Work-Related Cultural Values of Japanese and Czech Students

Abstract

Companies are very often confronted with external and internal cultural diversity to which they have to respond adequately. We need a deeper understanding of whether national cultures remain divergent in countries such as Japan and the Czech Republic following the pressures of globalization. One can argue that as cultures evolve they should constantly be assessed e.g., with respect to each of Hofstede"s dimensions. By collecting data from one Eastern-European culture, the Czech Republic, and one Eastern culture, Japan, this study has re-examined Hofstede"s (1984; cultural dimensions in these two cultures. Results suggest interesting changes have occurred in these cultures; a trend towards convergence may be derived. Explanations as well as implications are discussed.