著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

一橋大学

雑誌

一橋研究 (ISSN:0286861X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.37, no.1, pp.73-88, 2012-04

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

オーストラリア学会

雑誌

オーストラリア研究 (ISSN:09198911)

巻号頁・発行日

no.27, pp.63-79, 2014-03-20

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Since the 1980s, the Japanese food industry in Australia has developed dramatically, and Japanese-style food such as sushi and sashimi has become popular among the Australian population. Although previous research has studied the reasons for this phenomenon, it has overlooked the significance of the recruitment of Japanese to work in the industry. Taking this research trend into consideration, this study examines the process by which Japanese working holiday-makers (WHMs) who work in the Japanese food industry in Australia travel to the country, in addition to their working situation in Australia. In doing so, it attempts to conceptualize the role of the Australia-Japan working holiday program in the development of the industry. The author conducted fieldwork in Australia as part of this study. This included an interview survey of Japanese WHMs and participant observation of a Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. The data collected through this fieldwork produced the following three findings: 1) Highly-skilled Japanese workers such as chefs and managers tend to travel to Australia on working holiday visas, and change their status of residence to working visas when they are sure of their working and living situations in Australia; 2) Japanese WHMs tend to accept low-paid jobs in the Japanese food industry, for example as kitchen hands and waiters, due mainly to their lack of English skills; 3) Japanese WHMs who take on low-paid jobs in the industry are trying to improve the quality of their working lives through self-help efforts and collective action, for example by seeking complementary rewards, creating original games, enjoying conversation with customers, and receiving informal support from managers. They are attempting to gain a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction through such activities instead of demanding that their employers improve their working conditions. These findings have led to the conclusion that the Australia-Japan working holiday program plays two roles in the development of the Japanese food industry in Australia. First, it facilitates matching between highly-skilled workers and employers. Second, it provides a pool of cheap and obedient workers for the industry. Employers can take advantage of the program both to recruit highly-skilled workers and to reduce labor costs.

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

オーストラリア学会

雑誌

オーストラリア研究 (ISSN:09198911)

巻号頁・発行日

no.25, pp.29-44, 2012-03-20

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Since the 1980s, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of Japanese working holiday makers (WHMs) in Australia. In fact, the proportion of WHMs to the total Japanese population in Australia has also risen, and as a result their contribution to the Japanese community in Australia has started to receive attention. At the same time, however, there has been criticism that the motivation of WHMs is so unfocused that they do not maximize the opportunities for personal development associated with staying in a foreign country. The present study reflects on the reasons for the rapid increase in the number of Japanese WHMs in Australia, and also why their narratives on motivation have tended to become unfocused. In particular, it examines "push factors" that encourage young Japanese people to go abroad, "pull factors"that attract them to Australia, and "mediating factors" that facilitate their travel from Japan to Australia. In relation to the increase in WHMs, previous research on Japanese youth as well as various statistics, surveys, and announcements by the Australian and Japanese governments suggest it is due to a wide range of changes in and characteristics of the two societies. First, in Japan, unstable youth employment, a tendency to marry later, the advancement of a consumer society, and the individualization of the life course seem to operate as push factors. Second, the chance of an extended stay overseas, plenty of opportunities for employment, travel, and English-language acquisition, and the Australian government's commitment to the working holiday program appear to function as pull factors. Third, travel agencies, language schools, the media, and informal networks seem to operate as mediating factors. In terms of the unfocused narratives on motivation of WHMs, three possible explanations are raised. First, it is likely that many WHMs have and mention more than one objective, such as work, study, and travel, which may convey the image that their motivation is not specific. Second, there is a possibility that WHMs are not able to succinctly explain their motivation due to the complexity of their own situations arising from the changes in society. Third, as a result of the difficulty of explaining their motivation to become WHMs, they may use cliches gleaned from the media and travel agencies. In order to investigate the validity of these hypotheses, the paper suggests further research is needed to give an emic account of the situations of Japanese WHMs.

