Toward bridging the communication gap: Cross-cultural variation in Japanese-American business communication

Japanese have been often criticized for their poor use of English and for their communication behaviors in the business world. A number of differences reflected in communication between Japanese and Westerners have been acknowledged from reports and personal observations. This study explores cross-cultural differences in business communication between Japanese and Americans using empirical data. Responses from 205 Japanese and Americans who work for Japanese enterprises located in the U.S. were analyzed and tabulated using the percentage frequency distribution, independent t-test and chi-square analysis. From cross-cultural communication studies targeting Japanese and Americans conducted in the past, three scales (verbal-nonverbal scale, directness-indirectness scale, and individualism-collectivism scale) were drawn and considered to determine the cultural factors leading to communication variations. The researcher found that the two groups greatly varied in verbal-nonverbal communication and direct-indirect communication, but not in individualism-collectivism. The results confirmed that American participants believe that Japanese employees are nonverbal and indirect, whereas Japanese perceive American employees as verbal and direct in communication. Concerning the individualism-collectivism scale, both groups showed the same level of individualism. A comparison in self-perception and the other group's perception in communication was further made. Both Japanese and American subjects agreed that Japanese employees become indirect and nonverbal in communication. For American communication, the two groups agreed that Americans were verbal, but not direct. American participants identified themselves as less direct than Japanese participants did and thought of Japanese as more direct than Japanese did of themselves. This study also found that Japanese hesitation in giving opinions/comments in business meetings was perceived as the most difficult trait for American participants to deal with when engaging the Japanese. At the same time, American talkativeness was found to be the most difficult communication behavior for Japanese in dealing with their American counterparts.