Marketing Gender Equality in a Masculine Society
- Maya Ferrante
- Oct 13, 2023
- 11 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2023
The IOC, International Olympic Committee, hosted the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, a region known for having strict social hierarchy; causing unintended barriers to their gender equality initiatives.
Although corporations across the world describe themselves as “international”, conveying their pride in a multinational reach, not many of these large companies can earn the title of a “truly global organization” (“International Olympic Committee”, 2021). People from all different walks of life and nationalities follow along with the actions of the IOC, but fail to consider how their truly global community causes business decisions to become increasingly complicated and complex. The International Olympic Committee, or the IOC, has been a testament of human potential for centuries; connecting the world through safe and ethical sport practices. Although the Olympics is an event rooted in competition, the IOC creates international harmony within its stakeholders, collaborating together in order to create multinational relationships stemming from peace. The five Olympic rings are recognized across the globe as a symbol of connectedness, each ring conveying the union between the five continents through sport (“The Olympic Rings”, 2021). However, the IOCs large reach poses unwanted barriers to maintaining their values and achieving their mission. Different cultural dimensions and beliefs across borders create different images of what the unionization of the five continents should actually look like. Countries in Asia hold cultural practices deeply rooted in Confucius teachings, promoting many ideals that may be seen by the western world as “unequal” (Freitag & Stokes, 2009). Concerns arose when the IOC announced their goal of making the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games the most gender-equal Olympics in the history of the event. If the event is hosted by a country that is naturally power-distanced, how can the IOC execute a successfully gender-equal Olympic Games?
Western Values in an Eastern Context
The International Olympic Committee deemed Lausanne, Switzerland, the Olympic Capital in 1994 (“International Olympic Committee”, 2021). Whether the IOC calls France or Switzerland its home, their location gives context to their western values. The IOC boils down their values to three words: Excellence, friendship, and respect (“IOC Mission”, 2021). Using these core values, the IOC aims to complete their mission of promoting “Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic movement” (“IOC Mission”, 2021). On the IOC Website, peace is a common theme intertwined throughout their description, vision, and role. Their list of stakeholders seems to be never-ending, introducing complexity when making decisions considering the cultural interpretations of what global peace should look like. The global corporation lists 18 key roles of the committee, most notably to promote good ethics and safety in sport, promote sustainable development, promote global peace, protect athletes from abuse and harassment, act against all forms of discrimination, and “to encourage and support the promotion of women in sport” (“IOC Mission”, 2021). In regards to discrimination, safety, and equality in sports, the IOC’s Gender Equality in Sports campaign fights against the social norms of unequal representation and treatment of women in sports (“Gender Equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport”, 2021). When the decision to host the 2020 Olympics in a country rooted in high power-distance, the campaign had to reframe its objectives to fit the cultural practices of Japan.
Changing the narrative: A campaign that lasted centuries
Due to the historical nature of the Olympics, gaining gender equality has been a continuous battle for the IOC. Despite the corporation acknowledging the problem over the past few decades, the IOC decided to make it a key focus regarding the organization and broadcast of the Tokyo Olympics. The Gender Equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport initiative spurred the creation of the Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission, which tracks and mitigates participation and broadcast rates of women as well as equal and safe treatment of women in sports (“Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission”, 2021). The campaign has two key commitments: to establish the Olympic games as “one of the most effective global platforms for promoting gender equality, inclusion and diversity”, and create a strong example of female representation in “governance, leadership, and decision-making bodies in the Olympic movement” (“Gender-equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport”, 2021). As more feminine ideals of equal treatment for all became more mainstream internationally, the IOC decided that the Tokyo Olympics would provide a platform to showcase the IOC’s progress in athletic gender equality.
The campaign involved five total focus areas, each associated with a specific goal. These goals include equal participation, access, and opportunities in sports; equal representation in leadership positions; harnessing a sport environment that is “respectful, equitable, and free from all forms of harassment and abuse”; fair and equal representation of women in the media; and the equal distribution of resources necessary for athletic success (“Gender-equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport”, 2021). The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals provided key framework for the development of the IOC’s gender equality initiative. The Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission aims to contribute to four specific UN Sustainability Goals: Gender Equality (5); Reduced Inequalities (10); Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (16); and Partnerships for the Goals (17) (“Gender Equality and Inclusion Report”, 2021). With the increased access to digital media on a global scale, the IOC not only used live broadcast coverage of the Tokyo Olympics to reach these goals, but they also used social media platforms and websites to highlight some groundbreaking progress they are making in regards to gender equality.
