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2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

The Reconstruction of the Japanese Business Ethics

Research Project

Project/Area Number 15530272
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Business administration
Research InstitutionWaseda University

Principal Investigator

KOBAYASHI Shunji  Waseda University, Faculty of Commerce, Professor, 商学学術院・商学部, 教授 (00063701)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) TANAKA Hiroji  Ritsukyo University, Graduate School of Econmics, Professor, 大学院・経済学研究科, 教授 (50350301)
YAMAGUCH Yoshiaki  Tokyo fuji University, Faculty of Management, Professor, 経営学部, 教授 (00200634)
SENDO Ayako  Shonan Junior College, Department of Business, Assistant Professor, 商経学科, 助教授 (60277754)
Project Period (FY) 2003 – 2004
KeywordsBusiness Ethics / Edo Era / Gender Study / Whistle Blower / ステークホルダー
Research Abstract

The main origin of business ethics in Japan can be found in the Bushido of the Feudalistic Tokugawa Era. The Bushido ideology exerted profound influence on the mentality and behavior of the merchant. It was considered that. Merchants should act like the Samurai. For example, employees' loyalty to the owner of the shop was considered as having highest priority. The employers were patriarch and the human rights of employees were often ignored. On the other hand paternalistic way of management treated employees as quasi-family members and guaranteed them long term employment. We should learn the merit of the paternalistic management to be competitive on the global market. We made a questionnaire to survey as to the present ethical climate of corporations. We got 79 returns. The important finding is that about 80% of respondents support the whistle blowing. They answered that if they found the illegal act in the office, they would whistle blow the corporations which employ them.
The treatment of women employees has not shown progressed as compared with the case of U.S.A. Based on this survey we can safely conclude that the business ethics in Japan has been improved, but business persons somewhat make light of the human right and that so-called "money is all" attitude prevails in Japan. Hence we must perhaps learn from the ethics of the Edo period where employees were regarded as an important asset. The marketing strategy of Omi merchants can still be regarded as a good model to business persons today. They took care of the sellers, buyers and the community as important stakeholders. They ware the forerunners in regards as corporate social responsibility.

  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All 2005 2004 2003

All Journal Article (3 results) Book (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] 企業論理と社会的責任2005

    • Author(s)
      小林 俊治
    • Journal Title

      改革者 5月

      Pages: 20-22

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Japan Society for Business Ethics2004

    • Author(s)
      KOBYASHI, Shunji
    • Journal Title

      Information Bulletin of the Union of National Economic Association in Japan

      Pages: 18-24

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] 社会的責任の矮小化2003

    • Author(s)
      小林 俊治
    • Journal Title

      経営倫理 37号

      Pages: 5-6

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Book] コンプライアンス経営 新版2005

    • Author(s)
      田中 宏司
    • Total Pages
      220
    • Publisher
      生産性出版
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より

URL: 

Published: 2007-12-13  

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