culture shock

Summary

In this video, Taro, a Japanese expatriate sent to manage a company in the Philippines, shares his cross-cultural experiences and challenges. He highlights the differences in business culture, such as the absence of business card exchanges and the relaxed attitude towards punctuality. Despite initial misunderstandings, Taro expresses his admiration for the Filipino people’s hospitality and work ethic. The video emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural communication and offers a solution through Spiceworks' workshops, which help expats and companies better understand diverse cultures, improve team dynamics, and foster stronger, more harmonious relationships.

Takeaways

• 😀 Taro is a country manager from Japan, assigned to the Philippines for the first time in his career.
• 😀 He finds Filipino culture exciting but challenging, as it's very different from his Japanese background.
• 😀 Taro appreciates the hospitality and cheerfulness of Filipinos but encounters several cultural surprises.
• 😀 One major difference is the lack of emphasis on business card exchanges in the Philippines, unlike in Japan.
• 😀 Filipinos are hardworking but tend to be less punctual compared to Japanese work culture.
• 😀 Taro finds that his Filipino staff can become emotional when reprimanded, which is unfamiliar to him.
• 😀 He observes that Filipinos often change jobs every two to three years, which contrasts with the more stable career paths in Japan.
• 😀 Despite six months in the Philippines, Taro still feels unsure, confused, and frustrated at times due to the cultural differences.
• 😀 Cross-cultural communication can be challenging when you can't see things from the other culture's perspective.
• 😀 Spiceworks offers workshops designed to help expats and companies with multicultural environments navigate cultural differences effectively.
• 😀 The Spiceworks workshop equips participants with tools to understand different cultural contexts and improve communication, leading to more productive and harmonious teams.

Q & A

What cultural differences did Taro encounter when he first arrived in the Philippines?

Taro encountered several cultural differences, including the lack of business card exchanges, issues with punctuality, emotional responses from staff when reprimanded, and the common practice of job-hopping among Filipinos every few years.

Why was Taro surprised by the absence of business cards in the Philippines?

Taro, coming from Japan, where exchanging business cards is a vital part of professional interactions, was surprised because in the Philippines, many company executives did not carry or exchange business cards during meetings.

How did Taro perceive his Filipino staff's work habits?

Taro found his Filipino staff to be hardworking but struggled with their lack of punctuality. He also noticed that they responded emotionally when reprimanded, which contrasted with the more formal and restrained approach common in Japan.

What cultural practice did Taro find interesting but challenging in his interactions with Filipinos?

Taro found the Filipino practice of discussing family matters during conversations both fascinating and challenging, especially since he was still unfamiliar with their cultural context.

What specific aspect of Filipino work culture left Taro feeling frustrated?

Taro was frustrated by the lack of punctuality among his staff and their emotional reactions when he had to reprimand them, which differed from the more reserved and formal communication style he was used to in Japan.

How does the cultural difference of job-hopping in the Philippines affect Taro's perspective on workforce stability?

Taro was surprised to learn that many Filipinos change jobs every two to three years, as this was not common in Japan, where long-term job commitment and loyalty are highly valued.

What did Taro appreciate about Filipino culture despite his difficulties in adjusting?

Despite the challenges, Taro appreciated the warmth, hospitality, and cheerful nature of Filipinos. He also enjoyed learning about Filipino traditions, such as 'halo-halo' and the importance of figures like Jose Rizal.

What is Spiceworks' role in helping people like Taro navigate cross-cultural challenges?

Spiceworks offers workshops specifically designed to help expatriates and teams in multicultural environments understand and navigate cross-cultural communication. These workshops equip participants with tools to build smoother, more productive relationships and improve teamwork.

What is the main benefit of participating in Spiceworks' cross-cultural workshop for expatriates?

The main benefit of participating in Spiceworks' workshop is that it helps expatriates and multicultural teams understand each other's cultural contexts, fostering better communication, collaboration, and a stronger, more harmonious team.

What was the satisfaction rate among Spiceworks' past clients regarding their cross-cultural workshops?

Spiceworks boasts a high satisfaction rate of 94% among past clients who participated in their cross-cultural communication workshops.