Our Origins
私たちの歴史
Pacific Tech Link began with a simple and often overlooked truth:
Successful business relationships, especially international, are based on respect for the cultures and values that shape organizations.
Connecting the Pacific
To build a management advisory practice capable of connecting business interests in the United States with those in Japan, founders Duncan Brown and Yumiko Fukushima started with a novel approach.
As Brown immersed himself in Japanese culture and spent extended periods in country, Fukushima, a professor of Japanese language and literature, identified opportunities to enhance communications through cultural subtleties, such as levels of societal inclusion, organizational context and precise language.
The result was Pacific Tech Link – a bridge between American and Japanese business cultures, and a model for working globally to produce innovation, value and lasting relationships.
Our journey has led to projects that defy standard categorization, and solving complex problems in unexpected - and utterly enjoyable - ways.
Teaching "American" in Japan
A Japanese research company wanted to expand its role in the United States, but their staff had limited US contacts and and expertise in English was scattered. Pacific Tech Link created a custom “Master of Technology” curriculum. Attendees were primarily drawn from the R&D Division. The attendees were introduced to financial statements, the elements of negotiation – with special attention on how to think like an American, as well as how to create realistic financial projections. They learned American business language, culture and how to establish personal relationships to further business objectives. They learned how to talk with American business professionals, and how to develop better business relationships. The ”graduates” now form the nucleus of an international looking management team.
An intermediary for negotiations
When negotiations between two passionate entrepreneurs landed at an impasse, Pacific Tech Link was called in. The two sides misunderstood the positions of the other, partially due to language barriers. Pacific Tech Link analyzed the offer, provided honest assessment of the financials, and created a blueprint for the company being acquired to improve their technology. Pacific Tech Link then constructed a deal that pleased both sides, and the deal went through.
Linking people and technology
A US company was trying to earn attention and investment capital in Japan, but they had no contacts. They hired Pacific Tech Link to create a supply chain in Asia and arrange a line of credit at excellent rates.