...Benihana of Tokyo Benihana, Inc., operator of the nation's largest chain of Japanese-themed and sushi restaurants, was founded by Rocky Aoki in 1964. By 1972, Benihana became a steakhouse with Japanese chiefs cooking in front of the customers with a various authentic food. This paper explains the unique features of Benihana and how these impact the financial performance of the company. The first Benihana restaurant opended in Japan in 1935, and was named for the small red flower that grew wild near the front door of the restaurant. The unique features of these early restaurants include authenticity of interior décor, which is similar to the beams, artifacts, and light fixtures in Japanese home. Another feature is that food is prepared at the table by a highly-trained chef. The chefs are native Japanese who have completed a three-year apprenticeship. A third key feature of Benihana restaurants is that customers gather together in groups for seating. Complete strangers are often seated next to each other. The menu itself is a fourth key feature; it consists of three basic items: chicken, shrimp, and steak. These features reduce fixed costs, which lessens kitchen space requirements. Furthermore, the features reduce rent and building costs, impacting the financial performance . Also, benefits included reducing customer anxiety over unfamiliar food and preparation and increasing freshness and appeal of the food in front of the customers. Furthermore, these is increased...
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...For the exclusive use of Q. Yang, 2014. 9-673-057 REV: JULY 20, 2004 W. EARL SASSER Benihana of Tokyo Some restaurateurs like myself have more fun than others, says Hiroaki (Rocky) Aoki, youthful president of Benihana of Tokyo. Between 1964, when he opened his first location, and 1972 he had gone from deficit net worth to being president of a chain of 15 restaurants that grossed over $12 million per year. Background By 1972 Benihana was basically a steakhouse with a difference--the food was cooked in front of the customer by Japanese chefs, and the decor was that of an authentically detailed Japanese country inn. From a humble 40-seat unit opened in midtown Manhattan in 1964, Benihana had grown to a chain of 15 units across the country. Nine were company-owned locations: New York (3); San Francisco; Chicago; Encino and Marina del Rey, California; Portland, Oregon; and Honolulu. Five were franchised: Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Beverly Hills, Seattle, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The last unit, Las Vegas, was operated as a joint venture with Hilton Hotels Corporation. Rocky, who was a former Olympic wrestler, described his success as follows: In 1959, I came to the United States on a tour with my university wrestling team. I was 20 at the time. When I reached New York, it was love at first sight! I was convinced that there were more opportunities for me in America than Japan. I decided to enroll in the School of Restaurant Management at City College basically...
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...BenihanaOperations Management Education Review 1: 5-28. © 2005 NeilsonJournals Publishing. Benihana: A New Look at an Old Classic Ricardo Ernst and Glen M. Schmidt Georgetown University Abstract. This short case heavily references the “old classic” HBS case on Benihana, and is intended to be used in conjunction with a simulation that helps students gain insight into how Benihana achieved its profitability. The simulation helps bring out many key operational issues, such as how variability in demand and in processing can negatively impact profitability. The case analysis goes on to show how Benihana reduces variability, and illustrates concepts such as the product-process spectrum, the impact of a bottleneck, and the advantage of simultaneous product and process engineering. Keywords: process analysis, simulation, variability, queueing. 1. Introductory Note Benihana might be thought of as an “old classic” in Operations Management. The original Harvard Business School (HBS) version was published in 1972, but the Harvard case continues to be a best seller. This short case heavily references the HBS case, number 9-673-057 (rev. Dec. 14, 1998), however what has been added to enhance the case experience is a simulation that can be used to gain insight into how the operation achieves its profitability, as compared to other restaurants. There is a set of web sites associated with this case note, intended for both students and instructors, at http://www.msb.edu/faculty/schmidtg/...
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...City Report: Tokyo and Karachi Mackenzie J. Kiene Cleveland State University Abstract Upon comparing and contrasting the two megacities of Karachi and Tokyo it is apparent that these are two very dissimilar metropolitan areas with only a handful of similarities. On one hand, there is Karachi, a city with one-third of its population in poverty and 40% of its residents living in the slums. On the other hand there is Tokyo, which has been deemed as one of the cleanest, most efficient, and safest megacities in the world. With such differing characteristics it is easy to use these two cities as complete opposites despite their status as two of the largest megacities in the world. It is particularly interesting how two cities with two of the largest populations in the world can be so vastly different and harbor citizens with such contrasting lifestyles. Keywords: Populations, Economy, Socio-political, Environment, Culture, Religion Population Demographics: Karachi Karachi is one of the most heavily populated cities in the entire world with an approximate population of 21.2 million people which is still growing at a rate of about 5% per year. Karachi has grown from a population of 500,000 in 1947 to its approximate 21.2 million today. Angotti and Beckel (2001) believe that this huge population spike is due to Karachi’s key situation in the strategic and economic scheme of British trade in the 20th century. Karachi has a very...
