Welcome to the Website for Paul Gaspari
My name is Paul Gaspari. I am an international business and trade consultant, and also an adjunct professor in the Department of Economics at Sophia University in Tokyo. Because consultant jobs in Japan are a dime a dozen, I also work for Temple University's Japan Campus. If you have a child attending that University who stayed in their campus housing, odds are, I've probably yelled at your child for a making a mess of dorm facilities at some point!
The focus of my research is on foreigners who come to Japan and start their own businesses. Specifically, I am interested in the challenges and opportunities that exist in Japan for foreign small and medium-sized business owners. I am currently working on a book that addresses these issues. For more information on my research interest and published work, please click on the link called “My Research”.
I have lived in Japan since September, 2006. Prior to that, I spent three other times living in Japan (once as an exchange student, once as an Intern with 7-11 Japan, and another time for a work project).
Before coming to Japan, I worked for the two years in the United States Department of Commerce as an International Trade Specialist. I consulted with mainly small and medium-sized businesses and worked with them to export and distribute their products overseas. I also have experience organizing and running trade missions and large-scale conferences on trade. My experience working with the Department of Commerce, coupled with my university student work at Temple University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, opened my eyes to the challenges facing small businesses and I wanted to examine different ways to help them.
I am from the city of Philadelphia located in Pennsylvania in Northeast area of the United States. Philadelphia is famous for people who are passionate about their sports teams as well as their food. Philadelphia is well-known for its Philly Cheese Steaks, soft pretzels, and “water ice”. Philadelphia was originally the capital of the United States and many old buildings are still located there like Independence Hall. I am from a traditional and close Italian American family located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Italian American community, “South Philly”. With most of my family living only thirty minutes from each other, there have been many arguments as to why I am in Japan. But oh well... at least I'm in a place where I feel tall!
The focus of my research is on foreigners who come to Japan and start their own businesses. Specifically, I am interested in the challenges and opportunities that exist in Japan for foreign small and medium-sized business owners. I am currently working on a book that addresses these issues. For more information on my research interest and published work, please click on the link called “My Research”.
I have lived in Japan since September, 2006. Prior to that, I spent three other times living in Japan (once as an exchange student, once as an Intern with 7-11 Japan, and another time for a work project).
Before coming to Japan, I worked for the two years in the United States Department of Commerce as an International Trade Specialist. I consulted with mainly small and medium-sized businesses and worked with them to export and distribute their products overseas. I also have experience organizing and running trade missions and large-scale conferences on trade. My experience working with the Department of Commerce, coupled with my university student work at Temple University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, opened my eyes to the challenges facing small businesses and I wanted to examine different ways to help them.
I am from the city of Philadelphia located in Pennsylvania in Northeast area of the United States. Philadelphia is famous for people who are passionate about their sports teams as well as their food. Philadelphia is well-known for its Philly Cheese Steaks, soft pretzels, and “water ice”. Philadelphia was originally the capital of the United States and many old buildings are still located there like Independence Hall. I am from a traditional and close Italian American family located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Italian American community, “South Philly”. With most of my family living only thirty minutes from each other, there have been many arguments as to why I am in Japan. But oh well... at least I'm in a place where I feel tall!
