1. Japanese people tend to accomodate others' opinions rather than speak up for themselves. They attach much importance to harmony. Corporate policies are preaching the the importance of harmony.
2. Many corporate systems are structured for cooperative employee performance. An employee submits an application for approval, for such things as a new plan, business trip or purchase (called "Ringisho") to the chief who passes it along to a higher level where it is again passed up the chain of command. If the application is approved, it is sent to accounting section, and then to purchasing section where the order is placed. In this way, responsibility is shared by many people. This system seems very inefficient, however, once the decision is made, the subject is performed in whole organization scale as a company mission.
3. Japanese manufacturers cut their production costs by using sub-contractor grouping system. In the 1880s, Japanese automobile manufacturers reduced their costs by adopting a procurement method called "Kanban Hoshiki (Price and delivery control system by grouping sub-contractors)" and swept over the U.S. market. In 1990s, the U.S. automobile manufacturers developed the Information Technology to fight back. This is an example of the differences of attitudes between Japan and the United States that Japanese people attach importance to forming a group while Westerners attach importance to a technology (science).
4. Companies also form nationwide group. This is called "Goso Sendan Houshiki (Armed Convoy System). The flagship is the Japanese Government. Companies are transport ships and ministries are the warships to protect and support the transport ships which carry the economy. Private companies are therefore highly regulated by the government.
For example, recently the mayor of Osaka prefecture required the federal government's support to reduce the landing fee at Osaka International Airport which is under non-government management.
5. In feudal times, a lord who owned his castle governed his territory by his own law, with warriors working under him. Members of the general public was at the lowest status. This concept still underlies current Japanese society. A company is the castle, administrative employees are the warriors and clerks are the general public. Employees have strong feelings that they are owned by their company and should to pledge their loyalty to the company. Changing jobs is regarded as disloyalty and is a disadvantage for the next employment opportunity. As more importance is attached to a group than to an individual, a company has more financial confidence than an individual. There are many cases of companies or organizations accepting business accounts only for companies. The U.S. domain name, com. is available for both companies and individuals, but the Japanese domain name, .co.jp is available for companies only.
6. Lifetime employment: The Japanese employment system has traditionally been operated as lifetime employment. Changing jobs is regarded as a lack of allegiance to the company and is dis-advantageously evaluated by next employer.
7. In most Japanese companies, white-collar executives account for a higher percentage than executives come from technical field comparing with Western companies. Most of the member of Japanese national assembly are graduates of law schools.
8. In Japanese organizations, as in homes, hosts invite their guests to take superior seats. It is supposed that this custom has been passed down from feudal times.
9. Within Japanese organizations, when speaking of other employees, the person's name is said without an honorific title even for high ranking employees. This comes from a strong group consciousness that every employee of a company belongs to the company and is a part of the company, and people are categorized as insiders or outsiders.
Subject: The Japanese Characteristics on Business Cultural 
Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:48 pm
