2012-09-25, 16:26 | Link #2501 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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2012-09-25, 19:49 | Link #2502 |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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@DonQuigleone
I don't think I misunderstand their corporate culture.. We had classes dedicated to it in business school. What you're describing about loyalty and lifetime employment however are mostly a thing of past or at least fading, well at least in the news, Forbes and other publications. Job security worldwide, including in Japan, is at an all-time low. And, what I'm describing is actively pursuing personal achievements and initiative, with feelings, status and position completely set aside. It may sound reckless, but we're not talking about minor wage increases and menial promotions, gotta fight for that next step up the ladder.. I was being a tad facetious about the whole "Fired in Japan" comment, cause I'd arguably be potentially fired at other companies in North America and Europe too if I were ever under the supervision by typical middle management EDIT: And no one has responded on what the costs of good suiting is in Japan yet! |
2012-09-25, 20:26 | Link #2504 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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If you put promotion first, it means you're just as likely to use more nefarious means to get ahead as just. I don't think an organisation should reward such naked ambition. Employees need to be primarily driven by the company mission, while the company compensates them well enough to lead satisfactory and secure lives, in proportion to the success of the company as a whole(and not to the seniority of the employee within the company). Employees primarily motivated by wage increases will work to increase their own wage, not to improve the service the company provides. Though, I might be something of a radical... |
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2012-09-25, 20:32 | Link #2505 | |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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I'll tell you, and it may be horrid to hear, but sometimes you have to go around your own managers/supervisors/bosses even to accomplish your "customer first" philosophy. Heck, forget bureaucracy.. I've worked with incompetent CEOs and CFOs for companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars that belittle their own employees, drive their companies into bankruptcy and still collect a "parachute" of several million dollars. EDIT: Getting back on a topic more directly Japanese related, hm.. 70,000 yen so.. About US$900 for a low-end "quality" suit is actually not much different. That's +/- what a Boss suit goes for around here. Is that made-to-measure or off the rack? Last edited by willx; 2012-09-25 at 20:45. |
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2012-09-25, 20:37 | Link #2506 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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They're all GMs in the making. |
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2012-09-26, 02:54 | Link #2507 | |
( ಠ_ಠ)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep
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I'm very content with the laid-back casual feel of office life in US. However, you don't have the right to diss my own people, only I do! Else I'll start calling you Spanish! (isn't that the worst insult to a Brazillian? )
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2012-09-26, 10:54 | Link #2508 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brazil - São Paulo
Age: 31
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But I didn't mind to diss your own people. I'm just not fond of how things work over there. But then again, I'm not very fond of large organized societies as well. |
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2012-09-26, 13:25 | Link #2509 |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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So, a couple of pages back we were talking about Japanese Food and a dearth of good non-sushi Japanese restaurants around. So, just to make you all jealous (other than those who live in Japan ), here's some pictures of my lunch!
This cost me all of about US$15.00. The owner gave me a small complimentary appetizer (salmon skin and sea cucumber marinated in soy sauce and mirin) and I ordered the teishoku |
2012-09-26, 14:15 | Link #2511 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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I stick to freelance at SMEs, although there are a number who undercut employees to retain profits, they aren't as slow and incompetent as the leaders of the Big Corps I have worked for. And it is utterly pathetic to see their offices laced with cliched posters. Quote:
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2012-09-26, 14:28 | Link #2512 | |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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That being said, my suits cost around $1,500, being made by family friends. |
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2012-09-26, 18:23 | Link #2513 |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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I have a pretty good suit I got from Syms for ~ $150. Though admittedly, I can't say it's necessarily the most comfortable thing ever, but it looks fine.
Sad they went out of business, perhaps that suit was too good value. Personally, I'd be pretty freaked out to be wearing something so expensive. Would have to be careful next time I eat a burger... |
2012-09-26, 19:00 | Link #2514 | ||
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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@RRW - Set meal with grilled mackerel, pickled veggies, steamed egg, pickled radish cubes, rice and miso soup! I had to ask to be served the soup with my meal, otherwise they bring it out with the appetizer salad
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PS: I'm typing away on an iPad at a bar, so pardon inaccuracies! Apparently I'd rather talk to all of you! (than drink!?) Last edited by willx; 2012-09-26 at 22:34. |
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2012-09-29, 16:34 | Link #2515 | |
Unspecified
Scanlator
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Unspecified
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Tokyo Akiba Shop Lets Visitors Sleep (Platonically) With a Woman
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2012-10-02, 13:21 | Link #2516 |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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So, coming home to the massive condo developments here in Toronto and being a high-rise condo dweller myself .. I was struck at the amount of older and low-rise apartments in Tokyo.
What's the reason why there are no massive condo farms there? It would significantly increase average living space per capita.. Common answer I hear is earthquakes, but there ARE high-rise condos in Roppongi Hills and high-rise office buildings elsewhere? |
2012-10-02, 13:30 | Link #2517 |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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1. Banks are being stingy with loans, meaning unless one is going to shell out big money from their own pockets, building such high rise buildings would be prohibitively expensive, especially with the unstable economic situation.
2. Maintenance/taxes are much higher for high rise buildings. 3. Given that the birth rate is rock bottom, do you really need the extra living space? The above are the more important reasons, with various lesser ones including supposed mental problems associated with high rise buildings and such. |
2012-10-02, 13:40 | Link #2518 |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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^ Hm, I guess it's simply not economically feasible then if you can't get project financing.
The way it works here is that developments are generally marketed intensely prior to financing and permits ever being issued and banks don't fund until the projects are ~70-80% pre-sold. That being said, property values were much lower here and developments were usually in re-zoned lands that had otherwise been neglected: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CityPlace,_Toronto I was just musing on these thoughts and was wondering how much people would pay monthly to live in ~600-700 sq. ft and have amenities like a concierge and a pool? Bring down the cost of "urban yuppie living" as it were, since even relatively poorly paid staff accountants live that lifestyle here. It could be a profitable venture depending on what the cap rates are in Japan currently. |
2012-10-02, 13:43 | Link #2519 |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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Another thing to consider is that Canada has a stable growth rate from immigration, thus making it economically viable for there to be high rise condos in the first place. Immigration is concentrated in the BC Lower Mainland and Southern Ontario, so there is a strong demand to build relatively cheap high rise buildings to accommodate the population and leave room for other amenities.
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2012-10-02, 13:56 | Link #2520 | |
Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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My vague musings/thoughts were surrounding the fact that: 1) interest rates in Japan are low if you can actually get financing; 2) there's a dearth of affordable modern condo buildings; 3) savings rates in Japan have declined but there is still a significant amount of accumulated assets generating negative real returns, and 4) those assets would seek investments offering safe stable positive returns if possible If you could get financing to build such a development, and if there's demand, the real investment "bang for the buck" in this thesis would be to convert the project and fund it via a REIT structure for those seeking positive yield. With cap rates in the 7's (I think) a tax-efficient investment structure offering even 4-5% returns should be pretty attractive I would think.. Or maybe not, who knows? Just random thoughts.. |
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culture, discussion, japan, japanese culture |
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