N JAPAN IS ACCORDED NOTNEARLY THE RESPECT IT COMMANDS IN THE U.S. AS A RESULT OF THIS HIERARCHY AND CASTE SYSTEM, A SET OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLEEVOLVED THAT WENT BEYOND THE OYABUN-KOBUN INTERACTIONS. THE VERY METHOD BY WHICHTHINGS WERE DONE WAS OF THE MOST EXTREME IMPORTANCE. THE APPROPRIATE DRESS, FOREXAMPLE, FOR EACH OF THE CLASSES WAS RIGIDLY PRESCRIBED. THEIR CONDUCT TOWARD EACHOTHER, EVEN WITHIN THE SAME CLASS, WAS EQUALLY RIGIDLY PRESCRIBED AND EXTENDED EVENTO THE ACCEPTED POSITION FOR SLEEPING, MANNER OF EATING WITH UTENSILS AND HANDS, ETC.IT WAS LITERALLY A CASE OF MORE IMPORTANCE BEING PAID TO STYLE THAN TO SUBSTANCE. A CLASSIC TALE IS TOLD OF A VASSAL WHO OBSERVED WRONGDOING BEING PRACTICED BY THELOCAL DAIMYO, OR FEUDAL LORD. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE DAIMYO WAS GUILTY OFDIVERTING TAX MONIES TO HIS OWN USE. THE VASSAL WENT AROUND THE DAIMYO TOPERSONALLY COMPLAIN AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND WAS BOILED IN OIL FOR HIS PAINS. SUBSEQUENTINVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DAIMYO HIMSELF WAS IN FACT GUILTY AND HE WAS PUNISHEDACCORDINGLY, BUT THIS WAS SMALL COMFORT FOR THE VASSAL WHO DARED TO STEP OUTSIDE THESYSTEM. EVEN TODAY IN JAPAN THERE IS A PROVERB WHICH TRANSLATES AS "THE NAIL THATSTICKS OUT IS THE ONE THAT GETS HIT," AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE REASON THAT ONE VERY SELDOMENCOUNTERS A JAPANESE MANAGER WHO WILL TAKE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY UPON HIMSELFFOR AN ACTION OR INITIATE THE ACTION. IT'S NO USE HOPING TO MEET THE MAN WHO WILL "MAKETHE DECISION" BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME HE DOESN'T EXIST. THE SUBJECT OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES LEADS US TO THE METHOD BY WHICH DECISIONS AREMADE. MOST READERS WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM RINGI, OR DECISION BY CONCENSUS. THEREASON FOR RINGI LIES IN THIS INTENSE PERSONAL INTERACTION BETWEEN PEOPLE IN A SOCIETYWHERE EVERYONE KNOWS HIS PLACE. BECAUSE THIS IS SO, NO ONE STEPS OUT OF THE MOLD, AND DECISIONS MUST BE MADE BY GROUPSRATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS. THIS SITUATION LEADS TO CONSIDERABLE FRUSTRATIONS FO...
