Cross-cultural values driving PH innovation

I STILL remember the first time I sat down with a group of employees from different departments, backgrounds, and even countries to discuss our organization’s guiding principles. It was a conversation unlike any other I had experienced in my career.

There were no top-down directives or sweeping corporate slogans handed down from on high. Instead, we gathered as equals — developers, engineers, designers, managers — each offering a perspective on the meaning of our company’s mission, vision and values.

We were, in effect, shaping our culture together. In Japanese, the term “Katachi” refers to “shape” or “form.” In our environment, it has come to mean something deeper: the living, evolving essence of our corporate identity.

PHILIPPINES’ TECH CULTURE When Filipino developers receive guidance from seasoned Japanese engineers, they learn advanced technical skills along with a global perspective on problem-solving. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The idea of “Katachi” is simple yet profound. Rather than allowing our principles to be decided solely by the executive suite in a distant headquarters, we encourage every member of the team, regardless of role or seniority, to contribute to defining who we are and what we stand for.

For many organizations, a mission statement or a set of core values is carved in stone and passed down from the top. But we have chosen a different path — one that invites everyone to have a hand in molding our identity.

This approach is not only more inclusive; it also gives everyone a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for the culture we foster. As the director and country manager of a large listed Japanese technology company based in Cebu, I have seen firsthand how opening the floor to broad participation revitalizes the workplace.

By regularly engaging in Katachi discussions, we bring employees into conversations about our mission, vision and values. In these sessions, we ask:

What do we stand for? Why does our work matter? How can we remain true to our principles while continually improving?

In wrestling with these questions together, we gain clarity and strengthen our collective sense of purpose.

For culture to be authentic and enduring, employees must feel valued not just as workers, but as partners. One way we nurture this environment is by offering full-time, long-term positions to everyone who joins.

This may sound straightforward, but it represents a significant commitment: We are investing in each individual’s career, not merely filling short-term project needs. Providing this level of stability signals our trust in their capabilities and our expectation that they will shape our future direction.

Equally important is the encouragement we give employees to act autonomously. In our setup, innovation does not come solely from designated “innovators” or special task forces — it comes from anyone with a good idea and the drive to see it through.

Whether someone is a recent hire or a seasoned professional, we give them opportunities to propose new solutions, to challenge old assumptions, and to take real ownership of projects. The result is a vibrant, dynamic workplace where no one is afraid to contribute ideas or ask tough questions.

It’s a place where bureaucratic hierarchies take a backseat to creative problem-solving. Over time, this empowerment creates a workforce that aligns more closely with our mission. Instead of having a passive team waiting for instructions, we have a proactive group of thinkers actively shaping the organization.

It’s not an overstatement to say that this kind of environment transforms the relationship between employees and their employer. Suddenly, everyone feels like they have a stake in the outcome, and that sense of shared purpose propels us forward.

My experience leading a center that operates at the intersection of Japanese and Filipino corporate practices has offered rich lessons in cultural synergy. Japan is renowned for its emphasis on discipline, precision, and a process-driven approach often encapsulated in the concept of “kaizen,” or continuous improvement.

There is a deep commitment to quality and reliability that underpins the Japanese corporate ethos — a determination to ensure that products and solutions are built to last.

In contrast, the Filipino work environment brings adaptability, creativity, and a ready willingness to tackle new challenges head-on.

Having worked closely with local developers, I’ve seen them adopt cutting-edge technologies and adapt to fresh workflows with remarkable speed. Their flexibility and resourcefulness complement the Japanese attention to detail, creating a powerful blend: a workforce that not only delivers reliable solutions but also reimagines what is possible.

The key to uniting these two cultures lies in understanding their differences rather than ignoring them. Communication styles, for instance, differ greatly. Japanese interactions can be more formal and indirect, while Filipinos tend to communicate in a more open, informal manner.

This contrast can lead to misunderstandings if not carefully managed. To bridge this gap, we organize team-building activities, encourage mentorship relationships, and provide cross-cultural training sessions.

Through these efforts, employees gain respect for each other’s communication norms and learn how to navigate a middle ground where all voices can be heard. The payoff is enormous.

Deliberately fostering an environment where Japanese discipline meets Filipino creativity means we gain a workforce that excels at consistent execution without losing its capacity for innovation. This duality makes us incredibly competitive in a global market that demands both reliability and fresh thinking.

It’s no secret that innovation thrives on diversity. When people with different perspectives come together, they challenge one another’s assumptions, broaden each other’s horizons, and catalyze new ideas. Our Cebu-based hub embodies this principle.

Merging cultures and encouraging continuous dialogue allows us to lay the groundwork for solutions that resonate across different regions and industries. We don’t just want to build products; we want to build products that make sense in multiple markets, supported by global best practices but also informed by local nuances.

One of the greatest benefits of embracing cultural diversity is the development of stronger problem-solving capabilities. Japanese meticulousness ensures that solutions are robust and well-tested, while Filipino adaptability ensures that the final output meets evolving consumer demands.

