Adding pieces to the puzzle

7 years has passed since I (H) have studied for real. Of course there has been various courses and training activities provided at work since I left the Technical University in Lyngby, but this summer I returned to the real school bench again as I attended an eMBA class at Temple University’s Tokyo campus titled: “Managing the Enterprise from a Global Perspective”. The aim of the course has been to add additional theory to my practical experience at work, partly through studying the course material and equally important through the discussions with fellow alumni and the teacher. The class consisted of Mexicans, Japanese, Americans, an Australian and an Austrian, whom all presented different perspectives because of their cultural background and their different corporate cultures. This is for sure an effective way to broaden ones perspectives.

The classes took place on Saturdays, starting 6:16 a.m. at Koriyama station catching the train to Tokyo and ended again in Koriyama 8:29 p.m. (The trains are always very precise in Japan!) Long days. In matter of fact - long weeks, but worth it. Imagine that you have a lot of puzzles to solve (plus some puzzles you didn’t even know existed…), in some cases you are missing a piece to complete the puzzle, in other cases you don’t know what the puzzle will look like when it is finished. The theory and discussions in this course has helped solving some of the puzzles I have been working on for a while, like answering questions like “Why is it such a challenge to engage in business between different nationalities?”

The biggest lesson though, has been the realization of a need and desire for continuously discovering new puzzles, pieces and outlines. It will most likely not be long before I return to the school bench again.

First visit to Japans big neighbour

It was with big expectations I went to China to visit my colleagues in Tianjin and Beijing. China is in many ways having a hard time and it was interesting to get a first-hand experience with this so criticized country.

The first that struck the eye, was the differences in infrastructure and ‘driving-culture’; where Japan is maybe one of the safest and organised countries in the World to drive a car, China has a much more aggressive traffic.

However, after arriving well in TEDA (the development district outside the 14-million habitant mega-city Tianjin), I was met by luxurious cars and brand new buildings. And where have all the bicycles gone?

I spend the two days in China visiting my Chinese and Danish colleagues (expatriates) talking a lot about all the differences and similarities between Japan and China. It is fascinating how two neighbours can develop so radically different, but at the same time shows many identical cultural characteristics.
One example is the thing about saying “No”, which is almost non-existing in both countries. In Denmark it is very easy to say “No”, and if you get a “Yes” as a Dane, you would expect it to indicate an agreement, but here it most likely means “Yes, I hear and understand what you say”.

Beijing was a fantastic experience; literally I walked in wet cement! The Olympic city was bustling with thousands of cranes and construction sites to prepare the city for 2008.08.08 08:08.


We spent the late afternoon visiting the Tiananmen Square, the outer parts of the Forbidden City and at a traditional acrobatics show in the heart of Beijing. All in all a very good, however short trip that awoke the appetite for visiting this magnificent country again.

Robots in Toyota City and castle in Nagoya

Due to a business trip to Nagoya, I(h) got a chance to see one of Japans many castles. As most of the major castles in Japan, the original was destroyed during World War II. The reconstuction was still impressive though:


The biggest impression left in Nagoya was not the castle though, but a visit to the Toyota factories in Toyota City (yep, Toyota has a city named after them!). The visit left a feeling of science fiction and reality is merging.
The high technology factories was equipped with a conveyer belt in the assembly hall, that did not just assemble one type of car, but several types of cars following each other. This was done with practically no parts on the line to assemble the car with. Toyota must have the most efficient warehouse management system in the World! No wonder why the entire car industry and practically all other industries (including the pharmaceutical industry) are copying the production principles of Toyota.

The science fiction and futuristic ideas of Toyota was presented at an exhibition at the Head Quarter, which included a trumphet playing robot. Of cause.

Toyota also presented the scooter (i-unit) of the future:

This is Henriks car, seen in another perspective:

Welcome Dinner

One of the things that make us feel very far away from home is the unfamiliarity of everything and everyone. As tiny an issue it might seem, it does make a difference to know what kind of environment your partner takes part of – and with who.
Though Barbara did have some brief encounters with Henriks colleagues during our pre-visit in December, it was really appreciated that Sato-san, Henriks manager, had arranged a welcome dinner for us. It gave us both a chance to get to know Henriks closest colleagues better.
The evening took place in a traditional Japanese restaurant and turned out to be a really good – and exciting evening.

A traditional Japanese dinner usually includes between 5-15 different small dishes. They mainly consist of fish, but made with such creativity that the menu seems very varied. Amongst the dishes we enjoyed this evening was jelly cubes filled with flowers and blowfish.
Some people call eating a blowfish the gourmet version of playing Russian roulette. Parts of the blowfish contain an extremely strong paralyzing poison, which is about a thousand times deadlier that cyanide. Due to very strict rules in Japan, blowfish can only be prepared by specialized cooks, therefore the chance of being poisoned is very small, but yet it is with a pinch of excitement you take the bite. Eating blowfish is actually considered too dangerous for the Emperor, to whom it is not allowed to serve blowfish, and one blowfish is said to have enough poison to kill 30 persons.

Blowfish or not, the cubes were delicious, though the flavor of the blowfish is not really strong, but then again, they say it is because of the texture and not the taste, that Blowfish is regarded as a delicacy. You would feel the poison within minutes, so we know we made it this time – and we are....most likely... up for tasting it again if we get the chance.

The evening was pleasant and very relaxed, and everybody was talkative and friendly. We had interesting conversations about Sakura (cherry blossoms), safety in South America, blowfish (!) and wedding traditions.
Henrik also got a nice surprise as he found out almost everybody spoke English, which had not been revealed at work.

P.S.
There is a saying going on here. ”Those who eat fugu soup are stupid. But those who don't eat fugu soup are also stupid.”. Fugu means Blowfish in Japanese…

The first days at work

My first days at work have been filled with numerous new experiences and challenges, both professionally, practically and socially.

Just to mention a few:
- My new colleagues, all with names that could sound alike for the untrained ear.
- The new car I had to pick up at the parking lot after the first day at work, with a navigator in English, but with all addresses and maps in Japanese!
- The new procedure for changing clothes, which include taking off the shoes, BEFORE entering the locker room.
- How to register what you want to eat the following week and how to register that you actually eat what you chose - with a hanko-stamp.
- The electronic melody, several times a day, at the start and end of every break.
- Saying ohayō gozaimasu instead of bom dia, good morning or godmorgen.
- Receiving several emails a day in Japanese.
- Eating with chopsticks at lunch and always accompanied with a bowl of rice.

Even though many things are new to me, my colleagues at the same time help me to gain a social network and to have normal conversations in English, which is where I found a vent for the life here in Koriyama, which so far only has been characterized by conversations that is limited to bowing and saying I’m sorry and thank you very much, when we have left the apartment.
All in all it has been a very positive experience and challenge to start this new job, and with all the new things I will learn and the things I will be involved in, these three years will be very inspiring.

Just to comment on driving in Japan; the steering wheel is in the right side and you drive in the left side of the road. And the first time I tested myself in the traffic was with immense concentration. Luckily it sounds harder than it is. Actually it is just a matter of paying more attention the first days and making sure that when you turn right, - it is the long turn...