Business munication for Japanese Business -myassignmenthelp

Japan is a country that is located on an island situated in the Pacific Ocean in East Asian with a population of 127.3 million people. The two major religions in Japan, which is one of the key elements that makes culture, are Shinto and Buddhism and the main language spoken is Japanese of course. The Japanese tradition dates back to thousands of years making it one of the countries that have the deepest traditions but at the same time non-resistant to the inevitable state of continuity and rapid changes associated with ever shifting fashions trends and technological advancements, which continuously pushes some solid boundaries, (Alston, 2015). Etiquette is an important aspect in Japan and therefore one has to do their best to be familiar with the basic rules before setting foot in the country if necessary. Because of its business culture, Japan is perceived as a difficult country to start business in by the foreign panies that aspire to venture in the Japanese business market. Business people as well as the local citizens of Japan are all generally service oriented making service the mainstay of Japanese business culture. It is not mon in the business culture of this country for someone to request for, give out, or even accept tips for the services they have rendered, this is one of the big differences between Japan and other countries’ business cultures, (Rowland 2014). In the case where one is getting ready to attend a business meeting, they have to consider the kind of first impression they will give. First impressions always begin with how someone conducts themselves in public, how they speak, how they dress and every other small thing that might not seem to matter to an outsider. An observer will tell that the Japanese have a conservative character which is fast enough but he or she will also notice that they are very formal in their dressing manner and mostly dress to impress. (Kunkel 2011). When selecting the type of business wear for a meeting, quality has to be considered. Women are expected to dress conservatively, avoid wearing pants, as it is offensive and not carry with you so many accessories. Women should avoid wearing high heels at all cost because they are not considered appropriate, (Azar 2016). In Japan, one’s attire and appearance can be associated with either having high corporate and social status or not. Japan has the hi ghest masculinity versus femininity score of 95; therefore as a woman with an intention to conduct business affairs in Japan, you will have to acknowledge the fact those traits such as effectiveness and petence. At some point, one has to take on the masculine traits, (Hanges 2013). It is therefore important to put in a lot of effort in that area and beware of what you are up against. In an occasion of any meeting related to business or any other affairs, the Japanese value high etiquette levels and protocol. In a business meeting, one should always avoid being too abrasive and brash but instead observe a conservative demeanour to gain the trust of other members of the meeting and be taken seriously whenever your opinion is required. It is important that one avoids flashy articles of clothing or flashy pens and when required to put something in writing, they should use the either the black or blue ink pens, not the red ink. When you enter, the room do not be the first to sit or be the only one left sitting while everyone else if standing, (Goldman 2014). You should follow what the other Japanese persons are doing if they are all standing up then do the same and if they are sitting down make sure to sit along., you should also wait to be directed on where to sit because mostly, the seating positions signifies the status of a person. Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture contains on that refers to the degree of inequality accepted between people with different levels of power. You should understand your place in the meeting with the highest person in the rank taking the lead or the head of the table and you as a subordinate will have to sit on one side of the table, (Vardaman 2014). During the meeting, listen carefully to what every member has to say and acknowledge their input and if necessary you can take notes of an idea said by someone else for clarity to make you part of the dialogue and give every   other person the impression that you consider the events as important as everyone else. The individualism versus collectivism dimension of culture among the six es in handy during such situations because by acknowledging individual a plishments and displaying expression of your own ideas freely will strengthen the ties you have with your Japanese host and the rest of the members in the meeting, (House 2013 ). Another vital etiquette is when meeting your Japanese host for the first time in person it is of great respect and importance that you first bow as it is observed in the traditions of the Japanese and wait to see if the other party to initiate a handshake or not. Bowing is a natural ting to them and you should not therefore assume and just offer a hand f irst, although some Japanese hosts will most likely offer a handshake considering you are a foreigner. Once the meeting s initiated, it is always considered a nice gesture to give your Japanese host a gift and if otherwise, thank your host and each individual involved to show them how much you appreciate the gift, (De 2013). It is not however a most that you carry with you a gift, but it would be smart and wise to carry one anyway. Use of nonverbal cues in nonverbal munication can be sometimes misinterpreted or misunderstood in the Japanese business culture. Excessive hand gestures and using the hands to add emphasis to words too much is to be avoided because of the reason that it is considered an informal way of conveying your message, (Genzberger 2014). Hand gestures also have their own meanings in the Japanese cultures for instance, the hand sign that is used to indicate okay in some other western countries actually means something else in Japan; it is a hand signal for money. In Japanese business etiquette, a smile carries many different interpretations and should therefore be done carefully not to send the wrong message in some business situations, (Engel 2013). Lastly silence is embraced in Japan and therefore one should not feel u fortable when suddenly the meeting room goes silent for some time as it one of their things. There are certain unspoken cultural expectations and rules that everyone needs to l earn before going to Japan and should be able to cope with anxiety because there definitely will be times when anxiety kicks in, this is explained in the uncertainty avoidance index among Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture, (Javidan 2013). The appropriate signs have to be well understood and the nonverbal munication in the business context interpreted carefully. (Kunkel 2011). Show the Japanese an effort that you are trying to understand their business etiquette and their culture. In general, despite the fact that they are usually very nice and forgiving towards foreigners, they deserve the respect which will put you in their favour and a better position with them in future. For the reason that a foreigner may not be part of the core Japanese family, one should strive to develop a high interpersonal connection to their Japanese host and take full responsibility of their actions and consequences as well as that of others; this is the second of Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture. A heavy emphasis on personal relationships is one of the key concepts shaping the Japanese business customs and culture and it is mon knowledge that social interactions is the basis of building any kind of relationship. Being a foreigner who is looking to establish and build a strong business relationship with the Japanese stakeholders, one has to keep in mind that there are rules to be considered and understood. In a social context where one is invited out for a social outing after a business meeting, turning it down is not a good idea and they should therefore make it possible enough to go. Building the right relationships fir future businesses somehow depends on how one interacts socially away from the business environment such as the workplace. When alcohol is involved, try to drink a little bit even if you are not a drunkard and never serve yourself a drink but rather wait for another person to do it for you. The indulgence versus restraint dimension es in picture at this point where people give themselves chances to enjoy themselves and have fun outside of work, (Dorfman 2013). They also put in more time in leisure activities in Japan and drinking is one of the things that people there love to do when relaxing and interacting socially. Alston, J. P., &Takei, I. (2015). Japanese business culture and practices: A guide to twenty-first century Japanese businesss. New York: iUniverse. 53(1), 43-45 Azar, R. C. (2016). Navigating japans? business culture: A practical guide to succeeding in the japanese market. s.l.: Write Way Publishing pany. 32(3), 548–73. De, M. B. 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