Succeeding in a Japanese Company: 9. The Japanese parent company interface

A one hour conversation between Jim Colby and Rochelle Kopp on how to interface skillfully with the parent company in Japan

A key challenge for non-Japanese employees working at Japanese companies' overseas subsidiaries is how to develop a positive and productive rapport. This becomes particularly important as one moves up in the company and takes on roles of increasing responsibility. In this session, Jim will discuss how to interface with the parent company in Japan in a way that generates the desired results. How to deal with frequent rotations, typical parent company expectations for interactions, understanding the hierarchy and decision-making process at the head office, and handling information requests will be covered.

During Jim's call you will discover...

  • The most important success factors for people at overseas subsidiaries of Japanese firms in dealing with the parent company
  • How to figure out who is doing what when it's not written down
  • How to decipher the hidden hierarchy at the head office along with the decision-making process
  • How to build relationships with people at the parent company
  • The unspoken yet key expectations the parent company has for employees of overseas subsidiaries
  • The head office looks at the subsidiaries as being “child companies.” How do you overcome this attitude?
  • Your contact at the head office just got transferred... what do you do?
  • Unique characteristics of budgeting and reporting in Japanese organisations you need to watch out for
  • The head office is continually asking you for more information – are you doing something wrong?
  • There's a Japanese expatriate controlling all interaction with the parent company and you feel excluded from the communication loop. What do you do?


Your Instructor


Jim Colby
Jim Colby

Jim Colby is a 19-year veteran of Sony Electronics in the U.S., finishing his career there as Vice President of Human Resources. He was responsible for HR support for all of the company's business units and organisations throughout the U.S. as well as International Human Resources, Diversity and Compliance. His experience has given him deep insight into how cultural differences affect organisations operating globally, and how individuals can increase their effectiveness inside of global organisations. At Japan Intercultural Consulting, he has been focused on assisting our clients with matters related to post-merger integration, executive team development and retreat facilitation, strategy building and leadership development.


Course Curriculum


  The Japanese parent company: a conversation between Jim Colby and Rochelle Kopp
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

Get started now!