The New Global Corporate Culture: A Comparative Survey Of The Corporate Cultures Of Japan And The United States In The 21st Century

Abstract

Japan 2007, is not the same country it was during theeighties, when foreigners flocked to Tokyo, armed with copies of books such as How to Succeed in Japan: A Business Etiquette Primer. Globalization, fueled by the Internet and other advances in communications technology, is playing an ever greater role in business operations around the globe. Outside of business, these advances allow people on opposite sides of the globe to interact, and this interaction exposes others to new ideas, views, languages, and cultures. This study evaluates the shifts in the corporate cultures of Japan and the United States, through the framework of Hofstedes value dimensions over the past 25 years, through the use of surveys and interviews in both countries. This rich material is backed by examples of these shifts in both countries; in addition to a brief overview of the communicative differences of Japan and the United States. This study will allow not only business professionals and managers, but also students and teachers, to approach another culture with clear, current insight that gets past stereotypes to help foster success in engaging and working with counterparts in other parts of the world.