Hofstede Project
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National cultures can be described and measured on a scale basis according to the research and analysis of Geert Hofstede. A large research project was conducted by IBM to quantify on a scale how 64 different countries rank among different dimensions. Since then there has been several other research projects that have added to the information he gathered and as well as updated it. Together these studies differentiated national culture. This report discusses the differences between each of the dimensions Hofstede examined for the countries of Japan and the U.S.A.
This dimension of Power Distance relates to the degree of equality between people in a particular society. A country with a high Power Distance score tends to accept and perpetuates inequalities between people. A low Power Distance would be interpreted as a society that does not emphasize differences in peoples status, power or wealth. For this dimension, the U.S.A. scored a 40 whereas Japan scored a 54. This isnt a drastic difference so for the most part, this dimension wouldnt affect the way one would communicate with others based on this dimension to a great degree. However, in Japan, it would be more thoughtful to recognize those with authority and give them the respect that they “deserve”. Likewise it shouldnt be expected that in a company the boss would have as close of a relationship to their subordinates as you would expect in the U.S. For that reason, communication in the work place in Japan would be more limited between employees in different levels of the employment hierarchy. In the U.S.A., however, conversing and questioning superiors is more tolerable.
The second dimension is Individuality. This focuses on the level of which a society acknowledges individual or collective achievement and interpersonal relationships. If a country has a high score, then individuality and individual rights are dominant. People in these cultures tend to form relationships with more people but not of as strong relationships. A low Individualism score would indicate society that is more collectivist in nature. In such countries the relationship between individuals are very strong and the family is especially more closely tied. It is also important to point out that such societies members lean towards collective responsibility. For this dimension, Japan scored a 46; while on the other hand, the U.S.A. scored a 91. Because of this, it can be assumed that when an American is speaking, they will focus their conversations on themselves. Whereas, in Japan, they are more likely to be speaking on behalf of their family or community.
The third dimension in which Hofstede analyzed was Uncertainty Avoidance. This dimension measures the level of acceptance for uncertainty and ambiguity of a society. A country with a high Uncertainty Avoidance score will have a low tolerance towards uncertainty and ambiguity. Because of this, a country will usually be more rule-orientated and follows well defined and established laws and rules and policies in a workplace. A low Uncertainty Avoidance score in contrast would result in a less concerned country about ambiguity and uncertainty and has more acceptance toward variety and experimentation. These countries would be less rule-orientated and more likely to accept change and is willing to take risks. For this dimension, Japan scored 92 and the U.S.A. scored a 46. This drastic difference could lead to difficulty for the two cultures to communicate with one another. In Japan, it would be best to “go with the flow” while in the U.S.A. thinking “outside the box” would be more tolerated.
The following dimension that is analyzed is Masculinity. This dimension pertains to the degree societies do or do not reinforce the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. One should note that sometimes the roles can be reversed. A high Masculinity score indicates that a country experiences a higher degree of gender differentiation. In such cultures, males tend make up a large portion of the society and power structure. A low Masculinity score