Is マネージャー suitable when describing a manager working in a large business?

Question

In Fluent Forever's Awesome Word List, マネージャー is used to describe a manager in a bank or similar organisation.

However, doing a search with the basic version of google image search mainly got middle-aged women wearing sporting gear. jisho.org gave me a couple of meanings, a manager of a business, an idol, etc, or someone who does boring work for a sports team. The Wikipedia article マネージャー mainly emphasised meanings outside of a manager at a large organisation. For example, some of the meanings corresponded to an individual who managed a single person in entertainment or sport.

However, the word hasn't been mentioned by anyone in a forum thread about the Awesome Word List and suspected errors.

Is マネージャー a suitable word to describe a manager in a large business?

Answer 1

I don't see why not, but there are also other titles in a business as with any other organization. Particularly in Japanese organizations there are simply many levels in management, and each level could have its own title for "manager".

The more commonly used ones could be:

• 社長 company president, manager, director
• 局長 office/bureau chief
• 部長 department head
• 課長 section head
• 係長 supervisor

Answer 2

"マネージャー" has various connotations in Japanese. If you are high school student and doing club activities especially in sports, "マネージャー" implies a person(normally a girl) who does a work for school sports team such as recording scores for the team's accomplishments, making sure the schedules for teams, handing sports drink and so on so forth.

If you worked at a foreign affiliate company or Japanese company which often does business with foreign countries, "マネージャー" might be close to "manager". I think it depends on the cohorts. I have a strong connotation in the word"マネージャー" with entertainment or sport as you described.

As keithmaxx　explained, I think 部長, 課長,　...長 are still common.

Answer 3

Is マネージャー a suitable word to describe a manager in a large business?

No. I don't think so.

For example, in case of a bank, they should be called:

頭取 or 支店長.

The direct translation of "manager", マネージャー, cannot be used in that context.

マネージャー in Japan often refers to the private secretaries of TV comedians, singers, actors or professional athletes.