Difference Between Australian and Japanese Culture
- Power distance is how willing the less powerful people or groups in a society are to accept that power is distributed unequally. The worldwide average for power distance on Hofstede's scale is 55 out of a scale of 1 to 100. Australians rank below this average with a score of 36, meaning they tolerate power inequality less than average, whereas the Japanese score is 54, which is close to the world average. Australians are one of the least formal societies on the planet. While there are bosses and high-ranking officials, these individuals work closely with the common people. In Japan, on the other hand, people with powerful positions are respected and obeyed more because of their position, and roles in society are more stratified than they are in Australian society.
- Individualism is the extent to which people identify with groups or see themselves, first and foremost, as individuals. The world average for individualism is a 53. Australians score a 90 on this scale, making them the second most individual society in the world, after the United States. Australians obviously do form groups and care about society as a whole, but their first concern is their nuclear families and themselves. The Japanese, on the other hand, have a score of 46, which is lower than average and on the collectivist side of the scale. The Japanese consider their duty to their in-groups, such as their employers, and their duty to society, as among the most important aspects of their lives.
- Masculinity is the degree to which societies differentiate between the roles of men and women. Masculine cultures have a large degree of differentiation between the sexes, and feminine cultures have more equality. The world average is a 50. Australia has a score of 51, which is slightly on the masculine side. This means that there are gender roles but that the roles are not absolute. Japan has a score of 63, which is much more on the masculine side. Women in Japan are expected to be take on caretaker roles while the men are expected to be assertive.
- Uncertainty avoidance is the society's tolerance for ambiguous situations. The world average is a 64, which falls more on the low tolerance side of the scale. Australian society scores a 51, which means that Australians are neither embracing of or rejecting of uncertainty. Japan scores a 92, which means that uncertainty is something that should be avoided whenever possible. The Japanese prefer a structured society with clear-cut rules and expectations.
- Long-term orientation refers to the extent to which a society considers the long-term implications of a situation. The world average is a 46. Australian society has a score of 31, which indicates that Australians have a more live-for-today orientation than average. The past is the past, and their thinking is oriented toward the present and the short term. Japan, on the other hand, has a score of 80. Past events remain important, and while the present situation is certainly relevant, the Japanese tend to consider the big picture over short-term gains.