Hands-On Learning and Real-Life Experience of Intercultural Competencies

At San-Ten Consulting, we operate daily at the crossroads of our clients' Western culture and the business culture of our Japanese customers. We frequently clarify to our clients why we suggest different approaches in Japan or why certain responses take longer than anticipated. Conversely, we explain to our Japanese customers what seems unusual about the behavior of Western representatives.

For many years, we have been delighted to share our experience with young students from Germany and Japan. Twice annually, students from Germany's Steinbeis University travel to Japan to collaborate with students from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. This month, the students once again gathered in Tokyo. In mixed teams, they work on real-world cases to develop market entry strategies for German or Japanese companies aiming to expand their business in the other country.

During their time in Japan, the students attended lectures on the cultural differences in business and international marketing. "It is always a pleasure to provide students with insights into the fascinating world of working between two cultures and to watch them gain their own experiences while collaborating with their teammates on company cases," says our Owner and Executive Consultant, Dr. Ralf Mayer, who delivers these lectures and guides the teams as they prepare for the final presentation of the business plan.

After a week of intensive on-site work in Japan, the teams delivered their business and market entry strategy in a final presentation on March 20th to the companies, which will now integrate these insights into their ongoing planning for entering the markets in Japan or Germany.

If you are considering expanding your company's business into Japan and are interested in participating in this program as a sponsor for a real-world case, please feel free to contact us.