Cultural Characteristics
National cultural characteristics are the factors influencing the perceptions of business communication and interaction in general. As the target countries to analyze, the US and Japan are involved, and based on the parameters described by Adler et al., the cultural characteristics of these countries will be compared (38). In relation to such criteria as formality and social traditions, the Eastern state shows a greater adherence to established cultural norms and customs, while in the US, formality is more common. Regarding the style of clothing, differences also exist; the USA is a country with a large number of migrants, and even with dress code restrictions, people of different cultures can keep their traditions. In modern Japan, casual and business attire are common, but national costumes are an important part of the national culture. The Japanese are also more careful with time; overwork is the norm in this state, and employees often sacrifice personal time to complete assigned tasks. In the United States, this approach is not practiced due to personal independence, and time management is an essential part of business education.
From the perspective of tolerance for conflict, the Japanese tend to show more fortitude since respect for the other is a more significant factor in interpersonal interaction than in the Western country. Regarding gender roles, both states demonstrate loyalty, and there are no obvious differences and contradictions, although in Japan, due to centuries-old traditions, an appropriate image of women and their behavior has been formed. With respect to high and low context, the US belongs to a low-context culture in which the clarity of goal setting and the absence of subtext are communication norms. Japan is a country with high-context interaction, and not only words but also their hidden sense and even tone carry additional meanings. While comparing the criteria of individualism and collectivism, the first term can be applied to the Americans rather than to the Japanese because, in Japan, the interests of the group are valued significantly above one’s own. The power distance parameter is less reflected in the US than in Japan. Individual independence and the opportunity for self-expression are essential attributes of freedom in America, while in Japan, a clear hierarchical structure is valued more.
The criterion of uncertainty avoidance is substantially higher in Japan than in the US because, in the west, people tend to reflect less on fuzzy or unstructured plans or tasks. In the context of the masculinity dimension, the Eastern state also scores higher than the US, but due to commitment to collectivism in Japan, overt discriminatory behavior is not the norm. Finally, the aspect of future orientation is significantly stronger in Japan than in the US, which is reflected in the distinctive perceptions of an individual place in the modern picture of the world.
The cultural difference providing the biggest challenge for business teams
If business teams from both cultures work together, some of the aforementioned cultural differences can be challenging. For instance, while taking into account distinctive views on collectivism and individualism, the setting of tasks and their implementation can be perceived differently, which, in turn, is fraught with different deadlines and work outcomes. Power distance is also a parameter that can critically affect the results of cooperation. For Americans, individual independence is more important than for the Japanese, and colleagues from the two countries may perceive governance regimes and, therefore, the value of leadership roles distinctively.
Addressing challenges when communicating across the two cultures
To ease the challenges when communicating, employees from the two countries should become familiar with each other’s traditions and norms of interaction. Representatives of the US and Japan need to study the partners’ national business practices, including such legal aspects as the intellectual property provisions that Hill and Hult mention (51). To improve communication, people from these two cultures should be aware of the communication and subordination principles promoted as mandatory, and this will reduce the risk of contradictions in the course of cooperation.
Ethical issues arising when doing business between these two different cultures
Regarding the threat of arising ethical issues when doing business between these two different cultures, problems can be caused by the lack of understanding of individual approaches to control and leadership. For instance, in terms of uncertainty avoidance, the Japanese outperform the Americans significantly, and fuzzy task settings may cause disagreement in the team. A more strongly pronounced criterion of masculinity in the eastern country can also lead to misunderstanding. Despite the existing democratic values, the gender hierarchy can be taken much more seriously by the Japanese than by the Americans, and this may cause communication challenges in the process of cooperation.
Works Cited
Adler, Ronald Brian, et al. Communicating at Work: Strategies for Success in Business and the Professions. 11th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2013.
Hill, Charles W. L. and G. Tomas M. Hult. Global Business Today. 10th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2017.