Decision-making authority in Japan is typically distributed rather than concentrated. Different individuals and levels have authority over different domains. Understanding what decisions one can make, what requires consultation, and what must be escalated is essential competence. Operating within one’s authority is expected; exceeding authority is problematic regardless of decision quality.
Middle management plays crucial roles in coordinating across distributed authority. When working in Japanese contexts, understand the authority landscape. Know your decision scope. Consult across boundaries when decisions cross domains. Respect others’ authority over their domains.
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