著者
松永 正樹
出版者
日本コミュニケーション学会
雑誌
ヒューマン・コミュニケーション研究 (ISSN:09137041)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.41, pp.39-68, 2013-03-31 (Released:2017-11-30)

Despite the vast literature on employee "voice" -a set of organizational behaviors to speak up with intentions to improve one's work processes-the communicative features and underlying structure of "voice" behaviors have yet to be explored. Previous studies focus on whether organizational members speak up, leaving the issue of how they communicate "voice" unattended. Additionally, extant research overly highlights rational decision-making; consequently, theorizing about relationally-centered decision-making processes regarding "voice" is lacking. To address those limitations, the current research analyzed the data collected from 539 full-timers in Japan. The first part of the study utilizing the latent profile analyses identified five distinct "voice" strategies. Those analyses revealed that direct communication is rather atypical, and many utilize indirect strategies. In the second part, the underlying structure of "voice" was examined using multi-level structural equation modeling. The results indicated that: (a) employees' attitudes and subjective norms as well as leader-member exchange (LMX), but not communication efficacy, are associated with "voice" intentions; (b) LMX's effects are partially mediated via psychological factors; and (c) group-level LMX differentiation demonstrated explanatory power above and beyond the individual-level predictors. These results are discussed with reference to the relevant literature along with the current research's limitations and future directions.
著者
灘光 洋子
出版者
日本コミュニケーション学会
雑誌
ヒューマン・コミュニケーション研究 (ISSN:09137041)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.35, pp.77-91, 2007-03-31 (Released:2017-11-30)

This paper focuses on the historical contributions of the Dutch-Japanese translators in the Edo era (they later served as English-Japanese translators as English took over from Dutch as a dominant foreign language) and their marginal position as communication mediators. Translation was a profession carried down from father to son in designated families. They were low-ranking government officials in Nagasaki. This was the only place open for trade with outside world for nearly 230 years while Japan was largely closed off. Although their status was low, as communication mediators they were privileged in having access to the most up-to-date knowledge and technology, and exposure to the alternative values of the West. There were, however, both positive and negative sides being at the cultural border : They could acquire the latest information so that some could develop and extend themselves in different fields, such as medicine, linguistics, and second language education. Without those translators, Western medicine could not have been studied widely by the Japanese medical doctors those days. Their accumulated knowledge of Dutch language, and the dictionaries they compiled undoubtedly smoothed the introduction of English. On the other hand, as mediators, their status was quite subordinate. They had no decision-making power and they seemed to have identity problems. As they worked closely with foreigners, it may easily be imagined that their personal ties with members of another cultural group might not always correspond to their assigned obligations and duties. There were also occasions when their group identity was perceived to be ambivalent, leading other fellow Japanese not to trust them. Although these translators were ignored by history, their contributions are worth reevaluating. The marginality inherent in the role of a mediator between two cultural groups merits special attention.
著者
古家 聡
出版者
日本コミュニケーション学会
雑誌
ヒューマン・コミュニケーション研究 (ISSN:09137041)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.38, pp.173-192, 2010-03-31 (Released:2017-11-30)

The purpose of this study is to reinterpret Japanese communication style, which has been explained based on the theory of Japanese collectivism. In many previous academic discussions concerning the Japanese, the people and society in Japan have been described as collectivism On the other hand, very few of the recently published empirical studies support the theory of Japanese collectivism. How should this gap be explained? It is necessary to examine principles of behavior to answer this question. This study is based on the assumption that humans are guided by the behavioral principle of fulfilling their interests, needs, and desires, including the five basic needs presented by psychologist Abraham Maslow-a notion the author refers to as "the pursuit of self-interest." It is possible to assume the operation of this principle of behavior on the basis of social exchange theory in psychology and rational choice theory in sociology. Even if a communication style that appears to reflect collectivist behavior is found, that may not be because the Japanese is pursuing the group interest rather than individual interest as has been explained to date, following the theory of Japanese collectivism. Instead, in attempting to meet a goal, the Japanese may be making a decision different from that of, for example, the American because of cultural factors that have developed historically and socially. Since it cannot be considered individualistic, the Japanese communication style has been considered by Americans to be collectivistic. However, if we assume -consciously or unconsciously- the fundamental behavioral principle of the pursuit of self-interest, it may be more appropriate to adopt a paradigm such as "self-interested cooperation" which is essentially different from the notion of collectivism as it is commonly understood by American people.