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.
Learning a new language is only the beginning—then we have to figure out what people mean by the words they say in that other culture, and it isn’t always easy....
Being harsh towards one’s subordinates is often encouraged in Japanese culture, and a blind eye is turned toward yelling and other harsh treatment. For many Japanese, a tough boss...
Non-Japanese employees of Japanese firms frequently mention the penchant that many Japanese managers have for public criticism. Whereas Americans would prefer to receive negative feedback in private, Japanese seem...
Methods used to manage engineers in Japan often do not meet the expectations of non-Japanese engineers. This results in disruptive high turnover rates, and difficulty transferring technology....
For Japanese companies operating outside Japan, this means that the Japanese expatriates assigned to overseas locations are knowledgeable about different cultures and take those cultures into account in their business...
Japanese companies have mixed feelings about their decision-making processes. Employees will admit that the process is quite frustrating at times, and it seems that some Japanese businesspeople regard how...
Japanese executives often complain that their American colleagues are “bad at organizing data.” According to one Japanese manager who is a key decision-maker in his company’s operations in Japan,...
This book has tried, and largely succeeded, in pinning down the elusive undercurrents of Japanese corporate life. If you are looking for a practical “top negotiating tips and etiquette” type...
Although Japanese seldom intentionally try to hide things from American colleagues, they often inadvertently create that impression through various habits and communication style differences. By adopting practices and techniques...
Meetings are becoming the most hated part of everyone’s workday at the company — they take up time, and nothing ever seems to get done. Japanese feel like they...