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

オーストラリア学会

雑誌

オーストラリア研究 (ISSN:09198911)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.27, pp.63-79, 2014-03-20 (Released:2017-05-10)

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Since the 1980s, the Japanese food industry in Australia has developed dramatically, and Japanese-style food such as sushi and sashimi has become popular among the Australian population. Although previous research has studied the reasons for this phenomenon, it has overlooked the significance of the recruitment of Japanese to work in the industry. Taking this research trend into consideration, this study examines the process by which Japanese working holiday-makers (WHMs) who work in the Japanese food industry in Australia travel to the country, in addition to their working situation in Australia. In doing so, it attempts to conceptualize the role of the Australia-Japan working holiday program in the development of the industry. The author conducted fieldwork in Australia as part of this study. This included an interview survey of Japanese WHMs and participant observation of a Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. The data collected through this fieldwork produced the following three findings: 1) Highly-skilled Japanese workers such as chefs and managers tend to travel to Australia on working holiday visas, and change their status of residence to working visas when they are sure of their working and living situations in Australia; 2) Japanese WHMs tend to accept low-paid jobs in the Japanese food industry, for example as kitchen hands and waiters, due mainly to their lack of English skills; 3) Japanese WHMs who take on low-paid jobs in the industry are trying to improve the quality of their working lives through self-help efforts and collective action, for example by seeking complementary rewards, creating original games, enjoying conversation with customers, and receiving informal support from managers. They are attempting to gain a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction through such activities instead of demanding that their employers improve their working conditions. These findings have led to the conclusion that the Australia-Japan working holiday program plays two roles in the development of the Japanese food industry in Australia. First, it facilitates matching between highly-skilled workers and employers. Second, it provides a pool of cheap and obedient workers for the industry. Employers can take advantage of the program both to recruit highly-skilled workers and to reduce labor costs.

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

追手門学院大学

雑誌

オーストラリア研究紀要 (ISSN:03853446)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.34, pp.181-204, 2008-12-25

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

東信堂

雑誌

労働社会学研究 (ISSN:13457357)

巻号頁・発行日

no.13, pp.36-68, 2012

著者

藤岡 伸明

出版者

オーストラリア学会

雑誌

オーストラリア研究 (ISSN:09198911)

巻号頁・発行日

no.26, pp.68-84, 2013-03-20

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In the 1980s, Cairns and the Gold Coast became international tourist destinations as a result of massive foreign investment from Japan. Although previous research has elucidated this process with a focus on the activities of Japanese investors, it has overlooked the significance of Japanese workers who provide services to Japanese tourists. Attempting to correct this gap, this study examines the working and living situations of Japanese working holiday makers (WHMs) who work at a tourist facility near Cairns. In doing so, it attempts to shed light on their importance to, and conceptualize their roles in, Queensland's tourism industry. The author conducted fieldwork in Australia for this purpose. This included an interview survey of Japanese WHMs and participant observation of a tourist facility situated on the fringe of an area of tropical rainforest in the Cairns region which employs a number of Japanese WHMs. The data collected by means of this fieldwork produced the following findings: 1) Most Japanese WHMs worked at the facility for only a short period of time; they usually worked for about 1-4 months before moving on. 2) The Japanese WHMs were the main workers in the Japanese division of the facility. Without these workers, the facility would not be able to deal with visiting Japanese tourists. 3) The working and living conditions of the Japanese WHMs were relatively poor. Their duties were unskilled service-related jobs, their wages were low, and their dormitory was poorly equipped. 4) The Japanese WHMs did not protest to their employer about their conditions, but were attempting to improve their quality of life by means of a variety of cooperative efforts, such as creating original games, inventing new recipes, and obtaining informal compensation from their bosses. 5) The Japanese WHMs also tried to give a positive meaning to their experiences at the facility. They attempted to give meaning to their experiences by appropriating ideas and images which they regarded as useful and plausible. In total, these findings led to the conclusion that Japanese WHMs constitute a large pool of cheap, unskilled, temporary, flexible and obedient workers for Queensland's tourism industry. Employers are able to take advantage of their availability to lower labor costs, to deal with fluctuations in labor demand, and to recruit workers to provide services for Japanese tourists.

著者

藤岡 伸明 今野 晴貴

出版者

Posse ; 2008-

雑誌

Posse = ポッセ

巻号頁・発行日

vol.36, pp.134-145, 2017-09