A Rather Interesting Business Idea for an Online Commerce Company...
I am thinking about what kind of hell that I will be expected to raise
once I actually start working. No, really, otherwise why would I be
hired in the first place? A Japanese company's business side compels
the newbies to do some sales in the beginning. And obviously, a
foreigner, whose spoken (not to mention written) Japanese has some
serious problems, has no way to out-compete Japanese employees in
talking Japanese customers in Japanese into buying random stuff
(unless its a white/black guy doing door-to-door, then the Japanese
people might actually be amused enough to listen...while, at least
initially).
And that explains why I get rejected from practically all Japanese
companies with which I applied for a job. There is no need for many
multilingual dudes claiming to know foreign markets considering these
big conglomerates hire local talents in different localities around
the globe. The local talents don't need to show up at Tokyo HQ
stealing jobs from the Japanese guys focusing on the Japanese local
market. So much for being international...well, evidently, Rakuten
claims to be different from these companies, and by saying that it
will make English the official language of the company, it is making a
point not normally seen in Japan, Inc.
Japan, Inc. always had its own way of doing business. Employees work
for a company their whole lives, and their devotion and love for the
company has made the company sort of a big family. There is no
clear-cut distinction between business and leisure as company
employees both work and play together (with clubs, teams, and other
extra-work activities that can remind people of life in college).
Rakuten, on the other hand, is trying to introduce a system with focus
on adaptability and flexibility in a constantly changing environment.
Speed within efficiency is perhaps the biggest flaw of Japan, Inc.,
where HR and new technology cannot easily enter (or exit) without some
serious backlash within a conservative work environment.
So Rakuten decides to hire a bunch of foreigners not that exposed to
the culture of Japan, Inc. Japanese who studied abroad are not enough
because those guys still act Japanese: too much "yes-sir" politeness
and not enough constructive criticism of shaky decisions made at the
top. They do not pose serious obstacles to the inherent top-down
nature of Japan, Inc., so they seem to think....as if they don't
understand that American companies are also top-down in the same way,
so hiring a bunch of Americans can't possibly change the situation no
matter how ruthlessly straight-talking these foreign newbies are.
On the other hand, what really will change in the corporate structure
is how much independence the foreign employees will demand from their
bosses. Without the same concepts of mingling their private lives
with work and the same loving attitude toward the company itself, the
foreign employees may easily quit if not given what is wanted, or
worse, unilaterally take an idea from an initiative of the company and
start their own companies. The result would be a disaster for likes
of Rakuten from both a HR and a continued expansion sort of
standpoint.
Especially with regard to branching off from the company with my own
idea, I have been doing some thinking. Here goes: now, considering
that an online shopping mall requires no logistics except access to a
reliable delivery and reception method for goods and money, it would
be most advantageous to use it in a place where setting up a physical
shop front involves too much cost or risk. Specially, that would mean
that the merchant is currently doing business in a war zone, in a
politically unstable region (government may collapse at any time), or
an economically unstable one (currency may become worthless at
anytime...remember that Rakuten has its own virtual currency, so doing
online business does not mean actually need to transact in any real
currency).
So, lets say I raise the point to company leadership and request an
investment in, eh, Nigeria. I would probably be the only or one of
the few employees from HQ working on the project (Japanese...actually,
anyone with the right mind, would not go to a place with serious
security risks...this is a uniquely Chinese characteristic). In the
process of registering local merchants for Rakuten's services, I might
as well hit upon some physical conflicts that leaves my partners or
enemies dead (if I am not killed, that is). As is the case for a
lawless land, I take over their respective (physical) businesses.
These could be retail, restaurant, or even real estate or mining.
Now, at this point, would I even bother to report these extra,
unexpected gains to HQ? Obviously not. If I do report, the HQ would
say that there is not enough manpower to send over for effective
control of these newly acquired establishments and expect me to sell
it. Instead, I would register an umbrella corporate entity to govern
these businesses, without having HQ know about it. At the point the
independent corporation has enough skilled employees, structure, and
revenue to exist without outside help, I, as would anyone else in my
position, would see no further logic in continue running Rakuten
Nigeria for a pittance of a both-level employee.
The negotiation would obviously be a blow to Rakuten. The HQ would
have no choice but to let me continue operate Nigeria division,
because as its creator and main communication channel with all local
customers, I can easily destroy it through negative "advertising."
Yet, the "partnership" between Rakuten and my Nigerian corporation
would generate little practical benefit for the leadership in
Tokyo...so great, thinking along this lines, HQ shouldn't be letting
its foreign employees out of Japan and constant monitoring...then,
whats the point of hiring global talents in the first place? teach
them to be Japanese?
Comments
Post a Comment