Japan - Individualism and Approach to Conflict - Cameron Woodard-Littrell

Japan - Individualism and Approach to Conflict


Japan scores 46 on the Individualism dimension. Certainly Japanese society shows many of the characteristics of a collectivistic society: such as putting harmony of group above the expression of individual opinions and people have a strong sense of shame for losing face. However, it is not as collectivistic as most of her Asian neighbours. The most popular explanation for this is that Japanese society does not have extended family system which forms a base of more collectivistic societies such as China and Korea. Japan has been a paternalistic society and the family name and asset was inherited from father to the eldest son. The younger siblings had to leave home and make their own living with their core families. One seemingly paradoxal example is that Japanese are famous for their loyalty to their companies, while Chinese seem to job hop more easily. However, company loyalty is something which people have chosen for themselves, which is an individualistic thing to do. You could say that the Japanese in-group is situational. While in more collectivistic culture, people are loyal to their inner group by birth, such as their extended family and their local community. Japanese are experienced as collectivistic by Western standards and experienced as individualistic by Asian standards. They are more private and reserved than most other Asians.


Misunderstanding of Individualism in Japan


Is healthy "individualism" growing in Japanese society? While we can find quite a few people in Japan who subscribe to "individualism" and practice it, it is doubtful if the concept of individualism is correctly understood and accepted in this country. There seem to be two factors that tend to hinder the growth of individualism in Japanese society.
The first factor is strong pressure to conform and adapt to a group or an organization. As is depicted in the Japanese proverb "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down," those who are different or stand out tend to be avoided and often excluded in Japanese society, leading to a kind of social pressure to conform. Traditionally, the roots of Japanese identity have been in such groups as Ie (family), mura (village) and kaisha (corporation). Among those who possess a strong sense of belonging to these groups, individual members are supposed to show "wa" (harmony) and cooperate to help manage their group smoothly, and any act to disrupt harmony is regarded as "wrong." While this kind of value system may have some merit to facilitate group solidarity, it tends to foster the sense of "yokonarabi" (an understanding that one should avoid being the nail hammered down), and therefore suppresses the dynamics of individualism.
The second factor is the misunderstanding of "individualism" in Japan. It was in the mid-1880s when the English word "individual" was imported and its translation "kojin" widely accepted in Japan. Since around that time, Japan has been actively studying and introducing Western concepts and institutions as engines for modernization. However, Japanese have not understood the true spirit and essence of some Western concepts and institutions. Perhaps individualism is one of those things.


Japan: Conflict & Control


Harmony takes work.


How come Japanese people seem to be meticulously careful about obeying laws and following rules? And they're so polite. Are they really that harmonious and well-behaved?Towards other members of their own group, the answer is frequently, yes, they are very careful about following rules and not causing conflicts. Why is this? One hears two frequent and opposing explanations.

1. Voice 1: Japan is a harmonious society with low rates of litigation, crime, and divorce. Their citizens learn to be attentive to others, to value group goals more than immediate personal gain, and to broadly include everyone in group activities and decisions. Their government ensures that most people have access to basic needs.
   
   
2. Voice 2: Japan is a repressive society that trains citizens to be submissive, where exploitation, violence, suffering, and opposition are hidden in order to keep up the illusion of harmony.

Whether you believe the glass is half full or half empty, producing social harmony (or the impression of it) requires continual attention and significant resources. Everywhere you look in Japan, you can see this investment, Persistent training in cooperation and cheerful obedience in schools. Police officers watching passersby from their neighborhood kiosks. The wearing of uniforms to reinforce group identity. Interminable rounds of meetings to make sure that all sides to a decision are considered. Local associations which enforce expectations of correct behavior in the neighborhood, The ubiquitous lessons in proper behavior, usually illustrated with cute cartoon figures to encourage happy willingness rather than coercion.


Expressing and Hiding Conflict

• Conflict between role and personal views & needs:
  
  

  Tatemae

    is your public face, the opinions and actions that are appropriate to your position and role.
  
  

  Hon-ne

    is one's personal opinion or feeling.

