Trouble in Tokyo: A Survival Guide for International ManagersBy: Joseph Carty, BMGT 480

December 4, 2014

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Introduction Inspiration

Globalization occurs faster and faster as the age of information rapidly expands

around us. Knowledge, competition, and opportunity knock at the door everyday. Jobs

become more competitive as we are no longer competing with local or even U.S.

graduates but professionals from around the world. Corporations no longer operate on

U.S. soil but have expanded operations or even moved overseas. Many companies hire

international managers to oversee operations within their region of the globe. To keep up

with this rapidly expanding global marketplace, it is essential to understand and adapt to

foreign culture.

In order to better comprehend how to conduct business as an international

manager or working in a foreign country, I decided to focus on one in particular that is

very different from American culture. I interviewed Yuya Umekazi from Tokyo, Japan.

Throughout the interview, I asked a series of questions about his experiences both here

and in Japan, his cultural adaptation and adjustment process, challenges he has faced and

how he overcame them, as well as knowledge about differences in business practices

between Japan and the U.S. He was very forthcoming in his responses and provided

valuable insight, which could make the difference in becoming a successful international

manager.

Background

In order to gain a better perspective from Yuya’s responses, I will share a little

about his background and personality. Yuya is 20 years old and first arrived in the U.S.

on August 18, 2014. He studies Law as an undergraduate student. He plans to study at the

University of Montana through spring 2015, after which he will return to Japan to finish

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his degree as well as graduate school. After graduation, Yuya would like to return to the

United States to pursue a career with a large consultant firm such as McKinsey. He loves

America and the English language; in fact, he hasn’t spoken a single word of Japanese

since arriving in the states over three months ago. I have personally spent time in various

foreign countries and speak multiple languages and can attest – this is no easy task.

(Culture Shock, 2014)

When Yuya first arrive in the U.S., he did not know anyone. Although there are

many exchange students from Tokyo, he is the only one from his school. He’s very

outgoing, however, and made friends easily. He does not spend much time with the other

Japanese students but chooses instead to completely immerse himself and made several

American friends in the first few weeks. (Culture Shock, 2014)

Daily Differences

When asked about differences he has noticed between Japan and the U.S., Yuya

talked about food, clothing, personality, dating, and some daily activities. “American

food is very greasy or oily,” says Yuya (Culture Shock, 2014). It took some time for him

to get used to American food but now he says he likes it better than Japanese food.

(Culture Shock, 2014)

After some time in Montana, he also changed his clothing style to adapt and fit in

with the local customs. Japanese men and women are extremely concerned with style and

looks. Walking into a restroom, one might find multiple Japanese men fixing their hair or

adjusting clothing. Clothing styles are very bold and edgy. What Americans might

consider over the top or too much are quite normal styles in Japan, especially among the

younger generation. (Culture Shock, 2014)

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Japanese are very indirect in approaching strangers, friends, or someone they

want to date. To the Japanese, Americans can seem quite forward or direct and possibly

offensive if not careful. However, Yuya explained that Americans are much more

friendly toward everyone while Japanese take more time to become comfortable around a

new face. He said many Americans smile or wave at passersby and this would never

happen in Japan. On the dating scene, for example, a Japanese boy will never approach a

girl he likes. He will ask a male friend to approach her and ask if she would accompany

them to a local bar or karaoke. If she also likes him she will join and always bring a

girlfriend to feel more comfortable. Only after one or two group dates like this will they

decide to go out alone. (Culture Shock, 2014)

Culture Shock

Yuya comes from a large city so when asked what he misses most, he said city

life. He loves Montana and the people here but says there is not much to do after a while.

