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ed4444
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
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 Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:35 am Post subject: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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Where I am working (big multinational in Europe) we have a very international work force which includes three Japanese nationals and two Koreans (all female). The company has grown suddenly in asia so all of the asian employees have not been here long. They all have a good level of English.
So far it appears as if the Koreans are getting on much better in the workplace than the Japanese.
Here is what I have noticed.
1. The Korean girls are not afraid to ask questions and dispute incorrect instructions
The Japanese girls just sit there and wait for clarification if they don't know what to do.
2. The Japanese girls follow precedures well but have no idea how to deal with anything that is not documented
The Korean girls will improvise and get things done despite a few mistakes
3. The Japanese girls get bullied by their German Supervisors because they won't stand up for themselves but get upset and complain about it later.
The Korean girls give as good as they get and are well able to stand up for themselves.
4. When the whole team is having lunch the Japanese barely speak
The Koreans are very sociable and fun
I realise that the above are generalisations on a very small group but it is interesting.
Also last week we had a visit from the Senior Finance Manager from the Seoul office and she was an mid-40s ajumma complete with ajumma hairstyle and attitude. That was a big surprise to me as all the managers in our other east asian offices are male. |
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tigerbluekitty
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:02 am Post subject: |
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Japanese women tend to be 'shy' compared to other Asian women, not just Korean women.
You like strongheaded, highly verbal women, try the Chinese. |
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ed4444
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| Unfortunately the only Chinese we have here at the moment are the cleaners and they don't tend to be that vocal. |
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tigerbluekitty
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:43 am Post subject: |
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| ed4444 wrote: |
| Unfortunately the only Chinese we have here at the moment are the cleaners and they don't tend to be that vocal. |
Wow, you seem pretty condescending. If the cleaners were Korean, or any other nationality for that matter, they wouldn't be so vocal either now would they? The Japanese are known to be more quiet and to follow instructions. This is nothing new. Perhaps this is your first time dealing with Asians, so it's news to you. Comparing Japanese to most any other nationalities in the workplace, I think the outcome is pretty obvious.
Take for example, video games. Games marketed in North America allow players to explore and discover things for themselves. Whereas games marketed in Japan must come with set instructions on where to go and where to find things in the game, or else players will feel lost and lose interest. |
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pastis
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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Totally depends on the person. You mentioned they were bullied; that might have something to do with it (Japanese are usually quite humble to point, but if they feel they've been humiliated out of spite, that's all she wrote)...
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| Take for example, video games. Games marketed in North America allow players to explore and discover things for themselves. Whereas games marketed in Japan must come with set instructions on where to go and where to find things in the game, or else players will feel lost and lose interest. |
Huh? Aren't like all (good) video games Japanese? |
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tigerbluekitty
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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| pastis wrote: |
Huh? Aren't nearly all (good) video games made in Japan? |
Yes, in my opinion most good games are made in Japan. Some pretty kick ass ones too like Metal Gear, obviously. However, there are American companies like UbiSoft, Electronic Arts, Activision, Eidos, Epic, Vivendi Universal that make decent games as well. You know like Madden, Tomb Raider, Halo, Half-Life, Gears of War, etc.
Most, if not all, American games ported over to Japan must be modified to fit the audiences' taste or it most likely won't sell. For example when Sony America's title "Crash Bandicoot" was ported over to Japan, they had to modify it to instruct players exactly where to go and what to do next (as I said before). |
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pastis
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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| tigerbluekitty wrote: |
| pastis wrote: |
Huh? Aren't nearly all (good) video games made in Japan? |
Yes, in my opinion most good games are made in Japan. Some pretty kick ass ones too like Metal Gear, obviously. However, there are American companies like UbiSoft, Electronic Arts, Activision, Eidos, Epic, Vivendi Universal that make decent games as well. You know like Madden, Tomb Raider, Halo, Half-Life, Gears of War, etc.
Most, if not all, American games ported over to Japan must be modified to fit the audiences' taste or it most likely won't sell. For example when Sony America's title "Crash Bandicoot" was ported over to Japan, they had to modify it to instruct players exactly where to go and what to do next (as I said before). |
Hmm, that's interesting. Are you sure it's not just that Japanese put more emphasis on storyline though? They tend to prefer games like final fantasy and the like over action/shooter type games. I think it's because everyone there reads manga... |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:38 am Post subject: |
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Interesting observations.
I've always found that with Koreans, you always know what they are thinking.
With Japanese, you never know what they are thinking. |
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pastis
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Interesting observations.
