Request for Help Identifying the Name of a Japanese Cultural Norm

[alcesalces]

Hello All,

I recently heard about an aspect of Japanese business culture that I would like to learn more about: however, I don't know how to look it up because I don't recall the name for it. My plan is to describe it here in the hope that someone might recognize it and point me to resources where I can learn more.

The description I heard goes something like this:

There was a business deal in process between an American and a Japanese firm. A dispute arose and the American firm declared it was backing back out of the deal. Later on the American firm wanted to try to resolve the dispute, however, my understanding was that the decision maker at the Japanese firm would never consider it because some cultural violation had occurred. The phrase I heard was that the Japanese decision maker was "practicing" some cultural norm.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Any ideas about what this "practice" might be called and how I might learn more about it?

Sincerely,

Dan
Dayton, Ohio

 

[mdchachi]

Hello All,

I recently heard about an aspect of Japanese business culture that I would like to learn more about: however, I don't know how to look it up because I don't recall the name for it. My plan is to describe it here in the hope that someone might recognize it and point me to resources where I can learn more.

The description I heard goes something like this:

There was a business deal in process between an American and a Japanese firm. A dispute arose and the American firm declared it was backing back out of the deal. Later on the American firm wanted to try to resolve the dispute, however, my understanding was that the decision maker at the Japanese firm would never consider it because some cultural violation had occurred. The phrase I heard was that the Japanese decision maker was "practicing" some cultural norm.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Any ideas about what this "practice" might be called and how I might learn more about it?

Sincerely,

Dan
Dayton, Ohio

Does it have to do with nemawashi? Like did they back out after everything was all decided?

 

[Lothor]

To be honest, it sounds like a poor excuse by a Japanese company that doesn't want to engage in business for some other reason. Japanese people are well aware that their culture is unique (though I prefer the word peculiar!), and they don't expect a foreign company to be familiar with all the subtle points of the culture. It's very hard to imagine a representative of a Japanese company claiming that an American "violated their culture".

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Made me think of that old movie....

 

[Majestic]

To be honest, getting pissed off when one party backs out of a deal, and then not wanting to deal with that party ever again, doesn't sound like a particularly Japanese business practice.
Sounds like the decidedly non-Japanese custom of: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.