  Where Americans usually feel a person is insincere or outright lying if these two do not match, Japanese tend to see the ability to keep your personal feelings and interests separate from your public role as a sign of maturity. Playing one's role, even if privately you disagree with the policies or actions that you are required to uphold, is usually considered honorable rather than hypocritical.
  
  
• Even when people are angry, they often put aside their own preferences and needs in order to blend in, to avoid causing trouble for others.
  
  
• Self-control, endurance, and duty are valued. In a conflict, Japanese people may fall silent or use humble language that signals but does not express their anger outright. People rarely lose their tempers in public or speak bluntly, unless one of the parties holds significantly higher status.

Conflict within groups is managed through:

• Hierarchy (age, gender, position).
• Using intermediaries and indirect methods of communication.
• Enormous amounts of energy put into behaving appropriately in human relationships, maintaining them through gifts, favors, creating powerful mutual obligations.
• Stigma and penalties for those who raise questions, who are not sufficiently "cooperative."

Conflict between groups is often characterized by:

• Clear boundaries between insiders (uchi) and outsiders (soto). Allegiance and loyalty are usually take precedence over principles or individual thinking.
• Affiliations (work, school, family, neighborhood) are often lifelong, making it risky to break ranks with one's own group.
• Vertical factions rather than horizontal solidarity, which can hinder reaching consensus or collaborating across faction lines.
• Indirectness: to save face, and to allow the other party to also save face, conflicts may be hinted at, discussed via intermediaries, or resolved by someone higher up.
• Harmony behavior creates the illusion of unified, non-political decisions; it can be hard to know who or how to fight it.
• Protests often appeal to human feeling, to the other side's personal sense of obligation rather than to principles or laws.

Japan Business Etiquette -James Jackson

 Business in this culture is very formal. They ask that you call 1-2 hours before to confirm the meting. They also like to work on planned agendas and you must wait to be seated.  Men typically must wear dark suits in the winter months and lighter colors in the summer. Word of warning never wear black suit white shirt and black tie for they are funeral colors. Women must have either short or tied hair so they wont confuse you as the secretary or other lower positions. Women must wear either trouser suits or long skirts suits. they also love to exchange small gifts to one another as a sign of respect.
Their biggest tradition in the business world is the Japanese business card. this card it a sign of up most respect and it not like the standard card. this card may include a small give of money and is expected to be saved and respected. Leaving this card around is the ultimate slap in the face.

Japan- Lillian Franklin

Culture and Business: Japan

High Context

  - Things are left "inferred" or "assumed"due to efficient messages
  - Word choice is everything. 
  -A quick, finely crafted sentence is more valuable than a lengthy exposition. 
  - Usually group over individual
  - Tradition is important
                    - Through tradition even more specific messages may be conveyed. 
  - Often pegged as a reason for the "untranslatable" joke. 
Because of this High Context culture marketers must be familiar that their audiences will be aware to the nuances of their ads. 
  - local and cultural images are popular
  - Tone and facial expressions are very important as they can change meanings when concepts not explained.  
Japan is a country with a high context society. 

Poly/Monochronic

Polychronic cultures are typically 
  - Flexible
  - Multitasking

Monochronic cultures are typically
  - Structured
  - Goal oriented

Japan mixes the two since it has strong ties with many polychronic Asian countries and many western monochronic countries.

Power Distance 

Japan's Power Distance grading is at a medium level at 54. This means that the job and social hierarchy is accepted but is to be noted that it is a less stark divide than that of other Asian countries. 
  - Managers control meetings

Uncertainty Avoidance

Japan's level of uncertainty avoidance ranks in the top percentage. It's no wonder as Japan is disaster prone and a certain level of "same-ness" throughout their culture gives theme a solid line to hold to.
  -Many Japanese traditions remain unchanged
  - Ritualized business traditions are common
  - Due to this strong attachment to tradition risks are carefully planned around. 