We take these blended approaches, iterate on them, and refine them. Over time, this cycle of collaboration and mutual learning leads us to produce better, more resilient technologies that can stand on the international stage.

Of course, achieving this balance is not without its hurdles. The differences in communication, decision-making, and feedback styles can create friction. Early on, we learned that leaving cultural differences unaddressed can hamper progress.

That’s why we’ve invested in resources to help employees navigate these complexities. Mentorships where seasoned Japanese engineers guide younger Filipino developers create a learning environment steeped in mutual respect.

Everyone understands that these differences, when acknowledged and respected, can be turned into strengths. Through workshops, team-building exercises, and regular feedback loops, we’ve created a culture where misunderstandings are opportunities for learning rather than impediments.

Over time, as trust and empathy grow, the initial friction transforms into a source of productive tension — the kind that sparks creativity and deepens understanding.

The gradual blending of cultures and open discussions about our mission and values have yielded something remarkable: unity. When employees see that their perspectives matter and their contributions shape the company’s direction, they feel more deeply connected not only to their work but also to their colleagues.

Diversity of thought, once a source of potential misunderstanding, becomes a springboard for innovation and camaraderie. Today, our environment hums with enthusiasm. Employees are excited to tackle challenges together, knowing their voices will be heard.

The sense of belonging that emerges from this inclusivity cannot be overstated. It improves morale, encourages initiative, and ultimately propels us toward our shared ambitions.

Instead of a workforce that merely completes assigned tasks, we have a team that collectively steers the ship, navigating toward a future we are all invested in building. The cultural environment we have fostered has another noteworthy advantage: it helps us develop talent capable of thriving in a globalized world.

When Filipino developers receive guidance from seasoned Japanese engineers, they learn advanced technical skills along with a global perspective on problem-solving. Conversely, the Japanese mentors gain insights into emerging markets and new ways of thinking.

This holistic growth — both technical and cultural — equips our people with the skillsets required to become future leaders in the global technology sector. Adaptability, cross-cultural communication, and a knack for seamless collaboration are no longer “nice-to-have” soft skills; they are the building blocks of modern leadership.

Cultivating these attributes within our team ensures we not only strengthen our own organization, but also contribute to the broader IT ecosystem.

The Philippines, in particular, holds incredible promise as a tech hub. The local talent pool is vast, eager, and increasingly well-trained. Providing continuous training, mentorship, and opportunities allows us to work on global-scale projects and accelerate the professional development of our team members.

In doing so, we also contribute to the region’s broader IT sector growth. Our approach is not about extracting talent from one market for the benefit of another. It’s about integration, knowledge-sharing and mutual enrichment.

When Filipino developers solve challenges that have a global impact, they gain confidence, marketability and influence. As their capabilities grow, so does the broader talent landscape in which they operate.

It becomes a virtuous cycle: as more skilled developers emerge, the region becomes more attractive to global projects, which in turn fosters even more skill development and innovation.

Our goal is straightforward: to serve as a global innovation hub that can respond rapidly to regional demands while supporting worldwide operations. Harnessing the strengths of our bicultural team, we position ourselves as a critical player in driving digital transformation.

Our perspective is global, but our methods are informed by deeply local insights. This balance allows us to remain agile, forward-thinking, and poised to tackle the challenges of an interconnected world. None of this is about chasing accolades or crafting a polished “brand image.”

Rather, it’s about ensuring that the solutions we develop reflect the complexity and diversity of the world we serve. We believe that a product shaped by multiple cultural lenses will be stronger, more adaptable, and more universally relevant than one forged in isolation.

Looking ahead, I see our Cebu office continuing to grow as a premier center for innovation and excellence. We will maintain our commitment to open dialogue, shared ownership of our mission, and the careful blending of distinct cultural strengths.

By doubling down on these principles, we can help shape the next wave of global IT innovation, delivering solutions that resonate across continents and stand the test of time.

Ultimately, our approach — inviting everyone to shape our Katachi, uniting Japanese meticulousness with Filipino adaptability, and empowering individuals to contribute at every level — creates a workplace that is not just productive, but meaningful.

In an era when businesses are increasingly scrutinized for their ethics, authenticity and cultural sensitivity, we have chosen a path that demonstrates respect for all voices and perspectives. The result is an organizational culture that is truly global, genuinely inclusive, and sustainably innovative.

As I reflect on how far we’ve come, I am more convinced than ever that this strategy — rooted in collective ownership, cultural synergy, and continuous improvement — is not just an effective way to run a company.

It’s the future of work itself. By forging a new way forward that merges tradition with innovation, we are helping to define what it means to be a 21st-century global enterprise. And that, in my view, is something worth striving for every single day.

Jay Pegarido is the director and country manager at Sansn Global Development Center Inc. (SGDC), a cloud-based solutions company that develops, plans and sells products to promote digital transformation. SGDC is part of the Japanese company Sansan, Inc.