[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"siteSettings":3,"post-work-in-japan-and-sweden":24},{"data":4,"sourceMap":-1},{"headerPages":5,"settings":9},[6],{"slug":7,"title":8},"about","About",{"contactEmail":10,"faviconUrl":11,"heroDescription":12,"heroImage":13,"heroTitle":18,"ogImageUrl":19,"seoDescription":20,"seoTitle":21,"siteAuthor":22,"siteName":21,"socialLinks":23},"matsushita_sei@kindai.ac.jp","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fzbxc2ul2\u002Fproduction\u002Fbd8e5c871dc32af558af4cdabe8efda12a8066c1-32x32.png","Share your stories, thoughts, and insights while studying at Kindai University, Osaka, Japan.",{"_type":14,"asset":15},"image",{"_ref":16,"_type":17},"image-e5476b326a4484e8c912f842b742f8be4de00edf-2993x1995-jpg","reference","Go Global.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fzbxc2ul2\u002Fproduction\u002Fc032be9c0b341a63d784449e3db69c83fdb2b4c0-2848x1504.jpg","This is an English-language media platform run by students and staff at Kindai University in Osaka, Japan. Here, exchange students and local students share stories, reflections, and insights about campus life and their experiences in Japan.","Kindai Global Media","Global Education Center, Kindai University",null,{"data":25,"sourceMap":-1},{"_id":26,"author":27,"body":34,"group":176,"image":23,"imageUrl":23,"publishedAt":180,"title":181,"visibility":182},"45262bf9-e614-4201-b34b-bce3a69bf5c3",{"avatar":23,"description":28,"fullName":29,"name":30,"slug":31},"","Fannie Carstens Sörensson","Fannie ",{"_type":32,"current":33},"slug","2697303005f-oq10",[35,46,54,62,70,78,86,95,119,137,155],{"_key":36,"_type":37,"children":38,"markDefs":44,"style":45},"608df56cf32f","block",[39],{"_key":40,"_type":41,"marks":42,"text":43},"608df56cf32f0","span",[],"Power distance is defined by Geert Hofstede as “the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations expect and accept that power is distributed unequally” (10 minutes with, 2014, 0:58). In countries that score high on the power distance scale, inequality is seen as a natural and unavoidable part of society. In countries that score low on the scale, inequality is instead perceived as morally wrong, and as something that should be reduced (10 minutes with, 2014).",[],"normal",{"_key":47,"_type":37,"children":48,"markDefs":53,"style":45},"b9897a36057a",[49],{"_key":50,"_type":41,"marks":51,"text":52},"b9897a36057a0",[],"According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model, Sweden has a power distance score of 31, while Japan has a score of 54. In Swedish society there is rather small power distance. Hierarchies are only used for convenience, and leaders are expected to coach, empower, and be accessible to their subordinates. Power is decentralized, control is disliked, and subordinates are on a first-name basis with their superiors. Japanese society, on the other hand, is borderline hierarchical. People are conscious of their hierarchical positions in different constellations, and act accordingly. What makes Japan different from countries with larger power distance, is their meritocratic belief that hard work pays off, and the fact that decisions usually aren’t made by a singular person at the top (The Culture Factor Group, 2023).",[],{"_key":55,"_type":37,"children":56,"markDefs":61,"style":45},"0d0f65103d45",[57],{"_key":58,"_type":41,"marks":59,"text":60},"0d0f65103d450",[],"People in Sweden, regardless of their rank in the workplace, in school, in family constellations or in society, expect to be treated as equals. Being treated as an equal is something I’ve taken for granted for most of my life. In school and at work we always refer to our teachers and superiors by their first name. Formalities such as “Mr” or “Mrs” exist, but are never used. Talking about money or earnings at family gatherings or social events is pretty much prohibited in Swedish culture. School, university and healthcare, is almost completely free, to ensure that socioeconomic inequalities are kept to a minimum. From a young age, children are taught that nobody is better, smarter or more important than anyone else. I believe that Sweden's short power distance in part is related to the strive for equality, and the disdain for people who brag or think highly of themselves.",[],{"_key":63,"_type":37,"children":64,"markDefs":69,"style":45},"ea6fc0c378ee",[65],{"_key":66,"_type":41,"marks":67,"text":68},"ea6fc0c378ee0",[],"Workplace hierarchies in Sweden will from the outside appear to be quite flat, however, when I started working and doing internships, I noticed that that might not entirely be the case. I observed that when superiors were around, many people would often be more hesitant to express their thoughts, than when they were around colleagues of the same rank. I then noticed that I was doing the same. Even though I would speak informally with my superiors, I didn’t want to share any personal details, in case this could affect me negatively somehow. I also noticed that superiors who acted superior, would quickly become disliked by pretty much everybody. In addition, Sweden has a high union membership