Culture Analysis: Japan
The nuances of the modern Japanese culture are based on a variety of Asian and Western influences. Japan was much more of a traditional Eastern society prior to WWII, but after the War Japan became highly subject to the West and thus adopted a great many of its practices and perspectives. For that reason, Japan is less traditionally Asian than other Eastern cultures—but it still retains enough of its own culture and identity to be considerably different in a number of dimensions. This paper will examine those differences and show that a combination of leadership styles, such as innovation leadership, transactional leadership, autocratic leadership and democratic leadership styles, should be used for Japanese workers as they are highly dependent upon seeking approval for their employers (Merchant, 2018), like to be consulted in decision-making, enjoy creating innovative solutions to problems, but also want to be able to identify the hierarchy of authority so that they can show respect to the appropriate persons.
Dimensions of Difference
Power/Distance
The traditional Japanese culture was much more hierarchical than it is today; however, the cultural expectations regarding power remain to some extent. Thus, while the power/distance dimension is higher than in America, it is lower than in other Asian countries, such as China. At the same time, Japan is slow to make decisions, which indicates that the people are not comfortable with making decisions on their own and would prefer decisions be made for them (Hofstede Insights, 2018).
Individual/Collective
Like many countries in the East, Japan’s culture is more collectivist than individualistic. This contrasts sharply with the American culture, which celebrates individualism. However, by Asian standards, Japan is somewhat more individualistic than other Easter nations—and that comes from the American influence that has dominated the nation since WWII (Hofstede Insights, 2018).
Uncertainty Avoidance
The Japanese culture hates uncertainty. The Japanese do everything they can to be as prepared for the unexpected as possible. The country is routinely hit by natural disasters, so that may have something to do with it—but the people tend to have internalized some of the more traditional aspects of the old world culture, such as the need for ritual and routine (Hofstede Insights, 2018). The American culture is far less uncomfortable with uncertainty—so it would be important for an American manager to make sure that a Japanese worker feels secure about what is expected of him in the coming months and years.
Career/Life
The Japanese are very focused on careers—in fact, their nation is one of the most career-fixated nations on earth (Hofstede Insights, 2018). This means that Japanese traditionally and still today do not place much stock in leisure time or in relaxing with extended holidays. They see themselves as here to work and to succeed by reaching goals.
Confucian Dynamism
The Japanese take a long term perspective on life, which is different from the way Americans view life. Americans view life as short, so live it now. They do not tend to think about the long term, saving, or planning for the future. The Japanese on the other view life from what is basically an eternal perspective. They see life from the point of view of their ancestors and live according to a code that has been passed down from centuries (Hofstede Insights, 2018).
Appropriate Leadership Styles
Japanese culture is innovation oriented; therefore innovation leadership is a style that suits them as it focuses on supporting workers’ creative engagement (Carmeli, Gelbard and Gefen, 2010). Likewise, Japanese need to feel appreciated and like being consulted when it comes to decision making—though they also need hierarchies in the workplace so that they can recognize and respect the appropriate authorities. For these reasons, a combination of autocratic, democratic, and transactional leadership styles could be used in different ways to lead a Japanese worker. For example, the worker may be consulted and provided with an incentive (whether intrinsic or extrinsic) to succeed, but the worker should also know that the final decision is the manager’s (Barbuto, 2005). By combining elements of these leadership styles, the leader can effectively appeal to the cultural dimensions of the Japanese employee. According to Maslow’s (1943) theory of motivation, the leader would be meeting a variety of the Japanese worker’s needs.
Techniques for Motivation
Techniques for motivation would be to provide the Japanese worker with room to be creative and innovative in addressing challenges and tasks. This would appeal to the worker’s intrinsic motivation—pride, desire to grow, and so on. However, extrinsic motivations would also be helpful, such as bonuses for projects being delivered on time and under budget. Likewise, Japanese want to reach goals: they love to work and their careers essentially act as the focus of their lives. To motivate them, a leader should set clear goals for them again and again so that the Japanese worker has something to work towards.
