Cultural Differences in Western and Japanese Decision-Making原文及翻译

Lesson Eleven Cultural Differences in Western and Japanese Decision-Making

日本与西方决策方式中的文化差异

To talk about problem-solving or decision-making within a national environment means examining many complex cultural forces. It means trying to measure the impact of these forces on

contemporary life, and also coming to grips with changes now taking place.

以国家为背景探讨解决问题或做出决策的方式就意味着研究许多复杂的文化因素。 它意味着试图评估这些因素对现代生活的影响，也意味着把握目前正在发生的变化。

In Japan, the most important thing is what organization you work for. This is of extreme importance when trying to analyze the direction-taking or decision-making process. At the least, it explains the greater job stability in Japan, in contrast to the great job mobility in America.

在日本，最重要的是你为什么单位工作。 在对其取向或决策过程进行分析时，这一点尤为重要。 至少，它说明了美国的工作流动性大和相比而言日本的工作稳定性极高的原因。

While we differ in many ways, such differences are neither superior nor inferior to each other. A particular pattern of management behavior develops from a complex mixture of unique cultural factors — and will only work within a given culture.

尽管我们在许多方面存在差异，但这些差异并无优劣之分。 某一特定的管理行为模式，是由其独特的文化因素复合发展而成的——因而仅在一定的文化中起作用。

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Let me try to describe three or four characteristics of the Japanese environment that in some way affect decision-making or direction-taking and problem-solving. These characteristics are related to each other.

让我来描述一下日本民族的三四个文化背景特征，它们以某种方式影响着决策或者取向，以及解决问题的方式。 这些特征是相互联系的。

First, in any approach to a problem and in any negotiations in Japan, there is the \Western \sides present their arguments openly from their own point of view — they state what they want and what they expect to get. A confrontation situation is thereby set up, and Westerners are very skillful in dealing with this. 首先，在日本，任何解决问题的方法或任何谈判都体现着\你对你\的方式，这与西方\我对你\的方式截然不同。 差别在于：在\我对你\的方式中，双方都坦率地从自己的观点出发提出主张——他们说出自己想要什么，希望得到什么。 如此一来就形成了对峙的局面，而西方人十分善于应付对峙局面。

The \side — automatically and often unconsciously — trying to

understand the other person's point of view. Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual attempt to reduce confrontation and achieve harmony.

日本人所采用的\你对你\的方式则建立在各方——自然而然地并常常是下意识地——力图理解对方观点的基础之上。 因此，会晤所向是双方共同努力减少对峙，谋求和谐。

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A second characteristic is based on \\thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels. This is true of both private enterprises and government ministries. In Japan there is a drive for unity within the group — whether it is family, company, or Parliament.

第二个特点的基础是\一致共识\及\由下而上\。 在日本，更多的是对各阶层所有人员的想法和意见都予以认真考虑。 无论是私人企业还是政府部门均是如此。 在日本，人们力求团体的统一，不论这团体是家庭、公司还是国会。

The difference is that Western style decision-making proceeds mostly from top management and often does not consult middle management or the worker while in Japan, ideas can be created at the lowest levels, travel upward through an organization and have an impact on the eventual decision. This is \

差别在于，西方式的决策多半源自高层管理人员，通常不征求中层管理人员或员工的意见；而在日本，最底层的人员也能提出想法，然后通过组织上传，对最后的决策产生影响。 此谓\由下而上\。

There is also a characteristic style of communication in Japan that is different from the Western way.

日本特有的交流方式也与西方的不同。

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The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony, even if the deal falls through, and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a \only indirectly and delicately.

即使生意没做成，日本商人也力求和睦相处，愿花费必要的时间来确立\你对你\的交流方式，仅仅间接而巧妙地交换个人意见。

This places time in a different perspective. In Japan the Western deadline approach is secondary to a thorough job. Owing to this difference in emphasis, the Japanese are thorough in their meetings as well as in their production. Thus Americans are often frustrated by the many successive meetings in many Japanese businesses. But where the American is pressing for a specific decision, the Japanese is trying to devise a rather broad direction.

这就产生了对时间的不同见解。 在日本，有始有终的工作比西方人对工作采取最后期限的态度更受推崇。由于这种重点的不同，日本人不仅在生产上讲求有始有终，而且开会也讲求有始有终。 因此，美国人对许多日本公司繁多的会议感到厌烦。 但美国人总是急于做出具体决策，而日本人却试着制定一个大方向。

On the other hand, once a given agreement is made, it is the Japanese who sometimes wonder at the slow pace in which

Westerners implement the decision. The Japanese are eager to move forward and Westerners, perhaps, lag behind as they take the time for in-depth planning.

另一方面，一旦签署了某个协议，却常常是日本人惊讶于西方人履行协议时的拖沓。 日本人热情十足地往前走，而西方人因需要时间作详细计划，则可能落后。

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Now, while Japan's industry and technology are highly developed, they have not replaced the fundamental force of human energy and motivation. By that I mean that the Japanese take great pride in doing a job well and getting it done no matter how much time is required. There is a commitment and sense of responsibility which have not yet been discarded in this age of machines.

现在，虽然日本的工业和技术得到了高度发展，但它们并不能取代人类精力和动机的根本力量。 我这么说的意思是，日本人对于能把一项工作做好，对于能完成这项工作，无论耗时多少，都会感到无比自豪。 这里面有承诺和责任感，在这个机器时代里，它们仍然没有被抛弃。

In my field — finance and securities — I am often asked by Westerners how Nomura Securities has managed to escape the paper traffic jam that American firms have faced. We, too, have had that problem. The Tokyo Stock Exchange often has between 200 and 300 million transactions a day. This volume is many times more than that of the New York Stock Exchange. How can it be feasible to handle this load?

在我的工作领域——金融和证券业，常有西方人问我，野村证券公司是如何避免美国公司所面临的交易单流通堵塞的。 我们也碰到过这个难题。 东京证交所每天通常有2-3亿笔交易。 这个交易额是纽约证交所的许多倍。 怎样才能处理好这么巨大的数额呢？

First, we have very sophisticated computers. Second, and most important, the operational personnel responsible for processing all

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