Verified Document

Japan Globalization Essay

Globalization There are several examples of Japan struggling with the social impacts of globalization. Recent scholarly and media coverage has highlighted some of these impacts, and they all seem to be fairly negative. One of the major issues is that Japan had a closed culture, so it developed in a manner that allowed Japanese society to address all of its different issues. Globalization changed Japanese society, and this has led to a number of these issues going unaddressed.

Webster (2001) discusses how Japanese business culture has been impacted by the changes brought about by globalization. It is known that Japanese companies where among the early adopters in the mid-20th century of the multinational or international business model. As a result of this, they have gained significant experience, but that does not mean that there are not problems. Webster notes that many Japanese managers working overseas struggled with culture shock and find that overseas placements are substantially challenging on both a professional and personal level.

One of the key themes of this article is that Japanese managers are not especially adept at adapting, that instead the Japanese culture remains dominant and this has posed some significant challenges. Just as foreigners who seek to do business in Japan may find it challenging, likewise Japanese managers struggle when adapting to an overseas context.

Sato and Ahira (2004)...

They conducted a study that compared socioeconomic mobility in Japan to that in South Korea, a country that they felt undertook some key stages in globalization earlier. What they found was that Japanese society is just now starting to see some of the socioeconomic fluidity that has been more present in Korean society to this point. What this means that that people are able to move up and down the social ladder.
An interesting theme -- though not a key one -- is that Japan globalized later than Korea. The path of economic development actually had Japan as ahead of Korea, but the country remained largely closed. The studies that showed how much trouble Japanese managers abroad have even today is enlightening. Perhaps the long history of being a closed society has made Japanese culture inherently more insular and less adaptable, and this explains in part the very slow transition to the globalized world. Class mobility -- or meritocracy -- is a concept closely tied to globalization, with its neoliberal competitive mindset. For Japan, which has traditionally relied on Confucian ethics that emphasize relationships and one's role in those relationships, this is a stark change of philosophy. Globalization, therefore, is challenging to Japanese society, but eventually that society will be pulled towards a greater degree of globalization, including such things as middle…

Sources used in this document:
References

Krever, N. (2013). Chance of China/Japan conflict growing, warns former Senate Department official. CNN. Retrieved March 19, 2014 from http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/03/consequences-of-potential-japan-and-china-conflict-impossible-to-underestimate/

Sato, Y. & Arita, S. (2004). Impact of globalization on social mobility in Japan and Korea: Focusing on middle classes in fluid societies. International Journal of Japanese Sociology. Vol. 2004, 13, 36-52.

Webster, F. (2001). Globalization does not work on Japan. Japan Times. Retrieved March 19, 2014 from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2001/03/20/books/globalization-does-its-work-on-japan/#.UyqIJIWyo7c
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Globalization is Not Americanization
Words: 2534 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Globalization arguably began even before Marco Polo’s expeditions, possibly being traceable to Alexander the Great’s establishment of overland routes between Eastern Europe and India. The assumption that globalization equals Americanization is profoundly arrogant, and is also ignorant of the history, meaning, and implications of globalization. Globalization implies integration and interdependence of the world. Predating the United States of America, globalization nevertheless reached a peak in the 20th century, when a

Globalization Has Determined a Wide
Words: 976 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

A positive aspect is related to the more specialized goods being produced. However, new exports markets should be sought in order to reduce the dependency on the United States. From a social point-of-view, it is important to focus on issues such as education and social equality as they are essential not only for current generations but also for the ones to come. In this sense, OECD reports state "Mexico's education

Globalization's Effect on the United States National Security
Words: 5279 Length: 17 Document Type: Term Paper

Globalization's Effect on the United States' National Security Objective of this paper is to explore the impact of globalization on the United States national security. The study defines globalization as the increasing global relations of people, corporate organization and government. There is no doubt that the globalization provides numerous benefits to the American economy. Despite the benefits derived from the globalization, the advent of globalization also provides some threats to the United

Globalization Trends Globalization Means a
Words: 3218 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

By 2050, it is projected that only India would be recording growth rates significantly above 3%. Incomes and Demographics By 2050, despite much faster growth, individuals in those countries are still predicted to be poorer than those persons living in any of the now G6 economies . Russia is the exception, essentially catching up with the poorer of the G6 in terms of income per capita by 2050. By 2030, China's

Globalization and Human Rights Human Rights Issues
Words: 3782 Length: 13 Document Type: Case Study

Globalization and Human Rights Human Rights Issues and Globalization Overview of Human Rights Overview of Globalization Implications of Globalization on Human Rights Human Rights for Future Generations Overpopulation Climate Change It was argued long ago by Greek historian Herodotus that there are no universal ethics (Ishay, 2008). The historian argued that different cultures had different perceptions about what is acceptable behavior and what rights people should be granted. Herodotus illustrates this argument by comparing burial rituals that were

Globalization and Energy Demands in
Words: 5347 Length: 20 Document Type: Term Paper

S. pp). For more than ten years, Chinese officials have stated that production from Chinese firms investing overseas is more secure than imports purchased on the international market (U.S. pp). In order to secure more reliable access, Chinese firms are being directed to invest in projects in the Caspian region, Russia, the Middle East and South America (U.S. pp). The National Intelligence Council's report also states that Europe's energy needs will

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now