Cultural Differences in Hofstede’s Six Dimensions
Culture is intricately complex and constantly shifting meaning. With hundreds of nations in the world and billions of people, there are bound to be many similarities and differences between cultures. Hofstede defines culture as “the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others” (Hofstede, 2010). Using his six dimensions of culture, nations can be compared to each other in order to understand how they will interact. This paper will compare and contrast Japan and Germany 's cultures and how their cultural differences affect work relationships.
Japanese Cultural Scores
Similar to other Asian cultures, Japanese culture relies heavily on collectivism and loyalty to the group. In fact, Japan scores 46 in Individualism (based on Hofstede 's research) which indicates a collectivistic society (Hofstede, n.d.). Japanese people are fiercely loyal to their companies and family members but are not at the same level of collectivism as China or Korea. Individuals are expected to work in harmony with others to the extent of putting aside their own opinions for the good of the whole. Pressentin states it like this: “they have a tendency to think in ‘we’ terms instead of ‘I’” (Pressentin, 2015). …show more content…
Germans use facts and figures to demonstrate their points and take an analytical approach in order to present strong arguments. They do not like to deal with half-truths or idealistic ideas; instead, cold hard facts are the strongest pieces of evidence for them even if the truth hurts. In order to make a decision, “objective facts are considered as essential and crucial” (Kovacevik, 2013). Germans also rely heavily on hierarchy where managers delegate tasks and essentially run the show. Subordinates can comment during meetings but ultimately, decisions are made from the top and trickle down to the
Culture is intricately complex and constantly shifting meaning. With hundreds of nations in the world and billions of people, there are bound to be many similarities and differences between cultures. Hofstede defines culture as “the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others” (Hofstede, 2010). Using his six dimensions of culture, nations can be compared to each other in order to understand how they will interact. This paper will compare and contrast Japan and Germany 's cultures and how their cultural differences affect work relationships.
Japanese Cultural Scores
Similar to other Asian cultures, Japanese culture relies heavily on collectivism and loyalty to the group. In fact, Japan scores 46 in Individualism (based on Hofstede 's research) which indicates a collectivistic society (Hofstede, n.d.). Japanese people are fiercely loyal to their companies and family members but are not at the same level of collectivism as China or Korea. Individuals are expected to work in harmony with others to the extent of putting aside their own opinions for the good of the whole. Pressentin states it like this: “they have a tendency to think in ‘we’ terms instead of ‘I’” (Pressentin, 2015). …show more content…
Germans use facts and figures to demonstrate their points and take an analytical approach in order to present strong arguments. They do not like to deal with half-truths or idealistic ideas; instead, cold hard facts are the strongest pieces of evidence for them even if the truth hurts. In order to make a decision, “objective facts are considered as essential and crucial” (Kovacevik, 2013). Germans also rely heavily on hierarchy where managers delegate tasks and essentially run the show. Subordinates can comment during meetings but ultimately, decisions are made from the top and trickle down to the