  - Innovation is prized but so is certainty and it is a delicate balance. (i.e: "Year of Luigi") 

  

  

Sources:

(  http://andymahoney29.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/power-distance-and-uncertainty-avoidance-in-japan/)
(http://crab.rutgers.edu/~ckaufman/polyJapanese.html)
(http://restaurantkyoto.dk/blog/en/japan-a-high-context-culture/)

Germany - Anissa Smith

Gender Roles

• Men are head of household (traditional Germany)
• Women take care of children (traditional Germany)
• Men try to be more involved with family (modern Germany)
• Women make sure of child care and go back to work after having baby (modern Germany)
• Angela Merkel - Chancellor of Germany
• 40% of cabinet is female with children

Masculinity and Femininity

• Masculine cultures - value money, success, assertiveness and competition.
• Feminine societies - value relationships, care for others, and quality of life.
• Germany is a masculine culture with strong feminine undertones.
• To earn a good salary is just as important to Germans as having working relationships and a high quality of life. They try to accomplish goals such as time off and improved benefits rather than materialistic rewards.

High Context or Low Context

• Germany has a low contextual culture.
• A person’s identity tends to come from one’s own accomplishments rather than from group effort (individualism over collectivism).
• There’s an emphasis on words and text.
• Communication tends to be clear, direct and unambiguous.
• Privacy, personal space and individuality are highly valued.
• Learning is done through instructions and by one’s attempts to perform the action.
• Speed is prized and change happens fast.

Germany- Josh Rogers

Germany is individualistic with a low power distance.

Even though Germany is very similar to the United States in Power Distance, they are more concerned with respect. For example, even if someone tells you their first name you are to address them by their title and surname until given permission to use their first name. Punctuality is important in Germany and it is very disrespectful to show up late.
Germany may be ranked more individualistic however in business they are not care as much about relationships or interpersonal skill but rather effectiveness at ones job. When entering a room the order is very important, the eldest or highest ranking enters first, then men before women.
Their homes are very private and only close friends and relatives are invited in.  Being as individualistic as they are this means that even aunts, uncles, and cousins, may not be invited into their homes because they are mostly only concerned with immediate family.
With all this being said it is important to remember that these are stereotypes and many of the individuals are quite different.

Germany - Cammy McAdams

 

Germany

 

 

Being a very old country Germans are very conservative and proud people.



Good Business etiquette is a must. Germans dress very conservatively men wear pressed dark suits and white shirts. To make a fashion statement you may see a man wearing white socks with his suit. Women are highly respected and like the men dress very conservatively wearing dark business suits or dresses. A women should never remove her jacket where as a man should only remove jacket or loosen/remove his tie if his German counter part does so. Women wear very little make up and large jewelry and accessories is a no no. Keep all jewelry and accessories very simple and to a minimum.

 

In greeting Germans are also formal addressing someone with their title such as Herr McAdams or for female Faur McAdams and shaking hands with males. Only extent your hand to a female if she extents hers to you first. While most Germans know English they use it very little and do expect you to know their language if you are coming to their country to do business. Don't be surprised to see most Germans shaking hands with other employees upon starting their day this is common practice. Neighbors will even shake hands and address each other by Herr or Faur when meeting on the street. If you see someone on the street do not shout out to them or wave the German people especially older Germans view this as being disrespectful. When entering a business meeting always allow the Boss to go in first followed by any older members at the meeting you will enter anytime after this or after your German counterpart.

 

Meetings are also formal however expect your first meeting to be some kind of party or dinner. Germans like to get to know who they are doing business with. This is the time they decide how trust worthy they believe you to be. Also Germans drink a lot of beer and have a grim view of drunkard- ness SO KNOW YOUR LIMITS.

Beer is a part of any meal or get together you may even see it on the table at a business meeting so pace yourself. Remember German beer isn't the same as what we have here in the states even though you may see some of our brands of beer over there in select stores (mostly in tourist areas) this is not the beer that you will be served at a meeting or dinner. During dinners no business will be discussed this is a time to get to know each other. Germans keep business and private lives separate while one may mention having children or wife they won't go into any details. While many consider Germans uptight stuff shirts they are really good people once you get to know them they are just very serious about their business. They work to live unlike Americans who live to work they don't want to and won't worry about business once they leave the office. Germans also have frequent holidays and what they call a holiday is different from Americans. What we as Americans call a weekend trip or vacation is a Holiday along with all their regular national holidays.

