Knowing which capabilities are givens in overseas business

Acquiring, then actually using, those capabilities to optimize while making adjustments

However, these are easier said than done.

Many people jump hastily to the conclusion that, if they have successfully run a business in Japan, they only need to become proficient at English in order to do relatively well in overseas business. However, the capabilities required as givens in overseas business are not limited to English ability.

The ability to create something from nothing in the challenging task of developing a new business overseas.

Adaptability to international markets, including international marketing, risk management, trade practices, and cross-cultural understanding, as well as negotiation skills that reflect these abilities.

The ability to look at things from a bird’s eye view, The ability to take action and work hard in the field, Humility to learn from mistakes, Patience, Calmness to prevent normalcy bias, Plan B skills are necessary.

There are practically no cases of international expansion going smoothly without these global　business capabilities.

Abilities required for international business

1. The ability to create something from nothing in the challenging task of developing a new business overseas.
2. Adaptability to international markets, including international marketing, risk management, trade practices, and cross-cultural understanding
3. Negotiation skills that reflect these abilities
4. Having a bird’s eye view
5. The ability to sweat in the field and take action
6. Humility to learn from mistakes
7. Patience
8. Calmness to prevent normalcy bias
9. Plan B (ability to come up with alternative solutions)
10. English language skills

Have you perhaps experienced the following?

The feeling at the business meeting was not bad, but it is not progressing smoothly,
The local distributor is not functioning properly even though we have signed a contract with them,
The response to the quotation is sluggish,
They do not respond to our e-mails,
There is little basis for making a decision on whether to proceed or withdraw from the project,
There is almost no response or reaction like in the domestic business,
We have to start from scratch to develop a new business again,
But we don’t want to end up in the same situation,
But I don’t know what to do, etc

Without a great deal of confidence, you wouldn’t be able to step out on a limb and make an investment in such an unsure situation. You end up concluding that, because you aren’t sure how to proceed, you won’t cease international expansion efforts, but you’ll take a step back and “see how things go.”

In reality, this kind of experience has been the case for many SMEs attempting to go global for the first time. However, the unfortunate truth is that, after taking that step back to see how things go, the possibility of becoming capable of international expansion without improvement is extremely low, therefore the company enters a state where it is, for all practical purposes, open for business but not really doing anything.

To be genuinely fast, low cost, and effective

No one knows your business like you do. It is effective and low cost if you are able to go global independently without having to rely on other companies. However, in absence of specialized overseas knowledge and know-how, you will not be fast or effective.

Moreover, you will discover that the know-how you acquired is in fact difficult to reproduce if you merely scratch the surface while passively watching and listening.

You act on your own, make mistakes, receive objective evaluations, and check the reactions, Only after this process of rethinking and revising, along with necessary advice and concrete plans, will the know-how be acquired in the true sense.

Only what is learned through actual action and conviction becomes real flesh and blood, a weapon that can be used, and eventually becomes an asset and property of the company.

If you follow the “slow and steady wins the race” approach to international expansion, and utilize professionals correctly while keeping the ball in your court, you can achieve your goal. When the company top executive and overseas business project leader realize which capabilities the company lacks, acquire them efficiently, and steel their will to learn everything that needs to be learnt, the starting line of international expansion will finally come into plain sight.

Paccloa’s OJT service backed by abundant experience, can help you succeed at going global in a genuinely fast, low cost, and efficient way.

Maximization of growth, awareness, and motivation

Paccloa’s OJT service can be broadly divided into preparation and implementation. Some examples of the preparation portion are plan formulation and research, while examples of the implementation portion include email correspondence and overseas business trips.

In the case of preparation, you, as our SME client, will do everything as you wish from the initial phase, while in the case of implementation, Paccloa first provides comprehensive support (meaning we run along beside you to a certain extent), and then you do as you wish.

Throughout all processes, so that you may stick to your path, or to have your answers confirmed, Paccloa will provide advance/follow-up advice that is both necessary and sufficient, whenever the occasion calls for it.
The more precise such advice, confirmation, and evaluation is, the stronger your capabilities will grow, and you will become capable of doing more things on your own to reach your goal of international expansion.

As we provide our support to you, the greater awareness you have (in other words, actually sensing you won’t get a good response from overseas businesses if your company merely maintains status quo), the stronger your motivation will become.

Paccloa’s OJT service is second to none as a powerful way to help reach your goal as you grow and stretch up to seize your future with strong motivation.

Paccloa-style OJT comprises the below steps in the order shown.

• Conducting a Feasibility Study
• Developing the Necessary Capabilities
• Formulating Strategies

• A.Exhibiting Products and Promoting Sales Overseas
  B.Making Overseas Investments（if there is investment）

First, we verify whether or not your product or service is one that will be loved and accepted overbroad, and identify what your company is lacking in order to participate in the market with an advantage. You will gain an awareness of the differences between overseas and Japanese business customs, as well as acquire practical capabilities and negotiating know-how.

You will choose the markets where you believe you may be successful and, as an SME with limited resources, formulate multiple strategies for powerful participation, then implement your strategies for various initiatives, such as overseas exhibitions, overseas sales, or establishment of an overseas base.

Paccloa’s starting point is not the commonly practiced one of “let’s exhibit the product overseas first,” or “we may as well build a factory overseas soon,” because you will not succeed even if you do exhibit products or enter an overseas market if you don’t have the necessary capabilities to go global.

Instead, we optimize strategies while rotating the PDCA（Plan→ Do → Check → Act） cycle to simultaneously assist with steps 01 through 03. The defining feature of Paccloa-style OJT service is that after we begin providing our support, you will become incredibly busy.