T0PIC:

DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WORKING

CULTURE OF USA, CHINA, JAPAN.
 BUSINESS CULTURE

 Culture is the personality of a team or an organization.

Model or style of business operations within company . The business

culture determine how different level of staff communicate with one
another as well as how employees deal with clients and customer.

 Workplace culture is the environment that you create for your

employees. It is the mix of your organization’s leadership ,values
traditions, beliefs ,interactions, behaviours and attitudes that
contributed to the emotional and relational environment of your
workplace
 America :

AMERICA:
1. American individualism: Many Americans, they especially don’t like a manager who tells
them how to do their job. They want to have some freedom to choose their own way of doing
things, and they expect to be rewarded individually for the results.
2. Hierarchy: American organizations have quite a flat organizational structure but with a clear
chain of command and detailed instructions. Hierarchy is predominantly established for
convenience.
3. Decision making: “Yes, we can!”: When making decisions, American managers are
categorized as having a high performance orientation. Decisions are driven by competitiveness,
and are very result-oriented. The American decision style reflects a high need for achievement.
4. Dress code:
The U.S. offers the widest range of different business dress codes.
Most American companies expect their employees to maintain an official dress code.
5. Time perception : Punctuality is extremely important in the U.S. Being on time – especially at
meetings – is essential for your success. Five minutes late with an apology is acceptable, but ten
to fifteen minutes late requires a phone call to warn of the delay and apology. Being late can be
seen as a sign of disrespect.
 JAPAN:
1. Long working hours: The Japanese have been well known as hard working people who put in many
hours. This issue is not only a rumor as average Japanese works at least 9 hours a day.
2. Drinking with colleagues is a part of work: Most of you must have heard that the Japanese like to
drink after the workday. Yes, it is recommended to have a drink with your subordinates.
3 .Seniority nuance : As I mentioned, seniority is still very strong in Japan. The culture values its elders
for the wisdom. At a meeting, normally the members always have a time slot for the most senior person
to comment. Other members never disagree with him and always pay attention to him. When bowing to a
senior, people also bend lower than normally.
4. Silence is a virtue: Japanese working environment is normally quiet and focused. Being too much of
an extrovert can be considered a bad attitude. Do not say your disagreements directly and openly. Keep
any situation quiet and don’t ask your colleagues to chat too frequently.
5. Cooperation and Group work : The Japanese culture follows a more collectivism kind of approach
in their daily life as well as their work life, where they believe that working together would yield much
better results, unlike some cultures that follow a more individualistic kind of approach.
 CHINA :
1 .Everybody in the Chinese workplace has a social rank.

2. Decision Making : Decisions are often made through consensus and individuals are
expected to follow the group decision.

3. Time Perception: Punctuality is very important in China. The Chinese are rarely late
and will be offended if you are tardy.

4. Dress Code: The Chinese once dressed very conservatively. Nowadays you are much
more likely to see the latest international fashions. Men are expected to wear suits. For both
men and women it is important for clothes to be clean and neat.

5. Greetings : Nodding and smiling are very common greetings. In official business
meetings, you will be offered a handshake. This handshake must be initiated by your
Chinese counterpart.
 COMPARISION ACCORDING TO HOFSTEDE CULTURE
DIMENSION

1. CHINA is at 80 higher at power distance which means

society that believes that inequalities amongst people are
acceptable.

2. USA is high on individualist means the degree of

interdependence a society maintains among its members
is high. The Americans premise of “ liberty and justice for
all”.

3. JAPAN at 95 is one of the most masculine societies in

the world. However, in combination with mild
collectivism, you do not see assertive and competitive
individual behaviors which we associate with masculine
culture . As an expression of masculinity in japan is the
drive for excellence and perfection in their material
production and in material services in every aspect of life.
4. At 92 JAPAN is one of the most uncertainty avoiding countries on earth. This is often the fact that japan
is constantly threatened by natural disasters from earthquakes, tsunamis , typhoons to volcano eruption.
Under these circumstances Japanese learned to prepare themselves for uncertain situation. This need for
uncertainty avoidance is one of the reasons why changes are so difficult to realize in japan.

5. At 88 JAPAN scores as one of the most long term orientation oriented societies. Japanese see their life as
a very short moment in a long mankind . Where as CHINA scores 87 which means that it is very pragmatic
culture which means truth depends very much on situation ,context and time. They show an ability to adapt
traditions easily to changed condition.

