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Comparing Business Cultures: Japan, China and Denmark

Comparing Business Cultures: Japan, China and Denmark. Richard R. Gesteland Global Management LLC. Definition of a Business Culture: A set of expectations and assumptions about how business people are supposed to communicate, negotiate and manage.

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Comparing Business Cultures: Japan, China and Denmark

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  1. Comparing Business Cultures: Japan, China and Denmark Richard R. Gesteland Global Management LLC

  2. Definition of a Business Culture:A set of expectations and assumptions about how business people are supposed to communicate, negotiate and manage.

  3. Five Key Variables of Cross-Cultural Business Behavior • Deal-Focus vs Relationship-Focus • Direct vs Indirect Communication • Informal vs Formal Business Behavior • MonochronicvsPolychronic Time • Reserved vs Expressive Communication

  4. There Are Different Ways of Comparing Business Cultures… • Hofstede’s focus is on Values. • Hall’s focus is on Values and Behavior. • Our focus today is focus is on Behavior – how business people communicate, negotiate and manage.

  5. East Asia and Denmark: The Key Cultural Differences Japan, China: Denmark: Very deal-focused Very low-context Very egalitarian • Very relationship-focused • Very high-context • Very hierarchical

  6. Four Ways Business-Behavior Can Vary within Japan and China: • Regional differences • Generational differences • Differences in experience • Differences in exposure to the West.

  7. Comparing Japan and China: Relationship Orientation • Making initial contact • Interaction at first meeting • konevsguanxi • Role of the contract.

  8. Japan and China: Hierarchical Business Behavior • Age, seniority and status • Formality in dress and behavior • Size (of your company) matters • Gender equality • Critical importance of ‘face’

  9. Japan and China: ‘Face’ Issues • Causing loss of face • Losing one’s face • Gaining face • Giving face to others.

  10. Japan and China: Language and Communication • Japan: One language , three alphabets • China: One language (?), many ‘dialects’ • Both: High-context communication.

  11. Communication and Context(Adapted from Edward T. Hall) • People from relationship-focused cultures tend to use High-Context, indirect language. • People from deal-focused cultures tend to use Low-Context, direct language.

  12. Japanese/Chinese Indirectness: When “Yes” really means “No.” • “Yes, but….” • “Maybe…” and “If……then..…” • “Let me check with the team……” • “We can’t answer right now.” • Silence. • …they answer a different question – one you didn’t ask.

  13. Japan and China: Official Corruption and Bribery • Guanxi , corruption and bribery • Transparency International Index • CPI: Japan 17, China 72 (Denmark 1)

  14. Comparing Japanese and Chinese Business Protocol: Gift Giving • Good choices for gifts • When to give your gift • How to wrap and present your gift • Taboos: What NOT to give.

  15. Comparing Japanese and Chinese Protocol: Dining and Socializing • Seating arrangements • Manners at table and after dinner • Personal questions • Unusual delicacies.

  16. Planning Your Japan Ad Campaign • Choose the right Japanese partner • Use the Japanese language – except for selected key words • Research culturally appropriate colors and images.

  17. Planning Your Japan Ad Campaign • Use (mostly) Japanese celebrities • Avoid over-praising your product and criticizing your competitors’ products • Read Lisbeth Clausen’s Intercultural Organizational Communication (CBS Press, 2006)

  18. Good Luck with your Ad Campaign!

  19. Comparing the Business Cultures of Japan, China and Denmark Richard R. Gesteland Global Management LLC

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