Basic guideline for a German company to do business with Japanese companies

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Marketing, Corporate Communication, CRM, Market Research, printed single-sided, grade: 1 (A), University of Bedfordshire, language: English, abstract: Even though Japan is mostly westernized it remains being traditional Japanese. It has a hierarchically structured culture and society and contains complex rules for interpersonal situations and relationships (Kazuo Nishiyama, 2000, p. 1-9). The Japan culture and society varies from the German. Those differences in cross- boarder alliances are sources of potential conflicts and misunderstandings in business relationships (Susan C. Schneider and Jean-Lois Barsoux, 2003, p. 9). Especially the way of verbal and non-verbal communication: Japan is a high context culture. Many information lay between the lines (in the context). Germany in contrast to that is a low context culture. They give precise information in a direct way. Japanese are more introverted and restrained than the Germans. The importance of face keeping (for e.g. not showing emotions public) is another main difference. In Japan the status of a person (often linked to its age and experience) is important (Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall, 1987, xvi). But also some little specific differences can cause huge problems. For example the differing attitude towards bribe and gifts can cause difficult misapprehensions. This summary of some of the main differences shows that there are many varieties that can cause problems in business. This gap between the German and the Japanese culture is unconditionally to considers, important to know in detail and very helpful to internalize in doing business with Japan as a German company.