He misses large shopping centers, amusement parks, and karaoke the most. He also

misses the Japanese language and his family, friends, and pet bird. (Culture Shock, 2014)

Small things in daily life can also impact your level of culture shock and stress or

frustration. For example, not taking your shoes off before entering a home or room is

considered very rude in Japan. Yuya finds it gross that his roommate not only wears his

shoes in the room but on his bed as well. Also he got the impression immediately that

Americans are not respectful towards another person’s belongings because his roommate

always touches or uses his things without permission. Japanese are very reserved and

respectful and most of the time would not even ask to use something, they just won’t use

it. (Culture Shock, 2014)

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Generally speaking, most people travelling or living abroad for extended periods

of time go through multiple phases of culture shock and adjustment. The pattern follows

what has come to be known as the “W-curve.” It is called this because patterns of

emotional stability follow a “W” with three high points and two low points. Upon arrival

in the foreign country, most are excited about the opportunity and experience a “high” so

to speak. Everything is new and exciting and it feels like a vacation for the first few

weeks or even months. This is often called the “Honeymoon Stage.” That’s when reality

sets in and you realize these feelings don’t last. Normal, everyday tasks become tedious

and frustrating because certain conveniences taken advantage of at home are not

available.

In a country like Japan, language barriers can be a serious issue as well.

Something simple like commuting or going to the grocery store can be extremely

challenging. Be prepared with a pocket or electronic dictionary everywhere or prepare

written phrases in advance to hand to a taxi driver or at the marketplace in search of a

specific item. Use friends, neighbors or coworkers who speak both languages to help you

translate these phrases and have him or her write them down. Try and memorize a few of

these phrases. A gesture as easy as saying “Hello, how are you?” in a person’s native

language can mean a lot to someone. They will appreciate the fact that you are trying to

learn their language and it will open doors to places you could never access otherwise.

After some time, things become easier as you learn the system and order of

things. Daily life is simpler and there is now more time to become immersed in the

culture, make new friends, and discover new hobbies or places to practice old ones. This

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is the second “high” of the curve and generally lasts for a larger portion of the experience

abroad.

Personally, Yuya experienced his own version of this “W-curve.” I asked him

how he felt when he first arrived, throughout the semester, and now (end of semester). He

told me that although many things were new and exciting, negative emotions like

worrying about his limited English made him feel stressed, nervous, and a bit anxious.

After one or two months of daily life in America, Yuya became more positive as he

began to develop strong relationships with local and international students and increased

his abilities in English. Presently, he feels somewhere in the middle of this curve. I

explained earlier that Yuya misses city life and is running out of things to do in Montana.

He plans to spend Christmas break with a friend in Los Angeles, which he hopes will

refresh his perspective, experiencing an entirely different region and subculture of the

United States. (Culture Shock, 2014)

To explain the last low and high of the “W-curve,” I will relate to my own

personal experiences studying abroad because Yuya has not yet reached these phases. I

completed my student exchange in Nanchang, China for one semester followed by

extensive traveling to other regions of the country. However, the final stages occur upon

return to the home country. After having spent so much time in China and adapting and

changing my lifestyle to match the environment, coming home is essentially the same

emotional experience as leaving for China.

At first, I was excited to see my family and friends again and for a while it felt

like I had never left (Honeymoon Stage Two). However, this did not last long and I soon

became frustrated with aspects of daily life and began to miss things only available in

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China. I thought I would never want to eat rice or noodles again as this is a daily staple in

the Chinese diet; however, after only a few short weeks, I craved the authenticity and

cooking of Chinese cuisine. I tried eating at Chinese restaurants in my hometown but

nothing compared. Eventually I gave up and realized I would have to settle for American-

Chinese. This is one example of many little things, which may seem insignificant but

have great impact on happiness and motivation.

Overcoming Culture Shock, A Business Perspective

I would like to present a few scenarios an international manager might be

presented with during his career. These are fictional scenarios and do not contain real

people, businesses, or events. Any references or similarities to a known person, business,

or event are entirely coincidental. For sake of consistency, I will use Japan as the country

for discussion in each scenario.