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...the station or in the train in NY. They appealed New Yorkers by insisting the excellence of Japanese technology. The most popular Uniqlo product in Japan is the one called Heattech. It is a think shirt and absorbs the heat, so if you wear it inside, you could feel hotter. It is very helpful during the winter. They advertised it as a symbol of Japanese technology. As I mentioned above, Uniqlo’s products including Heattech are cheap in Japan, but the price of their products in NY is much higher than ones in Japan. As a result, they made a great success in NY. The reason why they made it is because they could appeal everyone living in NY not only Japanese. I was surprised at how they increased the number of shops in Japan when I went back to Tokyo for the winter break. They could extend their market by succeeding in the busincess in...
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...Lucy Parkhurst Dr. Thombre 11/5/13 Intercultural Movie Review When thinking of intercultural communication, the movie that comes to mind is Sophia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation”. Bob Harris, played by Bill Murray, is an American actor who visits Tokyo, Japan to film an ad for whiskey. Bob, away from his wife and his familiar western environment, experiences isolation, loneliness, and sleeplessness upon entering Tokyo. He is constantly frustrated, due largely in part to his understanding of what others, such as a film director, restaurant waiters, and prostitutes are trying to convey to him in Japanese. In the midst of all this, he meets Charlotte, an American woman who like him, is lonely because her husband is more interested in his photography work than her. Due to their shared loneliness and feelings of isolation and culture shock, Bob and Charlotte become friends, and begin a relationship through respect, trust, and self-disclosure. Bob and Charlotte become a mirror to each other, as both try to sort out their identities and how proceed from their own relational crossroads. While the audience may wonder throughout the movie if Bob and Charlotte’s relationship will ever become romantic, it is plain to see that they learn lots about themselves and each other as a result of being outsiders in this new and unfamiliar culture. The most evident intercultural concepts I noticed in the film is culture shock, language, and identity. The first concept, culture shock, is explained...
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...Meiji Japan. In 1867/68, the Tokugawa era found an end in the Meiji Restoration. The emperor Meiji was moved from Kyototo Tokyo which became the new capital; his imperial power was restored. The actual political power was transferred from the Tokugawa Bakufu into the hands of a small group of nobles and former samurai. Like other subjugated Asian nations, the Japanese were forced to sign unequal treaties with Western powers. These treaties granted the Westerners one-sided economical and legal advantages in Japan. In order to regain independence from the Europeans and Americans and establish herself as a respected nation in the world, Meiji Japan was determined to close the gap to the Western powers economically and militarily. Drastic reforms were carried out in practically all areas. The new government aimed to make Japan a democratic state with equality among all its people. The boundaries between the social classes of Tokugawa Japan were gradually broken down. Consequently, the samurai were the big losers of those social reforms since they lost all their privileges. The reforms also included the establishment of human rights such as religious freedom in 1873. In order to stabilize the new government, the former feudal lords (daimyo) had to return all their lands to the emperor. This was achieved already in 1870 and followed by the restructuring of the country in prefectures. The education system was reformed after the French and later after the German system. Among those...
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...The book Kokoro is a novel written by Natsume Soseki. This novel was written in 1914, which is when the drastic change in Japanese culture was taking effect. The book is set into three different parts. The book is explained throughout the book by a narrator who the reader does not know the identity of Sensei. The book deals with the transition from the Japanese “Meiji Era” to the “Modern Era.” Throughout the book it is exploring the friendship between an adolescent man and an older man he calls 'Sensei' who are accustomed to different eras they live in. Throughout the novel we see the changing roles and relationships of women in society, various values that are changing, and the entire identity of older Japanese values. The first section begins with the narrator who is a college student, approaching the independence of an adult life but with weak emotions. The narrator begins a friendship and fascination with Sensei. Sensei lives a lives a life of solidarity and tries to avoid other people and will only socialize with friends during special occasions. Sensei has a wife, but he treats her very poorly throughout the book. The student notices that Sensei is secretive and wants to find out more about him. The second section of the book shows the narrator mostly with his family and away from Sensei. The narrator’s father is sick and he stays bedside with him. The parents think that the narrator is their family's future to carry the family into further generations because of his...
