Research report assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research report assignment - Essay Example xpect and accept that power is distributed unequally† (Hofstede) as exemplified in Japan manifests the recognition of inequality in power structure that reverberates in the business applications. As explicitly disclosed, â€Å"some foreigners experience Japan as extremely hierarchical because of their business experience of painstakingly slow decision making process: all the decisions must be confirmed by each hierarchical layer and finally by the top management in Tokyo† (Hofstede par. 4). Therefore, in Japan, decision-making is expected to be based on more group consensus and structural hierarchical levels are observed prior to the approval of the man on the top of the organizational structure. The dimension of individualism is construed as the â€Å"the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members† (Hofstede par. 5). It was thereby acknowledged that Japanese culture is more collectivists than individualists. In the scale that compares U.S. dimensions of culture with that of Japan, it was clearly apparent that the U.S. manifests predominance in individualism, with a score of 91 as compared to Japan’s 46. As such, the following characteristics were noted to manifest collectivism: U.S.’s 62. This is indicative of a society and culture that is â€Å"driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organizational behavior† (Hofstede par. 7). Likewise, according to DHerbais, et al., â€Å"the (almost) complete absence of expressed emotion, feelings and spontaneity during interactions dominates Japanese organizations. Respect for elders in Japanese Japan scored extremely high in uncertainty avoidance (92), indicating their aversion for uncertainty. Accordingly, it is reported that it takes a lot of time for Japanese to undertake new projects due to the need to be certain of all aspects and facets that influence them. As