On Track With the Japanese: A Case-By-Case Approach to Building Successful Relationships

In On Track with the Japanese, Patricia Gercik, Managing Director of the M.I.T. Japan Program, offers us twenty-three portraits of men and women who have succeeded - or failed - in forging personal business ties with the Japanese. With skillfully written anecdotes Gercik teaches Westerners how to avoid cross-cultural pitfalls, overcome communication barriers, and build networks on a foundation of trust. According to Gercik, the insider/outsider nature of Japanese society requires a graduated approach to relationships, which she has divided into four stages: "Know Me, " "Trust Me, " "Believe Me, " and "Marry Me." By emphasizing consistent patterns of Japanese business etiquette in a wide variety of settings, Gercik provides a hands-on, interactive approach to the inner workings of a complex and often frustrating society.