Meet Richard Johansen. Richard is in his mid 40s and has a wife, Barbara, and

three children, Sam (15), Katie (12), and Lyla (6). Richard works for a growing

multinational corporation based in Arkansas as a Regional Sales Manager. The company

is expanding into Japan and wants to establish a new office in Tokyo. Richard was

recently asked to transfer to Tokyo. This included a significant promotion, greater

benefits, all moving expenses, and a bonus up front and at the end of his two-year

contract there. It was difficult for his wife and family to uproot and move to Tokyo, but

after weighing the pros and cons, they decided that the promotion and bonuses were

worth the transfer and they could potentially move back at the end of his contract in two

years and maintain the promotion. I will use this background information as a reference

to discuss these different stages of culture shock.

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The Johansen’s just arrived in Tokyo a couple weeks ago and are now settled into

their new apartment. Barbara Johansen was the most distraught about moving from a

large house and property to an apartment. The apartment is fairly large and comfortable

but nowhere near the space their country home provided. And of course gardening, one of

Barbara’s favorite hobbies, is not exactly feasible. Richard grew up in Los Angeles so the

prospect of living in a large city again was exciting and familiar. Sam recently started

high school and Katie, middle school, so they are extremely upset about leaving their

friends and having to start over during such important years. Lyla, however, is thrilled at

the chance to see a new world, especially the source of her favorite cartoon, Hello Kitty.

Trouble in Tokyo

Scenario 1: The First Day Farce

To maintain an emphasis on business and the challenges facing an international

manager, I will focus mostly on Richard and discuss the remaining family members

briefly throughout. The first scenario Richard was confronted with was after he had

accepted the position and while his family was preparing to move, he was required to fly

to Tokyo briefly to meet his new sales staff and start preparations for the new office. This

task was given to him suddenly so Richard had little time to prepare and was more

concerned with performance than first impressions.

A representative from the company greeted him at the airport and, because of

what we discussed earlier, stopped just short of him and bowed at his new manager in a

show of respect, leaving Richard with his hand extended awkwardly. This happened three

more times throughout the day before Johansen finally pulled aside his new secretary and

asked her what this meant and how to properly greet someone as their manager. She

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explained that it is normal practice for a lower-level employee to bow when meeting a

superior or elder for the first time or when entering his office. A normal response might

be to bow in return, especially on first greeting, or simply say, “Come in” or “Take a

seat.” She went on to explain that even though it may seem rude to not always return the

gesture, it is not viewed as such by the other party. Managers and elders are highly

respected by the Japanese and such respect is earned through age and experience.

Greetings

First impressions play a huge role in how someone views you for a long time.

Greeting someone from another culture incorrectly can cause a devastating impression,

which could be the difference between gaining or losing a friend or client. Japanese are

much more reserved and indirect when greeting someone. When meeting someone for the

first time a simple, “Nice to meet you,” will suffice. No handshake, wave or gestures of

any kind are required; in fact, it may make the other person uncomfortable. Yuya said

when he returns home next spring; his family will not greet him with a hug or say, “I love

you.” They will simply say something like, “Long time no see,” or “I missed you.” A

common Japanese expression goes, “Hiding is beautiful.” A similar American expression

might be, “Less is more.” Friends don’t even use hand gestures when speaking and

always greet each other using family names. Yuya says he prefers American greetings

because they are more friendly and welcoming and open, leaving no room for guessing

the other person’s feelings. (Culture Shock, 2014)

From a business perspective, common practice for greeting coworkers or business

associates is generally the same as friends. Coworkers generally join each other after

work at a casual restaurant or bar before returning home. When greeting your boss, or

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anyone superior to your position within a company, always bow when entering the room.

Never shake their hand unless they extend it first and always shake with two hands. It is

common practice to exchange business cards between clients, acquaintances, or

international associates. When presenting or accepting a business card, always use two

hands to show respect. Treat the business card as if you were giving a very expensive gift

because they will receive it as such. (Culture Shock, 2014)

Scenario 2: The Miscommunication Malfunction

The next situation presented to Richard occurred a month or two later, after his

family was settled in and he had been at the job for a few weeks. The frustration occurred

through a miscommunication from mid-level management to an individual sales rep,

causing a setback in operations. In a managers meeting, Mr. Johansen discovered the

mistake and the manager responsible. He was very direct in stating his mistake and told

him this cannot continue if he wishes to be part of this company in the future. The

manager was very embarrassed and obviously ashamed at his lack of communication.