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...Ambroos Rentmeester Wolvenstraat, Amsterdam 1016EE May 4, 1899 Emperor Meiji Yubinbango 100-8111 Tokyo Chiyado, Chiyado 1-1v Dear Great Emperor Meiji, I am a humble Dutch trader that has heard of the concerns that bringing Japan out of isolation has brought forth. This letter is written on behalf of many other Dutch traders who completely support your most wise decision to open up the gates of Japan. Coming out of isolation has helped strengthen both our economies and relationship. Despite the benefits that opening trade has led to many benefits for both the Dutch and Japanese, we are aware of the doubt that rests among your people. As a country, we completely support your choice and hope that the uncertainty part of your people hold will not prevent, but further our countries trade. Because of our trade in the Edo Period, we gained considerable wealth exporting beautiful Japanese products, such as silk, porcelain and cotton, as well as providing bits of knowledge for Japan and outside nations. However that wealth never went past a certain point because of the restricted laws, and as a result many of the Japanese products we received came through China. During the mid Edo period both our countries suffered a huge loss due to the crash of the Dutch East India Company. Independent Dutch traders were also unapproved by the bakufu, which worsened the situation. As the only foreign company Japan traded with, your limited link to the outside world decreased substantially...
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...minutes. * That makes it the fifth largest recorded worldwide since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Service, larger than the 7.9-magnitude Great Kanto Earthquake that devastated Tokyo in 1923 or the 6.8 magnitude quake that hit Kobe in 1995. * It had 10,000 times more energy than the magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, which struck 17 days earlier The Cause * Japan is located on the east edge of the Eurasian Plate. * The oceanic Pacific Plate subducts the Eurasian Plate. * This plate margin is “destructive” – it is not a smooth process, friction is present and the plates stick. * When the plates stick, tension builds up. * When this pressure builds up and is released, it causes a rapid shift in the plates and a lot of energy to be release, in this case about the same as the annual energy output of the UK. Impact * Japan was largely prepared for the earthquake and many buildings remained standing afterwards, but it was not prepared for the subsequent Tsunami. * A tsunami warning extended to at least 50 nations and territories, as far away as South America. * Damage was caused in Tokyo and many injuries in the north where the quake was centered * The yen fell sharply but recouped most of its decline several hours later. Tokyo stocks fell. * Local television showed smoke rising...
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...Public Relations Program for OVAL International Business Contest for Students I. Situation OVAL International Business Contest for Students is a competition of creative business ideas for university students from China, Japan and Korea. Once a year, the committees of the three countries take turns to hold the Contest in Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul. During the seven-day contest, participants join in intercultural communication, develop a comprehensive understanding of different cultures and adopt an international outlook while writing a complete business plan of a designated subject. The Contest’s participants mainly come from top universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing Foreign Studies University in China, University of Tokyo, Waseda University, Keio University in Japan and Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University in Korea. Only 30 participants from each country can take part in the final contest after the selection organized by the three committees respectively. As a university famous for business studies, University of International Business and Economics has been a major source of participants for the Contest. According to statistics provided by Program Manager of 11th OVAL China Committee, 636 participants applied for the Contest in 2011 among which 195 participants were from University of International Business and...
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...Me and Ten Million Big Ones If I were handed ten million dollars for some reason, let’s say I won the lottery or received an inheritance. I would become an adventurous jet setter. My life would be one long trip around the world. I would have an entourage of thrill seekers to accompany me. Constant excitement and dangerous thrills could be our livelihood. The wonders of the world would become our playground. First I would travel to Madagascar where I would begin with a trek in the Bongolava Mountains. We could spend weeks mountain climbing and repelling from mountain peaks. Swinging from ropes and camping cliff side. Imagine the view in the morning when we would wake up, seeing the sun rise over those African island mountains. Perhaps I could purchase a pet lemur to sit on my shoulder as I venture through the wilderness of Madagascar. Then my team would have to have a canoe safari on the Manambolo River. Without life jackets we would brave the white water rapids and explore the Gorge of Bemaraha, with its steep rocks and grottos. The beauty and sheer wonder of this unspoiled tropical island make Madagascar the perfect place to begin my worldly adventures. Next the team would fly to Cambodia, to see the unexplored and exotic destinations it holds hidden in the jungles. We would bushwhack through the rugged jungles and find ancient and remote temples. Our days would be spent hiking through the lush vegetation in search of the exceptional secluded...
