Breaking the Japanese negotiating code: What European and American managers must do to win

The Japanese system of business negotiation is unique and deeply embedded in Japanese culture. Western businessmen, who seek compromise, 'friendly transactions' and open agendas, and who fear failure, have much to learn in economic competition with Japan. Julian Gresser explains that Japanese negotiating reflects a deep understanding of the psychological dynamics of the effective manager. He identifies six important rules from the Japanese negotiating system which need to be grasped by Westerners if they are to match this formidable capability. There is still no substitute, however, for patient training and coaching in teams to tackle the Japanese tacticians.

Multiscale Characterisation of Staple Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymers

The aim of this study was to characterise the microstructural organisation of staple carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites and to investigate their mechanical properties. Conventionally, fibre-reinforced materials are manufactured using continuous fibres. However, discontinuous fibres are crucial for developing sustainable structural second-life applications. Specifically, aligning staple fibres into yarn or tape-like structures enables similar usage to continuous fibre-based products. Understanding the effects of fibre orientation, fibre length, and compaction on mechanical performance can facilitate the fibres’ use as standard engineering materials. This study employed methods ranging from microscale to macroscale, such as image analysis, X-ray computed tomography, and mechanical testing, to quantify the microstructural organisations resulting from different alignment processing methods. These results were compared with the results of mechanical tests to validate and comprehend the relationship between fibre alignment and strength. The results show a significant influence of alignment on fibre orientation distribution, fibre volume fraction, tortuosity, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, different characteristics of the staple fibre tapes were identified and attributed to kinematic effects during movement of the sliver alignment unit, resulting in varying tape thicknesses and fuzzy surfaces