Now that we are discussing holidays be sure to make all plans for business meeting well in advance to make sure they don't clash with a holiday and try to not schedule any meetings from June through August as this is a major time for holidays in Germany.

While Germans are very prompt on returning any correspondences (e-mail, phone calls letters ect.)and expect you to do the same; they are very slow to make decisions checking out all aspects. So don't expect a response to a proposal anytime soon and the ultimate decision always comes from the highest authority in the company even though you may be dealing with a lower member of the company and never try to go above someone if you don't like the decision you got. You can try to redo the proposal and re-pitch it but never try to go above someone as all above already know about proposal. They are the ones you made the decision on it. When making a business proposal be sure to have all the facts with examples. Germans love graphs and fact and respect them more than feelings and puff.

While conflicts are always going to happen they are just a part of life. It is best to try to avoid them as there can always be back lash. A receptionist that won't put a call through and just little irritating things they will get you back. This being said don't be afraid to let your view point be known this is highly respected in the German culture. As children they learn to voice their point of view. If there is an objection to your point of view don't get offended this is really a sign of respect. They think enough of you and trust you enough to let you know how they think of things of feel about something. A person who always agrees is one to not be trusted in their point of view. A employee will never contradict the boss and Germans respect age as well and will very seldom contradict an older person.

Much of my information came from Allen Howard by way of family members. Mr Howard is a distant relative but information though him is very useful as he has been dealing with foreign affairs for many years. His first job after college was with Schlumberger and dealt with many European countries. All resources are listed in image above

 



Russia -- Kurtis

Russia

Power Distance

    Power Distance in Russia is very high.  Russia scored a 93 according to Dr. Hofstede (http://geert-hofstede.com/russia.html).  In Russia power is very distant in society and business.  Russia is the largest country in the world and is centralized around their capital, Moscow.  Two-thirds of all foreign investments take place in Moscow and 80% of all financial potential is generated in Moscow. The importance of ones status symbol (or role in society or business) is greatly influenced by behavior in all areas of business interactions.

Russians live based on a hierarchical standpoint.  They believe no one is equal.  When this standard is placed in a business situation, people tend to be more obedient.  View disagree with the boss or lead in the business, despite the younger generations.  People tend to ask more questions.  In Russia you're not expected to take initiative in society, therefore most of the lower class in business ask more questions because they cannot make stand alone decisions.  Most prefer their orders and tasks to be prioritized with detailed instructions and prefer closed ended assignments based on position and title.

    Russians claim to live a collectivist lifestyle, yet contradict that lifestyle in every way.  Despite their claims, they believe people should be treated differently according to their rank in society.  They believe power should be concentrated at the top with a "One ring to rule them all!" point of view.  They think followers should always obey their leaders without question and think influence should be based on the authority of one's position.

    In business, those that hold power and are considered "at the top", should look after those beneath them.  In most business settings, your attire can put you in your place.  Russians pay close attention to detail in business attire.  The better dressed you are and the more professional you appear, gives you more power in your decision making.

Uncertainty Avoidance

    Russia scored high in uncertainty avoidance as well, with a 95 out of 100.  Russians prefer to know and predict their future.  They feel threatened by ambiguous situations.  Most prefer preparation and detailed planning, and like to have context and background information to ensure nothing out of the ordinary might happen.  Russia has established one of the most complex bureaucracies in the world,

    This avoidance is characterized in business and society by structure.  They prefer rules and expertise both formal and informal.  They rely on security which leads to a very hectic and stressful lifestyle.  Russians also encourage emotion and passion.  This is viewed as a way to blow off steam.  It is not uncommon for Russians to get very emotional and storm out of a business meeting.  They never take risks.  Risks always involve uncertainty.  Instead they rely on the safety and truth of their strict laws, rules, and security measures.

