Doing Business with Japanese Men: A Woman's Handbook (Paperback)

by Christalyn Brannen (Author), Tracey Wilen (Author) "The first thing you have to establish in any business meeting is your authority..." (more)
Key Phrases: presentation facilities, executive rooms, New York, Santa Clara, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A must-read for businesswomen in any way associated with Japanese business." -William S. Meyers, Vice President, Time Inc. Magazine Company -- -William S. Meyers, Vice President, Time Inc. Magazine Company

"Thank you for sharing women's first-hand experiences with Japanese business. Your book offers pragmatic solutions for the experienced businessperson as well as the novice." -Linda Lawrence, Apple Computer, Inc., Pacific Division, Office of the President -- Review

Product Description
The only book to look at the uniquely delicate situation that confronts every Western business-woman, whether traveling to Japan or meeting Japanese clients at her home office. Using real-life anecdotes, cultural explanations, and extensive lists of tactics and dos and don'ts, Doing Business with Japanese Men tells women how to quickly establish their authority and work effectively. Included are practical discussions of preparation, meeting protocol, socializing, and gift giving, as well as tips on wardrobe, make-up, special health and safety concerns, and fending off unwanted attention.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press; 1 edition (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880656043
• ISBN-13: 978-1880656044
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #421,756 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prepare for the worst! Japan is still male-dominated society, December 28, 1999

By	Mire Uno (Miyazaki, Miyazaki Japan) - See all my reviews

As a Japanese businesswoman working for some 20 years, I believe this book will help a lot for those women doing business with Japanese men. Especially those who are new to Japan. Unfortunately, Japanese business world is still male-oriented, and most of Japanese businessmen don't know how to deal with women in business. One of the Japanese businesswomen's complaints is, "Japanese men treat business women only in three manners. Treat them as their wives, daughters, or hostesses at the night bars. They just don't know how to treat them as a collogue or business partner�c" This book consists of actual experiences of many foreign women and how they dealt with. Those experiences are no exaggeration from my eyes. It will be a good preparation to know what you may confront in Japan.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any woman doing business with the Japanese, July 25, 1998

By	Louise R. Andres (La Jolla) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A friend loaned me this book, and within minutes, I knew I had to have a copy for myself. Particularly useful for the female executive, this book covers how to establish your authority (and how to handle Japanese men who ignore you and insist on talking to your male subordinates), how to dress, socializing, gift giving, the business card rituals, where the power seat is in the conference room, how to handle inappropriate behavior and sticky situations, communication and correspondence protocol, and numerous other subjects. I am appalled to discover how many mistakes I have made in my business relationships with Japanese companies, but now am sufficiently enlightened to avoid many in the future. If you are female and do business with the Japanese, whether in Japan or in your home country, you must have this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, May 10, 1999

By	Lara Solomon (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I was so excited to see this title when I was sent to Tokyo (with 2 American men) on very short notice! I read this book cover-to-cover in preparation. When I got to Tokyo, I was surprised to experience a much more contemporary, advanced culture than had been described. For example, the attire suggestions were completely wrong (and sometimes contradictory). You won't go wrong with classic American business attire. I found that by paying close attention to your Japanese counterparts' mannerisms, being slightly more aggressive than usual (I live in NYC, that may be much more aggressive than I think!), and having someone well-respected introduce you to whomever you will be working with will be very helpful. It also would have been useful to learn more about the Japanese tendency to agree with you, when they really don't understand what you're talking about!