Tokyo: tutti pazzi per l'Iphone

TOKYO: Si è assistito ad un vero e proprio conto alla rovescia. E' quanto avvenuto al di fuori del centralissimo Big Camera di Yurakucho district, dove Masayoshi Son, presidente della Softbank, compagnia telefonica di punta in Giappone che supporterà principalmente la commercializzazione del gioiellino Apple, ha annunciato: "Siamo di fronte ad un evento epocale che cambierà la storia della telefonia mobile e il concept stesso di comunicare"

E' il delirio in Giappone per un prodotto che, oltre le aspettative, secondo le prime statistiche di vendita, potrebbe realmente arrivare a cambiare le abitudini comunicative e i trend di approccio alla tecnologia mobile. Come osservano gli esperti, il Giappone rappresenta un mercato unico per confidenza e utilizzo dello strumento di telefonia mobile. Il cellulare, difatti, ha da sempre rappresentato per i Giapponesi il mezzo di contatto continuo con la rete, lo scambio di mail, l'accesso a risorse multimediali, più che in qualsiasi altro paese al mondo. L'iphone che rappresenta realmente qualcosa di più di un semplice telefono, potrebbe rappresentare quello strumento a metà fra il portatile e il cellulare. 

I giapponesi sembrano averlo capito e accanto all'entusiamo tipicamente nipponico per fenomeni consumistici di questo tipo, si accostano subito riflessioni tecniche, anche da parte dei più giovani in fila per mettere le mani sulla fornitura limitata di Apple Iphone presenti sugli scaffali nella prima giornata di vendita. Tetsuro Yagino è un giovane 28 enne , di Chiba che arrivato alle sette della sera prima di fronte alle porte di Big Camera, ha passato la notte intera all'aperto aspettando l'inaugurazione: "L'Iphone è davvero user fiendly - spiega il giovane - al di là dell'attraente e ampio touch screen, sono convinto che sarà più facile scrivere messaggi e mail senza utilizzare una tastiera"

Ecco che fin da subito, la passione giapponese per il nuovo lascia spazio a dettagli e commenti sulle funzionalità: alle signore piace perchè ha lo schermo ampio e ben illuminato e facilita la lettura di romanzi in formato digitale, alle ragazze perchè possono divertirsi a scattare migliaia di foto e a modificarle come meglio piace inserendo elementi aggiuntivi, simpatici e colorati, ai giovani attrae sicuramente la funzionali drag and drop, per i gli uomini d'affari si contestualizza benissimo come un black berry alla moda, semplice, agevole e colorato. Insomma Apple sembra aver colnquistato i bisogni di un popolo che ha sorpreso già per vendite di acquisto stratosferiche di Ipod di ogni colore e dimensione.

Il prezzo per il nuovo iPhone 8 gigabyte è ¥ 23040 (136 euro) , mentre la versione 16 GB vale per ¥ 34560 (205 euro). Hideaki Yokota, ricercatore presso MM Research Institute, prevede che SoftBank venderà circa 1 milioni di unità nel corso del primo anno, con l'aiuto di Apple che riuscirà a valorizzare l'immagine user-friendly del prodotto e a promuovere attraverso il suo brand la grande popolarità dell'Iphone fra i più giovani. L'unico ostacolo che potrebbe frapporsi fra l'appetibilità del prodotto e un regime di vendita stellare, continua l'esperto, è dato dal fatto che nel controllo di posta elettronica gli utenti saranno obbligati ad utilizzare un nuovo indirizzo e a cambiare il vecchio supportato sui loro normali contratti e piani telefonici. 

Una spina nel fianco per un popolo che ha scoperto una nuova dipendenza: quello dello scambio di mail continuo. Cambiare indirizzo sarebbe un po' come perdere la faccia, e l'onore, si sa, in Giappone, vale più di molte mode.

Paolo Cacciato

Commercial Relations in China, between new laws and old philosophical principles

Bologna June 18 2008

With the patronage of the municipality of Bologna,

culture and relations with University Office 

Last speech of the three which have composed the meeting called "What Happens in the Olympic China", by Quartiere Santo Stefano of Bologna - 

Attend:

Avv. Francesco De Sanzuane, consultant and expert in Asian law

Dr. Paolo Cacciato, linguistic and cultural mediator about Eastern Asia, editor of Corriere Asia and chairman of the Asian Studies Group association. 

 

A meeting which aims to understand the main principles which lead the communication with Chinese interlocutors, not only for reciprocal comprehension and high socio-cultural topic, but particularly to understand the dimension which is the basic for commercial dialogue with Chinese differences.  

