Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

This dissertation examines the socio-cultural conditions of Japanese society as reflected in factors that induce recent Japanese immigration to Canada. The examination is based on interview research done with six female and six male Japanese immigrants living in Vancouver, who arrived in Canada after the mid-1990s. While previous migration studies emphasized political-economic conditions as the causes of migration flow, the narratives of these interviewees reveal a different migratory pattern that is motivated by spiritual well-being and life values. In order to encapsulate the complexity of contemporary migration flow, the push/pull factors that induced interviewees' emigration are thematically categorized and analyzed within a frame that emphasizes both these factors' interdependence with the interrelationships of Japanese social systems that have swayed the interviewees' decision to emigrate from Japan, and the nature of complexity in Japanese society. Showing the pluralism of these factors, they are categorized into nine themes: 1)physical environment; 2) spiritual enrichment and a stress-reduced life style; 3) socio-cultural constraints; 4) family life; 5) education; 6) age restrictions; 7) gender roles; 8)diversification, and 9) self-actualization. Luhmann's theory of social systems and Foucault's notion of governmentality serve as touchstones for the re-interpretation of the push/pull factors based on the examination of the interrelations among three Japanese social systems of family, education, and employment. The analysis reveals the complexity of the push/pull factors. Moreover, the interviewees' image of a "simple Canada," which also contributes to their decision to immigrate, is explained in terms of the "double complexity" of Japanese society stemming from both the complexity of modern society and the complexity of an amalgam of "modern" and "pre-modern" elements in Japanese society. Through an extensive examination of the correlations between the experiences of contemporary Japanese migrants and Japanese social systems, this study brings new insights to discussions on tensions between human agency and social structure, and the importance of intangible, mental images in the ways people shape their lives.

This study focused on the worldminded attitudes of Japanese college students in Japan and in the United States. The effects of studying abroad and the change in attitudes between Japanese college male students and female students were examined in terms of worldmindedness, which is defined as a frame of reference, or value orientation, favoring a worldview of the problems of humanity, with mankind rather than nationals of a particular country as the primary reference group. In this study worldminded attitudes are defined as attitudes about religion, immigration, government, economics, patriotism, race, education and war. This study tested the hypotheses that worldmindedness scores would increase as a result of the study program in the United States, and that Japanese women would score higher worldmindedness scores than would Japanese men. The data were collected from Japanese students who studied at Oregon State University for five months, and those who had not studied abroad before. The results revealed that woridmindedness scores increased as a result of the study in the United States, supporting the first hypothesis. While female students began their foreign study significantly more worldminded than their male counterparts, only the males changed significantly. Paradoxically, the females who did not study abroad scored more worilmindedness than the females who did. However, the sample size for females was very small (N=18). Generalizations drawn from the experimental group data are limited by the low completion rate: the data were collected during the last two weeks of a five-month period at Oregon State University, and only 40 percent of the questionnaire were completed. Therefore, those who had adopted more worldminded position might have been over represented. A replication of the study could insure against partial data. Also, it would be important to know if Japanese students revert back to their less worldminded views after returning to Japan. Longitudinal studies could resolve this issue. / Graduation date: 1991

This study examines the significance of corporate governance mechanisms during the corporate governance reform using a sample of 117 non-financial Japanese firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange over the period 1989 to 2001. Japans prolonged recession brought about numerous reforms in post-bubble Japan. Although it is plausible to infer that the corporate governance system in Japan may have been a factor that led to the sustained recession in Japan, it is vague as to how deep and thorough the changes to Japanese corporate governance have been. The inference is that adverse impact of corporate governance may have been one of the factors that led to the sustained recession in Japan. Numerous proposals have been offered and some implemented in an attempt to fix problems exposed during the recession period in the 1990s. Remedies include instituting reforms to corporate governance by establishing new standards, punishing malpractice, and changing corporate board structures. Many Japanese firms look abroad for alternate governance mechanisms to integrate into their own system of control. As such, most reforms propose changes, for the most part, reflecting the American-style of corporate governance: alignment in incentives between top management and shareholders, board size reductions, and greater board independence to promote better monitoring and firmer discipline The significance of proposed changes to traditional Japanese corporate governance is examined in this study. Using a different econometric approach from that of previous studies, the relationship between board composition and firm performance is examined with a simultaneous framework of equations. The purpose of this empirical framework is to tackle potential endogeneity problems between board composition, governance and performance variables. Results show that: (1) there exists a significantly negative relationship between turnover of members of the board of directors and firm performance; (2) board size reduction is significant, but there is no evidence of consistent relationship between outside directorship and firm performance. (3) While keiretsu membership is generally relevant in linking board turnover and performance in Japan, board turnover is sensitive to performance in firms where ownership is concentrated than where ownership is dispersed. (4) President turnover, whether routine or non-routine, is unrelated to performance. Overall, results support that the entire board assumes responsibility for the firms performance and the 2SLS model is an effective estimator for estimating the relationship between board composition and firm performance.

