international management – JAPAN (1 day)

 

professional environment and values

1.    Companies in Japan
•    Japan Inc and the Keiretsu.
•    Life within the Kaisha: careers, head office/subsidiary relationships.
•    Changes since 2011
•    Seniority, hierarchy and the role of women.

2.    Japanese professional values
•    Wa or harmony, the real meaning.
•    Samurai and code of honour.
•    Tatemae and Honne.
•    Uchi/Soto: you are inside the circle or outside.
•    Details are never details.
•    Developing professional relationships within the company... and outside!
 

Communicating effectively

3.    Initial contact and propriety
•    Japanglish: why you don’t understand.
•    Social codes, gifts, dress code?
•    What makes the Japanese feel uncomfortable.
•    Making initial contact with your Japanese counterparts easier

4.    At the workplace
•    Communication styles: high/low context? Direct or indirect style?
•    Phone, emails, videoconference: remote communication.
•    Conflict resolution and expression of opinions.
 

Managing teams and projects

 

5.    Management practices and tools
•    Meetings, Nemawashi, consensus and decisions.
•    The decision is long but the execution is quick!
•    Relationship creation and maintenance.
•    Importance of the face.
•    Managing a Japanese team
•    Project management.
•    Negotiating using a “win-win” approach

6.    Operational applications
•    Advice when starting a job
•    Action plan