Introduction to the speech by Dr. Paolo Cacciato

"Make business in China, a very living matter,  may be even already passed for many facets. With this speech I want you to go beyond what you think is available for “business” in one of the largest market in the world, (only at the third place after USA and Europe considering purchase power) trying to lead to good points which could support the importance that, into every-time China, two particular skills have covered for a concrete and productive dialogue during the Empire, and I am referring to the quality of perseverance approaching to Chinese reality and of valorization of their cultural system which characterize symbols and values owned by this people. 

Even negotiation with Chinese partners should shift in a dimension of patient listening and a whole preparation on the negotiation to be dealt with, attitudes along with the awareness of how every phase of the negotiation will be leaded by a strong system of values which refers to the Confucian tradition and to the Taoist perception / superstition as its raison d’etre.  The knowledge of these crucial principles about Chinese “cultural sensibility”, often adopted to justify the general developing political and institutional system and its apparent contradictions, could represent the key to extend a constructive dialogue with the Chinese partner, lighted by a clime of safeness and reciprocal reliance.  

I will also try to summarize times and approaching manners among parts to arrive to distinguish four phases typical of a negotiation, discernible more by attitudes and personalities involved than by precise passing times. It’s interesting to notice how the value of the commercial relation with China could be really compared with a slow hanging out with somebody before the definite and lasting choice of marrying without the chance to divorce. The separation from the partner is possible but the price to be paid is very high and includes losing your face (mianzi), and the impossibility to create any other relationship from that time on..." 
 

Synthesis of the main concepts

Definition and purposes of “negotiation” according to Chinese culture. 谈判 (tanpan) preparations in order to know a interlocutor and to choose him for a lasting and harmonious dialogue. 

Purpose represented by 和谐 (hexie): harmony. Useful base to create a lasting relationship – The contract has a marginal role. 

Keys to success: “develop perseverance and valorize the comprehension of Chinese culture” according to Vincent Lo (responsible for the real estate restructuring of Xintiandi in Shanghai).  

Chinese persuasion: question’s game, pauses and cognitive slowness VS Western modality centered on rashness, impatience and aggressiveness. 

The silence culture: 含蓄 (hanxu) containing emotions and developing critical awareness especially during negotiation- Chinese culture exploit the power of a written-based communication, based on the immediate intuition of the meaning carried by a written sign. For this reason it is opposed compared to the importance of the oral language (logos) typical of Western countries communication system. In China the character represents the link between different companies and hundreds of dialects. Communication is intellectual, under the value of symbols and moral rules. That’s why Chinese people prefer silence and intuition instead of words.  

Vocabulary of cited philosophical concepts  

和谐 hexie: Principle of harmony. Reaching purpose that leads the commercial activity and the dialogue among several interlocutors in a system conceived as a interlocking of roles and hierarchies. (influence both Confucian and Taoist)

关系 guanxi: Network of relationships and moral implications that in every-time China represent a coordinated organizational model according to the ritual system of Confucian memory, substitute for corporate laws.

中间人 zhongjianren: mediator. Communication link that helps to valorize every single relation. Key figure in the organization of a commercial communication among several parts, guarantor of moral etiquette which depends on the relationships of the interlocutors.  

社会等级 shehuidengji: social stratification. Respect for hierarchies and awareness of the roles. The commercial dialogue is carried by this conception.  

整体观念 zhengtiguannian: global evaluation . The perception that the knowledge of the other is possible only across the evaluation of the “whole”, influences the commercial negotiation in ways and times depending on the questions that are supposed.  

The phases of negotiation  

Preliminary Knowledge, THE COURTSHIP: slow and important phase for the Chinese part; it properly represents the “courtship” between interlocutors. Involvement of formal contacts and social rituals. This phase concludes successfully if it ends with the introduction of a mediator, guarantor of the concrete starting point for the negotiation.  

Information Exchange, THE ASSOCIATION: indirectly leaded by the Chinese end, across the involvement of the entire group and the consultation of every member. It represents the phase of the proper association that anticipate the commercial “wedding”. For this reason it is object of observations, silences and reflections.  

Persuasion Moment, THE CONVINCEMENT: according to Western point of view this is the phase of the attack, of perseverance and imminent convincement. According to Chinese modality this is the phase of several and frequently asked questions, the final probe which anticipate the contract. The respect for rituals and communication Confucian etiquette without too much pressure could play a key role.  

Sign of the contract, THE WEDDING: aware that according to the Chinese end the single contract is less important compared with the following long relation of understanding and dialogue, this phase represents the reaching point of this slow negotiation process. 

For further information please see Asian Studies Group's Research Activity