Into the Corporate Sage’s Eyes: Japan Business Trends

             Business is the common language of the world, as everyone would say. It doesn’t matter what country you live in, as long as you know the language of money, investment, partnerships, and stocks, survival is easy globally.

As a business major in the Philippines, I have been fully observing business trends and competition in the businesses around the country. I could say that I have a fair knowledge about it. But that is not enough. To be a great businessman someday, I must also be aware of business trends in other countries for me to think globally, also so that I could apply global trends in my country when I plan to set up a business.

Being privileged to study in Japan as a foreign exchange student, I did not miss the opportunity to expand my knowledge in business trends. Since my arrival in Japan, I have started observing businesses, how they earn, how they sell, and many more. The result of my observations were a lot, but I would just like to specify this post to business trends, surviving in Japan’s corporate world, and competition among other corporate rivals.

Here’s my one phrase description of businesses in Japan: Needles in a haystack. Difficult to get in it, difficult to stay in it. Yes, that’s an unexaggerated description of businesses here. I have two points to discuss here. Going in and Staying in.

First point: Going in. Very difficult. For a country with such high prices of goods and services, only few people could afford to set up a business to earn profit while being able to maintain the business’ shape in tip-top condition. If you are that inspired to set up a business but has no easy access of capital, well all I can say is good luck with that. You’ll need extra hard work, extra work hours, and extra creativity and resourcefulness to be able to get the amount of investment you’ll need. Once you have the money, what you need right now is the plan on how to make it work. All kinds of businesses are already here, everything you can think of selling and serving, yes, and they’re here. What you need is the plan to attract customers and gain credibility. May it be sales or bargains, the choice is yours. Once you have the money and the plan, well its time to set it up. And so we move to my next point, staying in.

Second Point: Staying in. Much more difficult. Countless businesses have already set up their names in Japan, from microbusinesses to Corporations and all.  They are also everywhere, literally speaking.  But do not fear, you still have a chance! Of the millions living in Japan, you should be able to grab some customers. In my observations, Monopolistic businesses here are quite few, so competition is somewhat easy. And businesses in Japan are customer-centered, which means that you, as the businessman, must think of every way to please your customer and treat them like your masters. Still, one must see to it that you get the right publicity and employees to stand out from other businesses.

Sun Road, Kichijoji

To give an example, I’d like to describe competition in Kichijoji’s sun road and Akihabara’s Electric City. These two are some of the most crowded places in Tokyo, the Sun Road selling mostly food, and Electric City with Gadgets and electronics (duh). Because of the population crossing those places, it results to high business competition in those areas. In sun road, different food establishments can be seen: from small businesses to Internationally known businesses (Like McDonalds, Shakey’s, etc.). Food can be one of the goods that are the most easy to sell. But when there are hundreds of businesses in the same place, competing for the same hungry customers, how should you handle it? From my observations, businesses gets customers through employees standing outside, bringing with them the menus and discounts (if there are any) and they call people with their loudest voice to try to attract customers. Exceptions are the establishments with known names; the people go to them willingly. But I also observed that some businesses sometimes gets more customers from the rest, sometimes they can beat the famous ones. How did they do it? A presentable shop, with a presentable employee outside, and with a reasonable price. The same goes with Akihabara’s Electric city, businesses gets more customers if they showcase their best offers and all.

Electric City, Akihabara

These are just some of my observations in business trends in Japan, since I will be here for a year, I could update this post and talk in an in-depth description of businesses here. Maybe on customer-business relations, and customer service. :)

The Problems of Rich and Poor Countries

A First World Problem

           “First World Problems”: a joke to generalize how people living from the First World Countries are struggling with “Problems.” Lines go from funny issues like “My Internet is too fast, I can’t read hints in games” or “I want to turn off the lines, but my bed is too comfortable for me to stand up again” to lines that are a bit discriminating like “I hate my Government, but I live too comfortably and peacefully to complain anything” to “My fridge is too dark, because its filled with food that blocks the light.”

Privileged to be a foreign exchange student, I have been living in Japan, a first world country, for almost 2 months now. Ever since I’ve arrived, I’ve also experienced these so-called First World “Problems,” too fast Internet speed, too orderly place, too clean environment, and all the other things.  At first I was enjoying these things, being exposed to a life befitting someone living in a first-world country. But as I continue living here, I see great flaws in this so-called “First World” country.

I am a Filipino. Born Filipino, made Filipino. The Philippines is the country I consider my homeland. A country considered “Third World” by international standards. Yes, think of any Third World problem you can think of, it’s all present here: Crimes, Corruption, Lack of Education funds, Environmental problems, Scarce resources, and more. This was the environment I grew up in. for 17 years now, I have accustomed myself to live in this difficult life. Struggling for survival, at the same time dreaming to make a change. Yes, I have survived a great struggle and never gave up. I have learned to survive, to make do with scarce resources, to conserve energy and resources as much as I can. With these, I am now starting to realize my dream. Now, I am exposing myself to the whole world.

But I never realized a First World country could have many problems. These problems, as observed from someone from a Third World, are not the same kind of problems from my country. Rather, the problems are in the people living in the First World country. Yes, these problems are morals and values.