rate at 65.9% as of 2024 (OECD, 2025). This indicates that workers in Sweden don’t accept inequality at the workplace, and will take measures to ensure that power is decentralised and distributed equally. It seems as though power distance, while it exists, is generally disliked and something that Swedish people try to reduce through social rules and union participation.",[],{"_key":71,"_type":37,"children":72,"markDefs":77,"style":45},"bbb88fcb5c6e",[73],{"_key":74,"_type":41,"marks":75,"text":76},"bbb88fcb5c6e0",[],"Japan, with a score of 54 on the power distance scale, has a pretty different work-culture compared to Sweden. Here, people act in accordance with their rank in the company, even following social rules on where to sit and stand in relation to their superiors (whatthepato, 2026). The union membership rate among workers is as of 2024 at 16.2% (OECD, 2025). This could be an indicator of what Hofstede mentions: that societies with large power distance, view inequality as normal, unavoidable and accepted (10 minutes with, 2014). If inequality is assumed to be natural, there is no desire to try to defy it. In Japan, there is a strong belief that hard work will lead to success, and maybe that is another reason why inequality is accepted. Perhaps people in power are believed to be the ones that worked the hardest, and therefore are the ones who are most deserving of power and respect.",[],{"_key":79,"_type":37,"children":80,"markDefs":85,"style":45},"b54920b74fdb",[81],{"_key":82,"_type":41,"marks":83,"text":84},"b54920b74fdb0",[],"Despite the differences between Sweden and Japan, there are also some similarities in how power distance is expressed. In both countries, people are generally aware of their position within social and workplace hierarchies and are expected to show a certain level of respect towards those in higher positions. However, the main difference is how strongly these hierarchies influence everyday interactions. In Sweden, hierarchy is generally less visible and leaders are expected to be approachable and treat their subordinates as equals. In Japan, hierarchical positions tend to be more explicitly recognized, and social behavior is more strongly influenced by a person's rank. Thus, both countries have hierarchies, but they differ in how openly and strongly these hierarchies are expressed.",[],{"_key":87,"_type":37,"children":88,"markDefs":94,"style":45},"8911eab2c572",[89],{"_key":90,"_type":41,"marks":91,"text":93},"8911eab2c5720",[92],"strong","References",[],{"_key":96,"_type":37,"children":97,"markDefs":116,"style":45},"ae04ac59c11b",[98,102,107,111],{"_key":99,"_type":41,"marks":100,"text":101},"ae04ac59c11b0",[],"10 minutes with. (2014, November 18). ",{"_key":103,"_type":41,"marks":104,"text":106},"ae04ac59c11b1",[105],"em","10 minutes with Geert Hofstede… on power distance 10112014 ",{"_key":108,"_type":41,"marks":109,"text":110},"ae04ac59c11b2",[],"[Video]. Youtube. ",{"_key":112,"_type":41,"marks":113,"text":115},"ae04ac59c11b3",[114],"c5708cd5112a","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=DqAJclwfyCw",[117],{"_key":114,"_type":118,"href":115},"link",{"_key":120,"_type":37,"children":121,"markDefs":135,"style":45},"ba5caecbe0d0",[122,126,130],{"_key":123,"_type":41,"marks":124,"text":125},"ba5caecbe0d00",[],"Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2025, September 30).",{"_key":127,"_type":41,"marks":128,"text":129},"ba5caecbe0d01",[105]," Trade Union Density.",{"_key":131,"_type":41,"marks":132,"text":134},"ba5caecbe0d02",[133],"042c6673829c","https:\u002F\u002Fdata-explorer.oecd.org\u002Fvis?lc=en&df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_TUD_CBC%40DF_TUD&df[ag]=OECD.ELS.SAE&dq=..&pd=2000,&to[TIME_PERIOD]=false&vw=tb",[136],{"_key":133,"_type":118,"href":134},{"_key":138,"_type":37,"children":139,"markDefs":153,"style":45},"63edfd3dab8c",[140,144,148],{"_key":141,"_type":41,"marks":142,"text":143},"63edfd3dab8c0",[],"The Culture Factor Group. (2023, October 16). ",{"_key":145,"_type":41,"marks":146,"text":147},"63edfd3dab8c1",[105],"Country Comparison Tool. ",{"_key":149,"_type":41,"marks":150,"text":152},"63edfd3dab8c2",[151],"829012678bde","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theculturefactor.com\u002Fcountry-comparison-tool",[154],{"_key":151,"_type":118,"href":152},{"_key":156,"_type":37,"children":157,"markDefs":174,"style":45},"bd5d0f9bb30a",[158,162,166,169],{"_key":159,"_type":41,"marks":160,"text":161},"bd5d0f9bb30a0",[],"Whatthepato. (2026, February 25). ",{"_key":163,"_type":41,"marks":164,"text":165},"bd5d0f9bb30a1",[105],"How to impress a Japanese person ",{"_key":167,"_type":41,"marks":168,"text":110},"bd5d0f9bb30a2",[],{"_key":170,"_type":41,"marks":171,"text":173},"bd5d0f9bb30a3",[172],"023156e6db30","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fshorts\u002FPmDhdYY2kB4?app=desktop",[175],{"_key":172,"_type":118,"href":173},{"name":177,"slug":178},"Intercultural Dimensions & Understanding (Fall 2026)",{"_type":32,"current":179},"intercultural-dimensions-and-understanding-f2026","2026-10-05T13:46:21.964Z","Work in Japan and Sweden","private"]