Interpersonal communication difficulties experienced by Japanese and local empoloyees working for Japanese subsidiaries in China and the U.S.A.

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 13371003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: 教育・社会系心理学
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: NISHIDA Hiroko University of Shizuoka, Faculty of International Relations, Professor, 国際関係学部, 教授 (00218166)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAMAMOTO Kenji Nihon University, School of International Relations, Professor, 国際関係学部, 教授 (60139087) ; NIAHIDA Tsukasa Nihon University, School of International Relations, Professor, 国際関係学部, 教授 (80139089) ; MUROTANI Satoru University of Shizuoka, Faculty of International Relations, Professor, 国際関係学部, 教授 (70157808)
• Project Period (FY): 2001 – 2002
• Keywords: interpersonal communication frictions / Japanese subsidiaries in China / Japanese subsidiaries in the U.S. / intercultural communication / cognitive frictions / emotional frictions / schema theory / cultural schemas

Research Abstract

In this report, the following studies are included: (1)A study that was carried out in order to specify situations and behaviors in which Japanese and local employees (Chinese and Americans) felt difficulties toward each other, (2)a study that was carried out in order to specify situations in which Japanese and local employees felt "we should learn the others' behaviors," (3)a study that content-analyzed open-ended questions about intercultural frictions between Japanese and local employees (Chinese and Americans), (4)a study that content-analyzed open-ended questions about work-environments of participating companies such as wages and benefits, (5) a study that focused on environmental factors influencing interpersonal communication between Japanese and local employees such as (a)differences and similarities between management systems in subsidiaries and those in headquarters in Japan, (b)business environments in the Japanese subsidiaries in the U.S.A., (c) work environments and workers' attitudes toward work in the U.S.A, (6)a study that analyzed the relations between linguistic knowledge of the other culture and communication behaviors, (7)an analysis of images held toward the other cultural groups in Japanese subsidiaries in China and the U.S.A., (8)a study that content-analyzed open-ended questions about the respondents' advice for future employees in the Japanese subsidiaries, (9)a study about Japanese that appeared in Chinese newspapers, and (10)a study about characteristics of Chinese interpersonal communication behaviors.