What should Mr. Johansen have done differently? Will this reprimand have later

consequences on how employees respect him and their willingness to perform well? His

methods may not seem out of the ordinary or different from American managing styles.

While such a direct form of reprimand might be acceptable in the U.S. and most would

just shake it off and get back to work, such actions could be devastating for both the

manager who made the mistake and Richard himself. The Japanese strongly prefer

indirect methods of communication. Earlier, I discussed social interactions and how

greetings and dating is very formal, yet indirect. This applies in all aspects of Japanese

culture, especially within the business realm.

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To answer the aforementioned questions, the best approach might be for Richard

to invite the manager into his office through an email, with no predisposition that you are

upset. The conversation would start out slow, first engaging in small talk or unrelated

interests or how he’s getting along at the new office. Then the tone might shift to

business, perhaps discussing a few new assignments. Finally, Richard would subtly bring

up the mistake but in a positive light. For example, he might mention several things the

manager has done well and then talk about how they might improve communication

between employees. Japanese are humble people and take criticism very seriously. When

brought up quietly and positively, the manager will immediately recognize his mistake

and work furiously to correct it. To scold an employee, especially a manager in front of

his peers or subordinates will cause great shame and may ruin relationships with him/her

as well as others throughout the office. Handling mistakes and criticism can be a very

sensitive matter in many cultures and a responsible manager will understand these

methods in advance or recognize mistakes and be willing to adapt quickly.

Job Culture Norms

Yuya confirmed this with me during our interview as well as a few other

interesting facts about job culture in Japan. Because age and experience come with such

high respect, salary is generally based on these factors rather than skill or ability. Also, a

first job is not just a job, it becomes a lasting career, as it is extremely rare to transfer

companies or change career paths. For this reason, it is extremely rare to fire someone. A

demotion or pay decrease might be a more appropriate punishment for major mistakes

and only in extreme situations would it be normal to fire an employee. (Culture Shock,

2014)

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Scenario 3: The Downtown Distemper

Barbara (wife)

While Richard maneuvered the challenges of his new promotion at work, Barbara

and the kids experienced troubles of their own. An important factor any family-oriented,

international manager or company should consider is the life and well being of his or her

family. Oftentimes, managers can become so immersed in their new responsibilities that

family struggles and challenges are often overlooked. Heavy stress and strain is place on

each family member individually and for this reason, I chose three children who are at

very different life stages.

Barbara loves her hobbies. The aforementioned gardening she likes took a few

hours of her time everyday, and she loved the feeling of accomplishment and self-

sufficiency when her family cooked meals grown in their own backyard. After a few

weeks in the city, she began to grow restless. She became impatient with her husband and

children and struggled to find things to occupy her time. Shopping, transportation, and

simple tasks she used to enjoy, became a struggle for survival.

Luckily, being the loving husband Richard is, he immediately recognized these

symptoms as a result of their new lifestyle. He had received training from his company

prior to departure, detailing activities and strategies for each of his family members to

help adjust to daily life. Such cultural training is critical, not only for the manager but for

his or her family as well and can make or break the success of a relocation like the

Johansen’s have made.

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Sam (15)

In order to keep a largely business focused perspective, I will be brief in

describing the what the Johansen’s children might experience in Tokyo, Japan. Sam was

in the prime of his life in America (or so he seemed to think) before he was uprooted to

Tokyo. He had just started playing tackle for his high school varsity football team and

was very well liked among his peers.

Some challenges, Sam might face are making friends, especially with the

language barrier. He would most likely attend an international school because even

though public schools teach English from a young age and many students are fluent,

classes are primarily taught in Japanese. Sam might experience the most culture shock

than anyone because not only will he need to adjust and be sensitive to Japanese friends,

he will meet students from all over the world in his international school. Katie and Lyla

will also attend an international school but may not be affected by culture as strongly

because students are younger and more flexible and open to change.

