...a system of ideas that constitute a design for living (Hill, 2011, p. 89). Ultimately all the above definitions combine to show culture is made up of values, “ideas about what a group believes to be good, right, and desirable”, and norms, “social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations” (Hill, 2011, p. 89). Culture Components and Business Business Etiquette Business Etiquette from culture to culture differs, for example between the United States and Japan. Business cards are a big deal in Japan and how you present it can be the difference in how you are perceived. In a meeting in the United States if you pass your business card around the table or just leave it for the person it is acceptable and it will normally only be printed on one side. However, when in Japan you want to be sure your card is printed with English and Japanese, present it to the person by holding it with both hands, Japanese side up, to the most senior member at the meeting first bowing slightly and then make your way down the corporate ladder (Venture, 2009). For most American business people your first instinct is to walk in and shake your host hand, this is a big do not...
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...Running Head: CHANGING ROLES The Changing Roles of the Japanese Women in Business Abstract Since the 1950’s the Japanese women have sought to change the traditional role of an office lady who becomes a housewife and a mother after marriage. This is apparent in their attitudes toward marriage and the family system. A new generation of educated women who are seeking a career as a working woman. After World War II women have developed a more individualistic approach to life. Women have waited until they are much older to marry, living at home longer, vacationing to Hawaii, and contributing to the economy with their disposable income. There has been a decline in arranged marriages, many women have taken jobs to find a husband on their own, and even after marriage and children they continue to work, which was inconceivable before the 1950’s. A popular view that is still eminent in the Japanese society is that working married women pose a threat to the family. With the new reforms and different attitudes towards traditional family life, gender inequality is still prevalent. This notion is expressed in a popular expression, “Good wife, wise mother” (Brannen & Wilen, 1993). The Changing Role of the Japanese Women in Business Like most cultures in our world, Japanese women were the patriarchal framework for many centuries. Compared to Western standards...
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...JAPAN’S ECONOMIC MALAISE: DISCUSSIONS The banking sector of Japan played in Japans’ stagnant economy. The banking sector engaged in risky lending’s especially during the asset price boom. When the asset price boom collapsed the banking sector was left with a lot of bed debt and to make matter worse the sector went further and contracted the lending. The poor supervision by Japan’s government in terms of fiscal policy also played a pivotal role in the risks taken by the banking sector. The stock market prices also started falling and people saw their net worth shrunk. This also led to the population of Japan reducing their spending which in turn led to the deflation in the country. If the people are reluctant to spend then business doesn’t make money and people lose their jobs. Unemployment also will rise and the government of Japan started spending a lot of money on government grants to ease the burden of the population. In all developed nations, Japan has the highest aging population. This becomes a liability for the country in terms of production, especially for a country like Japan that is one of the leading exporters. All of these factors contribute to the stagnant economy of Japan. What Japan can do to get its economy back on track is firs by having better relations with it Asian counterparts. Japan can benefit from the economic boom that is taking place in Asia in terms of free trade. Secondly, Japan can turn around the liability that is posed by the aging population...
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...Case Study: Kelly's Assignment in Japan 1. The Japanese culture and customs are very different from what Kelly was used to in the United States. Within the case, the biggest issue with the Japanese businessmen that Kelly saw was the issue of being a woman. With the Japanese culture, many Japanese men do not relate easily to women with authority. This presented a major problem with kelly as she was seen more as an "office lady" then the program manager of her start up internet services company. Her talent as a manager was being overlooked due to their culture. Women in Japan between the ages of 25-30 tend to leave the workplace to start families and may return eventually to a part-time job. Whereas the women in the United States accounted for a 51% workforce in high-paying management positions recorded in 2007. Japan is a highly masculine country. According to previous chapters, another culture clash was the fact that when the Japanese are confronted with a serious question or situation they tend to disregard the problem with either leaving the situation, lowering their heads and becoming quiet, or even leaving the room in a business meeting. This stems from Japan being a less assertive country and neutral in emotional orientation. This can make Japanese businessmen "hard to read". This was the reason Kelly became easily frustrated when her employees did not present the planned proposal. A business card to a Japanese businessman is a very prestigious thing. Kelly did not do...
