Category: Motivation

  • High-Context Communication in Japan: A Cultural Insight

    Japan is recognised as a high-context society. What is high context? It is where communication extends far beyond words we speak but many other ways. In high-context cultures, meaning is conveyed through the use of body language, silence, social setting, tone of voice, and shared understanding rather than direct verbal expression alone. For people who…

  • The Future of Digital Identity and Privacy

    Everything can be digitized, and digitalized. we live in a digitized and digitalized world today. Living, working, traveling has impacted tremendously all without even noticing how governments and businesses all over world are capturing our personal data of faces, finger prints, shapes, sizes at the point of entry, exit, using AI mother tongue language translation…

  • Discovering Purpose: Islamic Niyyah Meets Japanese Ikigai

    The Islamic perspective of intention (niyyah) with the Japanese concept of ikigai have many common features which could be of benefit to everyone. Comparison made here with examples of daily and professional life as university lecturers and a typical Japanese salarymen. 1. Embracing the Islamic Perspective: Niyyah (Intention) as the Foundation of Purpose In Islam,…

  • Understanding Hard-working vs Working Hard in Japan

    In Japan, both “working hard” and “hard-working” carry significant cultural weight, reflecting traditional values of diligence, perseverance, and collective effort. They are rooted in Japan’s work ethic, which emphasizes dedication to one’s role and contribution to the group. What do you know about them? It is important to know the differences to achieving better performance…

  • Understanding Japanese Work Ethic: Hard-working and Working Hard

    In Japan, both “working hard” and “hard-working” carry significant cultural weight, reflecting traditional values of diligence, perseverance, and collective effort. They are rooted in Japan’s work ethic, which emphasizes dedication to one’s role and contribution to the group. What do you know about them? It is important to know the differences to achieving better performance…

  • Lessons for Year 2020… Welcome 2021

    After retiring in August 2019 as professor from UTM, I was eagerly looking forward for my new job on a contract basis with Meiji University for 2 years beginning April 2020. I was making plans by getting the employment visa which was already approved after obtaining the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to be employed in…

  • How to succeed as an engineer?

    Today I was interviewed by a group of final year students majoring in Property Management, UTM, as part of their course requirement I believe. I did not how and where they got my name. However, the interview went on very well for a bit over one hour. First, I was asked about my background. I…