15 results
Search Results
2. Lacuna or Universal? New Keywords for Understanding Cross-Cultural Success and Failure of Media Content.
- Author
-
Rohn, Ulrike
- Subjects
MASS media ,CULTURE - Abstract
This paper addresses the question of when and how cultural differences between media producers and audiences negatively influence the success of media exports. It proposes the 'Lacuna and Universal Model' that provides a terminology and a theoretical classification of various phenomena, explaining why particular media content may or may not be appreciated internationally. It puts forward the term 'Lacuna' for possible reasons for the cross-cultural failure of media content, and it argues that media content is not successful with audiences outside its culture of production when audiences perceive a mismatch between their own 'cultural baggage' and that of the producer. Depending on what elements of the 'cultural baggage' do not match, this paper introduces the terms 'Content Lacuna', 'Capital Lacuna', and 'Production Lacuna'. Furthermore, it puts forward the term 'Universal' for possible reasons for the international success of media content. Specifically, it proposes the terms 'Content Universal', 'Audience Created Universal', and 'Company Created Universal' for content attributes or circumstances as a result of which content is successful despite possible cultural differences. For each category of Lacuna and Universal, this paper provides examples that have been identified through in-depth interviews with representatives of some of the largest western media companies and their Asian subsidiaries and affiliates. Interviewees were asked to describe why they thought certain western media was or was not successful with audiences in China, India, and Japan. The analysis of the interviews also allows for a comparison across countries and media types with regard to cultural barriers. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
3. Restructuring in the Toyota Keiretsu during the Asian Financial Crash.
- Author
-
Mehri, Darius
- Subjects
FINANCIAL crises ,CORPORATE reorganizations ,PROFITABILITY ,CAPITALISM ,ECONOMIC reform - Abstract
The Asian economic crash of 1997 lead to widespread restructuring of corporate organizations in Japan. This paper uses ethnographic field work and historical documents to examine how this played out inside one company, Toyota, when management implemented a restructuring plan to improve the profitability of its companies during the period of 1996 to 1999. The restructuring policies are discussed within the framework of the varieties of capitalism debate. A hallmark of the current discussion on Japanese organizations is that Japan is converging toward the American model of capitalism. I argue that although Japanese companies have adapted to worsening economic conditions by incorporating neo-liberal market reforms, changes during the Asian crash reveal that Toyota used liberal market policies as restructuring "tools" within the context of the unique institutions of Japanese welfare corporatism. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
4. Foreigners Cometh! Paths to Multiculturalism in Japan, Korea and Taiwan*.
- Author
-
Hyuk-Rae Kim and Ingyu Oh
- Subjects
MULTICULTURALISM ,IMMIGRANTS ,TAIWANESE politics & government ,EMIGRATION & immigration ,ETHNICITY ,EDUCATIONAL change ,FOREIGN workers ,EDUCATION - Abstract
This paper has a four-fold goal: (1) it examines the difficulties faced by Japan, Korea and Taiwan in developing and implementing multicultural programs for their newly arriving migrants; (2) it offers an analysis of indigenous ethnic formation and migration of workers and marriage migrants in the context of ongoing debates on multiculturalism in East Asia; (3) it analyzes narratives behind the educational reforms to shed light on the political contention surrounding multicultural governance in the region; and (4) it discusses why educational institutions in East Asia seem uninterested in offering courses on multiculturalism. This paper suggests that the three countries will continue to face substantial difficulties in institutionalizing their own democratic multiculturalism(s) due to pressures from global and domestic forces. We expect that the three countries will continue to modify their approaches to multicultural governance despite institutional constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Beyond policy: Strategic actions to support ICT integration in Japanese schools.
