Abstract
More Chinese employees are now working at Japanese companies. However, very little is known about how these employees attempt to engage in communication at their companies. In this study, I survey the types of conflict these employees encounter with regard to systems and work-styles at Japanese companies caused by cultural differences. This survey covered eight topics: “lifetime employment,” “seniority system,” “paid leave system,” “workplace assignment/job rotation,” “reporting/contacting/consultation,” “work outside of job scope,” “reporting work mistakes,” and “unconvincing instructions.” The results of the survey show that it is difficult for Chinese employees working at Japanese companies to accept management systems such as seniority by length of service and lifetime employment. It is easier for them to accept business customs involving work-related communication, such as reporting/contacting/consultation and working outside of their job scope.
