Cultural Dimensions - Societal Cultures of Japan and China - Research Paper Example

Globe Project - Cultural Dimensions

Dimension

Japan

China

Performance Orientation

Scores highly on performance orientation. This reflects citizens with a high drive for achievement who are likely to derive pleasure from continuous progress, like handling tasks with the modest prospect of success since they signify a challenge, seek regular feedback, take individual responsibility for their deeds, look for information on ways of improving performance, and are usually innovative.

This country also has a high score. This is related to the significance of information, taking personal initiative, spotlight on the future, self-actualization, or self-reliance (autonomy) and planning, being results and task-oriented, use of clear, direct, and explicit language, and possessing a sense of urgency of accomplishing things. Chinese accord status to other people based on accomplishments and achievement, rather than acknowledgment based on a particular background or superiority of an individual.

Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance is high, reflecting citizens who actively seek to lessen the probability of unpredictable upcoming events that might adversely influence the operation of a society or organization and remedy the achievement of such adverse consequences. This high rank is associated with the use of processes, such as consistent resolution rules to minimize the need to forecast uncertain occasions in the future. Culturally, this society is linked to phenomena as keeping meticulous records, a preference of job security, avoiding ambiguity, documentation, resistance to change, information and feedback-seeking, and taking calculated risks.

High uncertainty avoidance. This is a sign of a society that consistently seeks orderliness, formalized procedures, consistency, structure, and regulations to tackle important events as well as naturally happening uncertainties in their everyday lives. Society is characterized by aspects of technology, coordination, laws, rules, policies, and rituals used to deal with uncertainty.

In-Group Collectivism

Japan ranks high on in-group collectivism. It is a representation of great pride in membership to the society, a powerful sense of group identity, and sentimental recognition toward the society.

Similarly, China is among the highest-ranking cultures in terms of in-group collectivism. This society has a strong emphasis on cohesiveness, collaboration, and harmony.

Power Distance

Japan is ranked in a higher position. This reflects the society has a high degree of acceptance and endorsement of power differences, authority, power differences, and status privileges. The extent to which members of this society anticipate and accepted that power should be shared unevenly is high. Power holders in this society are awarded greater privileges, status, and material incentives than those who lack power.

China also has a high rank. This is associated with a higher chance of acceptance towards decision-making approaches of persons in charge, capacity to influence, the prospect of having sovereign thought and expressing opinions, respect to authority, and use of artifacts as symbols of ranks and titles.

Gender Egalitarianism

Gender egalitarianism is ranked as low in Japan. The extent to which people value gender egalitarianism in this society is low. People in this society do not value gender Egalitarianism or believe that the gender of a member should determine their responsibility in homes, businesses, organizations, and communities.

(grovewell.com)

China ranks lower in terms of gender egalitarianism. The members of this society do not advocate the idea of unity in diversity or believe that a diverse community reflects a wealthy source of ideas and practices. The Chinese society neither tolerates diversity nor lays emphasis on respect, understanding, and the promotion of diversity through continued committed efforts.

Humane Orientation

Japan ranks very high in this cultural dimension. This society is highly concerned with upgrading the human condition and quality of life, security, and support.

Humane orientation is high in this society but lower than in Japan. The members are responsible for improving well-being, social contacts, approval, offering security, affection, and belonging, and fighting injustice.

Institutional Collectivism

Japan is ranked in a higher position. The members of this society subsidize their personal goals and wish to those of the pertinent social units. Members of this society have strong team orientation and development emphasizing collective objectives, transposable interests, and respect for socially legitimate associations. They have a low priority for personal independence. Society is more likely to embrace an obsession with self-sufficiency and independence.

China also has a high rank in institutional collectivism. This is a representation of the rewards and inducements for cooperative behavior and norms, instead of rather than incentives and rewards for the performance of individual freedom and sovereignty. This society is institutionally oriented and responsibilities are probably based on communal rather than personal performance.

Future Orientation

Future orientation is high in this society. People in this culture believe that their present actions will affect their future, are prone to plan, organize and invest for the future, and believe in planning for the development of their future.

China ranks higher for future orientation. Individuals in this culture have a tendency to save presently for the future. They focus on working for long-term achievement and organizations are likely to be adaptive and flexible. The individuals consider material success and spiritual achievement as a significant part and look at the future for examining the influences of their present actions.

Assertiveness

Japan ranks low for assertiveness. Given the stress on competition, lowly assertive societies should notionally be projected to ascribe status based on attributes such as profession, age, or family relation rather than on achievements. People in this culture are generally dominant and demanding in their associations with others.

Compared to Japan, china ranks lower. People in this society values support and warm relationships. They communicate indirectly and try to stay in harmony with their surroundings. They also build trust based on predictability and expect loyalty from subordinates.

(thunderbird.edu)

The nine cultural dimensions determine whether China and Japan form one cultural cluster. Although cultural differences among the two Asian states were identified with regard to individualism, no other considerable differences were found in terms of long–term orientation; therefore these states can be taken to be a single Confucian cultural cluster. Various techniques can be employed in comparing these countries. Firstly, we would use a single cultural dimension to examine the probability of cultural cluster patterns. Secondly, two or all of the cultural dimensions could be used together. Japan and china form a cultural cluster in terms of power distance and individualism levels. However, these two states form different cultural clusters in terms of, first, individualism and power distance and, secondly, uncertainty avoidance and power distance. Both China and Japan belong to a group that features strong uncertainty avoidance and high power distance. Therefore, the formation of cultural clusters in Japan and China is relatively similar in terms of differences in cultural dimensions.

China and Japan can be grouped as a single Confucian cluster in terms of all nine cultural dimensions found in their cultural model. We can logically come to a conclusion that the results from the GLOBE project and comparisons that use a single or two cultural dimensions separately would not be the same as those that employ nine cultural dimensions simultaneously. The comparison that uses one or two cultural dimensions independently is a separated approach and the one using all the nine cultural dimensions is an integrated approach.