Shidō-sei

Abstract

The characteristics of food-service leaders in Japan are directly related to the unique aspects of the national culture. Among the important beliefs of Japan's culture are amae (sweet dependency), anshinkan (peace of mind), and kaizen (continuous improvement). A survey of Japanese food-service leaders reinforced the importance of those cultural factors. The leaders were asked to comment on the aspects of leadership found in current management literature. They agreed that such factors as communication skills, trust, and perseverance were essential, as was self-awareness. Their comments also focused on the importance of having a vision and communicating that vision to employees.