Cultural spheres of influence in Japan
As a HRM manager of IBIS Osaka Umeda, located at Osaka in Japan, it is essential to analyze the cultural spheres of the other employees who are drawn from different parts of the world as well as that of the people of Osaka and Japan in General. Cultural sphere of influence relates to a region associated with a single homogenous human activity or a complex of activities (Otmazgin, 2008). Such actions are often associated with an ethnolinguistic group and the area it is located at. Osaka is an important commercial and textile center in Japan, with the majority of them being of Shinto and Buddhism religion. Working in other countries such as America is quite different from Osaka. This is because while Americans should be self-motivated, the Japanese employees tend to embrace group mentality and are always required to seek approval from the superiors before making important decisions. It is also common to work for longer hours in Japan without extra pay.
Linguistically, the Kansai dialect is the typified language of speech at Osaka. The dialect is characterized by a more melodic and harsher by most speakers of the standard language. Other tourists who visit Osaka speak in different languages, including English, French (Otmazgin, 2008). However, due to the cultural conservativeness of the Osaka people, it will be an essential idea to learn a few basic phrases in the local language to get along and create a friendly working environment.
Hofstede profiles of Japan
Japanese culture has shown lesser provisions for restraint with a smaller likelihood of cynicism and pessimism. The Japanese culture highly respects seniority, and they tend to keep the work distance. They are mostly conscious of the various statuses of the members of the organization with much respect, and recognition was given to those holding higher ranking positions (Yamamura, Stedham, & Satoh, 2003). At Osaka, Hierarchy is an essential aspect in making crucial decisions within the business, and other junior employees tend to consult the senior officials. Japan is a collectivist society. This gives employees a sense of job security due to long-term job contracts. Most Japanese have a higher feeling of belonging and tend to work best when in groups due to the mutual help from the collectiveness. In Japan, it is possible to easily distinguish between in-groups from out-groups, thereby resulting in limited instances of employees’ conflicts.
Workers in Osaka value relationships with those at similar levels and hold high respect for senior management. While in Japan, there is a sense of protection, making it easier to conform and learn the local languages and norms. Most people in Japan are more assertive and tend to work harder. It is not entirely unique to find employees working for longer hours (Yamamura, Stedham, & Satoh, 2003). This is because society is work-oriented, and many work to earn competitive salaries. However, there is a higher uncertainty while working in Japan, especially during uncertain economic conditions. Japanese working culture is that of a long term working orientation, with some employees willing to subordinate themselves for a purpose. Working in Japan is also characterized by extensive savings quotes. Due to cultural conservation in Japan, employees tend to be concerned about virtues and therefore tend to restrain from certain pleasures while at the workplace.
Three different cultures in Japan
Workplace in Japan is unique and different from other countries, especially Western countries like America. First, the difference is in the dress code in the workplace. The workplace dress code is much more formal than in the USA(Ting-Toomey, 1991). In Japan, a typical businessman is seen always dressed in suits, especially when meeting clients. Most men in business and senior positions wear black or grey suits while women wear white bottom-down shirts, black or navy blue blazers, and skirts matching the blazers. Women also commonly wear black kitten heels and ponytails (Ting-Toomey, 1991). Additionally, while at the workplace, Japanese don’t call their colleagues by their first names when they are at work. Another difference in the culture is that in Japan, the “boss” must approve all the employee decisions, something quite different in western countries. Implying that communication in Japanese business mantra is highly valued. Finally, Japanese co-workers are also expected to hang out after work
Two elements of the HRM policy
Due to the differences in the Japanese culture and Western and American countries, several strategies would be necessary when to ensure a smooth working environment is created. Training would be an essential strategy to use to ensure that the new employees are assigned new mentors who are of Japanese origin and that they get to learn critical Japanese cultures (Martinez, Lucio, & Stuart, 2011). The employees will also be sent into the training to learn about the demographics in the Japanese economy, their work and social cultures, dress codes, among others. Due to the love of socialization by Japanese workers, performance appraisal will be an important element to use as a tool for motivation.
References
Martinez Lucio, M., & Stuart, M. (2011). The state, public policy and the renewal of HRM. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(18), 3661-3671.
Otmazgin, N. K. (2008). Contesting soft power: Japanese popular culture in East and Southeast Asia. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 8(1), 73-101.
Ting-Toomey, S. (1991). Intimacy expressions in three cultures: France, Japan, and the United States. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 15(1), 29-46.
Yamamura, J. H., Stedham, Y., & Satoh, M. (2003). Changing dimensions of national culture in Japan: Applying the Hofstede framework. Economic Research Center, School of Economics, Nagoya University.