Assessment 3 BUS304

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Intercultural Differences: USA V/S Japan
Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................................................................3
Power Distance.......................................................................................................3
Individualism vs Collectivism................................................................................4
Masculinity vs Femininity......................................................................................4
Uncertainty avoidance............................................................................................5
Long term vs Short term orientation.......................................................................6
Indulgence vs Restraint...........................................................................................6
How do you think Hofstede’s theory can be applied to business or your own
skills in cultural awareness?...................................................................................6
Conclusion..............................................................................................................6
Introduction
Numerous researchers and philosophers have explored and attempted to
comprehend the several cultural practices and traditions that exist within our
society. Like many others, notably societal researcher Geert Hofstede, have
pondered the similar concerns concerning our current societal
& cultural variations. Hofstede developed the six cultural aspects in response to
the necessity to address these issues. He considered that the six cultural aspects
are the concerns with which civilization must grapple in order to coordinate
themselves. Individualism, power distance, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance,
long-term orientation, and indulgence are among the six cultural aspects. The
dimension score a nation's culture on a range of 0-100, indicating if that nation's
values has a high or low link with that aspect. Recognizing the six cultural
aspects may be useful in a variety of situations, including getting a better
comprehension of a nation's culture and sometimes even global trade.1
In today's corporate environment, widespread technology and international
organizations have shattered the conventional boundaries that formerly limited
many of us to simply communicate to those who lived near us. New
technological advancements has certainly made a crucial impact including
having our need for and capacity to interact beyond international boundaries.
The U.S. and Japan have developed a solid collaborative partnership over the
past several decades.2 However both countries have made technological
advances and have comparable objectives to prosper in the international
corporate domain, there are several cultural distinctions that must be
acknowledged in attempt for these two powerful countries to continuing to
interact in their quest of worldwide economic success.

Power Distance
Considering all individual are unique, it implies that everyone is inequitable.
One of the most obvious elements of disparities is the degree of influence an
individual possesses or may possess over other individuals; power is described
as the extent to which an individual can impact other individuals'
perspectives and conduct.
1
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory - Overview and Categories (corporatefinanceinstitute.com)
2
Neoliberalism, Nationalism, and Intercultural Communication: A Critical Analysis of a Japan's Neoliberal
Nationalism Discourse under Globalization: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 2,
No 1 (tandfonline.com)
People with little power agree that someone with more power have some effect
over those with less control, which is known as power distance. The
U.S. receives a rating of 40 on the Hofstede 6-D model, whereas Japan receives
a rating of 54. Japan can also be called a liminal hierarchal structure, despite the
fact this doesn't inherently imply a significant distinction. This is a significant
departure from American culture. Japan, on the other hand, is still a
meritocracy. They think that everyone may reach any desirable rank or stature if
they put in the effort sufficiently. This is comparable to American society in that
youngsters are taught about this notion across their infancy.3

Individualism vs Collectivism
Individualism describes the extent toward which civilizations respect their
individuals' autonomy. Individualistic societies have an "every man for himself"
ethos, with individuals are encouraged to look after oneself and their respective
relatives.4
The interests and aspirations of the community as a whole are prioritized over
the wants and ambitions of each individual in collectivism cultures. In these
kind of societies, each person's perception is influenced by their interactions
with other individuals of the group and their interconnection.5
The United States receives a very high rating of 91 on the Hofstede 6-D model.
As a result, American society is among the world’s largest & highly
individualistic cultures. The vertical and horizontal data distribution in a
company's structure represents this in enterprises of US. Leadership and
subordinates anticipate to be updated, and informal communication across
layers of the company is common.
Japan receives a 46 on the Individualism scale. Several of the features of a
collectivist cultures may be seen in Japanese culture, such as valuing
cohesiveness over individuality and a profound sense of humility for fear of
ridicule. Japan was devastated post WWII. The citizens of Japan came up with a
common aim of national rehabilitation. The Cultural Causation Theory was
eventually developed, and it proved to be highly useful in Japan's rehabilitation
attempts. For decades, Japan's society has been fuelled by collaborative
aspirations. It's a representation of utilitarian ideals. In Japanese companies, this
slows down the decision-making procedure.6

3
(PDF) Revisiting Hofstede's Dimensions: Examining the Cultural Convergence of the United States and Japan
(researchgate.net)
4
That “Every Man for Himself” Thing: The Rationales of Individualism Among the Urban Poor - Bryerton -
2016 - Sociological Inquiry - Wiley Online Library
5
Understanding Collectivist Cultures (verywellmind.com)
6
International Marketing - McGraw Hill Higher Education (studylib.net)
Masculinity vs Femininity
The Masculinity component signifies a social drive for achievement, boldness,
assertiveness, and monetary rewards for achievement. The wider populace is a
brutally cutthroat kind. Masculinity is described as a predilection for masculine
characteristics over female characteristics. Femininity, on the contrary, is
associated with a willingness to work together, modesty, empathy for the
helpless, and a high quality of life. The general public is more focused on
reaching an agreement. Masculine vs. Feminine, within business sector,
feminine is usually characterized to as "strong vs sensitive" mentality.7

Japan is among the country which is driven by masculine dimension, with a

Masculine Index of 95. However, you don't witness the forceful and aggressive
individualistic actions that we commonly identify with form of masculinity
when combined with their moderate collectivism. There is a fierce competition
amongst the factions that you can observe. Kids place a high priority on
sporting events for their groupings in preschools from an early age. For
example, Red Team vs White Team.  The United States has a high Masculinity
score of 62, which may be noticed in standard American behavioural
tendencies. This could be characterized by the interaction of a strong
Masculinity desire with the world's foremost Individualism impulse. Indicating,
each Americans enjoys displaying his or her Macho spirit.

