Have You Done Enough Research then Developed Your Strategy for Successful Japan/Global Business? – Japanese Businesses & MNCs Operating in Japan

As in the previous post, many business professionals think globally only when they realized they cannot grow their business only in their own, local market (i.e. of their own country). So they tend to “rush” in going global.

Perhaps that is why many of them think “let’s start going global from this country” without much thought or strategy supported by research and analysis.

Japan is number 3 market in size and matured for most industries so it is an attractive market. So many business professionals outside Japan are interested in making Japan market entry. This is probably such people contact me via LinkedIn saying they want to expand their business in Japan. But, I must say majority are so easy going.

It is basically the same for many Japanese business professionals. When they explain to me their aspiration in going global and starting with this country or this approach, I would ask them why most of the time they cannot explain clearly, in convincing manner. It is because of insufficient or lack of research, insight and strategy.

With language barrier and lack of knowhow or connections, doing research, gaining insight and developing strategy is a huge challenge. It does not mean you can get away with it. And, there are some ways you can overcome this challenge, even with limited resources.

This is one of the topics I have covered in my two eBooks I wrote, which was published by StartiaLab, a leading Japanese eBook publisher in November, 2015.

English version: 7 Things to Know to be Successful in Business in Japan

Japanese version: 世界を相手に勝つための教科書 – グローバル社会で事業を拡大する7つの方法と8つの事例

When Should You Start Thinking Globally for Successful Global Business – Japanese Businesses & MNCs Operating in Japan

You may well start your business locally in your country even if you have a vision of going global in the future. When do you start taking global market into consideration? After your local business starts to mature?

It is natural that you start your business where you are familiar with thus that is what most people do but that is no good.

There are so many things that cannot be “changed/tailored” to make your business change/evolve to something global once you start with something very local.

Brand (including brand name) is just an example. This is why current global companies like Toyota have changed their CI brand from their original one (e.g. from Japanese to English).

Such small change worked for them, but for others they simply had to completely change everything, meaning huge investment/cost and re-building the brand again.

Thinking globally from the early stage is one of the topics I have covered in my two eBooks I wrote, which was published by StartiaLab, a leading Japanese eBook publisher in November, 2015.

English version: 7 Things to Know to be Successful in Business in Japan

Japanese version: 世界を相手に勝つための教科書 – グローバル社会で事業を拡大する7つの方法と8つの事例