Doing Business with the Japanese: A Study of Alain Corneau's Fear and Trembling Cover Image

Doing Business with the Japanese: A Study of Alain Corneau's Fear and Trembling
Doing Business with the Japanese: A Study of Alain Corneau's Fear and Trembling

Author(s): Raluca Andreescu
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: EDITURA ASE
Keywords: cultural dissonance; Japanese corporate culture; business etiquette; individuality versus community

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to illustrate the manner in which French director Alain Corneau's film Fear and Trembling (originally titled Stupeur et tremblements, released in 2003) provides a cross-cultural examination of the world of Japanese office politics and canvasses the peculiarities of the Japanese corporate culture as seen through the eyes of a European. I will demonstrate that at once a story of bold ambition and masochism, the film explores and exploits – sometimes resorting to stereotyping – both the fascination of the Western world with the Japanese culture and the failure to adapt to the requirements of a mighty different cultural environment.

  • Issue Year: 2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 75-83
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: English