Question

How do U.S. and Japanese firms differ in the way they go about making decisions and controlling operations? How are the two similar?

Answer 1

Quantitative and empirical research has characterized Japanese and US entrepreneurs in their approach to decision-making as representatives of two different cultures. While Japanese emphasis was on interdependence, US leaders were generally more myopic and individualistic. Through a strong consultative approach with groups, Japanese management has addressed a connection with the emotional model. America's leadership would avoid the authority to maintain independence as Pascale pointed out. The argument that US leaders used a political / coalition model for manipulation and control is plausible. The way in which Japanese leaders might be viewed as thinking and acting could be different. Whatever the similitudes and differences between the influence of each country on its leaders, one principle remained. When all was spoken and done, leaders took cultural preferences-influenced decisions. They let culture decide, in other words.