Introduction
Every organization wants to expand the business in different countries. However, when expanding, it seems necessary for the management of companies to derive some important business insights and make decisions. Doing business in Japan is not complicated for any company. However, it is good to consider some traits, which can help the company to make the successful entry and depict the business sustainability for a long run. There is a need to come up with some effective strategies or business traits, which can be accepted by different stakeholders. Interestingly, these business traits can ensure the success in Japan.
1-How to do business in Japan in general?
Doing business in Japan needs some different things and these are to be executed in an effective and lucrative manner. The first thing, which is to be adopted by the business management, is silence. The silence seems golden in this county, as it shows the credibility and emotional attachment. It is a fact that the emotional self-control is a key to success when doing business in Japan. At the beginning of any business, it seems good for the management or owner to contain the emotional and sentimental attachments with all key stakeholders. Despite having the silence as a key approach, the communication process should also be facilitated by the company. For Instance, it has been observed that Japanese people usually intend to contain the silence to reduce the tension in different business processes. As an owner of the company, silence is a key tool for portraying the message, which is in the best interest of the company (Rothenberg, 2016).
When doing business in Japan, the management should have to create or exist in the group-oriented culture. Japanese intends to work in different groups, and through working on the same agenda, they attain the goals and objectives. In Japan, it has been revealed that the business culture is quite different from the culture of the United States. For Instance, Japan has valued the group culture over the individualism. Thus, it is important to streamline the group performance in the business process, which can make the business output predictable (Ryall, 2018)
In Japan, the business owner needs to make the business reputation effectively. If someone starts a business in this region, he may introduce the business through a business card. Giving or receiving the business card is a culture of the business in this region, as it can create strong and long-term business relations as well.
Harmony is a key when doing business in Japan. It is a fact that Japanese people usually face several disagreements in the different business processes. Thus, despite having several disagreements, harmony is a key to sustain the relationship. With the perspective of the customer, attracting or convincing the customer looks complicated. It is to show that something is different for them. The positive buying decision is quite visible in the business process. It can be justified when the management confirms that the customer understands the message (Maclachilan, 2011).
When conducting different meetings, the business has to dominate through maximizing the number of business people. The number of business people in the meeting is a key approach when doing the business in Japan. Japanese business people want to know or derive everything in the business process. They like to brainstorm different ideas in the business meeting. Accordingly, the most important thing is to create a team, to take part in the decision-making process.
2-How women can do business in Japan?
The Japanese business environment demonstrates the women discrimination in the workplace. This discrimination seems an unspoken in different companies. However, the trend of doing business is emerging due to the equal legal rights for men and women in this country. Women can do the business in Japan, along with some strategic considerations. First, the women must have to understand the nature and attitude of both, young and old males. It is a tough task for women to manage its male colleagues at the workplace. Normally, the difference in opinions and work approaches are some barriers, which create the resistances regarding the women business in Japan. However, with the passage of the time, the trends of doing business have been changed (Sorvino, 2017). Women now shine in the Japanese business due to several traits, which have been adopted. For Instance, when conducting the business in Japan, it is important to come up with a diverse workforce to hold the creativity and innovation. The woman, when emerging in the Japanese business sector, must, have to equal the number of women and men to enhance the visibility of collaboration. A women business can be survived in Japan through the workforce diversity and teamwork. It provides the support and motivation to sustain the business and make decisions. For a woman business owner in Japan, the best strategy is to increase the women’s representation in the different business processes. From production to marketing, the reasonable number of women must be in the limelight to create the impact. The business can be successful if women in the Japanese business streamline their approaches and ideas along with the impact. It increases the chances of appreciation, and it can help to express the women’s representation and business sustainability. Several women sexual harassment cases have been observed in the county. For making women dominate the business, there is a need to create or revise the related law to provide more opportunities for women. To do business, women know the law and all its implications to gain the success (Sorvino, 2017).
3-How it’s the business culture in Japan
The first thing, which seems prominent in the business culture of Japan, is the customer value. In the business culture, the management of companies considers the customers God. The companies intend to create the long-term mutual relationship with customers. The good relationships with customers in the business culture depict the customer loyalty and satisfaction. In the modern business era, the Japanese business culture has emerged successfully. The value for customers seems worthy for different firms, and many organizations are using this trait to gain the competitive advantage (Friedman, 2014).
Another interesting point about the Japanese culture is meeting approach. Japanese business management does not discuss different business ideas in the business meeting. They intend to navigate the business progress. The business ideas are discussed and expected in different business processes. It seems quite different from the western business culture. It looks a unique business culture, and sometimes people misunderstand it.
In this particular business culture, the decision-making process is the difference. Usually, Japanese management takes much time in making different decisions. As compared to other countries, delayed decisions indicate the inefficacy of people of business management. However, in this business culture, delayed decisions indicate the wisdom and knowledge. In other words, management takes time to make decisions to create the impact, which is predictable. People do not want to take big risks through early decisions, and it is the main reason behind this prominent cultural aspect. Drinking with different business stakeholders is a part of the Japanese business culture. Business people think that drinking in different meeting and collaborations is good for relaxation and share different opinions.
Another thing or aspect, which is derived from the Japanese business culture, is the style of the management in different business processes. The management intends to depict the autocratic leadership or management approach. The top-down approach is quite visible when it comes to a decision-making process. Delegating the business decisions to subordinates is against the business culture. Top management makes decisions, and line managers execute all these decisions effectively. It is quite different from the western business culture. The big difference is the delegation, and lack of delegation makes this culture unique and different. For Instance, in Toyota Company, lean production methods have been derived from the top management, and every employee or manager in different business segments, is implementing these concepts. The Japanese business culture forces the subordinates or employees to follow the rules and policies, made by the top management. Therefore, the difference of opinion in the business, a process a seems rare in this country
These are some business, cultural insights. The big consideration to gain the success in Japan is to integrate with the business culture. Obviously, there is a need to adopt something to depict the expected outcomes.
Conclusion
In the end, it is to conclude that the business culture in Japan is different as compared to other countries. When an international firm enters in this region, the cultural integration seems the best trait to meet the business goals and objectives. The role of the management in the business is crucial due to a top-down approach. However, in the Japanese business environment, several trends have been changed with the passage of the time. The most important thing is the evolvement of the business and decision-making process to trigger the new trends. The competition is based on the decision making in this culture, and when starting the new business, the management should navigate all insights to make the difference.
References
Friedman, S. (2014, June 3). 6 Things You Need To Know About Doing Business In Japan. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/6-things-to-know-about-business-in-japan-2014-6
Maclachilan, M. (2011, May 31). Top Tips for Doing Business in Japan. Retrieved from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/top-tips-for-doing-business-in-japan/
Rothenberg, P. (2016, March 27). These investors share how to be successful in Japan and Asia. Retrieved from https://www.techinasia.com/how-to-succeed-japan-asia
Ryall, J. (2018, January 20). Research and risk: Keys to success in Japan. Retrieved from https://japantoday.com/category/business/research-and-risk-keys-to-success-in-japan
Sorvino, C. (2017, Januaruy 20). Meet Japan’s First Self-Made Woman Billionaire. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2017/01/20/meet-japans-first-self-made-woman-billionaire-yoshiko-shinohara-temp-holdings/
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