Developing Partnership with the Business Community How to establish a linkage with Japanese companies in your local community Toshi Amino

How to find Japan-based companies in your local community? Contact to State Economic Development Department Chamber of Commerce Japanese Embassy or Consulate General Japan-America Society Japanese Business Organization

Important Elements for Establishing the Linkage with Japan-based Companies 1 Know about them before you visit them. Some home works will be helpful. 2 Think about long range relationship Be patient Don ’ t expect overnight result 3 “ Give and take ” strategy What can you do for them?

Japanese companies want to be good corporate citizens Their questions “ How can we connect ourselves with local community? (Your name “ Community college ” is helpful) Visit them and tell them your idea to connect them with your local community through you.

Prepare you ideas (What can you do for them?) ESL program for Japanese employees and their families and non-English speaking employees Training program to develop their professional skill Associate degree for their employees Internship for your students at their facilities Your students as a problem solving project team

What are you looking for? Funding for your research Information to prepare your teaching material “ On the spot, hands-on ” type education for your students Joint projects Speakers for your class

Funding Be specific and concrete proposal Show your efforts to obtain money from other funding sources Not too much amount, be realistic Potential donor might ask you “ What is the benefit for us? ” Understand company philosophy or value

Information for your teaching Cross-cultural management American and Japanese work together. How do they overcome various cross-cultural issues Local operation of MNC International business transactions Logistic, Currency fluctuation etc

Joint Projects Process improvements A Filing system B Production flow C Warehouse management D Training for employees

Speakers for your class American managers can talk about A Cross-cultural issues they face in daily operation B Business trip to Japan, “ What did they experienced? ” C Differences of business practices between U.S. and Japan

Japanese managers can talk Their cultural shock in U.S. Their life in America with family How do they observe American business practices?

Summary Those approaches could be applicable to any foreign companies in your local area Long range relationship is important to bring more benefit for your students Adopt them