- Author
-
Vallance, Michael
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL law & legislation ,ASIANS ,EFFECT of technological innovations on education ,EDUCATIONAL technology laws ,EDUCATION - Abstract
Since the late 1990s technology has become a central component of national education policies in many Asian countries. In Singapore schools, for instance, technology has become central in teaching, learning and administration. On the other hand, Japanese schooling has been largely impervious to advances in educational technology. This paper aims to stimulate discourse between policy makers, teachers, researchers and the community in Japan and internationally to consider informed, meaningful strategies required for developing suitably skilled pupils for today's Digital Age. The paper begins with a summary of Singapore's technology centric education policy, called the Masterplan for IT in Education. The Japanese context is then summarised and a number of recently proposed educational reforms are discussed. It will be argued that these reforms do not lend themselves to supporting the necessary development of digital competency required of Japanese school pupils in the 21st century. To overcome the shortcomings, strategic actions to support meaningful ICT integration in education, influenced by the Singapore experience, will be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Japan's Unknown Soldiers.
- Author
-
Thomas, Evan and Takayama, Hideko
- Subjects
NATIONAL security ,MILITARY science ,PEACEKEEPING forces ,CONSTITUTIONS ,CONSTITUTIONAL amendments ,TERRORISM ,MILITARY policy ,ARMED Forces - Abstract
This article looks at the Japanese military. Japan's "Peace Constitution," which went into effect in 1947, expressly forbids the Japanese from ever having armed forces. Nonetheless, the Maritime Self-Defense Force or the JMSDF--like its counterpart ground and air self-defense forces created in the 1950s--is a significant power. The JMSDF rates as the fourth most powerful navy in the world. Overall, Japan ranks among the top three or four countries in defense spending. For years, Japanese dealt with this apparent contradiction by not talking about it much, at least publicly. Japanese troops were used mostly in natural disasters and accidents, mounting rescue operations after earthquakes and plane crashes. But then, in the early 1990s, Japan began sending the SDF on peacekeeping missions abroad, to places like Cambodia and Mozambique. In 1993 North Korea test-launched its Nodong-1 missile into the Sea of Japan. The provocation forced Japan to regard the Pyongyang regime as a serious threat. Public opinion, traditionally antimilitarist, began to shift. The North Korean threat--together with the 9/11 terrorists attacks on America and China's buildup of its forces--is pushing Japan to face up to the thorny question of just how much of a military it really wants. Last week the Japanese Defense Agency issued a white paper urging the transformation of the SDF into a "more functional force" to cope with the new threats. The paper emphasized better "mobility and flexibility" and warned that Pyongyang is likely to increase the range of its missiles. A serious discussion has begun about amending the Constitution to recognize a military role for Japan.
- Published
- 2004
7. Japan's Unknown Soldiers.
- Author
-
Thomas, Evan and Takayama, Hideko
- Subjects
NATIONAL security ,MILITARY science ,PEACEKEEPING forces ,CONSTITUTIONS ,CONSTITUTIONAL amendments ,TERRORISM ,MILITARY policy ,ARMED Forces - Abstract
This article looks at the Japanese military. Japan's "Peace Constitution," which went into effect in 1947, expressly forbids the Japanese from ever having armed forces. Nonetheless, the Maritime Self-Defense Force or the JMSDF--like its counterpart ground and air self-defense forces created in the 1950s--is a significant power. The JMSDF rates as the fourth most powerful navy in the world. Overall, Japan ranks among the top three or four countries in defense spending. For years, Japanese dealt with this apparent contradiction by not talking about it much, at least publicly. Japanese troops were used mostly in natural disasters and accidents, mounting rescue operations after earthquakes and plane crashes. But then, in the early 1990s, Japan began sending the SDF on peacekeeping missions abroad, to places like Cambodia and Mozambique. In 1993 North Korea test-launched its Nodong-1 missile into the Sea of Japan. The provocation forced Japan to regard the Pyongyang regime as a serious threat. Public opinion, traditionally antimilitarist, began to shift. The North Korean threat--together with the 9/11 terrorists attacks on America and China's buildup of its forces--is pushing Japan to face up to the thorny question of just how much of a military it really wants. Last week the Japanese Defense Agency issued a white paper urging the transformation of the SDF into a "more functional force" to cope with the new threats. The paper emphasized better "mobility and flexibility" and warned that Pyongyang is likely to increase the range of its missiles. A serious discussion has begun about amending the Constitution to recognize a military role for Japan.
