When the Japan business is not going as planned, trying to rebuild every initiative at once can spread resources thin and make things worse. It is necessary first to sort out what to continue, what to stop, and what to prioritize.
- The gap between plan and results is large and it is unclear where to start
- Headquarters is asking for a revised plan, but the basis has not been organized
- There are many initiatives and it is unclear which ones are working
- It is unclear whether the delay comes from the market, the team, or the way of working
This article explains how to reprioritize when the Japan business is not going as planned.
Main Causes of Delay Against Plan
Delays against plan often arise from several factors together, such as a misreading of the market, a shortage of team or headcount, and slow decision-making. Addressing them without separating the causes means spending effort on initiatives with little effect.
At foreign companies especially, the premises of the plan set by headquarters may not match conditions in the Japanese market. A perspective that checks the premises themselves is essential.
How to Run the Review
When reviewing priorities, it helps to work through the current situation in the following steps.
| Step | What It Involves |
|---|---|
| Understand the current state | Check the gap between plan and results in numbers and list progress and results for each initiative |
| Separate the causes | Sort the causes of delay into the market, the team, the way of working, and the underlying premises |
| Decide to continue, stop, or change | Continue initiatives likely to work and consider stopping or scaling back those with little effect |
| Reset priorities | Concentrate limited resources on the initiatives with the greatest effect on the business |
Agree on the Review With Headquarters
Agree carefully with headquarters on the revised priorities and the revised plan. Showing the current state, the causes, and the grounds for the changes together with data makes it easier to gain understanding.
A review is not a one-time event. Run the revised plan on the premise that progress is checked regularly and adjusted again as needed.
Summary
- Delays against plan arise from several factors together, such as the market, the team, and decision-making
- Work through understanding the current state, separating causes, and deciding to continue, stop, or change
- Concentrate limited resources on initiatives with the greatest effect on the business
- Agree on the revised plan with headquarters, check progress regularly, and readjust
Contact
JBN supports foreign companies' Japan business from reviewing plans through to execution.
To discuss reviewing your plan and priorities, please contact us.