Japanese Business Culture and Practices: A Guide to Twenty-First Century Japanese Business Protocols

by Isao Takei, Jon P Alston

Overview

Japanese Business Culture and Practices presents detailed insights and descriptions on the proper ways to conduct business with contemporary Japanese. It focuses on the traditional and nontraditional business-related practices, including the internal mechanisms of promotion and decision-making in Japanese corporations. From advice on how to avoid cultural misunderstandings and how to develop trust with Japanese colleagues, readers will gain insights on how to communicate, negotiate, entertain, and socialize with Japanese as well as the minutiae of correct behavior. Using linguistic examples to facilitate how Japanese themselves view their work environment, authors Isao Takei and Jon P. Alston describe the social etiquette and protocols Japanese expect all foreigners to adopt in order to successfully conduct business. With a glossary of terms and practical real-life experiences, this is an essential guide for anyone who wants to forge deeper business relationships with Japanese.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532048180
Publisher:	iUniverse, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/25/2018
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Isao Takei, an associate professor at Nihon University, Japan, earned a masters degree from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include racial and ethnic relations, social stratification, and Japanese studies. He has published numerous articles focusing on Asian Americans and Japanese and American cultures. Jon P. Alston is emeritus professor of sociology at Texas A&M University and a former Fulbright Scholar who has taught in China and France. His published works include A Business Guide to China, A Practical Guide to French Business, The American Samurai, and The Scientific Case against Scientific Creationism.

Editorial Reviews

2018-10-02

An exploration of the unique aspects of the Japanese business world.

Western executives who attempt to do business in Japan without reading this excellent guidebook do so at their own risk. This updated edition of a 2005 work comprises just five chapters, but each comprehensively covers its subject, helpfully segmenting the material into small, digestible chunks. The first chapter's general description of Japanese culture demonstrates an intimate understanding of the country's hierarchical society and the importance that its citizens place on work. Chapter 2, "Japanese Social Etiquette," should prove a vital safety net for any foreign businessperson, offering helpful pointers about such basics as bowing and presenting business cards. Just as importantly, Takei (Sociology/Nihon Univ.) and Alston (co-author: Flock of Dodos, 2007, etc.), a professor emeritus of sociology at Texas A&M University, provide insider information about Japanese etiquette regarding eating and drinking, including common courtesies that differ from American conventions. They even show how to craft an email properly: "the normal U.S. American way of writing emails will be interpreted by Japanese as too direct, impersonal, and even unfriendly." Readers will likely find the book's third and fourth chapters to be particularly useful, as they deal with "Work in Japan" and "Negotiations." The former contains insightful information about how decisions are made and meetings are run: "From the Japanese perspective, there is never an acceptable excuse allowing a participant to show anger or lose his temper. Meetings are also not the places to argue vehemently." The latter chapter offers on-target advice on how to negotiate with Japanese businessmen, warning that a failure of negotiations is "primarily the result of cultural misunderstandings rather than a lack of attractive economic offers." It bears mentioning that the text is occasionally a bit repetitive, and the final chapter may have a more limited audience, as it concerns working directly for Japanese executives. After each chapter, the authors suggest additional readings, and an aptly titled "Glossary of Useful Words" explains the complexity of several Japanese terms.

A handy, practical manual for understanding cultural differences from a business perspective.

Kirkus Reviews