Posts

Final Blog

Image
 Hello, Countries can maybe look similar on the surface, but after you dive deeper and do a bit more research the mindset of each culture behind everyday life could be completely different. I dont know how much Bulgaria and Japan are a good example of this because on the surface they look very different, but I am going to speak about them regardless. Using Hofstede's model it is easier to understand why people are the way they are. First dimension that im writing about is uncertainty avoidance. Bulgaria is kinda in the middle. We are not akin to chaos, but unexpected situations are handled with calm. Plans always change, it is how life workds. If things go south most Bulgarian would be able to adapt to the situation. Japan, on the other hand, has a very high uncertainty avoidance. The society in this country prefers clear rules, planning in detail and stability. People are at ease when everything is organized and they can predict it. This difference could be felt as soon as you lan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hofstede Model Indulgence vs. Restraint

Image
 Hi, This topic covers how freely people enjoy life and how often they follow their desires. In Bulgaria usually we are on the restraint side. People focus on responsibilities before enjoyment. Of course, fun is to be had and there is a lot of people who do 90% fun things and responsibilities fade in the background. But on average we grow up with the idea that hard work comes first. Spending money on luxurious things or entertainment is done with care. I still remember when in 2013 I begged my dad to buy me a 40 Euro PS4 game and he just couldnt understand why would he make such a purchase. Just a game for the huge amount of 40 Euro is mental. There is also a bit social pressure to it, people dont like if you show off too much. Overall because of economic challenges in the past people tend to be more practical and cautious with their purchases. Japan could me maybe seen as both but I am going to talk about the restraint side. Japanese culture values discipline and self-control. If ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shopping Culture in Japan & the World

Image
Hey-hey, Shopping culture can show how people live and what they value. How a person spends money speaks about them. As a Bulgarian or an Estern-European i see a lot of difference with my home country and Western Europe and Japan.  In Bulgaria shopping is usually just practical, or atleast for many families. People look for good prices, discounds and products they can use in their day-to-d ay lives. Rarely chase on trends, people try to fit in budget as much as possible. Also there is a huge habit of comparing prices before buying something big, sometimes even something small. Shopping is just a need rather than a luxury. Japan is completely, completely different. Consumerism here is on another level, its an experience. Especially in cities like Tokyo and more specifically districts like Ginza. Stores are organized and clean with  a heavy focus on customer service. Even something like a konbini can feel "premium" in a way if I compare it to 24/7 tabacco shops back home. Japa...
2 comments
Read more

Hofstede's Long-term vs Short-term Orientation

Hi, The long-term vs short-term orientation previews how cultures perceive time and its importance when it comes to traditions and planning the future.  To me it is tough to decide where Bulgaria leans into more. I can see both cases, but to make it easier I will just talk more about the short-term focus, because we definetely have a lot of people who focus more on that. Traditions and social norms are very important when we talk about this, because of things like economic uncertainties in the past. People often opt-in for curent stability rather than trust promises in the very far future. And as in previously established blogs, Bulgarian people can have trust issues because of the government and other things. So long-term goals do not feel realistic to all people. Japan is very, very opposite of that. I would say is one of the if not the strongest example of long-term orientation in the world. This society values everything in this ideology. Companies plan years or decades ahead ...
4 comments
Read more
Image
 Yo, Politics is one of the things that shapes how pepople see their government, rights and overall place in society (obviously). As a Bulgarian or Eastern European I have always found it interesting to compare how countires think about this, especially when looking at other continents like North America or Asia. Since even thoug there is the separation of west and east in EU, but our politics are more or less the same. In my home country the political culture is in a very bad state. Almost no hope and a lot of skepticism because of the huge amounts of corruption. Actually last week we had one of the biggest protests in the capital and I think there are going to be more and more protests with even more people. They are aiming to have 1 million people infront of the parliament, which is 1/7 of our p opulation. Regardless, Bulgarians complain all the time about the politics but I would say that most people follow the scene closesly more or less. Japan has a very different political e...
2 comments
Read more

Hofstede's Uncertainty Avoidance

Image
 Здравейте, As a Bulgarian, I’ve always noticed how different cultures deal with the unknown, especially when it comes to uncertainty avoidance. Bulgarians stay in the middle of the scale. Unpredictabillity is not loved, I would assume its similar to most cultures, but even if it is not liked Bulgarians do not panic when things dont go as planned. Most of the people I know grew up with both structure and improvisation. Since it is a more traditional country girls get more strict treatment from their parents in terms of freedom, but its still a mix of both. If something changes last minute people might complain here and there but they manage somehow.  Japan, on the other hand, is known for having very high uncertainty avoidance. Things there are extremely organized, planned, and detailed. People prefer clear rules, schedules, and expectations. From what ive learned and seen the society here tries to have the lowest amount of risk as possible. This could be found even in small t...
2 comments
Read more

Business Culture in Japan and the World

 Hi,  Business culture in Japan and Bulgaria can be quite different. In terms of punctuality it is not even close. I think Japanese are very much on time, all the time. In Bulgaria you can be late maybe around 5 to 10 late 15 at the very max in some cases. Of course if something important pops up they are not going to kill you.  Company parties are a culture of sorts in Bulgaria. Some do it very often but I think the norm is between 2-4. Team buildings are done like going to Greece or Turkey or maybe a resort town in the country, of course that also depends on the budget of the institution. “Customer is king” at least in my experience in Japan is very true. The vendors at stores, security, cleaning staff, etc. is very friendly and always willing to help even if its difficult. Maybe its fake but on a surface level it creates a very good image of the country in terms of customer experience. In Bulgaria everything that I listed sometimes could be very opposite. Because of th...
1 comment
Read more