A German-Japanese (ad)venture

Cifatte, Chiara

Colmenero, Shanti

Franken, Monique

Pirttiniemi , Janne

Sakowsky, Marc-Denis

Zelionka, Rolandas

Content

Don´t rock the boat

If you can´t beat them, join them

If the going gets rough, the tough guys get going

The pillars & core values of Japanese business life

Helpfulness of pillars & values during economic downturns

Don´t rock the boat

Advantages Disadvantages

• Use an attitude more cooperative

• Predictability of the consensus

• Lack of strong/minority opinions

• Not showing emotions can cause

misunderstandings

This sentence refers to the warning of

not destabilize a situation by making

trouble.

If you can´t beat them, join them

Advantages Disadvantages

• Allows weaker parties to survive

• Provides more power, influence

• Helps to fight other adversaries

• Helps to achieve goals easier

• Could be hard to collaborate

between parties

• Could be opinion disagreements

between parties

• Smaller party could lose their

identity

Idiom used to describe the overwhelming power of one’s adversaries and therefore it is recommended to join their cause rather than fight for your own in order to survive in the surrounding environment.

If the going gets rough, the tough

guys get going

Advantages Disadvantage

• Motivation to reach the goal

• Continue and adjust

• Decisiveness

•The possibility to loose the

contribution of people who are not

tough

• Lost of flexibility

When situation gets difficult the most

competent and strongest characters are

more prone to act

According to Hofstede Japan is a collectivistic culture

No individual efforts are made to change their plan and get tough in rough situations

The problem is rather solved as a group

The Japanese are not straight forward in their business communication, therefore though language in tough situations is not likely to be shown

If the going gets rough, the tough

guys get going

The pillars & core values of

Japanese business life

Long-term orientation◦ Company is like a family for employees

◦ Long-term strategies

Principle of harmony◦ “Wa” is the harmony, the preservation of good

relationships despite differences in opinion

Consultation system◦ “Ringi seido” is a collective way of taking decision in job

Lack of trade unions◦ No welfare system

◦ No strikes

Helpfulness of pillars & values

during economic downturns

Helpful Detrimental

•The employees have security

because of responsibility of

employer

• Employees are very loyal to the

company

•The employees have the ¨know

how¨ of the company

• Economical planning is not short

sighted

• During downturns the company is

reluctant to make employees

redundant

• During changing situations the

company needs to train own

employees which takes time and

effort

• Sudden changes in economical

situation

Long-term orientation

Helpful Detrimental

• Comfortable atmosphere for the

employees

• Discussion until agreement is

reached

• Discussions to reach agreements

can cause irritations and takes a lot

of time (unable to make fast

decisions)

Principle of harmony

Consultation system

Helpful Detrimental

• Every employee has a say, ideas and

suggestions are taken in

consideration

• Ideas from all hierarchy levels in the

company

• Process takes a lot of time and

acquires involvement of a lot of

individuals

• Inflexible system

Lack of trade union

Helpful Detrimental

• Companies are able to make

unpopular decisions and there is no

opposition to the company power

• Employees have no association

who might be able to help them in

case of reducing the staff

Thank you for your attention