Dissecting the Cultural Code of Japan with Andy Molinsky
Back at it again with cultural codes! We are continuing our series with cross cultural expert Andy Molinsky. Andy's series is highlighting the cultural codes of 10 countries. The country of choice today is Japan.
Japan is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean with dense cities, imperial palaces, mountainous national parks and thousands of shrines and temples. Shinkansen bullet trains connect the main islands of Kyushu (with Okinawa's subtropical beaches), Honshu (home to Tokyo and Hiroshima’s atomic-bomb memorial) and Hokkaido (famous for skiing). Tokyo, the capital, is known for skyscrapers, shopping and pop culture. Capital: Tokyo.
He uses the following six-dimensional framework to capture the differences across cultures.
- Directness: How straightforwardly do people typically communicate in this culture?
- Enthusiasm: How much positive emotion and energy do they typically show?
- Formality: How much deference and respect do people typically demonstrate?
- Assertiveness: How strongly do people typically express voice their opinions?
- Self-Promotion: How acceptable is it for people to speak about their accomplishments?
- Personal Disclosure: How much do people typically reveal about themselves?
Be sure to grab Andy's free E-book for mastering 10 cultural codes from around the world: http://www.andymolinsky.com/download-cheat-sheet-to-10-cultural-codes-from-around-the-world/
If you missed last week's episode on South Korea, check it out here.
Without further ado, check it out here or below: