[school help]Japanese business culture

[toniglandyl]

Hello everyone,
First of all, sorry for the inconvenience.
I'm in third year in a french engineering school, ESIEE paris, and for an english project, we have to gather information about "how to do business with another culture". My group and I chose the japanese culture since it interests us all. We have some vague idea about how things are, but we're afraid of having any stereotype image. That's why I'm posting here, since this forum has plenty of members giving advice about japanese culture.

If you have any information about things to take care of when meeting or talking to a japanese businessman (or woman) in general, I'd be delighted.
thanks again for your time !

 

[Glenski]

Meeting:
This is covered in numerous sites and guidebooks. Look for keywords like greetings or introductions. The key is timeliness, dress, and business cards.
Talking:
This is a huge topic. Can you be more specific? The only thing that comes to mind this early in the morning is where people sit around a table, not waving one's arms in large gestures, and not expecting them to be direct in replies, especially if there is a difficulty or negative response.

 

[toniglandyl]

hi Gleski, thanks for your reply. Unfortunately for my group and I, our teachers want some information gathered through contacts, forums and a survey we've done, and not guide websites.

I personnaly do not like having a survey (it seems that I can't post the link anyways), preferring a nice social chat, but basically, here are what the main "topics" we have to talk about :

-greeting
-taboo subjects
-specific insulting gestures that some foreigners might not know and do "accidently" (from seeing it in a movie...)
-physical contact if any (how is a tap on the shoulder percieved if you do it...)
-what distance should be kept when talking to a japanese person so he feels compfortable
-hierarchy (behavior and external signs showing that someone is superior)
-direct eye contact
-showing emotions
-dress code

this seems so terribly formal, I hate it.

thank you very much for your reply !

 

[toniglandyl]

thanks Glenski,
unfortunately, my group and I need to gather information through people more or less directly (forums, e-mail, face to face meetings...) and not from guide websites. A survey must be completed, but I hate that sort of thing. The only positive thing of the survey is that it gathers all the "topics" we should talk about. Since I can't post the link, I'll tell them to you. no need to get too much into details, but having more information is always nice.

-greeting
-dress code
-hierarchy(how to identify and behave towards a hierarchical superior)
-direct eye contact
-compfortable distance between 2 persons talking to each other
-physical contact if any (is tapping on a shoulder ok... etc)
-showing emotions.
-sexism if any (is there a different behavior concerning a female superior rather than a male one...)

thanks a bunch for helping !

 

[Glenski]

Greeting:
Learn to bow, although Japanese may not care as much because they would expect us dumb foreigners to just shake hands. Bow lower than anyone superior to you. Don't be surprised of someone bows and shakes. If you know Japanese, there are certain phrases when meeting for the first time, too. Business cards have their own ceremony. Present yours with 2 hands, J side up (if you have both languages), and with the writing facing the other person so they can read it. Receive one with both hands, too, don't put it away and DON'T put it in your wallet! Look at it and see if you can pronounce the name slowly.

Greetings can also include what to day and do with a receptionist.

Dress code:
Always wear a suit or equivalent, and make it conservative.

Hierarchy:
You will know who is boss, usually the eldest. Behave as if he's God. He usually is in his section.

Direct eye contact:
Minimal.

Distance between people:
Have never measured.

Physical contact:
Handshaking ok, but expect limp shakes from most.
Slashing motion downward with the hand to open a space to walk in crowded quarters. Usually no contact with the other people, although some is accepted by us rude, dumb foreigners. LOTS of physical contact on crowded trains and subways, but people usually shoulder their way through instead of pushing. In business gatherings, no real contact is usually done anyway.

Showing emotions.
J show these only when very happy or extremely upset, and usually remain stoic or pensive. Foreigners should, too.

Expect and allow for longer silences, and not show emotions then.

Sexism.
Yes, it exists. Women are usually treated as inferiors to serve tea and carry things. Foreign women I've worked with are treated as bra fillers, so expect ogling at any time. Have never seen a female J superior, but they exist.