Sam might also encounter challenges in finding or introducing new activities to

his friends in Japan. The United States scores a 46 in uncertainty avoidance while Japan

falls high at 92. (Clearly Cultural, 2014) Essentially, this means Japanese are generally

less willing to try new things, especially activities involving physical or social risks.

However, Sam will certainly be more willing to try out new sports or activities his

Japanese friends currently enjoy.

Katie (12)

Katie is fairly timid but still maintains a strong group of friends in the states. She

has a hard time making friends for fear of people not liking her. She is your typical girly

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girl who loves shopping, accessories and fashion. She has always hated how far she has

to travel to shop or see her friends. When she arrived in Japan, she was pleasantly

surprised to discover, as Yuya also mentioned, that Japanese girls are obsessed with

fashion and accessories. Incredible shopping is only a five-minute walk in any direction.

She immediately became popular as so many Japanese girls wanted were amazed at her

blonde hair and love to hang out with foreigners. This actually became quickly

overwhelming for shy side of Katie and she often stayed in simply to avoid contact with

too many people. She will have to find a balance between school, social life, and her own

personal time.

As she soon enters the dating scene she will also have to learn the norms and

practices already mentioned as well as adapt to the higher level of masculinity. In fact,

Japan has a masculinity score of 95 while the U.S. ranks at 62 (Clearly Cultural, 2014).

This means women are afforded less opportunities in both education and the workplace

and follow a more traditional gender role. Katie’s mom will also have to be aware and

sensitive toward this subject.

Lyla (6)

Lyla’s transition was fairly easy as she is so young and adaptable. She was

certainly upset to leave her little friends but immediately changed her mind upon exiting

the airport and pointing at all the bright colors and signs seen throughout Tokyo. She was

especially ecstatic about the opportunity to live in the Hello Kitty nation. Although she

transitioned easily than the rest of the Johansen family, special attention and care should

be paid to ensure her success in school and quality of education received.

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Excellence in Education

Education plays important, yet different roles in shaping the lives and careers of

both Japanese and American students. Yuya heavily discussed differences in format and

quality of education between both nations. “American students are more diligent,

Japanese students skip a lot of classes.” He went on to explain how American professors

require a lot of work during the entire semester and grades are based heavily on this

work, rather than exam scores. In Japan, most final exams are 100% of the final grade in

a course. Students are not required to attend class but are expected to keep up on the

materials and suggested coursework in order to be prepared for this final exam. Many

Japanese students skip class to either work or hang out with friends. Many, however, are

self-motivated and find time to study daily and keep up on readings and materials.

(Culture Shock, 2014)

Conclusion Conundrum

As you can see, endless scenarios are possible when dealing with a dynamic

individual or family travelling or relocating abroad. When it comes to business dealings,

the utmost attention and sensitivity must be paid or a deal can go from good to bad in a

second. The wrong word, gesture, time, or place can result in the success or failure of an

operation.

Although Yuya is not a business major and his experiences are uniquely his own,

they can easily be applied to any international manager or family. Mistakes will most

certainly be made, but a strong, consistent effort will make all the difference in the world.

Strategies and training in advance are critical. Companies should appropriate a significant

amount of time for such training before sending a manager abroad for any extended

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period of time. Training should be provided in areas including cultural awareness, time

sensitivity, greetings, local practices and customs (especially religious customs), and

common business and negotiation practices.

As the world flattens, the scenarios presented become more and more a reality in

many lives throughout every country of the world. Competition becomes fiercer; offices

become blended with many cultures at home and abroad. Fear not, because although

challenges and difficulties are faced, living and working abroad can be an enriching and

enlightening experience and one not easily forgotten.

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Bibliography

"Clearly Cultural." Clearly Cultural. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Umekazi, Yuya. "Culture Shock." Personal interview. 1 Dec. 2014.

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