(Solution) 50S04 QUESTION 1 (AC 1.2): UK and Japanese Workplace cultures differ
Solution
The cultural mapping created by Geert Hofstede includes six dimensions of cultural differences across nations such as power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence (Hofstede, 2022).
The dimensions bring out key differences between the UK and Japanese workplaces that are very crucial given that our 3,000-person pharmaceutical facility will merge with the Japanese mother company. These differences are;
Power distance is one of the cultural dissimilarities. Hofstede documents the UK at 35 and Japan at 54 showing that Japan recognizes the superiority of hierarchical leadership more (truthaboutlocalgov, 2025). The UK workplaces value the service style of communication, which is free to the management, and opportunity to challenge the ideas freely. In our plant, 250 specialists in the R&D department debate with managers on a regular basis. On the contrary, the Japanese expatriate leaders can demand formal power, hierarchy of decision making and subordinates respecting them.
Another contrast that is very important is individualism versus collectivism. The index of individualism scores the UK at 89 and Japan at 46 which is symptoms of collectivist orientation (truthaboutlocalgov, 2025). Employees in UK focus on personal growth,…..
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