This study examines the significance of corporate governance mechanisms during the corporate governance reform using a sample of 117 non-financial Japanese firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange over the period 1989 to 2001. Japans prolonged recession brought about numerous reforms in post-bubble Japan. Although it is plausible to infer that the corporate governance system in Japan may have been a factor that led to the sustained recession in Japan, it is vague as to how deep and thorough the changes to Japanese corporate governance have been. The inference is that adverse impact of corporate governance may have been one of the factors that led to the sustained recession in Japan. Numerous proposals have been offered and some implemented in an attempt to fix problems exposed during the recession period in the 1990s. Remedies include instituting reforms to corporate governance by establishing new standards, punishing malpractice, and changing corporate board structures. Many Japanese firms look abroad for alternate governance mechanisms to integrate into their own system of control. As such, most reforms propose changes, for the most part, reflecting the American-style of corporate governance: alignment in incentives between top management and shareholders, board size reductions, and greater board independence to promote better monitoring and firmer discipline. <p>The significance of proposed changes to traditional Japanese corporate governance is examined in this study. Using a different econometric approach from that of previous studies, the relationship between board composition and firm performance is examined with a simultaneous framework of equations. The purpose of this empirical framework is to tackle potential endogeneity problems between board composition, governance and performance variables. Results show that: (1) there exists a significantly negative relationship between turnover of members of the board of directors and firm performance; (2) board size reduction is significant, but there is no evidence of consistent relationship between outside directorship and firm performance. (3) While keiretsu membership is generally relevant in linking board turnover and performance in Japan, board turnover is sensitive to performance in firms where ownership is concentrated than where ownership is dispersed. (4) President turnover, whether routine or non-routine, is unrelated to performance. Overall, results support that the entire board assumes responsibility for the firms performance and the 2SLS model is an effective estimator for estimating the relationship between board composition and firm performance.

The present study provides an analysis of two different but interrelated historical dimensions. The first dimension, the founding process of Japanese Protestantism, is analysed in its wider historical context on the basis of contemporary scholarship, particuhirly Japanese. A second dimension: the ongoing historiographical interpretation of the founding process, is analysed from the foundation period itse1f up to 1945, against its contemporary historical background. The analytical approach takes account of the forms of history writing as weil as its contents, in an overall comparative perspective applied to the Japanese and the Western material. In the çonclusion the interpretative trends which are identified through the analysis of the second, historiographical dimension, are related to trends in contemporary interpretationof the foundation period. The conclusion thus focus on the relationship between prewar and postwar interpretation of Japanese Protestant beginnings.

This study examines the significance of corporate governance mechanisms during the corporate governance reform using a sample of 117 non-financial Japanese firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange over the period 1989 to 2001. Japans prolonged recession brought about numerous reforms in post-bubble Japan. Although it is plausible to infer that the corporate governance system in Japan may have been a factor that led to the sustained recession in Japan, it is vague as to how deep and thorough the changes to Japanese corporate governance have been. The inference is that adverse impact of corporate governance may have been one of the factors that led to the sustained recession in Japan. Numerous proposals have been offered and some implemented in an attempt to fix problems exposed during the recession period in the 1990s. Remedies include instituting reforms to corporate governance by establishing new standards, punishing malpractice, and changing corporate board structures. Many Japanese firms look abroad for alternate governance mechanisms to integrate into their own system of control. As such, most reforms propose changes, for the most part, reflecting the American-style of corporate governance: alignment in incentives between top management and shareholders, board size reductions, and greater board independence to promote better monitoring and firmer discipline. <p>The significance of proposed changes to traditional Japanese corporate governance is examined in this study. Using a different econometric approach from that of previous studies, the relationship between board composition and firm performance is examined with a simultaneous framework of equations. The purpose of this empirical framework is to tackle potential endogeneity problems between board composition, governance and performance variables. Results show that: (1) there exists a significantly negative relationship between turnover of members of the board of directors and firm performance; (2) board size reduction is significant, but there is no evidence of consistent relationship between outside directorship and firm performance. (3) While keiretsu membership is generally relevant in linking board turnover and performance in Japan, board turnover is sensitive to performance in firms where ownership is concentrated than where ownership is dispersed. (4) President turnover, whether routine or non-routine, is unrelated to performance. Overall, results support that the entire board assumes responsibility for the firms performance and the 2SLS model is an effective estimator for estimating the relationship between board composition and firm performance.

