Monochronic vs Polychronic Cultures: Difficulties Europeans May Face When Working with Japanese People

There are some general differences between a Japanese and European workplace; cultural differences that may, or may not, prove to be problematic. Whether these create complications all depend on who you are and how well-prepared you are to face such …

2022-01-26 | Blog |
What roles do Japanese start-up companies in Germany have?

There are roughly 2000 active Japanese companies in Germany, which mainly represent their HQ functions in the European market, and whose presence has gained more significance in the local market over the years. Alongside old Japanese companies, the number of …

2022-01-10 | Blog |
Meetings with Japanese – Rules and Etiquette for internal and external meetings

Japanese people are often considered to be disciplined and polite in all kinds of situations, including business meetings. In this article, you will learn the most essential rules and etiquette which should be followed at internal and external business meetings. …

2021-11-24 | Blog |
How to See Somebody Off in Japanese Business Culture and Customs

As many people who have been to Japan probably realize, the Japanese have many norms. These are hidden under a surface and therefore not visible at first sight, however, foreigners and travelers may still encounter some strange behaviors from time …

2021-06-28 | Blog |
The Changing Expatriate System: Why Local Employees in Germany are Key to Japanese Companies’ Localisation

Until a decade ago, the local offices of Japanese multinational companies were generally managed by Japanese expatriates from headquarters in Japan. As the times change, so do the trends in international Human Resources (HR), and many multinational companies (MNCs) are …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
How to Properly Take Vacation/Days Off in Japanese Companies

Taking a vacation or many consecutive days off is called “有給休暇をとる (Yūkyū kyūkawotoru)” in the Japanese language. Although employees are entitled to take paid leave by the labor law, in reality there are some limitations or obstacles if you want …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
What is the Customer Service Position at Japanese Company in Germany?

You can find customer service positions in many Japanese companies operating in Germany. However, this position is slightly different from other customer service positions in Germany in general. In this article, we will explain the characteristics of said position in …

2021-06-09 | Blog |
5 Advantages of Working for Japanese MNEs in Germany

The more than 2,000 Japanese multinational enterprises (MNEs) existing in Germany are popular working places not only for Japanese expatriates but also German or third-country nationals regardless of their Japanese language skills. However, for many European candidates, it is not …

2021-05-25 | Blog |
The Role of the Business Development Position in Japanese Companies for German/English Native Speaker

Viewing job vacancy ads for Japanese companies in Germany, one oftentimes comes across the wording “Business Development” in the job description. One may have a vague idea of what “business development” means, but what does it mean exactly? In this …

2021-05-24 | Blog |
Local HR Development Strategies of Japanese Companies in Germany

When the Japanese economy swept over the world market and many Japanese companies expanded overseas, plenty of papers addressed the topic of Japanese management policies – many favorably. However, among these, some critical opinions were also expressed, one such regarding …

2021-05-24 | Blog |

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