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...Economic Strength: Japan is the 2nd largest economy based on gross domestic product which stands at $34,000.00 per capita. The unemployment rate is one of the lowest at 4%. This indicates that there is a good standard of living, most of the population are employed, thus the population has disposable income and can spend on luxury items such as sea-doos. Japan has a strong currency which trades 1 JPY for 0.121 CAD. The economic stability and strong currency provides a sound investment platform for global businesses. Target Market Size: Japan has an overall population of 127,078,679. 64.3% of the population are between the ages of 15 to 64, which incorporates our target market age group. The 64.3% represents approximately 41,187,425 males and 40,533,876 females. Moreover, 66% of the total population are urban dwellers which are ideal for our product. A highly urban population eases promotional tasks by having access to the population through major cities rather than rural area. Out of the approximately 127.5 million people who reside in Japan, 99% are literate and 66.4% work in the service industry. This goes to show us that their employees are well educated and generally earn a good income which goes to show they can afford to spend more. According to a recent survey by the World Tourism Organization, the Japanese take 25 days per year off for vacationing. This is ideal for Bombardier, as our water crafts are primarily going to be used during vacation time (personal...
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...To: Ms. Jenna Harrington From: Loretta Thomas Subject: 2014 Contract negotiations in Tokyo, Japan Date: January 7, 2014 Ms. Harrington, My colleagues and I have chosen you to travel to Tokyo, Japan, for a series of preliminary contract negotiation sessions. You will be departing on February 1, 2014, and will be returning on February 8, 2014. We believe you to be the right person for this assignment as we trust you have all the qualifications needed. This is a great opportunity for both yourself and the company, so I am confident that you will be up for this challenge. I am including some main points that may be of some use during your time in Tokyo. It will take you approximately 15-16 hours to get there. So good luck and happy traveling. Japan, located in the Pacific Ocean, is made up of thousands of tiny islands, along with four main islands making its overall size slightly smaller than California. Tokyo is found on the island of Honshu. Japan is located in what is known as “the ring of fire” and very prone to earthquakes; so be prepared for tremors at all times. Japan is approximately 14 hours ahead of us here in Melbourne, FL. So you will have to adjust to the time difference. It is also highly populated, having 127,078,679 people; with having 13.23 million in Tokyo. Although Tokyo is heavily populous, remember to keep your personal distance; arm’s length is good manners. Many of the people do speak English, but it would be a good idea to know a few Japanese phrases...
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...Gay Marriage: Should It Be Allowed? BCOM275 Gay Marriage: Should It Be Allowed? Homosexuality has been a taboo existence in the past, but now it is accepted more and more across the globe. However, the institution of marriage amongst the gay community has become a controversial issue, as was interracial marriage in the past. Although there are increasing parts of the United States and the rest of the world in support of marriage equality throughout the LGBT community, there are still those who remain against it. In this paper, you will read views and information from both sides stating why gay marriage should be legalized or remain illegal from the standpoints of family, equal rights, and religion. Homosexual and bisexual behavior has been documented around the world since ancient times via art, literature, and other historical artifacts (History of Homosexuality, 2013). In fact, studies show that many people are unaware that a peer, family member, or friend is homosexual. With that being said, why should gay marriage be so controversial? Supporters of gay marriage as well as the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender) community agree that gay marriage should be legalized without stipulations. Those in civil unions are allowed to legally adopt children, but they cannot be in the hospital room when their partner passes away. It is unjust. Marriage should exist between two people who love each other, despite gender. To state one of the reasons...