- Published
- 2004
8. Hybridization of cognitive computing for food services.
- Author
-
Zhang, Xiaobo, Yang, Senbin, Srivastava, Gautam, Chen, Mu-Yen, and Cheng, Xiaochun
- Subjects
FOOD service ,COGNITIVE computing ,RANDOM forest algorithms ,DATA mining ,FOOD industry ,PREPARED foods - Abstract
The application of data mining technology to food services and the restaurant industry has certain social value. By predicting customer traffic and needs, a restaurant can prepare a reasonable amount of meals for customers according to predicted needs which is conducive to improving the dining experience of customers and also improving the quality of food preparation and making the restaurant itself operate more efficiently. In recent years, we have seen the use of collaborative robots for use in the fast food industry. In Asia and more specifically in Japan, we have seen many fast-food chains implement the use of robots to better serve their customers. By studying the linear regression algorithm and the random forest algorithm, this paper proposes a new interwoven novel fusion approach of combining both algorithms and applies the new model to restaurant data to assist in the prediction of customer traffic in the restaurant industry. This predictive algorithm using cognitive techniques can assist these newly place robots in the food industry better serve their client base and in doing so make the industry more efficient. Experimental, comparison, and analysis are reported in the paper. The error rate of the fusion solution is reduced by approximately 5.503% compared with the linear regression algorithm and is approximately 3.719% lower than the error rate of the random forest algorithm. Results show that the new fusion algorithm can achieve better prediction results of customer traffic prediction for the restaurant industry. Furthermore, we also provide a new take on the application of data mining technology in the restaurant industry itself. • The application of data mining technology to the restaurant industry has certain social value. • Propose a new interwoven novel fusion approach applied to restaurant data to assist in the prediction of customer traffic in the restaurant industry. • This predictive algorithm using cognitive techniques can assist these newly place robots in the food industry better serve their client base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Efficiency tests of foreign exchange markets for four Asian Countries.
- Author
-
Chiang, Shu-Mei, Lee, Yen-Hsien, Su, Hsin-Mei, and Tzou, Yi-Pin
- Subjects
FOREIGN exchange market ,FOREIGN exchange rates ,FLOATING rate notes ,VARIANCES ,RANDOM walks - Abstract
Abstract: This paper uses the traditional variance ratio test of Lo and MacKinlay (1988, 1989), the non-parametric-based variance ratio test of Wright (2000) and the multiple-variance ratio test of Chow and Denning (1993), to re-examine the validity of the weak form efficient market hypothesis for foreign exchange markets in four floating-rate markets in neighboring Asian economies (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines). The results show that the random walk patterns of the exchange rate return series cannot be rejected, with the one exception of Taiwan, where inefficiency is shown to be most prominent. We therefore conclude that the foreign exchange markets of Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are weak form efficient, while the foreign exchange market of Taiwan is inefficient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. An emerging south-east Asian brand: MK Restaurants.
- Author
-
Itthiopassagul, Pannapachr, Patterson, Paul G., and Piyathasanan, Bhuminan
- Subjects
CHAIN restaurants ,CASE studies ,QUALITY of service ,LEADERSHIP - Abstract
Abstract: This case study examines in detail the factors responsible for the emergence of a highly successful South-east Asian brand – MK Restaurants. MK restaurants is a privately owned company that has grown from humble beginnings to a chain of over 250 restaurants in Thailand and tasted success in expanding into Europe and Japan. Our analysis suggest that MK Restaurants has built the brand from through living a set of brand values, astute positioning that appeals to a wide demographic and the global trend towards healthier eating, and a marketing communications budget that exceeds McDonalds and KFC in Thailand. Furthermore, brand extensions, a genuine customer centric philosophy that is practiced at all levels in the firm, an adherence to the service-profit-chain concept (i.e., happy staff are more likely to deliver better service quality, which in turn drives customer loyalty and repeat patronage), and a state of the art logistic and supply chain system have all driven brand success. Key lessons for other service brands are drawn and explicated in the paper’s final section. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Stereotypes about education in East Asian countries: Variations and effects of classroom instruction within country.
