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(Editor's Note: As Japan's persistent economic woes continue
to cast a glum perspective over the area's-indeed, the world's-commercial
and marketing prognosis, it becomes difficult to realize that just
a few short years ago, we were in the middle of that rarified "bubble
economy" in which everyone in this country seemed to have more
money than really necessary. With rapidly changing political personalities
taking brief turns at the head of Japan's government, the prospect
for a reduction in Japan's towering balance-of-payments obligation
seems as remote as ever. Throughout this stressful period of economic
adjustment, many foreigners doing business in Japan have persevered,
convinced that hard work, inventiveness and capitalistic determination
will see them through. In this new Weekender series, we will
investigate some of these " success stories" in an effort
to learn what factors make these entrepreneurs click in the face
of contrary conditions.)
Tom Nevins was a relative youngster when he first set foot on Japanese
soil. He says today that almost immediately he knew he was in the
right spot for him. " I just had this feeling of being at home
here," he recalls. " It's a feeling that hasn't gone away
over the years. This is the place I feel I should be; where I was
meant to be."
If only every foreign businessperson making his way through the
inter-twining labyrinth that is Japanese society could be as well
prepared for the cultural, commercial, social "shock-u"
as Tom Nevins was when he first arrived here in 1972. He came here
having studied Japanese, written and spoken, and, as a matter of
course, has improved his language abilities almost daily since then.
Well, that was 22 years ago, and young Mr. Nevins is doing just
fine, thanks. In fact, in his building in Ichibancho (technically
the Ichibancho K.K. Bldg, but where Tom's firm occupies the first,
second, fourth, fifth, six, and seventh floors), he recently completed
an 81-person-capacity seminar room, additional training rooms and
an outplacement center.
Nevins' endeavors are a bit varied, but basically he is a personnel
and motivational expert with a born salesman's knack for cutting
to the bone of a situation and spelling out quite clearly what is
needed and how to accomplish the job to achieve success. "
Success " is a word you hear a lot around Tom Nevins - and
for good cause. He's had plenty of it, and looks forward to much
more as he gazes toward unlimited horizons.
Hailing from Westchester, New York, Thomas J. Nevins earned a B.S.
at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University
in Ithaca, N.Y., a degree he calculated would be valuable to him
in a career he had already chosen. Desiring a governmental slant
on his future in Japan, Nevins worked as a White House intern in
Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, then was assigned
to another internship, this time at the Bureau of International
Labor Affairs of the U.S. Department of Labor. As it turned out
in Nevins' future, these two apprenticeships at the seat of power
in the U.S were to prove invaluable to him once he reached Japan
and began to establish his bona fides.
Buttressing his claim to expertise in his role as labor relations
expert, he began his Japan career in 1972 as a researcher with Cornell
and the Japan Institute of Labor (the research organ of Japan's
Ministry of Labor.) Before establishing his own firm- Technics in
Management Transfer Inc., known familiarly as "TMT"-in
1978, he also worked as a contract consultant to a number of companies
and Japanese labor unions.
In 1978, he established Technics in Management Transfer Inc., just
six years after first settling in Japan.
The term "headhunter" does not accurately describe the
services that TMT provides, although with 20 Executive Search Consultants,
TMT has placed at least one manager in 296 foreign capitalized firms,
as of the first of this year. More than 50 in one firm, 40 in another
and over 20 in several more. The specialty of TMT is advising firms
on the rules of employment, salary systems and the most effective-and
most economically viable - methods of removing employees, replacing
them or otherwise paring staff numbers without acrimony on the part
of the displaced employee and without legal action becoming necessary.
Nevins terms this particular service "outplacement" of
employees, involving, as it does, staff reductions, cost- reduction
programs, removing "problem employees" bound for "dehiring."
Euphemisms aside, TMT has handled "outplacements" for
more than 80 downsizings involving tens of thousands of employees;
20 corporate closures and 200 cases of individual designated termination
cases. Tom has handled a majority of these cases personally.
Tom adds with some pride: "We accomplish this sometimes unpleasant
chore for about half to one third of the cost a firm would pay for
outplacement services in the U.S. or Europe. Our outplacement consulting
offers our clients my personal guarantee that they will not need
a lawyer, even if someone should decide to fight in court. Our methods
prevent litigation, and we can immediately end litigation if the
client is already in court when we're called in."
Nevins' career-long immersion in how-to-do business in Japan is
the bedrock, fundamental feature of TMT's area of expertise. Seminars,
lectures and books are provided a client who might have run into
a wall in attempting to conduct business here. Where Nevins finds
the time to write a shelf-full of how-to books is a wonder his friends
cannot explain. But he writes almost constantly, if not his book
series, then articles in most major Japanese magazines and newspapers.
He is a recognized expert in this field.
His published books include Passport to Japan- a Businessman's
Guide, revised each year, The Complete Handbook of
U.S. Personnel and Labor Relations for Japanese Corporations
(a 1980 JETRO book now out of print), Labor Pains and the
Gaijin Boss and Taking Charge in Japan ( Japan
Times 1984 and 1990.)
His three latest publications are led by Why U.S. Style Downsizing
/ Outplacement Is the Wrong Strategy in Japan, Striking
Gold in Japan and Sixteen Steps to Corporate Leadership and Excellence
(TMT's training guide.) In addition, TMT has produced a seminar
video, Strategic Tools for Managing Japanese Personnel - Local
Practices, Policies and the Law, sold by The Japan
Times.
This first-of-a-series articles in The Tokyo Weekender is
hardly breaking ground for Tom Nevins: he has been interviewed and
quoted in such prestigious publications as The New York Times,
The Observer, Business Week, Industry Week, The Wall Street Journal,
The International Herald Tribune, Fortune, plus having appeared
frequently on Japanese and U.S. television panels.
If you are a businessman-Japanese or foreign-needing solid advice
in any personnel or training problem, you might find it worth while
to contact Mr. Thomas J. Nevins, TMT Inc., Ichibancho K.K. Bldg.,
13-8, Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0082, or call him at 03-
3261-6471(fax 03- 3221-0601).
What's on the horizon for Tom Nevins and his skilled staff of business
experts? "Well, we recently completed a renovations and expansion
program in our building here in Ichibancho," he says reflectively.
"In these difficult times, there seems to be more of a need
for our type of expertise. Unfortunately, a lot of it is concerning
with "outplacement" and downsizing staff, but we always
try-and largely succeed-in finding employment for the 'dehired'
worker. We're even more proud of the way we can help these people
through our training programs." |
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