By Mary Beth West, APR
Like the rest of the world, all eyes here at our company have fixated on Japan since last week. Earthquake-driven natural disasters have taken an unbelievable toll worldwide throughout the past decade.
Apart from pulling out checkbooks and supporting the relief effort, the best most of us can do is to observe and learn as many lessons as possible from what we’re witnessing.
A few interesting elements of the Japanese response are rooted in the culture. Our co-worker, Joe Bogardus, worked as director of marketing communications for Eastman Kodak’s Japanese Region based in Tokyo during the late 1980s. Among the observations he has shared with our team:
- It’s encouraging to see the level of worldwide aid not only being offered but also being accepted by Japan. “During the Kobe quake disaster in 1995, the Japanese government did not accept gifts from other countries, by and large,” Joe said. “This is a hold-over from the isolationist days before the arrival of Admiral Perry and a sense of duty the government feels to protect the people. Japanese culture also dictates when receiving a gift, you must give a gift in return of greater value. So there is hesitancy on the part of the Japanese to get into a gift reception cycle.”
“I think their current government is realizing that this potentially is a crisis that will reach beyond their borders, and they need help from as many people as possible,” Joe said. “From what I have seen and heard, the Japanese are welcoming assistance not only from allies such as the U.S., but also from their regional and ancient rivals – the Koreans, Chinese and others as well.”
- As the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant situation has become an unfolding disaster all its own, the way that information is being managed by the Japanese government will probably prove to be another element that crisis managers will use as a future case study.
“It’s not surprising to see the Japanese prime minister or cabinet-level ministers serving as the primary spokesperson during the crisis, unlike other disasters such as the BP oil spill, where here in the U.S. we routinely heard from multiple spokespersons within our government and the company itself,” Joe said.
Joe said it’s also worth closely observing how much information is coming from the front-line levels of the nuclear power plants.
“In Japanese culture, you don’t want to be the bearer of bad news,” he said. “To do so traditionally translates into an ‘I’ve failed’ subtext, and the associated stigma means that you’ve brought dishonor not only upon yourself and your organization, but also on your entire family. It’s a pretty tough cultural element, and it will be interesting to see how – or if – this social norm is playing itself out in terms of how much accurate information on the severity of the situation is making its way up the Japanese government chain of command.”
For the sake of public safety, it’s our hope that as complete and as accurate an information flow will take place throughout the days to come.
