Why Are “Made in USA” Automobiles Not Selling Well in Japan?
-“Teach” Pattern Culture vs. “Learn” Pattern Culture- (pp55-69) Toshifumi OKUI (President, Harley-Davidson Japan, K.K.) ABSTRACT: The American automobile industry has developed with overwhelming superiority in its history but has not gained good ground in the Japanese market. I believe the reason for this lies in the “Teach” pattern culture of the USA. “Teach” pattern culture is muscular, strong and reasonable on one hand but lacks sensitivity to other indigenous cultures on the other. While it is considered necessary to address detailed necessities and specifications proper to each local market even for automobiles that have highly common ground wherever we go in the world, American automobile manufactures thought they had a world-wide standard and could not address local necessities, from which people in the international market have not necessarily given high points for the qualities of their products. Japan stands completely opposite from the US and has a “Learn” pattern of culture
