SMEs need patience and a long-term strategy to be big in Japan
Two years ago Diarmuid O’Donovan, operations director of Glenmar Shellfish, got a taste of how business is done, eastern style. Through one of its Belgian partners, the west Cork-based firm was introduced to a Japanese trading company which wanted to sell its products. Before signing an agreement, the Japanese company sent Ringo Shindo, one of its representatives, to Skibbereen. For two days, Shindo scrutinised Glenmar’s production line, staff, raw material, supply chain and management team. Every day at 6.30am, the visitor, scrupulously attired in his business suit, accompanied O’Donovan to the pier and filmed fishermen unloading their catch. The pictures were part of a lengthy due diligence process, for the benefit of Shindo’s colleagues in Tokyo. “You could be dealing with a Spanish guy for 20 years and you’d never see him,” recalls O’Donovan.
All news and features older than 7 days are subscription only. This article is from the archive. Archived articles could only be accessed with the subscription. If you are a subscriber please log in, alternatively you need to purchase a subscription to view the full content for this page.
