What is it about?
This review essay questions an established mind-set among business and management researchers both inside and outside Japan that, as a 'context' for research, Japan is 'unique'. This essay questions whether it is helpful for researchers uncritically to accept this view. Illustrating with examples from recently published research, the essay asks whether assuming the case 'uniqueness' of Japan - or, indeed, of any other globally connected economy - might act as a potential source of research and researcher bias.
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Why is it important?
References to the 'uniqueness' of nationally defined economies - for example, in contexts for international or cross-cultural business and management research - remain powerful and influential. Anecdotally, we can even see terms such as 'quite' or 'completely unique' entering international research discourses.
Perspectives
Given the enduring power and influence of established discourses used in international business and management research and practice - and given the on-going interconnection between national and regional economies - we as researchers have a professional responsibility and opportunity to assess claim of national 'uniqueness' both critically and constructively.
Dr Keith Jackson
SOAS, University of London
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: As a context for business and management research, how ‘unique’ is Japan?, Asia Pacific Business Review, December 2017, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/13602381.2017.1414388.
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