Japanese business etiquette and customs in society

Japan: Customs and Etiquette

Japan Customs And Etiquette

Japan:

Customs and Etiquette in Society and the Business World

Japan: Customs and Etiquette in Society and the Business World

When conducting either business or merely oneself successfully in a foreign country, it is imperative to understand the customs and etiquette that is enacted by that country's people. No matter how knowledgeable or business-savvy an individual may be, acting in a manner that is deemed acceptable by the culture around oneself is equally necessary to achieve success. Something as simple as a gesture, acceptable in one country, may be deemed highly inappropriate in another. Such is true for a country as rich in culture and history as Japan, where customs and etiquette such as business conduct and the concept of time vary significantly from customs in Western society.

Business Etiquette

Japanese business etiquette can be summed up in one word: formal. It is fair to say that the term "casual Friday" is one that is not tossed around very often in Japanese businesses. The business meeting is considered a structured ritual, full of rules and standards that are nonexistent in the west. Japanese business prides itself on punctuality, professionalism and establishing relationships between interacting companies and individuals, not in merely brokering quick deals. In Japan, business is personal, and relationships are key to developing business contacts and inter-office relationships that will last from venture to venture. WorldBusinessCulture.com (2009) notes, "Meetings are often preceded by long, non-business polite conversation . . . Do not become exasperated by this use of your time, as it is an essential element of the relationship-building process" (p. 1).

Though Japanese business etiquette demands respect for those involved in business ventures, one area that is still dated is the treatment of women in business. In Japan, women are often discriminated against in the workplace. Author Charles Darwent (2008) notes, "If you - or any of your vital staff are female, then Japan is very probably not a place in which you will necessarily want to do business" (p. 126). It is noted that "the average annual income for women in Japan stands at around 50% of the male level -- which is a powerful statistic" (WorldBusinessCulture, p.5). This is one custom that may be difficult for many traveling into Japan to handle.

Time Orientation

Time orientation refers to a culture's preference toward past, present or future thinking, essentially assessing "how a culture values time and believes they can control it" (Moore, 2006, p.95). Japanese culture focuses highly on a respect for history and the arts, but its time orientation tends to shift more toward the future. Author P. Herbig (1998) notes that in viewing the short-term future, Japanese are focused on "respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations and protecting one's face," while long-term orientation is more focused on "thrift, perseverance with a future orientation attributed to lengthy business and relationship goals and time frames" (p. 187).

Conclusion

As seen, Japan is a country rich in both history and tradition, and in order to assimilate into this culture, one must adapt in terms of customs and etiquette. Clearly the aforementioned are only several customs that can be attributed to Japanese society and only begin to scratch the surface. However, in assessing these customs, one can have a greater understanding and appreciation for the country and its people.