Longitudinal Study on Career Development and Interpersonal Relationships of Former International Student Employees in Japanese Companies.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00692
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02090:Japanese language education-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Social Welfare
• Principal Investigator: NAITO ITSUKO 東京福祉大学, 教育学部, 教授 (90569708)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 元留学生 / キャリア形成 / 異文化の対人関係 / 外国人社員 / 縦断研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate changes in career design and interpersonal relationships among employees of a Japanese company who are former international students. Tracking data was obtained by conducting five interviews and written surveys with the same 15 participants over the course of approximately two years after employment.
Results show that the former international student employees did not develop deep interpersonal relationships with their Japanese co-workers. It was found that as a stay in Japan lengthened, the connection of the career plan with life events deepened, and it was influenced and changed by the people around the participant. In addition, it was confirmed that all participants desired to obtain permanent residency, and it was assumed that acquisition of permanent residency would be a turning point in career development in Japan for the former international student.

Free Research Field

異文化コミュニケーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、元留学生である外国人社員を2年間に渡って追跡し、対人関係やキャリアデザイン等の縦断データを得た。人間を情報源とする研究において縦断研究は困難であり、外国人社員の場合は離職や転居、帰国などにより追跡は一層困難であるが、同一の協力者より複数回の縦断データを得たことで、就職後の変化についての分析が可能となり、学術的に一定の意義が見いだせたものと思われる。
社会的には、日本の少子高齢化による労働力不足を背景に、留学生の日本企業への採用や日本社会への定着が推進されているが、元留学生の異文化環境でのキャリア形成を長期的に検討していくことで、就職後の定着の一知見になり得るものと思われる。