Ans 1 Japan ranks high on pragmatism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance and fairly high on power distance. At the same time much importance is attached to loyalty, empathy and the guidance of subordinates. The result is a mix of authoritarianism and humanism in the workplace, similarly to a family system. These cultural roots are evident in a very homogeneous managerial value system, with strong middle management, strong working relationships, strong seniority system that stress rank, and an emphasis on looking after employees. The Japanese strongly identify and thus seek to cooperate with their work groups. The emphasis’s on participative management, consensus problem solving, and decision making with a patient, long term perspective. Open expression and conflict are discouraged and it is of paramount importance to avoid the shame of not fulfilling ones duty. These elements of work culture result in a devotion to work , collective responsibility and high degree of employee productivity.

If we extend this cultural profile to its implications for specific behaviors in he workplace, we can draw a comparison with common American behaviors. Most of those behaviors seem to be opposite to those of their counterparts: its no wonder that many misunderstanding and conflicts in the workplace arise between Americans and Japanese. For example a majority of the attitudes and behaviors of many Japanese stems from a high level of collectivism, compared with a high level of individualism common to Americans. In addition, the often blunt, outspoken American businessperson offends the indirectness and sensitivity of the Japanese for whom the virtue of patience is paramount, causing the silence and avoidance that so frustrates Americans. As a result japans businesspeople think of American organizations as having no spiritual quality and little employee loyalty and of Americans as assertive, frank, and egotistic. Their American counterparts in turn, respond with the impression that Japanese business people have little experience and are secretive, arrogant and caution