Hofstede Canada vs Japan Essay

Individualism vs CollectivismIn essence this dimension deals with the relationship between the individual and the collectives in a given society. It is reflected in the way in which stack live together. For example, nuclear families, extended families, tribes and other larger communities. It straightway effects peoples values and behaviours. In some cultures individualism is quondam(prenominal) to be sought after but in others it is seen as alienation.CanadaCanada has a score of 80 in this dimension which is its highest score by a large margin of 28. Their society expects people to look after themselves and their immediate family. These values in be line with my own Irish values but we chiefly go one further and include extended family members in this bracket much(prenominal) as cousins, aunts and uncles by blood or marriage. Likewise in a bank line environment employees are expected to take initiative and be self-reliant without constant supervision. Where hiring and promotio n decisions are concerned assessments are based on the individuals accolades and capabilities. It is alpha to note that Canadian employees will be expected to be able to work on individual tasks as substantially as group projects.The vast majority of Canadians as well as other capitalist English oration countries such as Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, coupled Kingdom and the United States have individualism ranked first. Financial most of all but most successes are a measure of personal achievement. Canadians are generally confident and open to discuss general topics however their private affairs are only up for discussion with their closest friends and family members. The predominately French speaking province of Quebec holds different views than the rest of Canada. This leads to tension between and their English speaking countrymen. Quebecers tend to be more(prenominal) private and reserved. Ethnocentrism is prevalent in Canada but especially in Quebec.JapanJapan has a scor e of 46 on the Hofstedes individualism dimension. Japan has many qualities of a collective society and thusly in popularly stereotyped as one, when in fact it scores in the middle. It rankd harmonies relations over an individuals need to express themselves and has a great sense of shame for losing face. This being said it is not as collective as its Chinese and Korean neighbours as they do not obligate extended families to the same extent.Japan has a paternalistic society where assets are inherited from father to eldest son while the remaining siblings are left hand to their own devices, making their own living with their core families. A more recent study by Woodring1 found that Japanese students are scored higher on individualism and lower on power distance than Hofstedes original sample. This was due to their age, according to Woodring. The findings suggest that Japanese college students value individualism and equality more than the rest of their society. Hofsedes longitudin al study showed that national wealth and individualism are related. Japan has the worlds third largest economy2, so it is no rage that Japanese society is changing in this way.In fact a recent Japanese term shin jin rui literally meaning invigorated homosexual beings has developed to describe 25 year olds and younger by their elders. They are thought to be selfish, self-centred and disrespectful of elders and traditions3. Japanese society could be regarded as paradoxical as it is both individualist and collective depending on the given situation. For example Japanese employees are famous for their company obedience but loyalty is something they choose for themselves which is a individualistic characteristic. Japanese society is collective by Canadian and indeed Irish standards but individualist by the rest of Asias standards.Individualism vs Collectivism impact on Decisions MakingThis mostly effects the motivations of a decision. Individualist societies are motivated by personal success and murder their decisions according. They constantly trying to climb the corporate ladder and achieve a higher standard of living for themselves and their immediate family. Meanwhile in collective societies they prioritise their decisions for good of the group above their own personal goals. In a business context collective societies will work better in groups with people they have a personal relationship with. While individualist societies can work well as individuals and in groups with people they do not know. This allows for quick decision making but not knowing a colleague on a personal level may lead to less industrious participation. Collective mentality takes more time but more options are analysed in more depth which in some circumstances is more effective but less time efficient.Uncertainty avoidanceUncertainty avoidance indicates how threatened a society will be by ambiguous contexts and