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The popular image of Japanese society is a steroetypical one - that
of a people characterised by a coherent set of thought and
behaviour patterns, applying to all Japanese and transcending time.
Ross Mouer and Yoshio Sugimoto found this image quite incongruous
during their research for this book in Japan. They ask whether this
steroetype of the Japanese is not only generated by foreigners but
by the Japanese themselves. This is likely to be a controversial
book as it does not contribute to the continuing mythologising of
Japan and the Japanese. The book examines contemporary images of
Japanese society by surveying an extensive sample of popular and
academic literature on Japan. After tracing the development of
"holistic" theories about the Japanese, commonly referred to as the
"group model", attention is focused on the evaluation of that
image. Empirical evidence contrary to this model is discussed and
methodological lacunae are cited. A "sociology of Japanology" is
also presented. In pursuit of other visions of Japanese society,
the authors argue that certain aspects of Japanese behaviour can be
explained by considering Japanese society as the exact inverse of
the portayal provided by the group model. The authors also present
a multi-dimensional model of social stratification, arguing that
much of the variation in Japanese behaviour can be understood
within the framework as having universal equivalence.
The popular image of Japanese society is a steroetypical one - that
of a people characterised by a coherent set of thought and
behaviour patterns, applying to all Japanese and transcending time.
Ross Mouer and Yoshio Sugimoto found this image quite incongruous
during their research for this book in Japan. They ask whether this
steroetype of the Japanese is not only generated by foreigners but
by the Japanese themselves. This is likely to be a controversial
book as it does not contribute to the continuing mythologising of
Japan and the Japanese. The book examines contemporary images of
Japanese society by surveying an extensive sample of popular and
academic literature on Japan. After tracing the development of
"holistic" theories about the Japanese, commonly referred to as the
"group model", attention is focused on the evaluation of that
image. Empirical evidence contrary to this model is discussed and
methodological lacunae are cited. A "sociology of Japanology" is
also presented. In pursuit of other visions of Japanese society,
the authors argue that certain aspects of Japanese behaviour can be
explained by considering Japanese society as the exact inverse of
the portayal provided by the group model. The authors also present
a multi-dimensional model of social stratification, arguing that
much of the variation in Japanese behaviour can be understood
within the framework as having universal equivalence.
What shapes the decisions of employees in Japan? The authors of
this comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the relationship
between work and society in Japan argue that individual decisions
about work can only be understood through the broader social
context. Many factors combine to affect such choices including the
structuring of labour markets, social policy and, of course, global
influences which have come increasingly to impinge on the
organisation of work and life generally. By considering labour
markets, social policy and relationships between labour and
management, the book offers penetrating insights into contemporary
Japanese society and glimpses of what might come in the future.
Underlying the discussion is a challenge to the celebration of
Japanese management practices which has dominated the literature
for the last three decades. This is an important book for students
of sociology and economics.
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