Westernization

About: Westernization is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1154 publications have been published within this topic receiving 15791 citations. The topic is also known as: occidentalization.

Changing Japanese management: Is the trend towards western-style management sustainable?

Abstract: The trend towards Western management styles seems unstoppable after the successes achieved by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., since the appointment of a non-Japanese Chief Executive began its changing management ethos. This led to questions such as "What is so special about Western management? Is Japanese management old-fashioned?" Our findings confirm the positive impact of aspects of Western thinking such as quicker decision-making, clearer lines of responsibility, the replacement of seniority-based wage and promotion systems and the increased motivation of younger employees. However, many firms have resisted the 'westernisation' of their management styles and, instead, have started to emphasise the benefits of Japanese management approaches.

Education on Classical Architecture and Architectural Practice in Taiwan

Abstract: Classical architectural elements in Taiwan were first used by the Japanese colonizers between 1895 and 1945, and they were regarded as symbols of westernization and advance. Under the policy of Emperor Meiji, a number of young Japanese architects were freely experimenting with this style in Taiwan. Education on architecture was open to Taiwanese from 1920s, and a few Taiwanese architects continued to practice the classical style after the World War II, in which Japanese lost and left Taiwan. Postwar design competitions among Taiwanese students show that the classical style was still taught, but this was rarely practiced after 1950s. The government of the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT) rarely promoted architectural style of western antiquity. This was related to the American aid to the government, which resulted in a preference to the American culture. It was also related to the poor economy of Taiwan. For this reason the policy of construction was mainly concerned with function, the more economical the better. In addition, architects influenced by the modernism of the USA and Europe took charge of most building projects in Taiwan, and this changed the trend of architectural style. In 1960s and in 1990s, a few architecture departments were established in universities. They played an important role in protecting cultural heritage and encouraged appreciation and preservation of the Neo-Classical monuments of the Japanese colonial period. Taiwan changed speedily between 1980s and 1990s in terms of economy and politics, becoming a society much more open to diverse values and cultures. European antiquities have attracted attention, and in recent years classical architectural elements have been again increasingly used in the decoration of newly constructed buildings, notably of luxurious residential apartments or buildings of high quality. They represent financial power and a fine cultural taste, and they suit the rich and the elite. The works often alter the original forms and proportions of classical elements, in order to adorn buildings of simple geometric forms with additions of complex decorations.

Impact of westernization and other factors on the changing status of Moslem women.

Abstract: PIP: Reform in the status of women in Islam results from factors external to Islam -- initiation of the West, industrialization, and urbanization -- as well as from the internal factors of Moslem reformers, education, and the formation of a middle class. Against the background of the Middle East's traditional social pattern, it is crucial to determine how the position of women is being affected by the new influences from the West, how they are reacting to the new influences, where they are making progress or encountering obstacles, and how they feel and look towards the future. Westernization brought about a chain of related phenomena -- a decline of parental authority, a breakdown of the extended family, and a conscious initiation of Western family structures and social reforms. A few contemporary official reactions of the Moslem Arabs show great sensitivity to the opinions of the West, especially to the Western disapproval of the traditional Arab treatment of women. In attempting to prove how much progress the Arab world has made, they emphasize the changes in the family legal codes during the last 20 years, giving far greater privileges to women. The propaganda in the form of frequent speechs and pamphlets suggesting realization of political equality is a great exaggeration. The reason behind such an inaccurate account of the amount of change is the focus on a proportionately small minority of educated Arab women. Yet, the propaganda serves as an index of the aims and attitudes of the Arab leaders who are directing the present society. There exists a steady, if undramatic move towards emancipation among women of the Moslem Middle East. Equally true is that there is no evidence of a militant crusade for women's rights. A genuine desire does exist for "freedom from" some of the traditional restrictions, yet this does not involve any real challenge to the traditional conception of women's role as mother. It only represents a desire that the life of women should not be limited to this role. There are also indications that education is more than a symbol of new position. It is broadening the horizons and fostering concerns about larger problems of the nation and society. The introduction of Western communications in the Moslem Middle East, embodied in modern mass media, is a new impetus for the small but progressively growing indigenous feminist movements. Modernization and its underlying tensions and clashes with the traditional way of life in the Moslem Middle East is already working itself out through an increasing number of individual lives.