Showing papers in "East Asia in 2007"
92 citations
TL;DR: The production, diffusion and global consumption of manga and anime are driven by market forces and consumer tastes and not by the Japanese state as mentioned in this paper, however, the latter is seeking to harness this popular culture to burnish Tokyo's international image Despite the attractiveness of Japanese pop culture and other more traditional forms of public diplomacy, Tokyo's pursuit of soft power and a good international image is undermined by its failure to overcome its burden of history
Abstract: Japan is seeking to project its “soft power” through the allure of manga and anime in its public diplomacy The production, diffusion and global consumption of manga and anime are driven by market forces and consumer tastes and not by the Japanese state However, the latter is seeking to harness this popular culture to burnish Tokyo’s international image Despite the attractiveness of Japanese pop culture and other more traditional forms of public diplomacy, Tokyo’s pursuit of “soft power” and a good international image is undermined by its failure to overcome its burden of history
85 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the role and meaning of chineseness in business conduct among different generations of Chinese Indonesian entrepreneurs active in small and medium sized enterprises is discussed in order to inspire the ongoing debate concerning the characteristics of ethnic Chinese business practices in Southeast Asia, and to offer a way out of the culturalist criticalist impasse by addressing topics that are often neglected.
Abstract: This paper discusses the role and meaning of Chineseness in business conduct among different generations of Chinese Indonesian entrepreneurs active in small and medium sized enterprises This issue is raised in order to inspire the ongoing debate concerning the characteristics of ethnic Chinese business practices in Southeast Asia, and to offer a way out of the culturalist – criticalist impasse by addressing topics that are often neglected: the voice of those concerned, the business practices of Chinese Indonesian entrepreneurs in the SME sector, and generational differences
38 citations
TL;DR: This article reviewed theoretical perspectives about the development of ethnic Chinese-owned enterprises in two major sets of literature and questioned the foundations of these theoretical arguments by tracing the evolution of family firms and by employing the concept of generational change.
Abstract: This article reviews theoretical perspectives about the development of ethnic Chinese-owned enterprises in two major sets of literature The first school is one that adopts culture as the primary explanatory tool for the dynamism of Chinese enterprise The second school employs the concept of transnationalism, which has served to create a link between identity and capitalism, to analyse Chinese entrepreneurship Both sets of literature argue that common ethnic identity facilitates the creation of business networks, which explains the rise of ‘Chinese capitalism’ This study questions the foundations of these theoretical arguments by tracing the evolution of family firms and by employing the concept of ‘generational change’
37 citations
TL;DR: The history of such visits is discussed and analysed, with particular attention given to the causes and consequences of the visits by Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro between 2001 and 2006.
Abstract: The Yasukuni Shrine is a site of contested nationalist politics in Japan and in neighbouring countries Within Japan the status of the Shrine exists in a tension between public and private and religious and secular meanings These tensions are given a specific focus in the context of the visits to the Shrine by Japanese Prime Ministers The history of such visits is discussed and analysed, with particular attention given to the causes and consequences of the visits by Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro between 2001 and 2006 It is argued that the controversies over the visits in Japan and elsewhere are best understood in the context of ‘revisionist nationalism’ in Japan The reactions and nationalist problematics of the PRC and Taiwan with regard to the Yasukuni Shrine are then elaborated and analysed
28 citations
TL;DR: The Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society and the measures taken by the government so far still fall short from enforcing gender equality and do not affirm equality as a human right as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Japanese women have been assigned to the private role of caretaker, but the Japanese government has made prominent efforts in constructing a “gender-equal” society during the past decade. This policy development has come under the context of falling birth rate. The Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society and the measures taken by the government so far still fall short from enforcing gender equality and do not affirm equality as a human right. Since the pursuit of gender equality is a means to boost the birth rate, when there is a contradiction between these two goals, the former will be conceded.
25 citations
TL;DR: This paper focused on how the Chinese are represented in the international business literature and examined three methods of packaging a culture, namely the general-macroscopic, ethnographic present and critical emergence approaches.
Abstract: This paper focuses on how the Chinese are represented in the international business literature. Chinese cultures are packaged to make knowledge about the Middle Kingdom more accessible to a general audience. The ways in which these packaged cultures are framed and constructed will be questioned here. Drawing inspiration from Foucault, this article identifies four traits of a packaged culture – it mediates, it asserts the uniqueness of the culture, it selectively packages the culture and it claims that cultural differences matter in business. These traits will form the basis for comparing and examining three methods of packaging a culture, namely the general-macroscopic, ethnographic present and critical emergence approaches. This paper concludes that researchers should reflect on the power they yield when they represent another culture, and that the general public may privilege theories that are accessible rather than sound.
