How Communication & Culture Can Affect Business

Summative Report Assignment Name Institution Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Summative Report Assignment PAGEREF _Toc511391192 \h 3Executive Summary PAGEREF _Toc511391193 \h 3Introduction PAGEREF _Toc511391194 \h 3Cultural Foundations of the Communication Styles in Japan PAGEREF _Toc511391195 \h 4Hierarchy in Business PAGEREF _Toc511391196 \h 4Decision Making PAGEREF _Toc511391197 \h 5Gender Issues in Business PAGEREF _Toc511391198 \h 5Linguistic Issues PAGEREF _Toc511391199 \h 6Nonverbal Communication PAGEREF _Toc511391200 \h 6Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc511391201 \h 7References PAGEREF _Toc511391202 \h 8 Summative Report Assignment Executive Summary Different communication styles often cause the loss of business opportunities due to the resulting misunderstandings. Such misunderstandings usually arise when businesspersons fail to consider the cultural practices of different countries and how they affect business communication. The main purpose of this paper is therefore to help business people identify how communication, culture can affect various aspects of the business and how to deal with these differences to create harmony. The country chosen for this study is Japan, which is a collective society. This collectivity means that identity is derived from groups and members of these groups have to agree to a decision to be considered valid. Hierarchy and seniority are very important in Japan as they dictate how business negotiations and office relationships will work. For instance, in any negotiation between two or more Japanese companies, those chosen as representatives must have the same qualifications in terms of age and position. In decision making the ringi system is used to ensure that the decision made is guided by suggestions made by all members as a way of encouraging collective responsibility and accountability in case of any repercussions. Gender plays a significant role in the Japanese business world, although women are not open to take up leadership positions due to cultural issues. It is recommended that for business people wishing to carry out businesses with the Japanese be aware of these facts in order to avoid misunderstandings. It is only by discovering Japan’s way of communication in the workplace and business that any businessperson can succeed in conducting their business with Japan. Introduction The global business environment is expanding as more companies seek to take their operations beyond borders. For any business to succeed, communication is a key factor. This fact is particularly important when dealing with people from different countries that have their own communication styles. Usually, business people who deal with foreign businesses have to consider the communication issue because failure to do so will automatically lead to misunderstandings. Consequently, many important business opportunities can be lost this way. Japan is one such country with a unique communication style when it comes to business. Foreigners working there are bound to deal with some communication gaps that are a result of the unique cultural values and business customs. Nevertheless, understanding these factors puts foreign business persons at a better position of succeeding in their operations in Japan and also makes a way for strong partnerships to be built. Cultural Foundations of the Communication Styles in Japan In order to understand better the Japanese communication style it is necessary to begin with, how culture has helped to bring about this unique style. Group orientation is one way to look at this. Culturally, Japan is a collective society where there is a general concern for each other. Due to this it implies that individuals “derive their identity from group affiliations, including family, school, and company” (Sasaki and Dickey 1999). Because of this, groups are considered very important and for this reason during first business meetings, it is normal to hear a company’s name being mentioned before one gives their own name. These relationships are valued because they are a way by which harmony and social order are maintained in Japanese society and therefore an individual can survive best in the culture if they keep such relationships. An interesting fact, during business interactions is that the Japanese do not express their emotions and opinions openly; instead they prefer doing this in a private manner where no public debates are involved. They see this as a way of protecting those involved from the embarrassment associated with open confrontations. It is common for the Japanese to revert to silence when there is tension during a meeting and many foreigners especially westerners may find this quite unsettling. In addition, the Japanese culture encourages that when a person is faced with opposition they yield to that. Usually, one is considered immature and loses credibility if they fail to yield to the opinions stated by the group. Another thing worth noting is that the Japanese have a culture of Honne and Tatemae that is used to ensure the maintenance of relationships especially during first time interactions. In this, it is necessary that individual opinions and feelings (honne) be differentiated from what is to be said during public meetings (tatemae). As Sasaki and Dickey (1999) note, foreign business people often find it hard to differentiate between the two and this can be quite frustrating. Hierarchy in Business Hierarchy is considered a very important factor in Japan, especially since great value is placed on all relationships. These hierarchical relationships have their basis on the Confucianism ethics whereby vertical hierarchical relationships are used to determine who is higher than the other. For example, in business a vendor is considered to be at a much lower position that the customer. In the relationship between managers and their subordinates, the former are charged with the responsibility of looking into the welfare of the others including showing concern for their personal, private lives. On the other hand, great respect is given to the managers and their decisions trusted by the subordinates. Closely related to this is the issue of seniority. This is applicable in business where it is a determinant of many important factors like promotion. Seniority is considered very important during business negotiations whereby an individual’s position and age play a major part in determining whether the deal will go through or not. For example, any two companies seeking to negotiate with each other have to ensure that those chosen for this duty hold the same positions in their different companies and their ages are the same. Hierarchy also comes into play when business cards are being exchanged particularly during first time meetings. The exchange is made between individuals of higher level like managers before others follow. As a show of respect specific titles related to the positions held, are used when address...