I've always found that with Koreans, you always know what they are thinking.
With Japanese, you never know what they are thinking. |
It's not so bad, just takes practice. They have their own subtle ways of letting you know, which is unfortunately seldom picked up by the inexperienced. Can lead to a lot of misunderstanding...
One of the main issues is that saying 'no' is as a rule impolite in their culture... |
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kentucker4
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:57 am Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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| ed4444 wrote: |
Where I am working (big multinational in Europe) we have a very international work force which includes three Japanese nationals and two Koreans (all female). The company has grown suddenly in asia so all of the asian employees have not been here long. They all have a good level of English.
So far it appears as if the Koreans are getting on much better in the workplace than the Japanese.
Here is what I have noticed.
1. The Korean girls are not afraid to ask questions and dispute incorrect instructions
The Japanese girls just sit there and wait for clarification if they don't know what to do.
2. The Japanese girls follow precedures well but have no idea how to deal with anything that is not documented
The Korean girls will improvise and get things done despite a few mistakes
3. The Japanese girls get bullied by their German Supervisors because they won't stand up for themselves but get upset and complain about it later.
The Korean girls give as good as they get and are well able to stand up for themselves.
4. When the whole team is having lunch the Japanese barely speak
The Koreans are very sociable and fun
I realise that the above are generalisations on a very small group but it is interesting.
Also last week we had a visit from the Senior Finance Manager from the Seoul office and she was an mid-40s ajumma complete with ajumma hairstyle and attitude. That was a big surprise to me as all the managers in our other east asian offices are male. |
What..do you feel rejected by the Japanese girls or something?  |
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ed4444
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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| tigerbluekitty wrote: |
| ed4444 wrote: |
| Unfortunately the only Chinese we have here at the moment are the cleaners and they don't tend to be that vocal. |
Wow, you seem pretty condescending. If the cleaners were Korean, or any other nationality for that matter, they wouldn't be so vocal either now would they? The Japanese are known to be more quiet and to follow instructions. This is nothing new. Perhaps this is your first time dealing with Asians, so it's news to you. Comparing Japanese to most any other nationalities in the workplace, I think the outcome is pretty obvious.
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I shouldn't both replying to this but I lived in Korea for two years, China for 6 months and spent time in over 12 asian countries. Also I do business with East Asia everyday as part of my job. What do you do?
I am aware of the stereotypes but what I find surprising was that these Koreans have integrated and done so well ahead of the Japanese in this case who would have a much better international business image generally. I would have expected Japanese precision to outdo Korean drive and willingness to take shortcuts in the workplace but it hasn't worked out that way. |
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ed4444
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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| kentucker4 wrote: |
What..do you feel rejected by the Japanese girls or something? |
Rejection would be a step up from the level of feedback we are getting currently. I'd almost see it as progress. |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Location: korreia
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| to me, what the OP has described doesn't sound like korean female behavior at the workplace at all. at least in my company, it sounds more like the japanese girls behavior. maybe it's because the supervisors here are korean, and not lowly foreigners...they don't take no orders from no subhumans!!!! |
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Scotticus
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Working Abroad: Japanese Vs Koreans |
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| pastis wrote: |
Hmm, that's interesting. Are you sure it's not just that Japanese put more emphasis on storyline though? They tend to prefer games like final fantasy and the like over action/shooter type games. |
It's just a half-full/half-empty argument. If you think Western games are better, you'll say the Japanese dislike freedom and need their hand held. If you think Japanese games are better, you'll say the Japanese prefer an immersive storyline.
Either way it's the same thing. Generally Westerners prefer more open-ended games that allow you to deviate from a linear storyline. Generally the Japanese prefer highly stylized games with an immersive storyline, at the expense of the freedom you get in Western games. Apples and oranges. Personally, I think they both have their place. |
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Leslie Cheswyck
Joined: 31 May 2003
Location: University of Western Chile
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| reactionary wrote: |
| to me, what the OP has described doesn't sound like korean female behavior at the workplace at all. at least in my company, it sounds more like the japanese girls behavior. maybe it's because the supervisors here are korean, and not lowly foreigners...they don't take no orders from no subhumans!!!! |
Important point. Who is the supervisor?
tigerbluekitty wrote:
| Quote: |
| Wow, you seem pretty condescending. If the cleaners were Korean, or any other nationality for that matter, they wouldn't be so vocal either now would they? |
I dunno. I worked at a department store where a lot of the cleaning ladies were Hispanic. Never a more jovial bunch did I meet. Certainly not "unvocal." |
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