Abstract
Globalization and the prolonged economic recession in Japan have changed the context in which intercultural communication takes place. To better understand what kind of intercultural communication skills Japanese businesses require, we conducted five focus groups in 2006. A total of 27 business people (males. =11; females. =16), from various types of companies participated. The interviews were videotaped and complete transcripts were made. During the first phase of analyses, the three researchers watched the recordings of the interviews together, followed by a discussion. During the second phase, the researchers coded the transcripts using the software Atlas ti.There were four major findings from the focus group interviews. The first was that the participants' examples of intercultural communication included more domestic examples rather than international ones. Secondly, in response to our question regarding who should receive intercultural communication training, our participants were unanimous in saying that everyone should be trained-bosses, people in the personnel department and overseas departments were considered first priority. Our third major finding was that the participants' responses seemed to fit into the model posited by Brislin and Yoshida (1994)-awareness, knowledge, emotions, and skills-with the addition of " Attitudes" as an overarching theme. Our final major finding was that many of the skills the participants felt were important to succeed in intercultural communication were a combination of what has been considered traditionally " Japanese" [e.g., sasshi (figuring out the other person's needs), situation-specific adjustment] and " Western" (e.g., verbalizing thoughts, taking the initiative).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 72-85 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | International Journal of Intercultural Relations |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 Jan |
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Keywords
- Business
- Focus groups
- Intercultural communication training
- Japan
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Social Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
Intercultural communication skills : What Japanese businesses today need. / Yoshida, Tomoko; Yashiro, Kyoko; Suzuki, Yuka.
In: International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 37, No. 1, 01.2013, p. 72-85.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Intercultural communication skills
T2 - What Japanese businesses today need
AU - Yoshida, Tomoko
AU - Yashiro, Kyoko
AU - Suzuki, Yuka
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - Globalization and the prolonged economic recession in Japan have changed the context in which intercultural communication takes place. To better understand what kind of intercultural communication skills Japanese businesses require, we conducted five focus groups in 2006. A total of 27 business people (males. =11; females. =16), from various types of companies participated. The interviews were videotaped and complete transcripts were made. During the first phase of analyses, the three researchers watched the recordings of the interviews together, followed by a discussion. During the second phase, the researchers coded the transcripts using the software Atlas ti.There were four major findings from the focus group interviews. The first was that the participants' examples of intercultural communication included more domestic examples rather than international ones. Secondly, in response to our question regarding who should receive intercultural communication training, our participants were unanimous in saying that everyone should be trained-bosses, people in the personnel department and overseas departments were considered first priority. Our third major finding was that the participants' responses seemed to fit into the model posited by Brislin and Yoshida (1994)-awareness, knowledge, emotions, and skills-with the addition of " Attitudes" as an overarching theme. Our final major finding was that many of the skills the participants felt were important to succeed in intercultural communication were a combination of what has been considered traditionally " Japanese" [e.g., sasshi (figuring out the other person's needs), situation-specific adjustment] and " Western" (e.g., verbalizing thoughts, taking the initiative).
AB - Globalization and the prolonged economic recession in Japan have changed the context in which intercultural communication takes place. To better understand what kind of intercultural communication skills Japanese businesses require, we conducted five focus groups in 2006. A total of 27 business people (males. =11; females. =16), from various types of companies participated. The interviews were videotaped and complete transcripts were made. During the first phase of analyses, the three researchers watched the recordings of the interviews together, followed by a discussion. During the second phase, the researchers coded the transcripts using the software Atlas ti.There were four major findings from the focus group interviews. The first was that the participants' examples of intercultural communication included more domestic examples rather than international ones. Secondly, in response to our question regarding who should receive intercultural communication training, our participants were unanimous in saying that everyone should be trained-bosses, people in the personnel department and overseas departments were considered first priority. Our third major finding was that the participants' responses seemed to fit into the model posited by Brislin and Yoshida (1994)-awareness, knowledge, emotions, and skills-with the addition of " Attitudes" as an overarching theme. Our final major finding was that many of the skills the participants felt were important to succeed in intercultural communication were a combination of what has been considered traditionally " Japanese" [e.g., sasshi (figuring out the other person's needs), situation-specific adjustment] and " Western" (e.g., verbalizing thoughts, taking the initiative).
KW - Business
KW - Focus groups
KW - Intercultural communication training
KW - Japan
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872620042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84872620042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.04.013
DO - 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.04.013
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84872620042
VL - 37
SP - 72
EP - 85
JO - International Journal of Intercultural Relations
JF - International Journal of Intercultural Relations
SN - 0147-1767
IS - 1
ER -