Thom reviewed Notes from Toyota-Land by Darius Mehri
Review of 'Notes from Toyota-Land' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This book is a memoir of a three-year stint for a foreign engineer working in Japan, for a subsidiary of Toyota. Along the way he immerses himself in the culture and provides analysis of several "recommended" books about Japanese working culture - most are lacking. I utilized the provided glossary of the Japanese terms and ideas expressed.
What was especially interesting about the work culture were the rules, in many cases unwritten, that he had to learn. He does admirably well in a culture he was not born into, even getting promoted when others are losing their jobs around him. Most Americans would not do as well in the socially conscious culture described; I personally would find the bullying and ostracism difficult to tolerate.
While not the best written memoir out there, it is candid and insightful at times. Recommended to any with interest in the Japanese working culture.