Uncertainty Avoidance
The amount of risks and uncertainties and ambiguities accepted in society is
referred to as uncertainty avoidance. Low tolerance for unpredictability,
ambiguities, and risk-taking is indicated by a high uncertainty avoidance rating.
The uncertainty is reduced by enforcing stringent rules, laws, and other
guidelines. A strong endurance for unpredictability, ambiguities, and danger
suggests a low uncertainty avoidance rating.
The United States receives a relatively low 46 on the Hofstede 6-D model,
whereas Japan receives an exceptionally high 92. The adoption of fresh ideas in
American culture exemplifies this. New technologies, ideas, and perspectives
are welcomed with open arms in American culture. Freedom of thought and the
exploration of innovative beliefs and notions are highly valued. Every facet of
life in Japan, on the other hand, has its own protocol and decorum. In this
nation, which is continuously endangered by catastrophic events such as seismic
events and storm surges, there seems to be a greater sense of prudence. This
aversion to trying or accepting innovative notions pervades many parts of life,

7
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions EXPLAINED with EXAMPLES | B2U (business-to-you.com)
including business. This renders company decision-making a time-consuming
procedure that considers potential hazards before adopting change.

Long term vs Short term orientation

Every society needs to maintain some linkages to its own past whilst dealing
with the challenges of the present and future. Cultures emphasize the two
conceptual goals in different ways. Low-scoring societies, for example, attempt
to maintain long-standing habits and traditions while being sceptical of societal
change. On the other hand, civilizations with a high rating culture take a rather
more rational approach, emphasizing caution and investing in modern
educational approaches as a method of preparedness for the next generations.8
The United States receives a low rating of 26 on the Hofstede 6-D model,
whereas Japan receives a high rating of 88. In terms of commerce, American
corporations seek speedy revenues that are calculated on a periodic basis.
Japanese businesses, on the contrary, follow the perception that they are little or
insignificant part of a lengthy history. As a result, periodic earnings is less
important, with the focus being on a long-term stable market dominance. The
idea is to serve civilization as a collective for several generations, rather than
earning massive profits periodically.

Indulgence vs Restraint
The last dimension of the 6D model is Indulgence vs. Restraint, which assesses
pleasure for leisure participation. Indulgence refers to the extent whereby a
society accepts for comparatively unrestricted enjoyment of fundamental and
instinctive human drives such as impulses and desires with regard, whereas
restraint refers to the extent to which a society represses and restricts enjoyment
of necessities through rigorous societal expectations. This sociocultural
component illustrates the distinctions among fulfillment and management of
basic necessities associated to attaining enjoyment from living.
The United States receives a high 68 on the Hofstede 6-D model, whereas Japan
receives a low 42. This score depicts the American society's philosophy of
working hard in order to play hard. Addictions of several kinds are rampant in
American culture. Japan, on the contrary, is far less hedonistic because they
place a higher emphasis on productive time over recreational time. Furthermore,
unlike indulging cultures, restricted societies put a lower value on leisure period
and have complete control over fulfilment of individual wants. Individuals who
hold this opinion feel that society's norms limit their actions and that self-
gratification is immoral.

8
Long Term Orientation Vs Short Term Orientation, and How To Be a Long-termist - Fosburit.com
 Figure 1- Japan Vs USA - Hofstede's 6D Model

How do you think Hofstede’s theory can be applied to business or

your own skills in cultural awareness?
Understanding and applying the six aspects of culture to business may be
beneficial and pragmatic since it gives a method towards becoming acquainted
with a nation's values prior to participation in global commerce. The mindsets
of the nation’s we want to flourish in, such as with the United States and Japan,
can have a big impact on your multinational commercial success. It's reasonable
to think that other nations' traditions are different in numerous dimensions from
our own, and it's critical to grasp such distinctions while doing business
internationally. Communication systems, beliefs and customs, managerial and
authoritative techniques, and the conceptions of timing and morality are only a
few instances of these disparities. Our cultural awareness will influence our
capacity to join a market place, build and manage commercial connections,
negotiate beneficial impacts, perform selling, execute promotional and publicity
initiatives, and participate in production and distributing.” Acknowledging a
culture might be among the important factor in ensuring the success of any
commercial agreement.9
This methodology has weaknesses, just like every other empirical research or
paradigm. As a consequence, it should be seen with a fair dosage of scepticism,
as it does not represent the entire truth. It may, nevertheless, reveal how, among
other things, culture shapes effective communication, behaviours, and attitudes.
Applying the Geert Hofstede paradigm may aid management in identifying
9
Culture and Business (saylordotorg.github.io)
organizational challenges associated with intercultural concerns. They can then
utilize those findings to create productivity enhancement efforts, such as
conflict-resolution communication methods.10

Conclusion
The Hofstede 6-D model, is still useful when trying to acquire a broad picture of
a number of different inter-cultural aspects. The ability to use and comprehend
these cultural characteristics is a valuable skill in multinational trade. Because
each culture varies in crucial aspects that influence business internationally,
success in international trade might depend mainly on the cultures of the nations
in which the business intends to operate in. The analysis of Hofstede and his 6-
D model is a useful paradigm for research and analysis. When compared Japan
or other Eastern cultures to that of Western civilization, nonetheless, this might
be missing many factors. Hofstede's theory of avoidance of uncertainty is
thought to possess a largely Western prejudice because it excluded numerous
Confucian-based concepts frequently held by Eastern culture.  Japan is among
those eastern civilizations that adheres to a Confucianism cultural philosophy. 

10
How Can the Geert Hofstede Model Be Applied in Business? (walkme.com)