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...McCallister Mark Stone Ohio University Legal & Ethical Environment of Business -MBA-560-VC November 20, 2013 Burns & McCallister Ethics & Global Business Being a successful global business is a balancing act. It is easy to assume that what works in America will work abroad. Nothing could be further from the truth. Multi-national companies need to be aware of the unique set of values, customers and traditions of the foreign countries they wish to do business in. Some areas of international business ethics are easier to define than others. For instance when it comes to working environments it is easy to say child labor performed in unsafe and hazardous environments coupled with unreasonable working hours is wrong as it goes against the ethical treatment of human beings but is discrimination against women in business management equally as wrong? Let’s explore this question in more detail. The Dilemma The company Burns & McCallister has come under scrutiny from a series of reports by both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times regarding their policy on female executives managing accounts in certain nations. This has been surprising since Burns & McCallister is known for their equal treatment of women. Working Mother magazine lists Burns & McCallister as one of the top fifty firms in the United States for employment of working mothers and by Working Woman magazine as one of the top ten firms for women. However, the dilemma is that Burns...
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...of Doing Business in America and Japan A manager or company has many factors to consider when deciding to conduct business internationally. Besides being sensitive and respectful to the foreign country’s culture, one must also be cognizant of how the culture influences the cost of doing business. To illustrate this point, consider the following scenario of countries A and B: Both countries [A and B] are characterized by low labor costs and good access to world markets. Both countries are of roughly the same size (in terms of population) and both are at a similar stage of economic development. In country A, the education system is undeveloped, the society is characterized by a marked stratification between the upper and lower classes, the dominant religion stresses the importance of reincarnation, and there are three major linguistic groups. In country B, the education system is well developed, there is a lack of social stratification, group identification is valued by the culture, the dominant religion stresses the virtue of hard work, and there is only one linguistic group. Which country makes the best investment site? Country B does. The culture of country B is supportive of the capitalist mode of production and social harmony, whereas the culture of country A is not. In country A, conflict between management and labor, and between different language groups, can be expected to lead to social and industrial disruption, thereby raising the costs of doing business. The lack...
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...Cultural Differences between Japan and U.S. There are many cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan. Each country has their culture and lifestyle. While we may feel that Japanese cultural and lifestyle seems strange, they likewise look at Americans as being different. It is important to realize that Japanese and American culture is swayed by the society of people. Americans belong to a number of subcultures due to immigration, while Japanese society has less immigration and is not as diverse when it comes to subcultures. Since there are so many cultural differences between Japan and the U.S., we cannot discuss its entirety but review a few differences as it relates to the family, greeting, business, and government. First, the family structure is much different. In the Japanese culture, the man is the head and the wife services all of his needs first. While in American culture, the husband and wife are equal partners and share in responsibilities. The family structure in Japan is defined by tradition while the American family structure is free and family roles are chosen according to likes and dislikes of the family member. Japanese traditionally feel that a married woman’s place, especially older women, should be at home taking care of her husband and children. However, Americans feel that a woman can do both home and career and she is free to chose, especially since both partners are equal and share in responsibilities. Japanese are also known to take care of extended...
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...Going International Exporting and international business can be interesting, exciting and in many cases challenging. In every case it should be a profitable choice as this is what fuel’s the business’ growth (Trade Start.CA, n.d.). Doing business internationally is not the same as doing domestic business. New skills are needed to learn in regards to laws and regulations, customers have different buying habits, and changes would need to be made to marketing strategies to appeal to the new market you are entering (Trade Start.CA, n.d.). Before entering a foreign market it is essential to clearly identify the motivations behind the decision to explore in the new marketplace. Determine what your domestic marketing strategy has been and how the plan employed by your company on local level might need to change in a positive way to tailor to the international territory (Forbes Woman, Sept. 2011). There are a few different things a business could do to prepare to leap in to the international market: educating yourself on the customs and business etiquette of the international market, gather historical data on the country’s currency value fluctuation and import/export timelines, becoming familiar with the country’s laws governing business, conducting a focus group to test the waters in the prospective international market, and find out what your competition is doing in the same market space (Forbes Woman, Sept. 2011). When entering a foreign market be sure to know the country’s...
