In our blog, we answer some of the questions we regularly receive during our seminars. “I had a teleconference with my Japanese colleagues in Japan. We suggested planning for the project and they all agreed to it. However, soon after, they started questioning everything and were not doing what we had agreed they would do.…
Japan is notorious for its strong emphasis on “humans as resources”: due to its lack of natural resources, Japan instead focuses on forming highly educated and skilled citizens. Education is perceived as not only defining and embodying many Japanese values but also as a considerable determinant of careers and futures. Let us examine the Japanese…
We are happy to announce that Japan Consulting Office (JCO) has received the “1st BEST Supplier” and “Highest Appreciated Training Institute” award from Mitsubishi Turbocharger and Engine for the second time. This prestigious recognition is the result of the high quality of our training programs, our practical approach and the visible change in behavior following…
All people who work regularly with Japanese colleagues have probably experienced this: their level of spoken English is usually not that great. Furthermore, they seem to have a very particular way of pronouncing things: “elevator” becomes ‘erebeetaa’, “invoice” becomes ‘inboisu’, “contract” becomes ‘kontorakuto’, etc. There are several reasons for this, and you will see that…
Japanese participants in JCO seminars very often give following complaint: “Staff in Europe/the US seldom apologize but are always looking for excuses instead.” Let’s take a closer look at the cultural background of this rather unflattering perception of Western staff and colleagues. As Japan is very densely populated it is a necessity to defuse potential…
Cross-cultural misunderstandings often are based on differing cultural values. These differences can very often be seen in the workplace where they manifest in behavior that does not seem to make sense from the viewpoint of the other culture. When we’re speaking about Western business culture, one trait that is very highly regarded is reliability because…
This time, we want to touch on a phenomenon that everybody working with the Japanese has likely experienced and is invariably raised in JCO’s seminars. Namely the fact that in response to our questions, Japanese colleagues will often reply with multiple questions of their own instead of a concrete answer. Why does this confusing behavior…
Sometimes when Westerners work with Japanese they can be frustrated by the lack of feedback from their Japanese managers. Why is it sometimes difficult to get feedback from Japanese managers? There can be many reasons why there is no feedback. A Japanese boss may be simply not conscious of the need to give feedback. The…
In the English language, a common expression is “the elephant in the room”. This of course refers to a major problem or issue that people are aware of but avoid discussing or acknowledging. In the context of cross-cultural communication between Japan and the West such an elephant also can be found in language itself. Even…
When you work with Japanese, whether colleagues or clients, there is an important cultural aspect that many Westerners overlook in their enthusiasm to “get the job done”. Specifically, this is the importance that the Japanese place on reporting. Because Japan is very hierarchical, Westerners naturally expect decisions to be taken at the top of the…
