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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Business Negotiation Served On A Sushi Platter
By Annat T. Katz
When American companies are interested in entering Japan 's boundary to expand their international sales profits, they find themselves blocked by an enormous cultural gap which not only causes frustration and disappointment but also delays negotiation processes and at times even brings them to a complete halt. Although there is a significant quantity of related literature that can act as an aid for such companies, it lacks sufficient sources by Japanese authors that explain their confusing code of behavior in business. Additionally, the predominance of western authors on American-Japanese cultural differences correspond to the unique mystifying nature of Japanese culture and therefore proves that a stronger approach of education on the American side is needed in the work place. Our instincts tell us to be afraid of the unknown and this is true even in the case of business negotiations between American and Japanese companies. Both groups enter the room with hesitation and often with incompetence as a result of being unfamiliar with the other culture. However, this does not necessarily have to be the common scenario when Americans and Japanese sit together at the bargaining table. A much more positive and productive scenario could be played out if education and awareness are packed into the American businessman's luggage when leaving for Tokyo . Overcoming strange Japanese behavior such as the deliberate silent treatment, understanding the significance of the first impression and the behavioral dictates of traditional values can easily be addressed by possessing previous advanced knowledge of the unique and intriguing Japanese culture. While the Japanese market poses gigantic cultural barriers to American companies, a simple small phrase can break the most fortified wall of them all: knowledge is indeed power.
Works Cited
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Drucker, F. Peter. "The Age of Social Transformation." The Atlantic Monthly. Nov 1994: 53-68.
Eldar, Moli. Samuraim Ba-halifot Ha-derekh Ha-yapanit Le-asakim. Tel Aviv , Israel : Ts'ericover Publishers, 1995.
George, M. Jennifer, Gareth R. Jones and Jorge A. Gonzales. "The Role of Affect in Cross-Cultural Negotiations." Journal of International Business Studies. Texas A&M University . December 1998, Volume 29, Number 4, 749-772.
Kang, T.W. Gaishi: The Foreign Company in Japan . Tokyo , Japan : Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1992.
March, Robert M. The Japanese Negotiator: Subtlety and Strategy beyond Western Logic. 1 st ed. Tokyo ; New York : Kodansha International: New York , NY : Distributed in the U.S. through Harper & Row, 1988.