BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 1
Dzofenya Ameduite
School of Business, Liberty University
BUSI 604: International Business
Dr. Rossano Gerald
February 12, 2023
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 2
Abstract
Cultural differences between countries play a crucial role in how businesses are
conducted. For culture To succeed in a business transaction, it is necessary to understand the
cultural differences within a given culture. This paper will identify Japan's cultural dimensions
and how Japanese business citizens do business internationally. This paper aims to illustrate and
explore various aspects of Japan's culture and its dimensions. In addition, I will discuss how
these elements and dimensions are integrated by locals conducting business in the nation.
Introduction
Satterlee (2018) defines culture as "the set of shared goals, principles, values, practices,
and attitudes that make up a society or organization.” People’s business practices are highly
influenced by their cultural diversity. International managers face complex environments
regarding cultural dimensions when handling international enterprises. Many enterprises interact
with cultures that are vastly different from their own. I will primarily discuss Japanese culture
and its core dimensions and elements. The core elements for discussion will be ethics,
communication, values and attitudes, religion, Japan's social structure, customs, and business
manners, including how the locals can integrate them during business operations. As a result of
understanding culture and its dimensions, international firms will be able to make better
decisions, negotiate, and conduct business in Japan in the long run (Satterlee, 2018).
Research Question 1: What are this region's major elements and dimensions of culture?
Dimension of Culture: Communication
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 3
Japan is known for its silent communication. Compared to American culture, they have a
significantly different communication style. Japan uses situational clues and subtle and
nonverbal cues to communicate as part of its culture. Moreover, people tend to have long-term
relationships with their friends. Japanese people rely heavily on tone, facial expressions, and
posture to interpret the feelings of others because of their context-driven culture. The Japanese
prefer to speak in a way that makes the meaning behind the words explicit. Frowning, for
example, is a sign of disagreement. A person, especially an older one, should not stare into
another person's eyes without their permission. Keeping one's face in front of others indicates a
high level of personal dignity. Asians are known for their ability to save face.
Moreover, it indicates a person's prestige, honor, dignity, and influence. Harmony is vital
to the Japanese people. The core elements of their culture are interpersonal communication,
gentleness, modesty, and relations, according to Alam, 2021. To avoid face loss on both ends and
to maintain harmony in a conversation, the Japanese might choose to speak in ambiguous terms
and to understate their feelings. It will convey their message subtly. To avoid the rhetoric
associated with identifying hidden meanings, open-ended questions are the appropriate means to
obtain clarification at various points. Take the time to listen carefully to what is said while also
keeping an eye out for what is not being said but is implied. An unfortunate Japanese situation
might lead to a smile and laughter to hide an uncomfortable situation. Laughing may also result
in them covering their mouths. Huge bursts of laughter are rare when gestures corresponding to
laughter are present.
Languages
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Japan's official language is Japanese. Historically, there has been no identification of the
origin of the Japanese language. The Nihongo language, however, does not qualify as the official
language of Japan despite being used by the people. Modern Japanese is called Nihongo by the
Japanese government, also called the medium of instruction. Most educational institutions teach
Hyonjungo as the standard Japanese language used throughout Japan. Japan's second language is
Kyoto. Japan today has welcomed the presence of diverse languages within its communities,
even though the dialects often differ from the languages spoken within the country. You can hear
English being spoken by clients in Tokyo, for example.
Dimension of Culture: Religion
Japanese religion is characterized by Shinto, which is an essential element. Several
assumptions are commonly made about Shinto, including that it is a primitive faith, involves
nature worship, and has taboos against impurities. The doctrine system needs to be improved,
however. In addition to varying forms, it has features of organized religion; however, it does not
resemble folk belief. Institutions like shrines and rituals reflect this.
Moreover, it serves as a foundation for the worship of ancestors and has a role in ancient
Japanese mythology (Schaede, 2020). Japanese believe there are spiritual powers known as Kami
worldwide; Shinto means "god's ways." Kami can be found in plants, mountains, and dead and
living people within a natural environment. Beautiful shrines are constructed in Japan as a place
of worship for its gods.
Confucian Heritage
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Confucianism has a strong influence on Japanese culture. Japanese schools, for example,
emphasize moral education and obedience in keeping with their Confucian heritage (Franke &
Nadler, 2008). Moreover, a core goal of Confucianism is cultivating "pure morality in its widest
sense," which forms the basis for all national morality curriculums (Paramore, 2015, p. 274).
Current Religious Influence
While Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism differ in many ways, they share a
philosophy that highlights harmony, group orientations, and authority respect (Zhai, 2017).
