Maktdistansstjärnan
- En studie om hur kulturell maktdistans påverkar affärsrelationen mellan japanska och multinationella företag
ABSTRACT Title: the Power distance star ? A study on how cultural power distance affects the business relation between Japanese and multinational companiesLevel: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business AdministrationAuthor: Therese Elofsson and Anna NyströmSupervisor: Jens Eklinder Frick and Jonas MolinDate: 2015 - JanuaryAim: The purpose of this study is to compile available research regarding the cultural aspect power distance, as it is being displayed and handled in business-relations between Japanese and multicultural business contacts. The culture in Japan differs from the culture in the western world and several companies testify that the Japanese market is difficult to act and expand upon. This study aims to provide explanations to these difficulties from a power distance perspective.Method: This study has compiled the theoretical knowledge and research in a model called ?the Power distance Star? (Figure 1), which is created and designed for this purpose. The theoretical model has been tested empirically through qualitative interviews with businessmen from Sweden and Japan. The model contains three sequential steps in the business relationship, from the first impression to a long-term relationship, as well as two independent aspects; conflict-management and decision-making. The model forms the structure for the theoretical and empirical chapters and the results and findings are discussed in a concluding analysis.Result and Conclusions: The results show that theoretical research and empirical data conforms in most ways, though theory fails to address and mediate the importance of some of the more abstract areas, like how to communicate. Information regarding manners and habits that may seem un-academic or prosaic is often omitted from academic research, although our empirical research stresses them as crucial for business-making in Japan. The study concludes that several aspects of Japanese behavior and tradition may seem odd if one does not understand the underlying reason to why Japanese behave the way they do.Suggestions for future research: This study has not taken into account the potential biases and anomalies caused by female interaction. Thus, it would be interesting to empirically test the Power distance Star on a company where some of the interviewees are female, to see if their experiences of power distance in Japanese-related businesses differ from that of our male respondents. It would also be interesting to conduct a study on power distance from the Japanese perspective where a high level of power distance would be the outset and standard throughout the complete study. Suggestions for future research and discussions regarding present gaps in academic research are presented in the analysis.Contribution of the thesis: The contribution of this study is that it has compiled available academic research regarding power distance into a model that easily and transparently explains and addresses the importance of some prosaic actions and traditions that the Japanese have.Key words: Power distance, Japan, Communication, Culture