According to RW-3 CultureWizard’s Culture Calculator tool, the three defining aspects of Japanese culture are Hierarchy, Group Harmony and Formality. This is a terrific cultural foundation for training Samurai warriors, but what if the kind of warrior your nation currently needs is a Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg? As Japan’s economy stagnates, and the nation looks to model Silicon Valley start ups, the issues they face aren’t just about capital and resources, but also culture. “Part of the problem is the past. After the success of the pioneering postwar electronics companies, the lure of working for established places created a risk-averse culture.” The other major issue is the three cultural components that define most modern start-ups—egalitarianism, disruption and informality—run completely contrary to the pillars of Japanese culture. It’s enough of an issue that the Japanese government has stepped in to help change the culture around start-ups and support entrepreneurs as they seek to revitalize the sagging Japanese economy.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is working to shift the culture so that more women entrepreneurs feel empowered in an economy historically dominated by middle-aged men. Additionally, the Abe government’s growth strategy puts start-ups at the center by encouraging investment in new technologies and supporting training and education in entrepreneurship at Japanese universities, as well as connecting Japanese entrepreneurs with their peers in Silicon Valley through seminars and mentorship programs.
The commendable thing here is how the Japanese government realizes the real issue isn’t one of education or ambition, it’s one of culture, and they are taking it on.
Lived or worked in Japan? Would love to hear your input. What cultural shifts do you think Japan needs to make in order for Tokyo to become the next Silicon Valley?
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