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...Urgent flight from Paris airport to New York via United Kingdom Problem We need to travel to New York from one of Paris airports threw United Kingdom airport. We are in an urgent situation. What steps we must follow to gather data’s and information’s from our agent website? Before we start gathering data’s and information’s we must determine our problem and our goal. Goal: Reach New York City from Paris threw U.K airports. Problem: We must select the faster route to reach our destination. Having determining our goal and problem we must set some constrains. Doing so we will be able to filter faster data and information’s and we will avoid gathering unnecessary data’s and information’s that will take time to analyze and louse valuable time. Constrains: 1) We will travel alone. 2) Departure airport: Which airport we must choose. 3) Date and time: We are in a hurry so we must look for the faster day and time to travel. 4) United Kingdom airport stop: We must make a stop to a United Kingdom airport and from there travel to New York. It doesn’t matter if will be the same airport or different one. We must avoid airports that their stuff does strikes or will be in strike the day we will travel. 5) Airline: We avoid airline companies that we know there schedules programs are not trustworthy and always have delays, strikes or other problems. 6) Cost: The cost of the airline ticket is not important. 7) Landing airports in New York: We don’t care...
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...Lost In Translation: Taking place in Tokyo, Japan, Charlotte is a recently graduated philosophy major married to a photographer on a business trip together in this foreign country. Bob is a has-been actor seeking work in Japan as a promoter for a popular whisky. The storyline revolved around these two people, Bob and Charlotte who are lost in their life at the time. Although married, these two create quite the relationship together traveling the city lost in a society completely unlike their own. Communicating comes as a burden as they aimlessly make their way through their stay in Japan accepting the break in communication humorously. The main theme that I intend to focus on is this lack of direction in both their lives and how the cultural differences in Japan including communication symbolize this time in their lives. Beginning from the start of the movie, both Bob and Charlotte have this reoccurring sleep problem. It is apparent from this that something is on their mind that is keeping them up at all hours of the night. After meeting in the bar, the two spend multiple nights together getting to known each other while sharing many drinks. It becomes obvious that they are lost at this point in their lives as alcohol one way or another goes hand in hand with individuals under stress, unhappy, or lost in their life. While they are away from their partners, they create a certain bond together because of this common setback in their lives bringing them closer to one another...
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...Generally, Tokyo and Osaka are the two major cities is the two major cities in Japan that have a very different characteristic. Culture of Tokyo vs Culture of Osaka Udagawa(n.d.) states that “Originally, there are difference between food culture between Kansai and Kanto and meat is preferred to pork in Kansai. Brand meat such as Matsuzaka meat, Kobe meat and Oumi meat represent this culture and consumption rate of meat per family in Kansai is higher than that of Kanto. In other hand, consumption rate of port per family in Kanto is higher than that of Kansai. It is common for Kansai people to use meat and Kanto people to use pork for cooking Nikujaga, the traditional Japanese home cuisine.”(my translation) 関西と関東の食文化の違いにより，もともと関西は豚肉より牛肉が好まれる。松阪牛，神戸牛，近江牛など関西には牛肉のブランドも多く，一戸あたりの牛肉の消費量は関東よりも多い。逆に関東は豚肉の消費量が関西より多い。肉じゃがの肉も関西では牛肉，関東では豚肉が主流とか。 Gajet of Gajetdaisuke.com explains that while people in Tokyo emphasis on building their career since many of them are responsible for dealing a big projects, people in Kansai emphasis on money because many of them are doing a small business such as running a small manufacturing company or small shop. Kansai peoples are so keen to the money that few people in Kansai receive social aid and few people become a victim of fraud compared to other regions(2010). 東京のように何億円規模のビッグプロジェクトがばんばん乱立してる世界ではシゴト自体に重点を置くのでしょうが、町工場とか個人商店とか職人とかの気質がそのまま活きてる関西では悪い意味ではなく身近な金額のお金についてもっと普段から重視 してる印象があります。そのスタンスは生活保護をうける率とか振り込め詐欺に騙されない率とか、そういうところにも大きく関係してそうですね。 ...
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