Abstract
The most successful American negotiators with the Japanese are those who have made the effort to understand Japan's culture, which revolves around such concepts as group consensus and maintaining face. This article presents 28 guidelines for building a cultural bridge with Japanese negotiators. Suggestions include being patient, getting to know your negotiators, doing your homework, and remembering the Japanese saying, "An able hawk hides his talons."
In a separate sidebar, "Understanding and Serving the Japanese Today," Edward Hubennette focuses on specific hospitality-related suggestions for Americans who have Japanese guests. He recommends, for instance, that hoteliers work with regional offices, get to know tour packagers and their programs, and, as a way to show respect, print a few pieces of collateral in Japanese if your market is large. (Since many Japanese can read material printed in English, it's not necessary to translate everything into Japanese.)
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