how to grow

“Bonsai” is one of Japanese traditional culture to
make the art of aesthetic miniaturization of trees and so on.
In the typical case, old Japanese men have hobby to make Bonsai.

When I was in Silicon Valley, I saw American style Bonsai several time. All of them is very big comparing to Japanese one. In the case of Japanese one, one of the important factor for Bonsai is how to make it small.

Here is original Japanese manga.

Responsibility in the firm

Many Japanese salaryman respect the internal company order more than the outside change.

I guess the reason for this is that Japanese company has used the lifetime employment historically. So they became to be just interested in only the company while they worked for only one company long time.

I am afraid it is difficult for them to react correctly against the global big economy change. Just too slow.

Here is the original manga in Japanese.

The masters of the reason for the impossible

I often face this kind of situation.
Many smart Japanese salaryman makes effort with spending a lot of time to create the perfect reason why they can not do. The fundamental reason why there are many such kind people in Japan is Japanese culture does not respects the people who challenge risk. Naturally they want to be just stable without challenge and with the skill to create the reason for the impossible.

Here is the original Japanese manga.

domestic demand expansion

Since the current global recession happened, many so-called intellectuals in Japan say “We should expand the domestic demand and keep employment under the current recession.” It is very strange, because the big industry in Japan is the manufactures which already expanded their business to worldwide since long time ago.

On the other hand, even in the big Japanese manufacture companies, the population of the people who are creating just “the in-company demand expansion”, that is only for the internal, has increased. Nothing to compete to the outside competitors can be created by these. (It is obvious, though…)

For example,

- the pre-pre-pre-meeting for internal negotiation
(=eternal Nemawahi)
- the people who want to know many things even they are not related
- the imposition of who should have budget between divisions


I wonder this trend is in only Japan(?).

Here is the original manga in Japanese.

Rulesuit

In Japanese big company, tones of employees are assigned to make the rules, like lately ISMS (Information Security Management System), EMS (Environment Management System), J-SOX ( Japanese SOX act), and so on.
Of course, the rule is important and necessity. However, once they are assigned to make the rules, to make rules becomes the purpose. They don’t care about those rules may disturb the others job to do business. They are interested in how those rules are strict and no inconsistency just logically.
This is big trend which progress steadily in Japanese company, and it makes them weaker to fight with outside competitor. Some Japanese are skeptical maybe it is conspiracy by USA and Europe, because many rule has started from USA and Europe like SOX.

Here is original manga in Japanese.

fork in the road

In this global recession, unfortunately many Japanese company is type B, which they intend to do same thing as before to get stable. But the world has changed. Just stability can not help the company. It is obvious, but they want not to see it unconsciously. Maybe because Japanese economy has grown by stable quality of the products as just manufacturer.

Here is original manga in Japanese.

solid “Hansei” and solid plan

“Hansei” is one of Japanese culture which maybe is difficult to understand for non Japanese. ( no good direct translation in English)

If I am not afraid you may misunderstand, “Hansei” in Salaryman world is usually to just pretend “ I was wrong”, because real “Hansei” should be done in only each individual mind. The other is satisfied to hear this. (I don’t understand, though).

The difference between “Hansei” and “Review” is “Hansei” includes “regret” “I am sorry” or ”I am wrong, please forgive me”, such nuance.

“Hansei” tends to create the backward-looking posture and easily to prevent employee from making the positive new aggressive plan for future. The reason why it takes long time to make the plan is they are very afraid they need to make Hansei after their execution.

“Nemawashi” is one of Japanese business culture in the 4th frame, . “Nemawashi” is the consensus-building process before official meeting. Generally speaking, Japanese is weak to mention their opinion in many people like official meeting, even he/she is leader to have responsibility in the meeting. Therefore Nemawashi is necessity to them before the official meeting to make them mention their opinion. Without Nemawashi, sometimes it is difficult to get the approval in the official meeting because they who have responsibility to decide may feel frustration not to ask their honest question and finally they can not reach the well understand tragically.

Here is original manga in Japanese.

accumulation of experience

According to my five years experience in Silicon Valley, I learned lot of things and I recognized my original thinking is in Silicon Valley way.

One of that is specially about the experience of the failure. In Silicon Valley, many venture funders can get the new investment by the venture capitals because of their previous fail experience. They can challenge new things by experience even that was fail.
However, many Japanese believe it is very difficult to challenge new thing once they failed something before. Therefore, many people does not want to challenge new things. They are creating the beautiful reason by accumulating experience as the salaryman why they don’t want to do any new things.

Here is original manga in Japanese.

Power to move

The current global recession is very good chance to change the bureaucratic asset in special. But many Japanese company mentality is just to follow the competitors.
Maybe the reason why the Japanese company want to follow the others is Japanese respects “Wa (spirit of harmony)” more than the uniqueness.

Here is original Japanese manga.

Visualization

“Visualization” is also one of buzz word in Japan recently.
Of course, “Visualization” is the important activity for any business improvement as basic, but too much. Some people believe any kind of problem can be solved by “Visualization”. Specially, in case of the new thing, which has many things including the target and the method has not fixed yet, we can not create everything by “Visualization”. (It is obvious, though..)
Historically, Japan economy has grown by “Kaizen” long time, it led this kind of mind.

Here is the original manga in Japanese.