Business in Context/Culture - Essay Example

Success of cross-cultural business dealings will depend upon a deep understanding of the national cultures and a mutual respect. The report aims at evaluating predominant features in the business cultures of the United States of America and Japan based on cultural dimensions outlined in Fons Trompenaar’s and Charles Hampden-Turner’s model of seven dimensions of culture and Hofstede’s Indices of Work Related Values. Lastly, the report will also highlight and evaluate key issues, which these different national cultures will pose for business executives entering in to business dealings with the two countries.

Culture is a key factor in gaining an insight in to how people behave in different countries, their preferences, attitudes, values and beliefs. There can be implicit and explicit elements of culture embodied in rituals, symbols, gestures, traditions and mannerisms, which results in diversity in communication and interaction process within a cross cultural setting. It is therefore important to understand the underlying national cultures, which shape each nation’s interrelations including business dealings.

As a forerunner in business and trade, political affairs and social change, United States of America is a country, which has a diverse and multicultural social environment. Within USA, many large subcultures can be observed with distinct differences. American culture is such that outsiders are accomadated and freedom is considered as an utmost importance. Driven by cultural values such as innovation, independence and individualism, American society allowes for social mobility depicted by the “American Dream.

” Rising from the ashes of Wald War II distruction, Japan is today one of the most successful nations in terms of economic development. Despite its economic development, Japanese culture firmly hinges upon customs and heritages dating back to its ancient history. In contrst to the Amrica’s multi cultural diversity, Japanese