Harmony in Japanese Society

. Harmony is the key value in Japanese society.
. Harmony is the guiding philosophy for the Japanese in family and business settings and in society as a whole.
. Japanese children are taught to act harmoniously and cooperatively with others from the time they go to pre-school.
. The Japanese educational system emphasizes the interdependence of all people, and Japanese children are not raised to be independent but rather to work together.
. This need for harmonious relationships between people is reflected in much Japanese behaviour.
. They place great emphasis on politeness, personal responsibility and working together for the universal, rather than the individual, good.
. They present facts that might be disagreeable in a gentle and indirect fashion.
. They see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively.

Japanese Non-Verbal Communication

. Since the Japanese strive for harmony and are group dependent, they rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels.
. They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word as words can have several meanings.
. The context in which something is said affects the meaning of the words. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the situation to fully appreciate the response.
. Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement.
. Most Japanese maintain an impassive expression when speaking.
. Expressions to watch out for include inhaling through clenched teeth, tilting the head, scratching the back of the head, and scratching the eyebrow.
. Non-verbal communication is so vital that there is a book for 'gaijins' (foreigners) on how to interpret the signs!
. It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person's eyes, particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age or status.
. In crowded situations the Japanese avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy.

Japanese Hierarchy

. The Japanese are very conscious of age and status.
. Everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy, be it the family unit, the extended family, a social or a business situation.
. At school children learn to address other students as senior to them ('senpai') or junior to them ('kohai').
. The oldest person in a group is always revered and honoured. In a social situation, they will be served first and their drinks will be poured for them.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 936