, so it’s no wonder they feel unclear about their mission....
Japanese and Americans have radically different assumptions about how to communicate, how to make decisions, how to share information, how to run meetings, how to evaluate alternatives, how to deal...
When wanting to convince someone Japanese to do something in accordance with American customs or commonly-accepted practices, I find that it’s useful to assume that they are not necessarily familiar...
In Japan, customer-supplier relationships are far more close and interdependent than the arm’s length relationships that are considered ideal in many western countries. A track record of good quality and...