- Subjects
STEREOTYPES ,EDUCATION ,ACADEMIC achievement ,CLASSROOM activities - Abstract
East Asian schools have received much attention from educational researchers and reform advocates for the comparatively high student achievement and narrow achievement gaps. Western scholars at times advance broad claims about the rote character of instruction or the complexity of classroom practice, at times generalizing to an entire nation. Yet little is known about the variation in and impact of classroom instructional practices within East Asian countries. This study first compares the prevalence and within-country variation of classroom instructional practices in Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore with the other 45 countries that participated in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2007. Second, the study examines the effect of varying instructional practices on student achievement within each country using data from Japan and Singapore. I find that while East Asian classrooms tend to be higher in teacher-centered instruction and lower in complex instruction on average, classrooms within each country vary considerably in the degree to which they adopt certain practices. Within each country, classrooms with more complex and student-centered instruction tend to show higher achievement; an opposite association found when these phenomena are compared between countries. But when schools, classrooms, and student characteristics such as social class are taken into account, these positive effects of classroom instruction diminish or disappear. These findings are discussed in light of the literature on inequality and growing diversity of schools in East Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
12. Labor Market Structure and Self-Employment in three Asian Countries.
- Author
-
Takenoshita, Hirohisa
- Subjects
LABOR market ,SELF-employment ,FREELANCERS ,UNSKILLED labor - Abstract
This paper focuses on how people enter non-agricultural self-employment in three Asian countries: Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. I explore how entering the self-employment sector differs across these three countries, highlighting the effects of family background and labor market positions on this event. I show that the conditions for entry into the self-employment sector are greatly linked to the institutional arrangements of labor market structures and industrial relations among these countries. In Japan, where there is a higher level of employment protection for regular workers and a higher barrier to move into the self-employment, the effects of specific resources that help people become self-employed (i.e., family background and labor market positions) are greater than in their Korean and Taiwanese counterparts, where people can easily enter self-employment due to the larger concentration of the self-employed in the unskilled jobs in the service sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
13. Memories and Modernities: Evolving an Agenda for the Study of Collective Memory and Evildoing.
- Author
-
Kian-Woon, KWOK
- Subjects
COLLECTIVE memory ,SOCIAL psychology ,CRIMES against humanity ,WAR - Abstract
This paper takes Adorno's question 'What does working through the past mean?' as a key concern in the sociology of collective memory. If the Holocaust continues to figure prominently in wider scholarly and public discourses, Japanese military aggression during the Second World War has emerged as a focus of international debate in Asia, especially over issues such as the 'comfort women' and official Japanese support for the symbolism of the Yasukuni Shrine. These issues have remained unresolved more than six decades after the War, although a plethora of views on the part of individuals and groups within Japan and throughout Asia have been voiced in recent decades - in spite of continued official denial of the Japanese war record. Theoretically, I argue that we can also understand the contestation of memories as a contestation of modernities - of competing visions of the future and versions of what it means to be modern. I also draw from insights from debates in the study of the Holocaust, especially in understanding the actions of ordinary people in the context of 'gray zones'. In so doing, I suggest that it is potentially fruitful for sociology of memory to be in dialogue with the 'sociology of evil.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
14. Criticality of Environmental Destruction and Prospects for a Green Criminology.
- Author
-
Takemura, Noriyoshi
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL disasters ,GLOBAL warming ,GLOBAL temperature changes ,CRIMINOLOGY ,WATER pollution - Abstract
They say that we are facing the crisis of existence caused by thedestruction of the environment: the impacts of global warming and soon. This presentation investigates the present situation ofenvironmental crimes, green crimes (i.e. crimes concerning airpollution, water pollution, deforestation, species decline and animalrights, and so on), in Japan and East-Asia, referring to some recentenvironmental problems. Then it traces recent developments of greencriminology and gives its prospects for future. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
15. THE JAPAN -US MILITARY ALLIANCE AND THE ASIA-PACIFIC CHALLENGES: PROSPECTS FOR DEEP CHANGES.
- Author
-
Marquina, Antonio
- Subjects
MILITARY relations - Abstract
Copyright of UNISCI Discussion Papers is the property of Unidad de Investigaciones Sobre Seguridad y Cooperacion International (UNISCI) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2013
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.