Japanese Work Ethic Essay Example

The work ethic of Japan could not be more different to the work ethic of Canada. Japanese culture is very different from the Canadian. All aspects of Japanese life, especially business relations, are governed by strict rules of etiquette. A foreign business person who is either ignorant of, or insensitive to, Japanese customs and etiquette needlessly jeopardizes his company's prospects in this country. It goes without saying that the Japanese work ethic and culture greatly affect doing business with other nations in this way. In the following, the most important features of Japanese culture and work ethic will be discussed, and the consequences of neglecting those features as a Canadian business person will be analyzed.
A very important part a Canadian has to understand when entering the Japanese business market is the ¡¥Uchi-Soto¡¦ (Us and Then) concept. The Japanese have been brought up to think of themselves as part of a group, not individuals, and their group is always dealing with other groups. Interacting with Japanese on a one-to-one basis usually comes very easy to foreigners, but dealing with Japanese as a group can be a different matter altogether. And no matter how nice you are, or how good your Japanese might be, a foreigner will always be treated as an outsider. Many westerners see Japanese as aloof, shy, and always walking on eggshells. There is a lot of truth in that -- Japanese are extremely sensitive to what others might think of them and are very hesitant to do something new, different, or independent. Being ostracized is one of the worst things that can happen to a Japanese, who is raised to be part of a group and depend on others. Therefore, when making requests, it can often take more time then what we might be used to since the person asked usually consults others in the group to reach a consensus. As a Canadian, one might get really frustrated and annoyed about this attitude where groupthink and group consensus have first priority. A