Conducting business in Japan is an easier said than done task. Japanese people tend to stick with one company that has shown that it can be trusted; they will not switch unless the company does something to completely mess up their relationship. In addition, start-up companies struggle to expand since it is difficult to get people to become interested in your business, so you have to take any opportunity you can get to persuade them to switch to you. When our class went to visit companies, after every presentation/tour, we would present the speakers/tour guides with gifts and a plaque to show our appreciation to them for taking the time to share some knowledge about their workplace to us! My perspective of being abroad in Japan has changed through just being able to experience the culture in real life. Throughout the semester, we had several presentations in which we had to conduct research about different topics in Japan, so I had some knowledge about the country beforehand. However, there are just some things that cannot be researched and need to be experienced firsthand; I was able to witness how Japanese people are kind and dedicated to their work. They usually stay working with one company and work their way up the ranks. Additionally, there are so many unspoken expectations that they follow, and you just have to learn how to adapt to them which was a shock to me. Before coming on this trip, I had this picture of Japan being a whole different world with so much to do, many sights to see, amazing food to try, spectacular businesses, and great people, etc. Not only were my expectations met, they were exceeded because I was able to discover a new side of myself through the cultural differences between Japan and the United States!