This study examines the significance of corporate governance mechanisms during the corporate governance reform using a sample of 117 non-financial Japanese firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange over the period 1989 to 2001. Japans prolonged recession brought about numerous reforms in post-bubble Japan. Although it is plausible to infer that the corporate governance system in Japan may have been a factor that led to the sustained recession in Japan, it is vague as to how deep and thorough the changes to Japanese corporate governance have been. The inference is that adverse impact of corporate governance may have been one of the factors that led to the sustained recession in Japan. Numerous proposals have been offered and some implemented in an attempt to fix problems exposed during the recession period in the 1990s. Remedies include instituting reforms to corporate governance by establishing new standards, punishing malpractice, and changing corporate board structures. Many Japanese firms look abroad for alternate governance mechanisms to integrate into their own system of control. As such, most reforms propose changes, for the most part, reflecting the American-style of corporate governance: alignment in incentives between top management and shareholders, board size reductions, and greater board independence to promote better monitoring and firmer discipline The significance of proposed changes to traditional Japanese corporate governance is examined in this study. Using a different econometric approach from that of previous studies, the relationship between board composition and firm performance is examined with a simultaneous framework of equations. The purpose of this empirical framework is to tackle potential endogeneity problems between board composition, governance and performance variables. Results show that: (1) there exists a significantly negative relationship between turnover of members of the board of directors and firm performance; (2) board size reduction is significant, but there is no evidence of consistent relationship between outside directorship and firm performance. (3) While keiretsu membership is generally relevant in linking board turnover and performance in Japan, board turnover is sensitive to performance in firms where ownership is concentrated than where ownership is dispersed. (4) President turnover, whether routine or non-routine, is unrelated to performance. Overall, results support that the entire board assumes responsibility for the firms performance and the 2SLS model is an effective estimator for estimating the relationship between board composition and firm performance.

The researcher has worked as a Japanese cram school teacher in Taiwan for nine years since 2002. In these nine years, the researcher has encountered different kinds of students and earned myriad of experience in this path. The researcher found that Japanese learners in Taiwan, no matter what age or what level, made almost the same mistakes. The commonality of making errors caused the researcher¡¦s curiosity. The researcher took this opportunity to seek for the reasons that caused these common mistakes. One of the most common mistakes they made is the use of the ¡§particle¡¨. Japanese¡¦s particle was classified neatly, especially ¡§prepositions¡¨ which were the most difficult to learn. When students first learn prepositions, they always get confused; the catachreses of the "De (で)" and "Ni (に)¡¨ were often brought to discussion. In the previous studies, many scholars have focused on this topic and done many researches (Sakota, 1998;Sugiyama, 2002). Based on those studies, with the writer¡¦s practical experience, she analyzed and probed the misuse of De and Ni through testing students. In the test, the researcher differentiated the students into three levels to see how different levels of students react to the use of prepositions, De and Ni ; the researcher then analyzed if there were any special tendency to the use of those preposition from the collected data. The testing method was to ask each levels of students to fill in the blank of a preposition quiz and then interview them about why did they pick those certain preposition to fill in the blank. Using fill-in the blank tests, the researcher found that the student's frequency of use of De and Ni and the frequency of incorrect answers were different. Through introspective investigation, the researcher found that the student's thinking process when using De and Ni are "Noun+ preposition" , "verb+ preposition". After interviewing the students, the researcher found that most subjects have a stereotyped "image of place or name of building + De", and "position or abstract places + Ni". The researcher hoped to understand the reason of the preposition mistake, De and Ni, in Japanese leaner of Taiwan by the research and find the solution of this common mistake. The writer wished that this could benefit not only teachers but students and provide them directions for teaching and learning.