21 citations
19 citations
TL;DR: The authors studied the processes, strategies, and outcomes of citizen responses to elite political action at Yasukuni Shrine as well as explore meaning of their actions within the context of Japan's democratic polity.
Abstract: Prime Minister Koizumi’s six consecutive annual visits to Yasukuni shrine played a key role in initiating a new phase of domestic citizen political mobilization not seen since the early 1970s. This paper is based on field research during the Koizumi years (2001–2006) centering on domestic groups that conduct activities in “protection” of or “opposition” to Yasukuni shrine. As a study of street-based politics, this paper seeks to uncover the processes, strategies, and outcomes of citizen responses to elite political action at Yasukuni Shrine as well as explore meaning of their actions within the context of Japan’s democratic polity.
19 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of China's initiatives in developing oil in Africa and examine factors for Chinese oil companies going to Africa and China's oil strategy there, and argue that even though China's practices of energy diplomacy in Africa seem to undermine U.S. goals of isolating or punishing "rogue states" contrary to those pessimistic views, China has largely accommodated the U.,S. and is willing to forge joint efforts with the U,S. in energy exploration in Africa.
Abstract: Oil has long been viewed as a strategic resource for nations. China is now the world’s second largest oil-consuming country after the U.S.. Its global efforts to secure oil imports to meet increasing domestic demand have profound implications for international relations in the Asia-Pacific region. China’s rising oil demand and its external quest for oil have thus generated much attention. As China’s overseas oil quest intensifies, will China clash with the U.S. and other western countries’ interests in Africa, and how dose it look at this rivalry? Will China disrupt the U.S. and its allies’ foreign policy and the world order? This article tries to provide an overview of China’s initiatives in developing oil in Africa. It examines factors for Chinese oil companies going to Africa and China’s oil strategy there. Finally, it argues that even though China’s practices of energy diplomacy in Africa seem to undermine U.S. goals of isolating or punishing “rogue states”, contrary to those pessimistic views, China has largely accommodated the U.S. and is willing to forge joint efforts with the U.S. in energy exploration in Africa.
18 citations
TL;DR: Yasukuni Shrine resonates with talismanic symbolism for both its critics and proponents and that is precisely why it is so controversial within Japan and between Japan and its neighbors.
Abstract: Yasukuni Shrine resonates with talismanic symbolism for both its critics and proponents and that is precisely why it is so controversial within Japan and between Japan and its neighbors. Controversy over Yasukuni is rooted in the broader historical debate about war memory, responsibility, and reconciliation. Competing narratives about this past send mixed signals to neighbors and prevent reconciliation. Despite Prime Minister Koizumi’s six visits, Yasukuni is an awkward talisman and many Japanese, including conservatives, oppose these visits. The Shrine’s image has been cast and no amount of artful repackaging will obscure its indelible links with Japan’s discredited Imperial ideology and the costs it exacted. The Yasukuni dilemma involves shifting the focal point of official war remembrance away from the Shrine to a secular war memorial where people and officials can pay respect to the war dead free from political agendas and historical baggage.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the diverse business experiences of Singapore Chinese entrepreneurs in China, their response to business failure and their strategies to relocate their transnational business ventures, based on a number of case studies.
Abstract: The focus of this paper is on the strategies applied by Singapore Chinese businesses upon failing in their China business ventures. It has been argued that both the increase in Singapore ventures into China and the failures are due to either cultural issues (misconceptions of ‘shared ethnicity’) or economic factors (differences in economic practices). Singapore businesspeople apply inclusive strategies combining Western management styles with allegedly Chinese ways of doing business in order to reduce the risk involved with investments across national borders into China. Though largely successful, this strategy entails its own risks. Based on a number of case studies, this paper discusses the diverse business experiences of Singapore Chinese entrepreneurs in China, their response to business failure and their strategies to relocate their transnational business ventures.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper found that only a small proportion of the reporting current and future managers recognized the growing importance for China of an interculturally competent workforce, and that without increased attention to enhancing the transnational competence of government and state-enterprise managers, peaceful and ecologically sound development will be difficult to sustain given the demands of multinational production chains, global resource constraints, and the challenges involved in managing transnational relations in the interest of China's long-term economic progress.
Abstract: With deeper integration into the global economy and expanded penetration by multinational firms and other nonChinese actors following accession to the WTO, skills in bureaucratic entrepreneurship are not likely to be sufficient by themselves to bring about China’s sustainable development. In today’s interdependent and highly competitive trade, economic-cooperation, and resource-limited environment, sustainable development requires that subnational managers also possess transnational competence in collaborating with, negotiating with, and transforming foreign counterparts. However, survey research among Chinese executives based in Shanghai revealed that only a small proportion of the reporting current and future managers recognized the growing importance for China of an interculturally competent workforce. Without increased attention to enhancing the transnational competence of government and state-enterprise managers, peaceful and ecologically sound development will be difficult to sustain given the demands of multinational production chains, global resource constraints, and the challenges involved in managing transnational relations in the interest of China’s long-term economic progress.
TL;DR: The authors examined Japan's FTAs with Mexico and the Philippines in the context of parallel negotiations in the Doha Round and found no evidence that these agreements have weakened the political will of Japanese export interests to push ahead with trade liberalization in the WTO or increased the leverage of protectionist interests in opposing that goal.
Abstract: This paper examines Japan’s FTAs with Mexico and the Philippines in the context of parallel negotiations in the Doha Round. Although the limited results produced by these FTAs represent an inferior outcome to what might be achieved with multilateral trade liberalization, there is no evidence that these agreements have weakened the political will of Japanese export interests to push ahead with trade liberalization in the WTO or increased the leverage of protectionist interests in opposing that goal. The greatest hope for increased Japanese flexibility in WTO agricultural talks lies in accelerated reform of domestic farm policy rather than reduced emphasis on pursuit of FTAs.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore whether Taipei is an innovative city by critically examining Taipei's industrial and economic performance, developmental visions and spatial planning, as well as institutional settings and political contexts.
Abstract: This paper explores whether Taipei is an innovative city by critically examining Taipei’s industrial and economic performance, developmental visions and spatial planning, as well as institutional settings and political contexts. With the aid of institutionalist perspective, the author argues that Taipei’s innovative efforts are mostly policy innovation, rather than institutional innovation. The author also describes the institutional dynamics that have caused the lack of Taipei’s institutional innovation. The case study of Taipei could be helpful in conducting comparative studies on urban innovation.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyse the process of transnationalisation of Malaysian Chinese small and medium enterprises by considering different perspectives on transnationalism, identity and business development among ethnic Chinese.
Abstract: Though acknowledging that ethnic Chinese cooperate in networks in which they feel ‘comfortable’, scholars dispute what it is that makes ethnic Chinese cooperate transnationally, and they disagree as to what extent these networks can be regarded as independent of nation-state regimes. Phrased differently, there is no agreement on the contents of this ‘comfort zone’ and on how it is created. Scholarly debate focuses on ethnic Chinese businesses and on the nature of transnationalism, but fails to address the process of transnationalising businesses. By considering the different perspectives on transnationalism, identity and business development among ethnic Chinese, this paper analyses the process of transnationalisation of Malaysian Chinese small and medium enterprises.
TL;DR: The authors explored the role of the Chinese in a Southeast Asian business cum societal context, from different approaches towards Chineseness via different notions of intra- and inter-ethnic relation towards a critique of the idea of a Chinese diaspora in a SE Asian context.
Abstract: This paper explores the role of the Chinese in a Southeast Asian business cum societal context; from different approaches towards Chinese-ness via different notions of intra- and inter-ethnic relation towards a critique of the idea of a Chinese diaspora in a Southeast Asian context. The article argues that a culturalist reading of Southeast Asian Chinese modes of engaging in capitalist practices and societal entrenchments constitutes a deception that produces a variety of stereotypes of Chinese-ness, thus disregarding the complexity and dynamic developments within the ethnic Chinese community region-wise. Finally, in relation to Chinese business practices in a Southeast Asian context the paper suggests that cultural notions of guanxi and xinyong do not form a basis for doing business the Chinese way, but only options; that intra-ethnic relations do not play an important role in transnational Chinese linkages, and that contemporary conceptions of Chinese identity are always negotiated with the dominant ‘other’ so as to secure the construction of an economic ‘room’ or space from where business can be conducted in an overall societally acceptable manner.
TL;DR: The authors compared the patterns of interactions between the Chinese government, intellectuals and general public during four events centering on China-US relations: the 1999 Belgrade embassy bombing, the early 2001 plane collision incident, the September 11 attacks, and the 2003 war in Iraq.