People and businesses in Japan adhere to these principles. However, over the last few decades,
Japan has been slowly moving away from religion, despite having over 77,000 Buddhist temples
(Temples of Doom, 2015). In 2015, hundreds of temples were forced to close because of this
exodus. This trend will continue to lead to Japanese culture's less influential role in religion.
Dimension of Culture: Ethics
Ethics is the study of morality and conduct, as explained by Satterlee (Satterlee, 2018, p.
44). Personal ethics determine behavior and form the basis of a country's legal system, such as
criminal and civil laws. A fine line is drawn between ethical and illegal conduct in Japan based
on ethical standards and conduct codified (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1997). An apology is customary
as part of the punishment whenever there is a violation of ethics or the law. As a formal
resolution of a legal dispute, it is called "Gomen nasai," meaning "I am very sorry." (Wagatsuma
& Rosett, 1986).
Dimension of Culture: Values and Attitudes
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 6
When considering how Japan conducts business, its religious structure and values are
highly prioritized. Relationships are valued, age is respected, and social norms and rules are
observed in Japan. Moreover, they are self-disciplined and self-controlled. A key aspect of
Japanese attitudes and values is silence, while harmony among people is also crucial. The
Japanese, being introverted, tend to avoid open competition or confrontation because their
religious beliefs consider silence and harmony within the group to be crucial resources (Saito,
2020). The culture of Japan emphasizes punctuality as well. Early on, they learn that time is
valued in their community and that punctuality is considered a virtue. As a result of the actions
they take, the Japanese are convinced that they affect those around them as well.
Dimension of Culture: Business Manners and Customs
The culture of America and Japan has vast differences in customs and manners. A typical
American practice is to shake hands; however, the standard practice in Japan is to bow, which
can range from informal to casual in volume, as well as a slight nod. Foreigners cannot be
expected to understand the Japanese bow rules. At the same time, a Japanese will shake hands
with an American, even if it is awkward if they are in America. Japanese people generally
respond to foreign bows with a casual nod. Within Japanese households, footwear is a way or a
custom that's considered significant. If you are entering a temple, restaurant, castle, Ryokan, or
other historic structure, it is customary to remove your shoes. Calder (1988) states that they
remove their shoes at a spot called genkan and always place them facing the door after removing
them (Calder, 1988). It is a custom for Japanese people to exchange business cards as part of
their manners. As a sign of respect for leading business people in Japan, it is considered a good
deal. Table manners are also strictly observed. Their meals are eaten with chopsticks. When
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 7
using chopsticks during meals, pointing your chopsticks at another person is disrespectful. It is
disrespectful to stick chopsticks into a rice bowl on occasions other than funeral services. Tips
are not expected in restaurants. They should say "gochiosoma deshita" instead of thanking the
person for the meal. It is considered rude to point out in Japanese culture. Japanese people wave
their palms toward distant objects when they want to show them. Japanese people's customs and
manners tend to emphasize respect. They have contributed to their society's harmony by putting
respect as a warrant.
Dimension of Culture: Social Structures
Japanese society emphasizes loyalty and attachment to organizations and groups
(Nagaishi, 2020). The Japanese also show deference to authority (Zhai, 2017). The hierarchical
nature of Japanese social relationships makes this particularly relevant to the study (Zhai, 2017).
Japan's social structure is divided into groups hierarchically. In addition to the industrial
proletariat, there are also imperial families, the nobility, the upper middle class, the lower middle
class, and the peasants. In terms of ranking, the imperial family is at the top, consisting of an
Emperor and his family. They are usually not considered royal families but rather deities. As a
result, they are responsible for the sacred grounds that belong to the Japanese religion and
demand that the Japanese people control them. Rank two is nobility, which contains more than
three subcategories. Kuge is the Nobility division's top-ranked old class. Then comes the
Daimyo, composed of dukes and counts who oversaw many independent principalities. Next will
be the samurai, whose descendants are known to be warriors and knights. The last group
comprises shopkeepers, employees, and the peasantry.
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 8
Research Question 2: How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals
conducting business in the nation?
Dimension of Culture: Communication
Business transactions with multiple organizations and operating within the same
environment lead some to believe that communication is the same. It is not so, however.
