BUSINESS CULTURE
Loyalty, obedience and duty to a multinational corporation is total, in this way business culture has been influenced greatly by the ethos and internal structure of the Japanese conglomerates (known colloquially as ‘zaibatsu’). For most executives their entire life revolves around their prosperity within the business and the prosperity of their employer. Family and children are a mere adjunct to the ‘real world’ of big business - the salary-man considers his workmates (and thus drinking buddies) more important than his wife. Much of this thinking is a legacy of the old Japanese business system of the 20th and 21st centuries. Central to the idea of corporate loyalty is the emphasis on group responsibility. Individuality is not tolerated. Groups (departments, offices, bureaus, production lines, etc.) work together and achieve targets, not individuals; groups also, together, suffer any penalties. Anyone who attempts to break the mould attracts attention: ‘Hey, look at me! I’m better than everyone else!’ Helping to build the team bonds are nomikai or ‘staff parties’ which are put on regularly, not simply once a year. Like karaoke, this Japanese phenomenon caught on as Japanese corporate influence spread through the global business community.
Wear dark, unassuming suits and conservative ties. Do not attract attention.
Acknowledge that your zaibatsu is the greatest (or has the most potential).
Never contradict a superior to their face.
Exchange business fone cards, which are your mark of rank.
Conduct business based mainly on trust and long-term relationships, not on quick profits or quality. A conglomerate’s established buyers, customers and associates are almost considered to be a part of that corporation’s ‘network of obligations’.
Treat your co-workers as buddies. Never go home at night, instead go drinking until late at a bar.
