Using ethnographic methods, namely in-depth interviews and participant-observation, I examined the everyday experiences of fifteen female Japanese students during a nine-month study abroad. I attempted to investigate (1) the nature of cultural learning in the participants of this study during their sojourn and (2) how different social networks in the sojourn context affected the processes of their cultural learning and adaptation to the host environment. I employed models of cross-cultural adaptation based on a perspective of cultural learning / social skill acquisition as a theoretical framework. During the first few months in Canada, students without previous international sojourn experiences seemed to be physically and emotionally vulnerable. Some students experienced emotional upheaval which was consistent with previously published accounts of the characteristics of the sojourner adaptation process. A close association of the Japanese within their group throughout their sojourn resulted in the formation of an ethnic enclave in the dormitory community. This provided a support network for most of the Japanese students, but at the same time, caused interpersonal conflicts in the group. The strong group solidarity also negatively affected the relationship between the Japanese students and their Canadian peers in the dormitory. The Japanese students in this study not only had to adapt to the socio-cultural characteristics of the host environment, but also to the norms and values of their own group which reflected their cultural heritage. Although they encountered a number of challenges while in Canada, the process of overcoming difficulties and absorbing new experiences enabled them to grow personally and intellectually. Towards the end of their sojourn and after returning to Japan, the students recognised positive changes in their attitude and behaviour which they attributed to the different experiences they had through their study abroad. While several findings of the study indicated that the participants' adaptation to the new cultural setting reflected theoretical propositions in the cross-cultural adaptation literature, the study also showed how the unique nature of the students' sojourn environment had a significant impact on their adaptation process.

Using ethnographic methods, namely in-depth interviews and participant-observation, I examined the everyday experiences of fifteen female Japanese students during a nine-month study abroad. I attempted to investigate (1) the nature of cultural learning in the participants of this study during their sojourn and (2) how different social networks in the sojourn context affected the processes of their cultural learning and adaptation to the host environment. I employed models of cross-cultural adaptation based on a perspective of cultural learning / social skill acquisition as a theoretical framework. During the first few months in Canada, students without previous international sojourn experiences seemed to be physically and emotionally vulnerable. Some students experienced emotional upheaval which was consistent with previously published accounts of the characteristics of the sojourner adaptation process. A close association of the Japanese within their group throughout their sojourn resulted in the formation of an ethnic enclave in the dormitory community. This provided a support network for most of the Japanese students, but at the same time, caused interpersonal conflicts in the group. The strong group solidarity also negatively affected the relationship between the Japanese students and their Canadian peers in the dormitory. The Japanese students in this study not only had to adapt to the socio-cultural characteristics of the host environment, but also to the norms and values of their own group which reflected their cultural heritage. Although they encountered a number of challenges while in Canada, the process of overcoming difficulties and absorbing new experiences enabled them to grow personally and intellectually. Towards the end of their sojourn and after returning to Japan, the students recognised positive changes in their attitude and behaviour which they attributed to the different experiences they had through their study abroad. While several findings of the study indicated that the participants' adaptation to the new cultural setting reflected theoretical propositions in the cross-cultural adaptation literature, the study also showed how the unique nature of the students' sojourn environment had a significant impact on their adaptation process. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

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This thesis examines the identity of the students at the Montreal Hoshuko and the factors that affect the way in which they identify themselves as Japanese, drawing upon a framework of political economy and concepts of globalization and transnationalism. It also explores how Japanese identity is changing in this globalized world. The fieldwork demonstrates that the identity of the Hoshuko students is somewhat commoditized based on Japanese popular culture such as Pokemon. It suggests that increasing communication and contact with external forces has changed and will further change the way Japanese people understand their own culture, identity, and themselves. It is argued that identities are not fixed or frozen in time; rather, they should be understood as flexible and a process shaped by history, a given context, and multiple external factors, and that a more fluid understanding of Japanese culture and identity is needed in a globalized, transnationalized world.

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This study extends Dunning's eclectic paradigm to develop propositions about factors influencing the foreign direct investment (FDI) of firms. The propositions are tested with data about the FDI of Japanese electronics firms in the U.S. and Canada. The first part of the study employs LISREL structural equation models to analyze the influence of firm-specific assets, i.e., ownership advantages and international management capabilities, on the ability of firms to undertake FDI. Results from the models reveal similar sources of ownership advantages and international management capabilities for Japanese electronics firms in the U.S. and Canada. Ownership advantages are realized in size, technological competence, advertising and exports commitment of the firm. International management capabilities are derived from country spatial distribution, specific country experience and multinationality. While both ownership advantages and international management capabilities significantly influence the scale of FDI of Japanese firms in the U.S., only international management capabilities are significant in Canada. This variation in Japanese FDI behavior is clarified by further analysis of the competitive dynamics existing in the two host countries. The second part of the study examines the relationship between attributes of Japanese electronics firms and the timing of their investment in the U.S. and Canada. It is argued that a useful way to model foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions is to recognize explicitly the uncertainties involved in the decisions. A probabilistic model of FDI is specified. The model assumes that, ceteris paribus, the higher the risk-adjusted expected net benefits from foreign direct investment, the higher the probability of making an investment at a particular moment and thus the probability of investing earlier. It also assumes that uncertainties may be reduced with the passage of time. The models are estimated using Cox (1972) form of proportional hazards regression model. Results generally confirm the hypotheses that size, financial capabilities, as well as possession of some firm-specific strategic assets are significantly related to early FDI. An interesting exception is research and development, which is significant only after the mid-1970s. This is largely attributed to Japanese government's support and the subsequent maturation of firms.

This study extends Dunning's eclectic paradigm to develop propositions about factors influencing the foreign direct investment (FDI) of firms. The propositions are tested with data about the FDI of Japanese electronics firms in the U.S. and Canada. The first part of the study employs LISREL structural equation models to analyze the influence of firm-specific assets, i.e., ownership advantages and international management capabilities, on the ability of firms to undertake FDI. Results from the models reveal similar sources of ownership advantages and international management capabilities for Japanese electronics firms in the U.S. and Canada. Ownership advantages are realized in size, technological competence, advertising and exports commitment of the firm. International management capabilities are derived from country spatial distribution, specific country experience and multinationality. While both ownership advantages and international management capabilities significantly influence the scale of FDI of Japanese firms in the U.S., only international management capabilities are significant in Canada. This variation in Japanese FDI behavior is clarified by further analysis of the competitive dynamics existing in the two host countries. The second part of the study examines the relationship between attributes of Japanese electronics firms and the timing of their investment in the U.S. and Canada. It is argued that a useful way to model foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions is to recognize explicitly the uncertainties involved in the decisions. A probabilistic model of FDI is specified. The model assumes that, ceteris paribus, the higher the risk-adjusted expected net benefits from foreign direct investment, the higher the probability of making an investment at a particular moment and thus the probability of investing earlier. It also assumes that uncertainties may be reduced with the passage of time. The models are estimated using Cox (1972) form of proportional hazards regression model. Results generally confirm the hypotheses that size, financial capabilities, as well as possession of some firm-specific strategic assets are significantly related to early FDI. An interesting exception is research and development, which is significant only after the mid-1970s. This is largely attributed to Japanese government's support and the subsequent maturation of firms. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate