Write from research about culture and customs

From: Will McManus

To: ENG-315

Subject: Culture of Business in Japan

Date: February 4, 2015

I looked into some of the cultural differences that may come up for an American doing business in Japan. Their entire culture seems to be based on trust and showing others respect. That makes it sound like they would be a pleasure to do business with. However, they are also very rooted in tradition, and a wrong move could cost a deal. I will explore, what I found to be, some of the more interesting differences below:

· Greetings

· Saying No

Greetings

First impressions are important in any situation. They are particularly important when you are about to try to make a business deal. Everyone knows Americans shake hands when they meet, but that’s not the tradition in Japan. In an article on About.com, by Asian ravel expert Greg Rodgers, he explains that Japanese businesspersons will offer a handshake to their foreign counterparts, but still prefer to bow.

Bowing to a Japanese person will indicate that you have at least made an effort to understand their culture – which goes a long way when it comes to negotiations later, says Rodgers. He tells us that any sign of knowledge of their culture not only shows respect for it, but also shows your dedication to working together:

Demonstrating a small knowledge of Japanese culture and traditions shows that you have a genuine interest in the success of the meeting. If nothing else, your friends and colleagues will be impressed!

Something as simple as learning to say “hello,” and how to greet someone in his or her own traditions, can make a huge difference in the tone of your entire dealings with them.

Saying No

Another thing that caught my attention was the fact that Japanese businesspeople will avoid saying “no” to opportunities – but that doesn’t mean they want to work with you. Because respect for others is so ingrained in their culture, they feel that saying no, or flat out declining a proposal, would dishonor the presenter. eDiplomat.com explains this with an example, in their Japan section:

Etiquette and harmony are very important. "Saving face" is a key concept. Japanese are anxious to avoid unpleasantness and confrontation. Try to avoid saying "no." Instead, say, "This could be very difficult," allowing colleagues to save face.

Another site, Venturejapan.com, tells the story of a Japanese company going to great lengths to avoid shooting down the hopes of another company. The writer explains, “I have seen second meetings, third meetings, expensive dinner meetings […] but still the Japanese side never had any intention of doing a deal - they were simply being polite and waiting for the foreigners to lose interest.” As you can see, all may seem to be going well, but that may not be the case if you don’t understand that they are just being respectful of your feelings.

I hope these tips are helpful in your travels, and you found them as interesting as I did.

Sincerely,

Will McManus

Potential Traveler