There are many differences between Japan management style and Western management style. However, the companies from both sides of the world try to implement the good sides of both styles and make the business more successful.
We now see many things in leadership styles in Japan that are influenced by Western culture. At the same time, we see Japanese positive sides that are influencing the Western leadership style. The styles complement each other in order to create a strong working culture that will have many benefits for the employees and the companies.
What Are the Key Differences?
The main difference between Japanese management and Western management is the attitude and philosophy. For the last 30 years, the Japanese have studied Western companies and their approach to daily work. They incorporated what they considered relevant for their companies, and that was the reason for the biggest growth of the companies in Japan.
Japan V/S Western Management Style
Now, the Western management style tries to learn from the Japan management style when it comes to matters related to work ethics and employees’ dedication to the company’s goals.
In Japan, the workforce seems to be more productive. Employees are loyal, devoted, and dedicated to the company’s success. There is a kind of a deeper relationship between the employees and employers, and this is visible in every Japanese company. In Japan, the relationship is deeper and it affects the employee’s life on a more personal level.
The employee truly believes in the company’s goals, and they are ready to sacrifice more of his or her time and effort to meet the deadlines and projected goals.
This is possible due to the leadership styles in Japan that are very specific. In Japan, a company offers some sort of a lifetime commitment and the employees know they won’t be fired even if the company faces big economic troubles. They will do anything to stop the firing and layoff of their workers, and this is something to consider as an important matter in the correlation between the employees and upper management in a company.
On the other hand, we have a completely different approach to the Western leadership style.
The bond between the employees and companies is weak and the companies employ workers just for the sake of the business success. In many Western companies, the employees are considered as part of the production. They are individuals with certain professional skills and their skills are used to meet the company’s expectations in the market. In the Western approach, the employee is not part of the company. He or she is an outsider with the price for the production of certain goods or services, and an employee serves the company as a unique entity.
This creates big troubles in the Western management style because the employees do not create a strong bond as is the case in leadership styles in Japan.
Many Western companies face troubles because the work ethic and dedication of the workers are not at an expected level.
What Can Be Done to Meet the Differences?
In the beginning, we learned that Japanese companies have been learning from Western companies about the crucial things in management and leadership. Now, Western companies should learn from the Japanese leadership style and approaches to work routines.
Only when the Western management style becomes more flexible and more dedicated to the employees’ needs will success follow.
There are many changes and many approaches that should be implemented. Some Western companies are already using the best from the Japanese culture and work environment. These companies combine the best from both worlds and these make significant improvements.