Abstract: Focusing on the construction and reconstruction process of anti-American icons in contemporary China, this paper compares the patterns of interactions between the Chinese government, intellectuals and general public during four events centering on China-US relations: the 1999 Belgrade embassy bombing, the early 2001 plane collision incident, the September 11 attacks, and the 2003 war in Iraq. The article suggests that the proliferation of anti-American icons in China does not only point towards the existence of anti-foreign ideologies. It is also a channel for different players in China to advance their personal and group interests. As long as tolerance from Beijing is signalled, much nationalist rhetoric is a coded way of directing limited dissent at the Chinese state itself, but how exactly the Chinese public hold the “nationalist flags” — which is allowed by the party–state — against the “red flags” of the same regime remains relatively unexplored. Filling up such an intellectual vacuum is the central focus of this paper.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the rise and fall of boxing in Korea since its introduction in 1912 and argued that changes in the tastes of sports fans are closely linked to economic development, industrialization and standard of living.
Abstract: This study documents the rise and fall of boxing in Korea since its introduction in 1912 The participation of amateur athletes in boxing has decreased sharply since the 1980s Also, the popularity of professional boxing among sports fans has diminished in recent decades I consider boxing as a “product” that is “consumed” by individuals as participants and fans I apply product life-cycle theory in analyzing the changing popularity of boxing I argue that changes in the tastes of sports fans are closely linked to economic development, industrialization and standard of living I present the rise in the popularity of soccer, baseball, and golf as illustrations of the changing tastes of consumers of sports that have accompanied economic development and social changes as well as the changing government policies on sports
TL;DR: A recent special issue as mentioned in this paper brings together a number of papers that question the popular view of Chinese business and management practices as applied outside China and provide nuanced and holistic ways to understand Chineseness and the Chinese way of doing business.
Abstract: This special issue brings together a number of papers that question the popular view of Chinese business and management practices as applied outside China. The papers provide nuanced and holistic ways to understand Chineseness and the Chinese way of doing business. Their approaches challenge some of the claims made by scholars like Hofstede, Hamilton and Reading. The rise of the Southeast Asian tiger economies in the 1980s and the role of ethnic Chinese businesses therein, as well as the opening up of China from the 1990s onwards have created an impressive build-up of knowledge on Chinese business and management practices. Traditionally, scholars argue that Chinese businesses in Southeast Asia function well because of their values, networks, work ethics and personal relationships (guanxi). More specifically, they include claims that Chinese business leaders prefer to do business with ‘other Chinese’ (either nationally or transnationally) and that the Chinese are more contextual in their actions than their ‘western’ counterparts. Such claims have been popularized and have permeated academic writings. Such popularized views of the Chinese are increasingly being questioned. Researchers acknowledge that there are different Chinese business practices, and that there is a wide range of Chinese management styles, both inside and outside China. By contextualizing specific business practices, Chinese business owners and managers are seen to be responsive to the situation and circumstances in which East Asia (2007) 24:107–110 DOI 10.1007/s12140-007-9009-9
TL;DR: The authors examined how Korean laborers and sex slaves were mobilized and transported from Korea to Japan during World War II by focusing on the interdependent relations between railroad-connecting ships and a travel agency.
Abstract: Japan was more dependent upon ocean shipping than any other major power during World War II, and the sea route had been the only means of transportation between Korea and Japan. The connecting steamers contributed to Japan’s wartime economy by transporting not only raw materials, but also forced laborers and sex slaves between Korea and Japan. More importantly, these connecting steamers were linked to railroads and land routes in Korea and were connected to various systems of transportation, including merchant ships and regular liners outside Japan. In this paper, we examine how Korean laborers and sex slaves were mobilized and transported from Korea to Japan during World War II by focusing on the interdependent relations between railroad-connecting ships and a travel agency.
TL;DR: Abe and Kawakami as mentioned in this paper explored the views of two eminent Meiji intellectuals, Abe Isoo (1865-1949) and Hajime Hajime (1879-1946), regarding poverty and its possible cures.
Abstract: This article explores the views of two eminent Meiji intellectuals, Abe Isoo (1865–1949) and Kawakami Hajime (1879–1946), regarding poverty and its possible cures. Both men addressed this subject at a time which saw the rapid development of monopoly capitalism in Japan. Politically, this period was typified by the social and political oppression that followed the Public Order Police Law (1900) and the High Treason Incident (1910). The latter marked the beginning of the “winter” of the socialist movement in Japan. Abe, the father of Japanese socialism, and the younger Kawakami, a bourgeois economist and later a Marxist, were two of the more prominent intellectuals concerned with poverty. This article outlines their thoughts on poverty and its possible cures in the period between 1903 and 1916 as expressed in their most representative works on the issue, Abe’s Saikin no shakai mondai (Current Social Problems), (1915) and Kawakami’s Bimbo monogatari (The Tale of Poverty), (1916).