Reflecting Japanese Tradition in Panasonic’s Culture of Today
Reflecting Japanese Tradition in Panasonic’s Culture of Today
During the month of May, we pay tribute to the sacrifices, celebrate the traditions and reflect on the accomplishments that generations of Asian American and Pacific Islanders have made throughout history.
Originally founded in Asia, we reflect on how Japanese culture specifically shapes our company today as we kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
Founded over 100 years ago by Japanese industrialist Konosuke Matsushita, Panasonic’s business philosophy and culture are deeply rooted in the traditions and values he held fast to, including our Seven Basic Business Principles:
- Contribution to Society
- Fairness & honesty
- Cooperation & team spirit
- Untiring effort & improvement
- Courtesy & humility
- Adaptability
- Gratitude
These principles are very much based on the Japanese experiences of Matsushita, who blended both Japanese and American business practices, that are still practiced by all Panasonic employees across the globe.
With our global headquarters still based in Osaka, Japan, the Panasonic culture of today seeks to blend Japanese tradition with American customs, focusing on mutual respect and building connection between cultures.
So, how does our rich history and tradition influence the way we operate as a company? Here are three ways Japanese culture reflects on our organization today.
Communication is key: Japan is known as a high context culture, meaning individuals communicate more indirectly than what is custom in the United States. Be sure to ask direct questions to seek clarity or confirm your understanding of a process, project or meeting outcome! Ne-mawashi is the informal process of building consensus amongst all involved, which heavily influences meeting style and workflows.
Putting our culture into practice: Showing respect for one another is extremely important, not just on a professional level, but a personal one. Whether it’s saying hello during a virtual meeting or exchanging business cards with your colleagues, doing so in a respectful way makes all the difference to our Japanese employees.
Achieving more, together: Matsushita was a champion for teamwork, believing and notably sharing, “My work is not to be done without the help of others.” In short, that by working together as a team, we can achieve much more than is possible as individuals. Collaboration and teamwork help us produce better results, therefore strengthening and improving our overall business. It’s important for us to prioritize relationships as a team, so you’ll often see employees getting together after work to connect!
Does Panasonic sound like the right fit for you? Check out our current job opportunities and apply here.
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