Communication barriers often hinder cross-border operations. Language customs, customs ways,
and cultural differences vary widely across the globe. Communication in English is challenging
for the Japanese in a business setting. Although the Japanese can speak English, they need more
confidence and prefer to remain silent during business meetings even though English is the most
dominant international language. In Japanese culture, it is essential to provide an accurate and
reliable response whenever one speaks. Due to this, they are silent during business meetings. For
a business person in Japan, meetings tend to be formal interactions. Group cohesiveness is their
belief. Before starting the meeting, their group usually decides on the agenda, so they work
together. Conducting business in Japan is challenging due to language barriers. Slowing down a
person's speech and minimizing additional English phrases are the most effective ways to combat
these barriers. Meetings in American and Japanese cultures have different purposes, which
increases the risk of miscommunication. The Japanese put more value on the status of the people
at the meeting than on the number of decisions made during the meeting, as opposed to the
number of decisions made by American participants (Clausen, 2007). Companies and individuals
may need to recognize the significant cultural differences and communication styles between the
United States and Japan to understand and respect each other. These misunderstandings must be
resolved to prove costly.
BUSINESS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: JAPAN 9
Dimension of Culture: Religion
Religious beliefs influence Japanese business practices. It is the reason why Japanese
people prefer having social interactions with people coming from the same background. It is a
nation that respects age and status. To earn respect from foreign business partners, an individual's
business ranking is imperative. Relationships are highly valued in Japan. It is, therefore,
imperative that business partners create one before engaging in transactions. As perfection and
harmony are at the core of their beliefs, they strive to achieve precise and accurate transactions
(Kim, 2021). Religious factors also play a prominent role in Japanese business decisions about
foreign direct investment (FDI) (Dolansky, 2008). According to Dolansky (2008), religious
diversity affects Japanese investment decisions.
Dimension of Culture: Ethics
Their religious aspect relating to their culture is reflected in their business ethics.
According to them, every individual possesses a unique soul or spirit known as the numen. As a
result, this numen is responsible for forming the universe's life force when combined with the
varying Earth's numen. Strong emphasis is placed on teamwork. Because they combine different
numbers in one place, their concept of group work gives them the most power. To become
successful in Japanese business, one must be willing to work in a team and expect results from
the entire team. They adhere to two principles: self-control and harmony. To successfully
conduct business with the Japanese, one should avoid confrontation. Workers in Japanese
organizations tend to be more organizational-focused, take a long-term perspective, value
sustainability, protect the organization and society's interests, and promote teamwork and
cooperation (Resick et al., 2011). It would seem unethical to deviate from these principles
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Dimension of Culture: Values and Attitudes
A segment of Japanese business etiquette involves values, manners, customs, and
attitudes being integrated into local enterprises. There is a strong emphasis on formality in the
nation. Business card introductions are the first step in establishing a business relationship with a
Japanese partner. Identifying an individual's rank and position within an organization through
business cards is crucial. It is essential for the Japanese to know their status in a company; they
believe that knowing your status dictates the kind of relationship you will have. Holding a card
with both hands during a formal meeting is considered business etiquette. The values and
attitudes of employees often overlap in business settings. For the attitudes and values of
employees to emerge, they need to be intertwined with the socio-economic system and the
employment practices that reflect it (Okabe, 2011). There is a strong sense of commitment
among the Japanese, an attitude influenced partly by the Japanese' emotional attachment to their
work (Meyer & Allen, 1997). Currently, Japanese firms are assessing employees based on
performance and offering early retirements and other forms of employment (Miyairi, 2004).
Dimension of Culture: Business Manners and Customs
Harmony, homogeneity, hierarchy, and collectivity can all be defined as the Japanese
ethos (Barnlund, 1989). The Japanese business custom of politeness can also be viewed in this
way. Respect is central to Japanese culture, and politeness relates directly to it (Zhai, 2017).
Japanese greetings are an excellent example of politeness. Like many western countries, the
Japanese do not shake hands. Then, they bow to show respect. When the Japanese first interact
with you, they expect physical distance. Japanese firms, especially those in Tokyo, place a great
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deal of emphasis on music on top of politeness. A workers' song based on company values opens
a Japanese company's day (Woods & Lamond, 2011).
Dimension of Culture: Social Structures
People rarely converse in Japan without knowing or understanding the hierarchical social
structures they operate (Barnlund, 1989). Most communication occurs within vertically
organized social structures, each employee having a distinct role. It is helpful to understand this
social structure when dealing with Japanese firms to avoid confusion, misunderstandings, or
offense. Japanese business tends to be very socially structured. There are many similarities
between their enterprise structure and their culture. There is a place for everyone in a firm, and
they must all recognize it. There are many similarities between the corporation's structure and the
global corporate system. Chairpersons are known as Kiachos, followed by presidents as Shachos.
The vice president, FukuShacho, comes next, and the senior executive managing director,
SunmuTorishimariyaku, comes last. JomyTorishimariyaku, the executive managing director,
follows them.
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