Stress in the workplace: The idea of the life path in contemporary Japan

Richard Penoyar Weld, Purdue University

Abstract

An ethnographic examination of stress in the contemporary Japanese workplace, based upon work at Hitsuyou Foreign Language Academy. Includes a historical analysis of the modernization of Japan, a review of select previous ethnographies, and a linguistic analysis of Japanese scripts. Script analysis examines social positioning of concepts (such as stress) using the Japanese scripts of kanji, hiragana, katakana, and romaji. Ethnographic focus is given to the place of young women in Japanese companies, the difficulties of middle management, and the business practice known as "service overtime." Within the workplace setting, relationships between Western and Japanese workers are examined. The post-WWII Japanese social contract is discussed, as well as the roles of salariiman and "good wife, wise mother." In particular, the difficulties of getting on, staying on, and straying off of the life path are examined, using ethnographic examples.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Anderson, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Cultural anthropology|Asian Studies|Organizational behavior

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