6. USA scores as an indulgent (68) society on the sixth dimension. Work hard and play hard . Indulgence
means the extent to which people try to control their desire and impulses , based on the way they are raised.
 DIFFERENCE IN WORKING CULTURES

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JAPANESE AND AMERICAN WORKPLACES

→ The culture in Japanese work environment differs greatly from that of an American
workplace.

→While Americans generally have to be self –motivated, Japanese employees embrace a

group mentality and look to their superiors for approval before making big decisions.

→ However, both cultures work extremely long hours and take little vacation time during the
year.

→Japanese workplaces are more formal:- Americans are more casual in office than japan .
→In Japanese companies employees must get their superiors’ approval whenever they
make a decision:- Many companies adhere to a mantra “ho-ren-so” , which means
“report, control , consult”.

→American workplaces focus on the individuals; Japanese workplaces focus on the group.

→Japanese workers are often expected to party with coworkers after hours.

→In both countries, employees work long hours and take few breaks.
 China
→Napping is acceptable and even encouraged.

→Things are more flexible.

→Relationships with the government:- as compared to US in CHINA government relationship is the

top priority for business which means everyone need to be in good terms with them.

→ Most employee are hardworking but not all.

→Being too upfront is considered rude.

→The hierarchy is important:- instead of saying Mr. or Mrs. Addressing people by their designated
work name is preferred in some formal settings. This may be manager, director etc. It is also important
to greet people according to their rank.

→ Collectivism is valued more than individualism.

Difference between working culture of US , CHINA, and JAPAN
Characteristics US JAPAN CHINA

Structure Casual Formal Formal

Motivation Self motivated Employees Employees are

embraces a group motivated by
mentality their superiors

Working hours Long hours Long hours Long hours

Decision making Can take decision They have to ask They need their
to their superior superior approval
first

Individualism vs Individualism Collectivism Collectivism

Collectivism

Being upfront You can freely Being too upfront Same as JAPAN
give your opinion is considered
rude
 Case study :
Remaking of JC Penny Organizational Culture
ABOUT JCP :
J.C.Penny (JCP) is a mid range chain of American department stores operating in 49 U.S. states .
JCP ‘S ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE WAS VERY FORMAL.
• The employees referred to the store managers and other people of the management as ‘Mr.’, ‘Ms.’, etc.
and the surnames rather then the first names.
• The employees also wore formals.
• The employees were dissuaded from customizing or decorating their cubicles according to their tastes.
• A team of “office police” enforced the guidelines and maintained decorum in the workplace.
• Generally, employees could not think of reaching a senior management position without working as a
store manager.
Due to all these cultural issues work atmosphere at JCP was not healthy and business was affected badly
and JCP position in the market was dipping day by day.

Change agent:
The chairman and CEO of JCP, Ullman realized that the prevailing mood would act as a deterrent to these
ambitions as it was not conducive to forward thinking.
Culture change initiatives:
 • “Just call me Mike”. This is to encourage people to use each other’s first
name instead of family name. What is of value is that “first names create a
friendly place to shop and work.”
 • JCP also relaxed the dress code and announced that “business casuals”
were welcome at the corporate office.
 • The “office police” team was disbanded.
 • The employees were also allowed to decorate their cubicles according to
their tastes and preferences.
 • JCP demonstrated the importance JCP placed on its employees in various
ways.

“Winning together Principles” (WtP) :

WTP was an updated moral code for employees that built on and went beyond
the HCSC (Honour, Confidence, Service, and Cooperation) motto propounded
by JCP’s founder.
Training and development at JCP:
In 2006, JCP started identifying high-potential employees, called ‘hypos’in JCP parlance. These employees
were sent to the ‘Retail Academy’. Modules on leadership were provided to them. Top executives including
Ullman and Theilmann acted as faculty members at this academy

RESULT :
 The efforts to change the culture at JCP started bearing fruits within two years. JCP’s second ‘Associate
Engagement Survey’ in 2006 revealed that 73 percent employees were “engaged” as compared to 67
percent in 2005. According to JCP, the quality of talent it was able to attract had increased significantly.
Analysts noted that though many retail chains recruited from Texas A&M’s Center, a number of students
had shown an interest in working for JCP. In 2007, JCP planned to hire 2000 students from A&M, which
was double the number it had recruited in 2006.