Works Cited

http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html

http://geert-hofstede.com/russia.html

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/

http://volunteeralberta.ab.ca/intersections/staff/building-cultural-knowledge/cultural-values-power-distance-hierarchical-egalitarian

http://www.dot-connect.com/Doing_Business_in_Russia_How_to_Understand_Russian_Business_Mindsets.html

Brazil Maverick Rudd

Brazil

High Context Culture and General Business Etiquette

by Maverick Rudd

High Context Culture

When it comes down to defining High-context culture, it can be a broad topic, so I am going to cover some of the main points. High-context cultures are those in which the rules of communication are primarily transmitted through the use of contextual elements (i.e., body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. It is important to note that no culture is completely high-context or low-context, since all societies contain at least some parts that are both high and low. For example, while the United States is a low-context culture, family gatherings (which are common in the American culture) tend to be high-context. They primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. The situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated. People in Brazil are comfortable standing close to each other. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships, leading to trust that must be developed before business transactions can begin. 

General Business Etiquette

General business etiquette can cover a vast amount of topics, so again I will be trying to hit the main points. You should avoid giving anyone a gift that is black or purple, as these are perceived as mourning colors. Always arrive early for events and dinners. In business, Brazilians tend to ‘deal’ with individuals, not companies. Therefore, you will need to establish a trusting relationship with them if you wish to gain their business. It is important that you do not try to rush them into making decisions or forming relationships. When invited to dinner or an event, do not under-dress. It is considered more appropriate to over-dress than to appear too casual in appearance. Brazilians are fashion conscious, so dress conservatively for business functions. Women should wear feminine dresses and suits, while men should wear dark suits. Three-piece suits indicate an executive-level status. Brazilians might stand closer to you during conversations than you are used to, or they may touch your arm or back. Drawing away from this intimacy can be interpreted as insincerity. Take a few minutes for small talk before discussing business. Your Brazilian hosts will want to get to know you a bit before discussing anything work-related. Expect a lengthy process developing relationships, don’t rush. Despite the dress, business meetings are relatively casual. It is acceptable to interrupt the speaker with something to say that will add to their opinion. This informality does not extend to people in positions of authority. 

                              Samba Labs Tech Offices

       

                                                  Sources

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/articles/business-etiquette-abroad.shtml

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/articles/business-etiquette-abroad.shtml 

http://www.ldldproject.net/cultures/brazil/differences/interpersonal.html

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/high-context-culture-definition-examples-quiz.html#lesson

Russia Sophia Cansigno

Gender Roles in Russia

       In Russian society, gender roles play a strong part in a division of labor and authority. Russian men are considered to be the more capable and authoritative sex, while the women are gentle and valued for their intuition. Russia is basically a conservative nation and their views of the social system are patriarchal.

        The Russian men are seen as the provider or breadwinner for the family and the women are the care takers of the family. During the Soviet-era, the Russian women have to bear the double burden which is having a job and family-raising responsibilities.

         Interestingly, Russians do not refer to women as “the weaker sex”—nor do they think women are weak at all—but instead women are “the prettier sex.” As such, women do everything they can to live up to that idea. 

        Whenever they are out in public, Russian women dress pristine, always in high heels, regardless of the weather. Even now that it is starting to get colder and winter is settling in, women continue this custom with high heeled boots. It would be a social scandal to wear sweatpants or running shoes unless one is on their way to the gym.

          Men generally act in a way that Americans would describe as “gentleman-like.” They give up their seats on the metro, hold out a hand to help you off a bus, and hold doors open for women, even if they are strangers.

          It is ingrained in their minds that if a woman is in their presence, they, as men, should be on their best, most polite behavior. While these ideas of chivalry have been discouraged in the US—due in part to extreme feminism—the gender roles of men in Russia have nothing to do with the idea of women needing their help. On the contrary, men help women because they are women.

The most shocking part of Russian gender roles for Americans is the idea that love always outweighs work. That means that the majority of Russian women devote their efforts to finding a husband, and then caring for their children. That is not to say that women don’t receive educations or have careers here, because they most certainly do.

In general, though, most set aside their career until their children are of grade school age, meaning that they leave behind a job they might have had prior to having a child. They are completely devoted to their family and the love within it.

"These gender roles are by no means an absolute, but more a general idea in Russian culture."

