Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Questionnaire - Japan

I  am now on business trip in Japan and watching TV news this morning.

In Japan, the stereo type of questionnaire when they ask YES or NO is not the choices out of two.  Most of the time, there are choices for Maybe, Maybe Not and Do No Know.

There could be Do Not Know for whom they are still considering their answers.  But it is nonsense to offer the choices for Maybe and Maybe Not.  It is too vague and it is one of stereo type of Japanese culture.

In the daily conversation, the Japanese people often use Maybe instead of YES or NO not to hurt opponent feeling.  I think it is fine. But for any marketing survey, I think it is not necessary.  It should be only YES and NO.  Or YES,  NO and Do Not Know Yet.