Japanese culture adding complexity to a global campaign
To achieve a successful campaign, a corporation must understand the cultural context of the environment the campaign will be hosted in; especially when the campaign involves changing deeply rooted social beliefs and systems. Although Japan stands out from its neighbors in the Asian continent through its innovation in technology and increasingly dominant economic growth, many of the cultural practices found in other Asian countries are intertwined with the increased westernization of Japan. One of the five Olympic rings, Asia hosts broad and varied cultures: each practicing unique political, economic, and social systems. Individuals value strong, small social circles that offer more complexity than larger social systems (Freitag & Stokes, 2009). Like its neighbors, Confucian influence can still be seen in the cultural beliefs of Japan. Respect, hard work, modesty, and patience are highly valued in countries affected by Confucianism (Freitag & Stokes, 2009). Intermediate and extended family plays a crucial role in Japan’s small social circles. Confucianism also practices purposeful inequality, greatly impacting the social hierarchy in Asia (Freitag & Stokes, 2009).
Japan has quickly developed past its Confucian roots; by 2015, 93.3% of the country’s population used the internet (Statista, 2023). Their technological growth still shocks the globe, identifying themselves as leaders of media and communication through their innovation. Despite their massive impact on technological development, Japan still maintains a strong newspaper circulation, thriving with a lack of “watchdog” role from the government (Freitag & Stokes, 2009). Japanese tech has given them an economic advantage, contributing to 15% of the global GPD (Freitag & Stokes, 2009).
In addition to their blossoming economy, their “westernized” political arena causes them to stand out from other Asian countries. Japan is a multiparty parliamentary democracy, with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leading major political decisions. Although the LDP values civil liberties, there are still growing concerns regarding ethnic and gender-based discrimination (Freedom House, 2023). According to Freedom House, Japan is considered a free country with a score of 96/100, scoring 40/40 for political rights and 56/60 for civil liberties (2023). In contrast with its widespread impact on media and technology, Japan loses points on the Freedom House Freedom of the Press Index. Although their media sector is increasingly competitive, the Japanese government has continuously pushed for restrictions concerning government information. The Broadcast Act brought Japan’s media freedom into question, giving the government power to determine what information is acceptable for public broadcast media (Freedom House, 2023).
Print media has previously dominated the Japanese media market. As Japan continues to define themselves as a global technological leader, digital media is quickly on its way to becoming the most digested medium in the country. By 2020, digital media made up 40% of Japan’s media content (Statista, 2023). Broadcast television still holds the title for most consumed medium in Japan as the print market slowly declines. In contrast to most Asian media systems, Japanese media production is sought out beyond the country’s borders. Japan continues to capitalize on international successes of the Japanese anime and video game markets. Japan ties with the United States having a 99% literacy rate, contributing to the increasing global interests in Japan’s culture and economy (Statista, 2023).
Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions serve as an applicable tool when evaluating cultural values and practices. The six dimensions include power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long/short term orientation, and indulgence. Commonly portrayed as a power-distant culture, Japan only scores a 54 on Hofstede’s scale (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Gender inequality is woven throughout Japanese practices. However, the political changes brought about by the LDP has opened many previously closed doors to minorities, minimizing the hierarchal gap. Japan scores a 46 for individualism/collectivism, shying on the side of a collectivist society commonly associated with Asia (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Japanese citizens still value familial bonds over individual needs, but the increase in economic opportunities has allowed people to shy away from Confucian collectivism. By far the most prevalent dimension in Japanese culture is masculinity, where Japan scores a whopping 95, making them one of the most masculine countries on earth (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Japan values competition, perfection, and success over anything else, minimizing feminist values of social equality, caring for others, and quality of life. Japan’s masculine culture creates major barriers for women in regards to obtaining and maintaining leadership or decision-making positions. Scoring a 92, Japan’s uncertainty avoidance explains why some historical problems such as gender inequality have changed at an incredibly slow rate (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Societal and cultural changes take years to be accepted by citizens, contradicting the innovative technology Japan fosters. On the long term orientation scale, Japan scores an 88 (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Durability and long-term success are crucial, resulting in the large economic growth the country has experienced. Historical and family ties are still critical in Japanese decision-making. Japan scores a 42 for indulgence, which fits with their masculine values of work success over leisure (Hofstede Insights, 2023). Japan’s low indulgence score is consistent with their global identity as a culture of restraint.
Female athletes taking center-stage in the Tokyo Olympics
Achieving gender equality is no easy task, especially considering the IOC’s truly global nature. Although their aspirations of gender equality start with crucial decisions regarding the organization and broadcast of the Olympic games, the IOC must recognize how viewers and sporting professionals will be affected outside the games itself. The Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission pushes to succeed in increasing equality regarding their five focus areas previously mentioned; participation, leadership, safe sport, portrayal, and resource allocation (“Gender Equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport”, 2021). The IOC’s primary public is athletic professionals and people working in the sports industry that would be directly affected by gender inequality. In the context of the Tokyo Olympics, the Tokyo Olympic committee and the athletes participating in the Olympic games would initially experience the changes in female representation and fair treatment. The secondary public would be the viewers of the games. The IOC hopes that their broadcast initiatives and portrayal of women in sports will spur global gender equality (“Gender Equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport”, 2021).