MASCULINITY:

  "society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner- a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organizational behavior" (high score)

FEMININITY:

 "The dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable" (low score)

Fundamental issue is what motivates people, wanting to be the best *masculine* or liking what you do *feminine*

Doing Business with Brazil by Carmin Wills

http://venturebeat.com

Brazil's flag

As everyone knows, our world is changing and the chance of doing business with another country, or at least someone from another country is increasing. With Brazil's population at over 202 million people, chances are we, in our lifetime, are going to come in contact with the  Brazilian people in  the  business  setting.

Map of Brazil

                                             https://www.cia.gov/library/geos/br.html

We are going to have to know how to communicate with them, and do it in a way as to not offend them. What are some of the things we need to know to effectively communicate with these people?
During my research of this country I have found some interesting information that I hope will help. Geert Hofstede, is the founder of intercultural research. The findings of his research are used around the world in both psychology and management studies.

   

                                               http://geert-hofstede.com/brazil.html


Geert Hofstede, has done extended studies on how values in the workplace are influenced by their culture. On this chart you will see six areas that Hofsted has studied. The one I will be explaining is the masculinity section.    

                                           http://www.muscleplans.com/bodybuilding

                                        No not this kind of masculinity!!

 Masculinity is how people deal with issues such as, the importance of gender roles in business and the public in general.
On this chart Brazil rates a moderate 49, this means they are a society that is very competitive and cares about achievement and success, but is also a society that cares about others and their well- being.


Gender roles and discrimination do exist in Brazil.  Until the 1960, women were not even treated as adults, meaning until then they could not leave the country or even open a bank account without permission from their fathers or husbands .People now believe that women have the right to work outside their homes. Today, men and women both believe in equality for both genders.

                                       http://brazilcultureproject.weebly.com/gender-roles.html
As you can see from this chart, people believe that men have a slight edge over women on who has a better life. That is because things are changing rapidly in Brazil. Men and women both believe that gender equality is important. In fact, 84% of the people in Brazil believe that the man and woman in a marriage should both work and take the responsibility of taking care of the children.


                                          

                                            http://transfer-lbc.com/brazilian.html

Now that we know a little about what drives these people and the gender differences, what else are we going to have to know to be able to get along with these people, and more importantly what do we need to know so we do not offend them?

Women in Brazil always dress nicely. Appearance to them is a sign of success.  Whether women are successful or not they dress the part.  Men's attire for work is always business suits, they prefer dark colored suits and they must be crisply ironed. In a corporate setting a three piece suit is normal and in an office setting a two piece suit is fine. Remember if you are dressed nicely in Brazil, they see it as a sign that you deserve to be respected.

 One word of caution though, the Brazilian flag is green and yellow so never wear a combination of these colors.

Now that we know how to dress in a business setting there are a few other things that we need to be aware of. Be prepared for your personal space to be invaded, these people like to get close. They stand very close and use physical contact during conversation. In Brazil closeness inspires trust and trust inspires long term relationships. Take time to shake hands with everyone, it is considered rude not to do so. It is also important to know who the boss is and shake hands with them first. Christa Danisewicz a Marketing Manager for On Call International says:

                                                   http://www.oncallinternational.com-brazi/
                 A man greeting another man shakes hands firmly often for a
                long time and holds strong steady eye contact while shaking                                                                  hands .
                For a man greeting a woman it is a common practice to exchange
                kisses on the cheek if  you  would rather shake hands, then                                                                     extend your hand first.
                A woman greeting another woman they exchange kisses on the                                                              cheek left cheek first.


There are also some nonverbal communications that we need to be aware of, these people love to talk and usually talk loudly. While people are talking it is not uncommon for others to interrupt. It is also not uncommon for many people to be talking at the same time, this is not rude in Brazil, it is a way of showing interest in the subject. Eye contact is also very important when someone is talking directly to you. Brazilians are dramatic talkers; they use all parts of their body when communicating because they get excited and are passionate when they speak. It is not uncommon to see them flailing their arms or even hopping up and down.

 Another word of caution, never make this hand gesture while in Brazil.

This is very offensive to this culture.

The thumbs up sign is acceptable.

So when traveling to Brazil, have fun enjoy this beautiful Country. Keep in mind some of the do's and don'ts. For Business, Dress for success and they will have more respect for you.