The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Industry
March 2011
Rise of the Redback
If there is to be a rival to the US dollar as the dominant global reserve currency in the 21st century, it surely must be the Chinese renminbi. Home to the world’s second-largest economy, China is likely to have the highest gross domestic product by the 2030s.
Industry
March 2011
2011 Tax Reform Proposals
On 16 December 2010, the Japanese government published the 2011 tax reform proposals. They include changes designed to promote the country as a principal Asian financial market.
Industry
February 2011
For a Values-based Education
Faith, intellect, awareness, community and growth are the values-based learning goals of an education at the International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH). A member of the worldwide network of the schools of the Society of the Sacred Heart, ISSH is a learning community that warmly welcomes international families of all faiths and prepares students for the 21st century.
Industry
February 2011
Choosing the Right School
For most expatriate parents, few activities cause as much stress, worry and annoyance as selecting the right school for their child. Negotiating personally held beliefs regarding quality education and those pedagogical principles practiced within a new environment can be difficult, even for professionals in the field.
Industry
October / November 2010
Winning the Race for Talent
Ask most country managers or HR directors of foreign multinational firms operating in Japan and top of their priority lists is finding the best bilingual talent. It’s a tough task and when a firm does finally find and offer a job to the dream candidate, can they close the deal?
Industry
October / November 2010
Hidden Costs of a Bad Hire
Firms budget for the financial costs of employing good staff, but many fail to consider the potentially severe implications of a bad hire. Before an employee is terminated, substantial costs are often incurred in terms of the time that management spends on corrective action, mediation and negotiation.
Industry
August / September 2010
Getting from There to Here
The dramatic changes in hiring seen since January in the area of logistics and procurement accurately reflect the lively movement in market prices. While many businesses are still understandably cautious, there is a growing optimism in supply-chain businesses, as they seek to better position themselves for the expected period of expansion with selective hiring. That said, salaries have not grown to levels seen in previous years.
Industry
August / September 2010
How BI Software Drives Intelligent Business
A survey conducted in January by Gartner, Inc. predicts that the list of spending priorities for technology chief information officers will continue to be led by software for business intelligence (BI), the umbrella term applied to methods and technologies used to gather and analyse information for improved decision-making.
Industry
August / September 2010
IT with Service
IT is changing before our eyes. Thus, firms looking for new systems or upgrades should know how to navigate relevant changes to remain competitive; this means, for large firms, ensuring the accessibility and efficiency that lead to customer satisfaction.
Industry
June / July 2010
Business Support & Outsourcing
Throughout my career in the Asia-Pacific region, I have enjoyed helping businesses in a number of ways, more recently to consider and implement outsourcing. I have helped large businesses and SMEs outsource key processes and this article features some of the considerations and opportunities related to successful outsourcing.
Industry
June / July 2010
Winning Talented Women
Foreign banks have a tough diversity agenda in Japan meeting government targets for disabled staff, ensuring ethnic diversity — and with gender too.
Industry
June / July 2010
Financial Services Tax Reform
Many articles analysing taxation of the financial services industry in Japan look at the challenges many foreign operators face: a high tax rate for corporations and individuals; lack of a clear beneficial funds regime (such as that in Hong Kong and Singapore) to encourage fund investors and managers; and an inspection regime that some perceive as being too strict, bureaucratic and time-consuming.
Industry
April / May 2010
Cut your office costs without cutting corners…
The economic outlook for 2010 and beyond is looking increasingly bright. However, current conditions are challenging and most businesses are focused on cutting costs, including overheads...
Industry
April / May 2010
Make Moving Easier
What is the complication in “Helping People Move” these days? Why is there so much involved in finding that house under budget for someone moving to Japan?
Industry
April / May 2010
Expatriate Cross-Cultural Training
What is cross-cultural training and what will I learn from it? This is often the first question newly arrived expatriates and their spouses ask me...
Industry
April / May 2010
Blended Development
Some managers believe the best solution to employee development is “Let’s buy a training course”. Perhaps that means implementing traditional classroom training or even an online training programme.
Office Solutions & Design
December 2009 / January 2010
Workplace Trends
Mobile business tools have widened the potential definition of the workplace well beyond the confines of a specific piece of real estate. Yet we still cling dearly to our tactile office, and employees become defensive of personal space and amenities during renovation or relocation.
Industry
December 2009 / January 2010
Interactive Dialogue
Among the reforms to the regulatory inspection process recently announced by Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC) is an emphasis on "more interactive dialogue" with management.
