The Future Of The Japanese Marketing

It should not be surprising that Japanese marketing practices vary from traditional Western marketing practices, because marketing is the process of satisfying wants and needs and these desires vary tremendously among cultures. In fact, it would have been surprising if differences were not seen because, in many aspects, the American culture and the Japanese culture are practically diametrical opposites. Of all the business disciplines, marketing is by far the most culturally sensitive. The critical questions most Japanese ask are not "Am I making any money?" or, "How much money am I making?" but rather, "Am I a leader in my business?" "How do I compare with my competitors?" "What must I do to survive in the 21st century?" Technological self-sufficiency, market share, and industrial rank (status) are the key phrases in Japanese business practices. The Japanese system of decision-making imposes a predisposition to enter new technologies to keep up or gain an advantage on competitors. The Japanese undertake a research project not because it will solve a particular problem, but because it may contribute to solving a number of seemingly unrelated problems. Americans, in contrast, are more narrowly focused.