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Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
SHIRYŌ
資料
data; references
In the Japanese business environment, it is extremely important to present an argument with data in hand. This Japanese characteristic can be attributed at least in part to the postwar legacy of Edwards Deming, the statistician and quality guru who influenced Japanese corporations in the postwar era. Deming once said: “In God we trust, everyone else must provide data.”
Before making a pitch or proposal, it is generally a good idea to prepare a brief summary document that explains your reasoning. You should refer to the document while talking, and make sure that your presentation follows a logical flow—based on data. This approach has a much better chance of succeeding than a presentation which is extemporaneous or “off the cuff.”
Genjō haaku—bunseki—taisaku
A common technique for building a cogent argument in a Japanese corporate setting is the genjō haaku—bunseki—taisaku method. This method defines a problem, presents an analysis, and proposes a countermeasure in an orderly fashion. What is presented here is a simplified and generalized version. Particular companies may use some version of this which includes more steps.
The first step in the process is genjō haaku / 現状把握, or “grasping the current situation. The purpose of this step is to paint a picture of the current problem condition. Depending on the area of the company, the particular problem might be:
- A quality defect in the manufacturing area
- A slump in sales,
- An unacceptable spike in administrative costs.
The genjō haaku step should define the problem in specific numerical terms: What is the defect rate? How much have sales fallen? How much have administrative costs increased? A written timeline would also be appropriate, to demonstrate how the situation has changed over time.
Bunseki and Five-Why Analysis
The next step, bunseki / 分析 (“analysis”) is an interpretation of the genjō haaku, and an explanation of the root cause behind the problem. This may involve what is known as a “five-why” analysis. A five-why analysis is based on the notion that asking the question “why” five times will lead to the root cause of a problem. The most commonly cited example goes like this:
Problem: There is an increase in the overall rate of injuries in the factory.
1. Why has there been an increase in the overall rate of injuries?
There has been an increase in accidents which involve workers falling down in the machining department.
2. Why has there been an increase in accidents which involve workers falling down in the machining department?
They have been slipping on the floor in the lathe area.
3. Why have workers been slipping on the floor in the lathe area?
The floor is slick with oil.
4. Why is the floor slick with oil?
One of the lathes is leaking oil.
5. Why is the lathe leaking oil?
The machine’s maintenance has not been performed recently.
This is, of course, a very simple example; but it should nonetheless demonstrate how five-why analysis can be applied to a problem.
Whatever formal method is used, the bunseki portion of a proposal should probe the depths of the problem at hand. When this done correctly, the next step of the presentation, the taisaku / 対策, logically follows.
Matching the Data to a Countermeasure
The taisaku, or countermeasure, is a description of the proposed solution to the problem. In the case of our above example, the taisaku might be an increase in the frequency at which maintenance is performed on the lathe, and a posted checklist for maintenance personnel to follow. The description of the countermeasure will likely include a commitment to verify its effectiveness: does the injury rate actually decrease as a result?
The Importance of Proper Form
Arguably, the proposal loosely described above—an increase in the maintenance frequency for a particular lathe—could have begun with the taisaku step. Starting with the conclusion, it would have been possible to simply state that a change in the maintenance schedule was necessary. In a Japanese company, however, it is extremely important to adhere to the proper form—and build your case by following the prescribed steps: the genjō haaku—bunseki—taisaku process.
The importance of form is a recurring theme in Japanese culture. While results matter, achieving the desired result in the “right” way is of equal significance. An even more extreme example in this regard is the tea ceremony (sadō / 茶道), in which every movement is explicitly choreographed according to tradition. To uninitiated Western eyes, the precise movements of the tea ceremony may seem meaningless. To a Japanese devotee of the tea ceremony, however, every movement has significance.
Westerners are often similarly nonplussed in the Japanese business world. The Japanese emphasis on form is counterintuitive from a Western perspective, as substance (“Cut to the chase!”) is almost universally given disproportionate emphasis in our society.