Comments on: Nova is not dead, but buried aliveIndependent Podcasting from Tokyo. Featuring Seijigiri, a discussion of Japanese news and politics, as well as TPR News, our twice a week look at Japan's top stories.by: Marty- June 25, 2007 I taught there too, for a year. I found it hard to believe that they even stayed in business, but there was no serious competition and they were able to get away with lying and cheating. As long as that can go on, and the customers have no idea what they're buying, it's business as usual.http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-169... by: osakaobachan- June 25, 2007 I worked for Nova in the flagship school in downtown Osaka, and it's pretty Japanese- if someone has a problem with you they don't tell you directly, they say whatever they have to say to get people to sign, regardless of whether it's a half truth, they do not properly train ANYONE that works there, the Japanese staff are disgustingly overworked, and the morale amongst the teachers is nonexistent. Really, who on earth makes the decisions in that company I wouldn't exactly like to see the...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-169... by: Liberal Japan Blog Archive NOVA made fixed bids for shame- June 22, 2007 ... 20070617 Nova is not dead, but buried alive, Trans-Pacific Radio; No more subsidies for students. ...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-163... by: DeOrio- June 20, 2007 Morale seems to be the basis for promotion within Nova. During my tenure there, I was offered a promotion (days before I turned in my resignation) and many of the reasons cited did not exactly instill confidence: I'd had no disciplinary action against me, students said good things about me, the school manager said I was a pretty nice guy, etc. I guess those are indicators that I can work with others, but wouldn't make me give me managerial duties.http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-160... by: ken- June 20, 2007 MBAs and most Masters degrees for that matter, are not important in corporate Japan Certainly not as valued as in the US, but they are important, or else so many of the big firms wouldn't spend so much on sending guys over to programs in the US every year. At any rate, Joel, I think you're very right about Nova. There certainly doesn't seem to be a focus on developing competent management. And it seems that their employee morale is abysmal: There was an article on that in the Japan Times...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-160... by: Joel- June 20, 2007 &62;Where did these clowns get their MBAs Oh yeah They don't have MBAs because 1) NOVA hires and promotes almost entirely from within, which i why a guy with a Chemistry degree was my supervisor and 2) MBAs and most Master's degrees for that matter, are not important in corporate Japan, unless you are in gaishikei, or in academia. Having been on the inside, I know that NOVA is a shady corporation with no regard for employee morale. It's time to wake up, or go bankrupt.http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-160... by: English Roulette I, Shingen- June 19, 2007 ... As Ken over at TPR wrote: Novas business model, based upon signing people up to long contracts and not having to refund them, is dead - and its time for something new. ...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-159... by:- June 19, 2007 NOVA... &160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160;&160; &160;&160;&160; &160; &8593; ...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-159... by: DeOrio- June 18, 2007 I didn't mean that to be fault-finding with the tutors as much as with the management, who first (falsely) claimed that their instructors were certified teachers, then (falsely) claimed that all of their instructors had BAs or higher, and, in my own experience, told customers things like, "Garrett has an MBA," (I don't) while also telling the same customer, "He majored in teaching business English," which is not even possible. In other words, the misrepresentation is far more widespread than...http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-158... by: ken- June 18, 2007 I think it's hard to find fault with the teachers. They seem to be a lot better at what they do than the management.http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/06/17/nova-is-not-dead-but-buried-alive/#comment-158... |