Project Summary

Japan began its modernization during the 19^th century after being influenced by western culture, as of 2016 Japan has the third largest economy in the world third only to United States and China respectively. Today Japan is home to over 2 million foreigners from all around the world. As the number of foreign residents and visitors increases within Japan the need to better understand cross-cultural communication has grown with it. Through globalization people from all races and cultures are interacting and working side by side, making the Japanese workplace more diverse. While globalization promotes openness in acceptance and thinking, our individual cultural nuances, especially language, can have its effects on our day to day communication. The aim of this project is to develop a greater understanding of the implications of cross-cultural communication on efficiency and effectiveness within the Japanese workplace. The study will investigate how cultural differences impact coordination among the Japanese and their North American colleagues.

In a study done by Adler and Graham (1989), they noted that cross-cultural communication problems are common in the event of two cultures working together towards a common goal. They went on to highlight the classification of cross-cultural communication problems being language and language behavior, nonverbal behavior, values and patterns of thought. Baumgratz and Shaw (1993) completed a study on cross-cultural communication issues in higher education and found that in order for different cultures to communicate effectively a strategy must be adopted beforehand that will allow both users and ultimately the organization to benefit from the interaction. The existing literature on cross-cultural communication in Japan highlights the degree to which foreigners have integrated within the Japanese society and whether they are able to communicate effectively, manage stress or form meaningful relationships (Stening and Hammer, 1992; Yamazaki and kayes, 2004) while others focus on the differing styles of management between non-Japanese and Japanese people (Moon and Woolliams, 2000). Stening and Hammer (1992) on concluding their study stated that further research on cross-cultural communication would shed some light on its effects on an individual’s job performance rather than just the individual’s integration within society. I intend for this research to add to the discussion on cross-cultural communication within Japan while also highlighting its effects on the foreigners who are experiencing it. While many publications explore Japanese customs and practices there are still limited literature that delve into the effects of cross-cultural communication on North Americans working in Japan.                          

This project will be carried out by researching preexisting literature as well as conducting in person interviews. In person interviews will require 45 minutes- 1 hour to complete and will consist of a one on one interview with the researcher and the participants in a private space. The participants will answer prewritten questions made by the researcher and will also be given the opportunity to freely state their experiences within the workplace. The data will be collected using an audio recorder and note pad for later analysis, while participants are not required to share their name, they are required to share their job title or position within the organization.

Reference

Adler, N. J. & Graham, J. L. (1989). Cross-Cultural Interaction: The International Comparison Fallacy? Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 20, No. 3, 515-535.

Baumgratz, G. & Shaw, G. (1993). Mobility in Higher Education: Cross-Cultural Communication Issues. European Journal of Education, Vol. 28, No. 3, 327-338.

Moon, C. J. & Woolliams, P. (2000). Managing Cross Cultural Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 27, No. ½, 105-115.

Stening, B. W. & Hammer, M. R. (1992). Cultural Baggage and the Adaptation of Expatriate American and Japanese Managers. MIR: Management International Review, Vol. 32, No. 1, 77-89.

Yamazaki, Y. & Kayes, D. C. (2004). An Experiential Approach to Cross-Cultural Learning: A Review and Integration of Competencies for Successful Expatriate Adaptation. Academy of Management Learning and Education, Vol. 3, No. 4, 362-379.