Although the most influential media channel used in the IOC’s campaign is broadcast television of the games, the corporation also utilizes digital media such as articles, YouTube videos, and social media presence to boost female representation and performance (“Media-rights Holders”, 2021). A few key changes proved crucial to achieve the campaign’s five goals. The first major change was shown during the opening ceremonies in Tokyo, where for the first time in history both a male and female athlete carried out their country’s flag (Deliso, 2021). The IOC also implemented policies regarding female athletes with children, finally allowing them to bring their children to the Olympics with them (Deliso, 2021). In addition, events that have historically only been competed by men at the Olympic level finally had a female category. All five of the sports making their Olympic debut in Tokyo had a female event (Deliso, 2021). The IOC also integrated a shocking total of 18 mix-gendered events, including archery and judo (Deliso, 2021). To acknowledge the international barrier involving the lack of coverage of female sporting events, the IOC scheduled more women’s gold medal events than men’s during the last week of the Olympic competition for a total of 17 women’s and 13 men’s (Deliso, 2021). The implementation of female-centered decisions proved that the IOC’s campaign was already pushing past boundaries. However, many still question how successful the corporation was in their fight against international gender inequality in sport.
Evaluating success on a global scale
The Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission released a report highlighting the statistical progress made in Tokyo. Without viewing the historical growth in gender equality through the report, the success of the campaign was already prevalent with the increase in coverage of female events. After the Tokyo Olympic Games concluded, the IOC was happy to announce that women made up 49% of the total athletic participants in Japan, making the Tokyo Olympics the most gender-equal Olympics in history (“Gender Equality and Inclusion Report”, 2021). However, their focus on numerical data ignores many of the failures that resulted from the campaign. The “Olympics are a time when women’s sports often receive the greatest visibility” (Deliso, 2021), meaning that in previous years, Olympic coverage of female events wasn’t the biggest issue with gender inequality in sport. Although the increased broadcast of female events served as a great representation for international sports media companies, the campaign lacked a successful impact in how national women’s sports are covered. In addition, the paralympic games also fell short of the 50/50 participation split, as women made up 40.5% of the athletes, not even 2% more than the previous Olympic games (Deliso, 2021). Overall, the commission’s goals and reports focus on achieving a percentage of equality, ignoring the systemic issues and beliefs associated with women in sports on a cultural basis.
The lack of understanding of how cultural context of the Olympic games affects the global impact was the IOC’s biggest mistake when attempting to achieve their five goals in Tokyo. Out of Hofstede’s six dimensions, Japan’s highly masculine culture diminished the possibility of success for the campaign. Japan’s highly competitive workforce continues to create barriers for women to gain decision-making positions, let alone be involved in an event as large as the Olympics. Only 10% of all coaches and officials involved with the Tokyo Olympics were women (Deliso, 2021). In addition, the Japanese organizers of the event were almost all male, explaining some of the comments and policies that directly impacted women participating in the Games (Deliso, 2021). Yoshiro Mori, president of the Olympic Games, was also male (Deliso, 2021). Mori was heavily criticized for not only his sexist decision-making, but also his public comments about women talking too much during work meetings. Many of these critical setbacks that could have been prevented by applying their goals to the context of Japanese masculine culture was hidden by the IOC, where they instead focused their media efforts on their statistical win regarding the participation and broadcast of female sporting events.
In addition, many progressive countries are currently faced with the daunting task of nonbinary and trans representation in sports. In all of the goals and initiatives of the Gender Equal, Fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sports campaign, the unethical abuse and barriers set for nonbinary athletes is not even remotely mentioned. The IOC does acknowledge the truth behind their campaign: fighting gender inequality in sports is not something that can be solved in one Olympic Games. Mimicking Japan’s long-term cultural orientation, the IOC released plans to hopefully mitigate some of the failures observed in Tokyo in the 2024 Olympics, located in Paris, France (“Gender Equal, fair, and Inclusive Representation in Sport, 2021). Home to feminine ideals involving civil liberties, France may be the perfect cultural host the campaign needs to succeed in gender equality at the Olympic Games.
Work Cited
Deliso, M. (2021). Tokyo Olympics highlight strides in gender equality – and remaining hurdles. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/tokyo-olympics-highlight-strides-gender-equality-remaining-hurdles/story?id=78264991#:~:text=When%20the%202020%20Games%20kick,49%25%20of%20the%2011%2C090%20athletes.
Freedom House (2023). Freedom in the world – Japan country report.
Freitag, A. R. & Stokes, A. (2009). Global public relations: Spanning borders, spanning
cultures. Routledge.
Hofstede Insights (2023). Country Comparison Tool – Japan.
International Olympic Committee (2021). Gender-equal, fair, and inclusive representation in sport. https://olympics.com/ioc/gender-equality/portrayal-guidelines
International Olympic Committee (2021). Gender equality and inclusion report.
International Olympic Committee (2021). Gender equality, diversity, and inclusion commission.
International Olympic Committee (2021). IOC mission. https://olympics.com/ioc/mission
International Olympic Committee (2021). International Olympic Committee.
International Olympic Committee (2021). Media-rights holders.
International Olympic Committee (2021). The Olympic rings.
Statista (2023). Media industry in Japan – Statistics and facts.
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