A Japanese worker will also want avoid any uncertainty, so a leader should not be bothered if the worker keeps coming back to clarify any ambiguous issues in a task. This is how the Japanese people prepare for the unexpected—they do their due diligence and carefully think about all the possible outcomes before acting. To motivate a Japanese worker, it would be helpful to invite him to a roundtable where ideas can be discussed and possible scenarios worked out ahead of time: this will help to ease anxiety and reduce fears about something unexpectedly bad popping up unannounced.
Stereotypes
Some Japanese stereotypes that persist include that Japanese are always polite and smiling and that when it comes to using tech, they are tops. Leaders should be careful to resist stereotyping Japanese in these ways. Just because they may be uncommonly polite does not mean they are not human and do not have bad days. Everyone has bad days. One should expect that Japanese do, too. Likewise, one should not assume that they know everything there is to know about tech.
Words and Gestures to Avoid
Words and gestures to avoid around Japanese people should be known by leaders. For example, making eye contact is considered rude in Japan’s culture, so a leader should not try to stare down a Japanese worker. Japanese people also do not hug generally speaking. Hugs are Western customs, not Eastern ones—so even if a leader is familiar with a Japanese worker, a hug would be viewed as awkward. It is also helpful to avoid shouting out the names of companies that Westerners associate with Japan, such as Honda or Toyota. It might be an impulse that Westerners find charming, but it can be irritating to a Japanese person to be constantly associated with a company that they have little connection to.
Low/High Context
Japan is a high context culture. Non-verbal expressions and implicit communications are part of the fabric of their way of life. This contrasts sharply with the low context American culture, wherein Americans are used to explicit, direct and sometimes blunt ways of speaking. The Japanese communicate subtly and a leader should be aware of how these subtle mechanisms of expression are used to convey significant information.
Conclusion
A leader in a company must be aware that even though a great deal of American influence has impacted Japan since WWII, the country still retains some of its old world values and customs. Thus, a Japanese worker in an American company is not going to offer hugs freely in a casual setting, nor is he likely to live life by the seat of his pants—so a leader should not expect a Japanese employee to be spontaneous. The Japanese are career-driven and view work as the essential function of life. They also take a long-term view of life and live according to value-based philosophy that is quite traditional in its aspect. A leader can best motivate a Japanese employee by providing a clear chain of command, inviting the worker to discussions during the decision-making process, encourage innovation, give praise and rewards for work well done, and be prepared to make the final decision for the worker when it comes to setting goals, as the Japanese prefer to discuss rather than make assertive decisions on their own.
Appendix
Power/ Distance
Individual/ Collective
Uncertainty Avoidance
Career/Life
Confucian Dynamism
American (30) male
Low
Indiidual
Low
Career
Low
Egyptian (21) female
High
Collective
High
Life
Low
Chinese-Singapore (51)
High
Collective
Low
Neutral
High
S. Korean (27) male
High
Collective
High
Life
High
Iranian male (32)
High
Collective
High
Life
Low
Indian female (30)
High
Neutral
Low
Career
Neutral
Irish male (33)
Low
Individual
Low
Career
Low
Japanese male (25)
High
Collective
High
Career
High
Mexican female (28)
High
Collective
High
Career
Low
French male (33)
High
Individual
High
Life
High
Russian female (40)
High
Collective
High
Life
High
References
Barbuto Jr, J. E. (2005). Motivation and transactional, charismatic, and transformational
leadership: A test of antecedents. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 11(4), 26-40.
Carmeli, A., Gelbard, R., & Gefen, D. (2010). The importance of innovation leadership in
cultivating strategic fit and enhancing firm performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(3), 339-349.
Hofstede Insights. (2018). Country comparison. Retrieved from
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/france,japan,mexico,russia/
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370.
Merchant, Y. (2018). 5 major differences between Japanese and American workplaces.
Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/differences-between-japanese-and-american-work-culture-2018-3
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
