Japanese Work Ethics
Japanese Work Ethic
The work ethic of Japanese Work Ethics could not be more different to the work ethic of American. Japanese culture is very different from the American. All aspects of Japanese life, especially business relations, are governed by strict rules of etiquette. A foreign business person who is either ignorant or insensitive to Japanese customs and etiquette needlessly jeopardizes his company's prospects in this country. It goes without saying that the Japanese work ethic and culture greatly affect doing business with other nations in this way. In the following, the most important features of Japanese culture and work ethic will be discussed, and the consequences of neglecting those features as an American business person will be analyzed. A very important part an America has to understand when entering the Japanese business market is the ¡¥Uchi-Soto¡¦ (Us and Then) concept. The Japanese have been brought up to think of themselves as part of a group, not individuals, and their group is always dealing with other groups. Interacting with Japanese on a one-to-one basis usually comes very easy to foreigners, but dealing with Japanese as a group can be a different matter altogether. And no matter how nice you are, or how good you’re Japanese might be, a foreigner will always be treated as an outsider.
Many westerners see Japanese as aloof, shy, and always walking on eggshells. There is a lot of truth in that -- Japanese are extremely sensitive to what others might think of them and are very hesitant to do something new, different, or independent. Being ostracized is one of the worst things that can happen to Japanese, who is raised to be part of a group and depend on others. Therefore, when making requests, it can often take more time then what we might be used to since the person asked usually consults others in the group to reach a consensus. As a American, one might get really frustrated and annoyed about this attitude where groupthink and group
The work ethic of Japanese Work Ethics could not be more different to the work ethic of American. Japanese culture is very different from the American. All aspects of Japanese life, especially business relations, are governed by strict rules of etiquette. A foreign business person who is either ignorant or insensitive to Japanese customs and etiquette needlessly jeopardizes his company's prospects in this country. It goes without saying that the Japanese work ethic and culture greatly affect doing business with other nations in this way. In the following, the most important features of Japanese culture and work ethic will be discussed, and the consequences of neglecting those features as an American business person will be analyzed. A very important part an America has to understand when entering the Japanese business market is the ¡¥Uchi-Soto¡¦ (Us and Then) concept. The Japanese have been brought up to think of themselves as part of a group, not individuals, and their group is always dealing with other groups. Interacting with Japanese on a one-to-one basis usually comes very easy to foreigners, but dealing with Japanese as a group can be a different matter altogether. And no matter how nice you are, or how good you’re Japanese might be, a foreigner will always be treated as an outsider.
Many westerners see Japanese as aloof, shy, and always walking on eggshells. There is a lot of truth in that -- Japanese are extremely sensitive to what others might think of them and are very hesitant to do something new, different, or independent. Being ostracized is one of the worst things that can happen to Japanese, who is raised to be part of a group and depend on others. Therefore, when making requests, it can often take more time then what we might be used to since the person asked usually consults others in the group to reach a consensus. As a American, one might get really frustrated and annoyed about this attitude where groupthink and group