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...culture are very strongest traits which develop the foundations of daily lives and how corporations conduct business. A tradition in Japan is taking an all male work team, salesmen and clients to visit a bar/club after hours that are greeted by a “Hostess”. A “Hostess” is a woman who is paid to flirt with men. These visits are sometimes mandatory which corporations cover fully and label them as “entertainment expenses” (Smith, Japan Flirts with Goverance Reform, 2015). One of Japan’s biggest problems is poor corporate governance (Smith, Bloomberg View, 2015). This is an example and evidence that poor corporate governance to a degree is liable for the potential drought of business investments into Japan’s economy (Smith, Japan Flirts with Goverance Reform, 2015). This is an example of why Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s made a decision to develop and incorporate Abenomics in 2014. Japan, as a society with extreme high value to culture and respect, views and approaches corporate governance has been very different for the past few decades compared to the United States. Japan’s board members are typically internal corporate managers rather than independent directors. Independent directors are very uncommon and without this type of approach, companies focus on empire building rather than on focusing on creating shareholder value and increasing profitability (Smith, Japan Flirts with Goverance Reform, 2015). Abenomics has a code that requires improved oversight of executives by...
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...Japan economy remains mired in recession despite attempts by Government to stimulate economic growth over years. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is not as great as it was before asset-price bubble. The monetary measures implemented by Japan new government to solves two-decades of sluggish growth has been brought up to G20 meeting at Moscow on February 2013, to determine on its compatibility with G20 agreement. It has been endorsed by G20 communities for its important role in global economy. Economist anticipated recovery would be slow as deflation has raged in Japan for near to two-decades. This paper examines the deflation issues in Japan; to shed some lights on the causes of deflation and several issues arises from prolonged deflation. Lastly, new stimulus package to expand economy will be highlighted. The effectiveness and potential side effects of policy will be discussed. Deflation, which was not a serious monetary issue has entrenched and gained attention globally for its prolonged effects in Japan. (Bernanke 2003). According to Blink and Dorton (2007), deflation occurs when average price level has generally declined. Deflation refers to situation where inflation rate falls below zero zones. It is categorized into two board explanation. “Good” deflation finds it source from improvement on supply side of economy. As figure (1) refers, increased Aggregate Supply (AS) will increase the real output and leads to decline in price level. “Bad” deflation results from...
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...Effects of the Silver Trade With the extensive mining in Japan and the colonization of Central and South America by Spain came a huge industry of silver for the entire world. This industry effected many countries, and even dominated a few socially and economically. At first glance, all seemed good. But in reality, only the middlemen were profiting from the large industry. The suppliers, Japan and Spain, as well as the receiver, China, were hurt in the entire process. The economies of the major players in the silver trade eventually suffered. The Europeans traded a valuable, lasting resource for perishable items, like silk and porcelain (Doc 8). The silver basically flowed out of Spain for these luxury goods (Doc 2). Being a scholar, Tomàs de Mercado saw the effect of the trade on the streets of Spain every day. This gives him a good point of view in the manual about business that he wrote. China was also hurt by the loss of silver that the middleman took as payment. In china, the government forced people to pay taxes in silver, so the government could get more. This hurt the people of china that didn’t have any silver to pay with, but rather only rice and grain (Doc 3). Wang Xijue, a court official in the Ming Empire, was writing this to the emperor of china. he was basically saying that the public needs more silver in order for the economy to fix itself. Ironically enough, the gaining of silver by the government was what led to an even worse economy. The concept of losing...
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... Cultural Sensitivity Japan is the country that I chose to write my essay on. I chose Japan because I am fascinated by the Japanese culture and art. I also like the Japanese customs and their traditional way of dressing. Besides being able to communicate with one another due to a language barrier, cross-cultural issues, such as behaviour, beliefs, values and religion are other challenges that my impact Company A’s marketing approach. When it comes to behaviour, Company A must take into consideration what kind of behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable. When it comes to beliefs and values Company A must research the Japanese culture in order to understand how to approach advertising and marketing. Japanese also believe that women should be home taking care of their children and doing housework once they are married or have children. The Japanese, especially when it comes to advertising and marketing gives high regards to their women and may not agree to the way women are exposed in America in regards to advertisements marketing their products or services. Religion is a major factor in the Japanese culture and it places great emphasis on the establishment of business ethics. The Japanese have totally different beliefs are completely different. During meetings and negotiations Company A should be mindful of Japan’s business etiquette and what their gestures mean or represent. Japanese have an effective manner of taking care of business matters, so it will also be...
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