often characterized by varying cultural traits. These cultural contrasts may be mani-
fested through ethnicity, language, accent, dialect, customs, food, dress, or different
historical and political legacies. Residents in these areas often use one or more of
those characteristics to exhibit their regional identity. For example, although the pop-
ulation of Belgium is just over 10 million, the country has three official languages—
Dutch, French, and German, spoken by the Flemish, Walloon, and German ethnic
groups, respectively, living in the Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels areas. Thus, indi-
viduals from the northern part of Belgium are likely to identify themselves as Dutch-
speaking (linguistic and ethnic identity) Belgians (national identity) from Flanders
(regional identity).
In the United States, state boundary lines define many regional identities, and
almost everyone is proud of his or her home state. Louisiana is marked by a variety
of distinct cultural traditions and in the Bayou Country, a regional language (Cajun
French) derived from its Acadian French historical heritage. Residents of Alaska,
California, and Texas offer prime examples of pride in regional identity. U.S. regional
identity can also be based on a larger or smaller geographical area, such as New Eng-
land,“back East”(i.e., East Coast),“down South”(i.e., southeastern United States),
“West Texas,”or“Southern California.”
Regional identity in Japan is manifested through a variety of different dialects (e.g.,
Kanto, Kansai, Tohoku, etc.), and some of the dialects (e.g., Kagoshima and Tohoku)
are difficult for Japanese from other regions to understand. Japanese living abroad often
form clubs based on their home prefecture and hold periodic gatherings to celebrate
their common traditions. In China, the majority Han ethnic group is also characterized
by regional differences such as linguistic variation (e.g., Mandarin, Hakka, and Min),
cuisine (e.g., Cantonese and Szechuan), and housing styles (e.g., wood in the south
and brick in the north). Although reunited in 1990, East and West German identities
remain a reality among the older generation. Mexicans demonstrate their regional iden-
tity when they tell you they are from Sinaloa, Michoacán, Oaxaca, or Mexico City.Organizational Identity
A person’s organizational affiliation(s) can be an important source of identity in some
cultures. This is especially true in collectivistic cultures but much less so in individu-
alistic cultures. This dichotomy is clearly illustrated by contrasting organizational
identity practices in Japan, a strongly group-oriented culture, with those in the
United States, a very individualistic culture. Although becoming less prevalent, espe-
cially among younger workers, Japanese businessmen employed by large corporations
have traditionally worn a small lapel pin to signal their company affiliation. There is
no similar practice among managers and executives in the United States, although in
some instances a polo shirt or a tie with a company logo may be worn.
Organizational identity is so important in Japan that in business introductions, the
company’s name is given before the individual’s name. For example, Ms. Suzuki, an
employee at Tokyo Bank, would be introduced as TōkyōGinkōno Suzuki san
(“Ms. Suzuki of Tokyo Bank”). But in the United States, an individual is introduced
first by his or her name, followed by their organizational affiliation (e.g.,“This is
Mr. Smith from ABC Construction Corporation”). On Japanese business cards the
company and the individual’s position are placed above his or her name. On U.S.
business cards, the company name is normally at the top, followed by the individual’sOrganizational Identity 253Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).