Conclusive Reflection

Throughout the trip I made some great friends, explored new cultures, and learned about international business from a new perspective.  Immersion in the different countries was an amazing experience.  Learning how to interact and understand people from different cultures is an important aspect of business.  If I had to choose between the two countries, I would say I liked Taiwan more.  I felt that Taiwan was more internationally friendly than Japan.  In Taiwan, more people we interacted with were able to speak English and there was English signage in many places.  I also think that we did more traveling in Japan which made it hard to take in and enjoy the culture.  I have a feeling we did not have enough time to experience Japan fully.  I am going to miss the beautiful mountains.  It was nice to step out of the city and enjoy the natural scenery in both countries.

As far as the business culture, I noticed differences in the way they dressed, tipping, and business culture.  Workers were typically dressed in suits in Japan and women were more conservative than in Taiwan.  Most US companies, I am familiar with, have a business casual dress code.  Not tipping was a big cultural difference.  I am used to tipping for customer service, but the tip is baked into the price.  I think this is a good way to do business, but in the US it may demotivate employees from providing good service.  The focus for many US businesses is quantity over quality, which is not the mindset in Taiwan and Japan.  Many aspects of Asian culture and beliefs are prevalent in the way they do business.  Quality control was key in almost every company we visited.

Sumo in Tokyo was my favorite activity.  It was more exciting and entertaining than I anticipated.  An interesting observation from the tournament was that they still adhere to all the rules and rituals.  Participants and spectators respect the traditions.  From a business perspective, we learned that when doing business internationally, it is important to adhere to the company culture and way of doing business.  It is important to learning as much as possible about the traditions of the host country and respect the way they do business.

There were a lot more street vendors and night markets in Taiwan.  You could drink on the streets, but the culture was not a drinking one.  It was hard to find a bar or place to do karaoke in Taiwan.  Japan was completely different.  Business people typically when out to drink and smoke every day after work.  In Japan smoking was more prevalent and was allowed in restaurants, which was not pleasant.  McDonalds was better in Taiwan then in Japan, but not as good as what I am used to.  I was surprised how much we ate at McDonalds and went to 7-eleven.  I was surprised that I was able to find food that I liked in both countries.  Chicken was usually a safe choice.

In only 21 days we went on about 15 site tours, visited 4 universities, went to 11 business visits, and had about 15 class sessions. We traveled in planes, buses, trains, taxis, and subways.  I truly appreciate Professor Peng and Professor Laurence for organizing this study abroad.  I know they put a lot of thought, planning, and preparation into this trip. It is truly an experience we will never forget.