Through the experiences of Microsoft engineer Ushio Tsuyoshi (牛尾剛), this article compares the causes of slow decision-making at Japanese companies and differences in workplace culture, using examples from Japan and the United States. It introduces situations in which the presence of “senior figures” at Japanese companies leads to delays in decision-making.
Ushio Tsuyoshi (牛尾剛), who works in the United States, felt that most of his stress in Japan had stemmed from interpersonal relationships and observed why decision-making moves forward in US workplace culture. The article contrasts organizational structures and the causes of employee fatigue in Japan and the United States, offering perspectives for reexamining workplace systems.
It introduces situations in which a culture of following senior figures is cited as a factor slowing decision-making, as a peculiar feature of Japanese companies. When asked about DevOps, employees at Japanese companies were sometimes told, “You think about it,” resulting in an absence of a process for clearly communicating requirements.
In the United States and Europe, specific requirements often lead to the rapid presentation of proposals and solutions, with minimal coordination after meetings. Japanese companies, by contrast, are said to often require internal approval and confirmation, resulting in lost time.
In the context of encouraging improvements in the way Japanese companies work, the author introduces excerpts from a book stating that ease of working differs greatly by country and organization, and suggests specific measures for practical workplaces.