What Do Japanese Workers Want to Know about Intercultural Communication?
– An Analysis of Nikkei vs. Gaishi-kei Kigyo Employees- (pp95-104) Nicole M. WATANABE (Lecturer, Musashi Institute of Technology) Satoshi P. WATANABE (Associate Professor, University of Tsukuba) ABSTRACT: Globalization in various regional economic markets has significantly increased the opportunities for cross-cultural contact among workers around the world, and particularly in Japan. This paper is an attempt to pinpoint the particular areas of interest for Japanese working in such environments. What issues are most salient and most difficult for these workers? What topics of discussion in training seminars are most helpful? Are these seminars responding to the needs of Japanese workers? What are the differences, if any, in the needs and interests of workers in Nikkei Kigyo and Gaishi-kei Kigyo Though the results of this study are preliminary, they provide interesting findings on the usefulness of cross-cultural communication and the possible implications for future workers in Japan’s
