wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
日本語

BrazilvsJapan

ブラジルと日本BRJP

Seen from Brazil: each line below describes Japan relative to Brazil.

Swap: see Brazil from Japan

Culture Map: eight scales

Erin Meyer's eight scales, sorted by how far apart Brazil and Japan sit, largest gap first.

Filled dot: Brazil, where you are looking fromHollow ring: Japan

Where you will notice the difference7 scales

  1. Deciding

    Japan decides by group agreement more than Brazil (4 steps)

    Brazil +1, Japan −3, on a line from −3 (Consensual) to +3 (Top-down).

  2. Scheduling

    Japan sticks to fixed plans and deadlines more than Brazil (4 steps)

    Brazil +2, Japan −2, on a line from −3 (Linear time) to +3 (Flexible time).

  3. Communicating

    Japan leaves more to be read between the lines than Brazil (3 steps)

    Brazil 0, Japan +3, on a line from −3 (Low-context) to +3 (High-context).

  4. Evaluating

    Japan gives negative feedback more indirectly than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil +1, Japan +3, on a line from −3 (Direct negative feedback) to +3 (Indirect negative feedback).

  5. Leading

    Japan keeps more distance between boss and team than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil +1, Japan +3, on a line from −3 (Egalitarian) to +3 (Hierarchical).

  6. Disagreeing

    Japan avoids open disagreement more than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil +1, Japan +3, on a line from −3 (Confrontational) to +3 (Avoids confrontation).

  7. Trusting

    Japan builds trust through reliable work more than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +2, Japan +1, on a line from −3 (Task-based) to +3 (Relationship-based).

Not placed1 scale

These scales are left unmarked: either Meyer leaves a country off the scale or no source places it, and drawing it anyway would be guessing.

  • PersuadingMeyer leaves Japan off this scale and describes its reasoning as holistic
Positions are read by eye from Erin Meyer's published charts and rounded to seven steps. A step means “further towards that pole”, not a measured distance. How the positions were read

Hofstede: six dimensions

Scores from 0 to 100, sorted by the gap between Brazil and Japan. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Long-term orientation

    Japan scores 72 points higher than Brazil (100 against 28)

    Brazil 28, Japan 100, on a line from 0 (Short-term) to 100 (Long-term).

  2. Motivation towards achievement and success

    Japan scores 46 points higher than Brazil (95 against 49)

    Brazil 49, Japan 95, on a line from 0 (Consensus-oriented) to 100 (Decisive).

  3. Individualism

    Japan scores 26 points higher than Brazil (62 against 36)

    Brazil 36, Japan 62, on a line from 0 (Collectivist) to 100 (Individualist).

  4. Indulgence

    Japan scores 17 points lower than Brazil (42 against 59)

    Brazil 59, Japan 42, on a line from 0 (Restrained) to 100 (Indulgent).

  5. Uncertainty avoidance

    Japan scores 16 points higher than Brazil (92 against 76)

    Brazil 76, Japan 92, on a line from 0 (Tolerant of ambiguity) to 100 (Avoids ambiguity).

  6. Power distance

    Japan scores 15 points lower than Brazil (54 against 69)

    Brazil 69, Japan 54, on a line from 0 (Low power distance) to 100 (High power distance).

Country averages. About 80% of variation in values is between people inside a country (Taras et al. 2016).Source: The Culture Factor — Country comparison tool (2026).About the Hofstede dimensions

What the sources say, theme by theme

Entries for Brazil and Japan, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

Brazil2 claims

Japan4 claims

Failure & risk

Brazil1 claim

Japan3 claims

Feedback & code review

Brazil3 claims

  • The training company Talaera, citing Meyer, writes that negative feedback tends to be wrapped in warmth and delivered in private, and that public criticism easily damages relationships. The behavioral descriptions rest mainly on the authors' own observations.

    Thin1 source2026br-feedback-1

  • In an HR magazine interview, Erin Meyer names Latin America as one of the "really indirect" parts of the world for negative feedback.

    Attested1 source2014Datedbr-feedback-2

  • Talaera says that instead of a plain "no," phrases such as "we can try" or "I'll do my best" can signal concern or refusal.

    Thin1 source2026br-feedback-3

Japan4 claims

Hierarchy & decisions

Brazil2 claims

Japan3 claims

Communication & docs

Brazil2 claims

  • A summary of Meyer's Culture Map places Brazil on the side where trust is built through personal relationships, close to China and Saudi Arabia. Small talk at the start of a meeting is described as part of the work.

    Thin1 sourcebr-communication-1

  • Talaera says written English tends to be on the formal side and asynchronous replies tend to be long and warm, and it recommends video calls over audio-only calls.

    Thin1 source2026br-communication-2

Japan3 claims

Work & careers

Brazil4 claims

Japan5 claims

Open source & community

Brazil3 claims

Japan4 claims