the storey to which it will attempt to avoid these situations by not to lerating deviant ideas or behaviours, and a belief in absolute truths4. This ambiguity leads to worry. Different cultures manage this anxiety in different manners. A High Uncertainty Avoidance ranking indicates the country has a low tolerance for hesitancy and ambiguity. This creates a rule-oriented society that implements laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order avoid uncertainty. A Low Uncertainty Avoidance ranking indicates the country is less worried about doubt and is more comfortable taking into account a wide variety of views and opinions. This is mirrored in a society that is less strictly regulated, accepts counterchange quicker, and takes more and greater risks.JapanJapan, with a score of 92, is one of the most uncertainty avoiding places on earth. This is thought to be due to Japans ever present threat of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and volcanic eruptions. May 2011s tsunami is a testament to this with a death toll of just under six teen thousand. The Japanese have learned to prepare themselves all aspects of lifespan and not just emergencies. From start to finish Japanese life is extremely organised by Canadian standards, with many tradition ceremonies such as initiative and closing events for schools. These are performed in very untold the same manner throughout Japan. Detailed etiquette books are available outlining proper behavioural practises and dress for important events such as weddings and funerals.In the Japanese business world, vast amounts of time are invested into feasibility studies. All risk factors must be precisely analysed originally any project gets the go ahead. Managers will insist on and indeed expect detailed facts and figures before committing to any decision. This need to precedent and approved practises makes introducing change difficult.CanadaWith a score of 48 Canada is considerable more uncertainty accepting than Japan. They readily accept new ideas, innovative products and have an enthusiasm to try new or different things whether its new technology, products or business practices. They are accepting of ideas and opinions from people on any level of a business which allows freedom of manifestation and upward and downward communication. Canadian culture is not rule orientated as Japan is but they tend to be less emotional expressive than cultures scoring higher on the dimension.Canada uncertainty avoidance is fragmented somewhat. The British Columbia providence is viewed as the Western Frontier while Quebecers are much more reserved and reluctant to change. Traditionally British Columbias economy was based on exploiting natural resources such as mining, lumber and fishing. cod to a change in the global economy in the 1990s it shifted to a more entrepreneurial, innovative intense economy. Innovation is the product of entrepreneurship which is directly colligate to lower uncertainty avoidance5.In May of 2002, the University of British Columbia studied entr epreneurial activity in B.C. and compared it to other Canadian provinces.6 Their research showed that the province of B.C. is put up for greater entrepreneurial activity but that over-regulation may be stunting entrepreneurial activity in the province. During the late 1990s the number of new business starts in B.C. was higher than the Canadian national average. Thus, it shows lower uncertainty avoidance in B.C.Uncertainty avoidance impact on decision makingThis directly impacts decision making as it relates to risk taking and preparation in every form. A high scoring uncertainty avoidance country such as Japan actively makes decisions to constantly avoid risk. Decisions are only made after lengthy considerations with all plausible possibilities careful considered before achieve is taken. It was be advantage of being better informed but the disadvantage of being time consuming. Whereas in a country with a low uncertainty avoidance score such as Canada decisions are may much quicker with less considers and options accounted for before taking the plunge. This is a high risk, high return strategy which can work well given the right entrepreneurial skills. Both nations could learn from each other, making reasonable quick decisions with the best data given time constraints.Bibliographyhttps//docs.google.com/a/ucdconnect.ie/viewer?a=v&q=cache5pvQ7O-6yo0Jwww.cjrs-rcsr.org/archives/30-2/McNabb-final.pdf+canadian+uncertainty+avoidance&hl=en&gl=ie&pelvic inflammatory disease=bl&srcid=ADGEESg1FrvsrtpXzN76VcxyTTQ-41w1fT3mmEF46pj4oZCKrQwWL-1IoYpW2iiR2wH9pu7aIgJORx1xQj8w06gzLj8xnIq7FEoS6QW14Ame4iS5nfDGejToZ70ZJS5KGa6GzRoFBw5H&sig=AHIEtbQ3NA9rLoVL-GovrHnXzRqTiSO5OA&pli=1http//cos.sagepub.com/content/51/1-2/59.full.pdf+htmlhttp//www.cyborlink.com/besite/canada.htmCultures Consequences Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations by By Geert H. Hofstede.