Running head: Compare and Contrast of New Zealand and Japan 1

Compare and Contrast of New Zealand and Japan using Hofstede’s Six Dimensions

Alejandra Filippi

ORG-300 Applying Leadership Principles

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Barbara Moyer

January 13th, 2017

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The United States, sometimes referred to as the “Melting Pot”, has many different

cultures on result of its many diverse people. The likeliness that a workplace will

encounter cultural differences is very high in today’s America and many other countries

around the world. This paper will compare and contrast two different countries, New

Zealand and Japan, on Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Geert Hofstede, a Dutch

researcher found four dimensions of behavior that assist in explaining the differences and

similarities in culture by studying over 40 different countries. Since then two more

dimensions have been added to Hofsede’s list. Using the Country Comparison section of

the Hofstede Center to compare and contrast New Zealand and Japan’s cultural

differences, this paper will discuss how being aware and being able to adapt to cultural

differences can positively impact workplace relationships, and help leaders become more

effective in the way they interact with their staff.

The first dimension, Individualism vs. Collectivism, defines whether a society is

based on meeting the needs of the individual or the group. New Zealand scored a high of

79, demonstrating that it is an individualistic culture. New Zealanders are expected to

look after themselves and their immediate families, and at their jobs they are expected to

be self-reliant and display initiative. In comparison, Japan with the score of 46, is more of

a collectivistic society putting the needs of the group above the individuals. The Japanese

are loyal to their companies and are more private and reserved than most other Asians. In

the article Managing the workplace in a globalized world: The role of national culture in

workplace management states “Regarding the dimension individualism, Araghinavaz

(2003) stated that in collective cultures people predictably prefer group offices, whereas

individualistic cultures prefer cellular offices” (2014, p. 748). Knowing that New
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Zealanders tend to be more individualistic and Japanese tend to be more group oriented

can help co-workers better understand their peers and help leaders be more effective in

assigning tasks to their staff.

Moving on to the second dimension, Masculinity vs. Femininity, the degree to which a

culture stresses masculine attributes such as dominance and independence. For this

dimension both countries scored as being a masculine society. New Zealand scored 58;

their people have shared values that are based on being the best they can be and trying to

win it all, and are therefore very proud of their achievements. Japan scored higher than

New Zealand with a total of 95, being one of the most masculine societies in the world.

The Japanese aim for perfection and excellence in every category of life, and are

accordingly severely competitive. Knowing this shared cultural value of high aspirations

can be very effective for leaders in understanding their employee’s drive and even give

them more insight on what roles to give their employees that they can succeed in.

The third cultural dimension, Uncertainty Avoidance, is a society’s tolerance for

ambiguity, or how well a society deals with not knowing the future. New Zealand scored

a 49, showing they have no preference on how to avoid the unknown future, while in

complete contrast Japan scored a high total of 92. Japan is considered one of the greatest

uncertainty avoiding countries in the world, they are well learned and prepared for any

uncertain situation. From natural disasters, to important life ceremonies and any decision-

making, everything has a procedure. Acknowledging the huge difference between these

two cultural norms can be of great help in understanding how uncertainty might affect

some employees and avoid conflict. In the article, Developing your Cultural Adaptively

affirms “Identifying differences that can cause confusion or conflict is a good step toward
Compare and Contrast of New Zealand and Japan 4

developing more flexibility in your relationships with people who are different from

yourself” (2003, p. 3). Knowing that the Japanese are accustomed to always being

prepared for every circumstance and how they react to uncertainty can be helpful in

preventing confusion or anxiety for them, thus achieving a better work environment.

The next dimension is, Power Distance, describes the tolerance a society can have for

uneven distribution of power. New Zealand scored 22; a relative low score, revealing a

hierarchy; where superiors are accessible and managers rely on the expertise of individual

employees or teams. While Japan has an intermediate score of 54, being borderline

hierarchical and not high in power distance. Japan has a deathly slow decision making

process, all decisions must go through each hierarchical layer and top management in

Tokyo, thus showing how there is no one top guy. Japan also is a Meritocratic society,

where everyone is born equal and can achieve anything through hard work. These two

countries are relatively low scoring in Power Distance, meaning they prefer hierarchical

structures and participative leaderships styles. This can be useful to the leader in adapting

their leadership style to better lead and instruct their staff.

The last cultural dimension this paper will discuss is Indulgence vs. Restraint, that

describes a society’s control over their desires and impulses. New Zealand’s high score of

75 suggest that it’s a country of Indulgence. New Zealanders willingly realize their

desires and aspire to enjoy life and have fun. They have a natural tendency toward

optimism, and place a high importance on leisure time. Very easy going, with how they at

and how they spend their money. Meanwhile Japan’s low score of 42 shows it’s a country

of restraint. In contrast to New Zealand, the Japanese tend to lean on the pessimistic side,

and they do not put emphasis on leisure time. They choose to control their desires and
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impulses and even feel that indulging themselves is somehow wrong. As a leader or co-

worker knowing your peers outlooks and perspectives can help better understand their

views, opinions and ideas that they may incorporate at work. For example New

Zealanders are more optimistic and care free than the Japanese, whom are more careful

and realistic.

In conclusion New Zealand and Japan are two countries with very different cultural

values, standards and traditions. “An ability to understand underlying cultural

motivations and anticipate potential disagreements in a culturally significant situation

will help you create more effective working relationships across cultural boundaries”

quoted from Developing your Cultural Adaptively (2003, p 17). Using Geert Hofstede’s

cultural dimensions this paper was able to discuss and prove how understanding cultural

differences can positively impact workplace relationships and help leaders become more

effective in their interaction with staff members.

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References:

Country Comparison section of the Hosfstede Center. Itim International. Retrieved

January 12, 2017, from https://geert-hofstede.com/japan.html

Developing Your Cultural Adaptability. (2003). Developing Cultural Adaptability: How

to Work Across Differences, 12-28

Plijter, E.,B., JM van, d. V., & Rocco, R. (2014). Managing the workplace in a globalized

world. Facilities, 32(13), 744-760. Retrieved from

https://csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.csuglobal.idm

.oclc.org/docview/1633946377?accountid=38569