I may have a biased opinion on this issue, but I have similar statements from other people living in the same Third World countries, so I may not be far from the truth. Observing how people live in Japan, it’s a life full of wasted things. A lot of clean and drinkable water is wasted everyday in homes, schools, and apartments. Foods that are in excess in homes are being thrown away that easily. Furniture and appliances with simple and repairable problems are being disposed immediately. Huge amounts of electricity wasted: not removing chargers and sockets for days, not turning off appliances even when not used. Every time I see people do these things, it hurts me a lot. I can’t imagine how people here could waste these precious things when other people from other third world countries are suffering from lack of resources. It hurts me to think how I could tolerate these things when I have lived a life far from this. I have lived from a country where everything is conserved to its extent. Where we are taught to unplug everything when appliances are not in use. Where we are strictly told to save every single drop of water and every single grain of rice.

Im not pointing these problems just on where I'm staying right now. This stated problems might be applicable at other first world countries as well. Now I can compare life from opposite social stratifications. Funny how a poor country could have good things those rich countries couldn’t have, and vice versa.  It just goes to show how equal we were all made. 

A Leader’s Perspective in “Factions"

             We all have a group where we belong. Some may be in the athletes group, the winners group, losers, bookworms, gamers, nerds, and many more. It is present in all kinds of organizations. May it be a corporate organization, academic, micro-level organization, or macro-level organization, different groups are always present in it. Every organization always has this goal of unity and prevention of division. But how do we exactly remove these divisions, or so called “factions”?

            As a student leader in various organizations, it is in my belief that an organization can do more activities if it would be united. I have no problem in handling the people in my organizations. But this problem of factions was a problem that I cannot seem to find a solution.

Being a business management student privileged to study in a national University where the opportunities are endless, I was able to join seminars, forums, competitions, and talks that would involve corporate leaders, sometimes CEOs. In those talks, I would often ask on how I can be a better leader to serve my org mates and to abolish or simply minimize the factions that would separate us. I was expecting to have a lot of solutions to this problem, since I expect nothing more but the best answers from them.  But everyone gave me the same answer: It is not in the leader; it is and always will be a natural and irremovable problem.

In one of the seminars I attended with Mr Tero, he said that every organization would always have faction. Just as the leader has his inner circle in where he asks for advice for the organization, every member too has hi/her own inner circle, a set of favored friends with the same personal interest. In another seminar with Mr. Liu, the CEO of Matwood Philippines and Golden ABC (consists of Regatta Philippines, Penshoppe, and Oxygen), he said that an organization is formed because people with the same interests joined to achieve a common goal. Although everyone has a common interest and goal, it is different from PERSONAL interests. Everyone has different reasons on joining the organization. Some may join because of their friends, some because they love what the org is doing. In those reasons, there are already factions being formed. A leader is not there to remove those factions; rather a leader is there to keep the org intact. It is also the leader’s responsibility to remind everyone of his or her commitment for the organization.

True, every leader in an organization dreams of making it more united, as much as possible make it like a family. But what makes an organization different from a family is that an organization is bigger, with a much more diverse sets of thinking. These people may be under your control inside the organization, but it is never in your control in what they do outside the organization. It is just a matter of respect and control, as what the experts say. As long as your members contribute to the goal of the organization, let them do what they want with their inner circles, friends, and faction groups. Because it is only in your members’ inner circle that they can perform to their fullest with utmost confidence.

A Country’s Facets in Foreign Exchange Programs

            Today, countries have started developing links with other countries for peace, support, and unity. With that, countries like the Philippines have started to promote international links with other countries like the US, Japan, and many more. But in order to maintain that link with other countries, the country should have activities that would involve others. One example is by having foreign exchange studies between the countries. 

            Foreign exchange studies is a system wherein one country sends their students to study in another country for a time duration, while in the same time students from the other country are sent in the first country to learn too.

            Having foreign exchange programs offered in a specific country to study abroad gives a lot of benefits to the country, even if it may a short-term or a long-term benefit.

            One of the benefits the country can get from the student’s exchange experience is that it promotes cultural understanding between the involved countries. Foreign students who will be studying here will understand his host country’s cultures, traditions, food, and more. On the other hand, students from the other country who will be sent abroad to study will also learn the culture and values of other countries, which will later develop them to understand and appreciate each other’s cultures. Students who finished their studies from abroad will then be the people to impart their experience to their fellow citizens, which will soon result to abolishing those stereotypes that have been building on the people of both countries.

            Another benefit that a country will get from foreign study is that it builds greater minds, especially from the youth. With the help of foreign exchange studies, students who will be sent to study abroad will be able to learn a lot of things to their fullest potential, and also learn additional information and things not taught in their country. With this, the country can be able to produce excellent students, which will be able to greatly contribute to the country’s progress in the future.

            Lastly, having a foreign exchange program in a country is one way of advertising your country. Sending the best chosen students to represent the country abroad, they will be the persons who will be talking about the country, the good places to go to, the best food in town, and much more. They will be the ones who will be attracting the foreigners to come to the country to see for themselves how beautiful the said country is.

            These are just few of the many benefits of a foreign exchange program. Although the cost that would be incurred may be great, but hey, no cost is too big to measure experience. In the end, it will be everyone who will benefit with more educated and well-rounded minds.

(Picture above is the GREET 2012, welcome party of new students in ICU. Majority in the group I was in were foreign exchange students. :))