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Comparing the Performances: Brief Background
Motivational Differences
Structural Differences
Cultural Differences
Can US Schools Even Be Compared Internationally?
Works Cited "Asian parents invest more in educational resources than their white counterparts despite comparable resources" (Kao 150)
Another possible reason for the educational differences between Japanese and American students is the amount of emphasis placed on education in the two cultures. Although by and large both Japan and American cultures place importance on education, the way in which it is emphasized may be a point of differentiation. Cross-cultural studies have shown that Japanese parents not only encourage …show more content…
The roots of this accomplishment run deep. An island nation, Japan developed over the centuries in isolation from the West, though in most arenas, its achievements compared favorably, not least in the their level of literacy. But that did not include technology and finance. The result was what the West came to call the “opening of Japan” to Western commerce by Admiral Perry’s “black ships” in 1853, followed by the imposition on Japan of trade treaties heavily favoring the Western nations.
Perry arrived toward the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a period of peace overseen by the Samurai, former warriors who had put away their weapons to become administrators. In 1868, lower level officials rebelled against what they saw as a tired and corrupt government and returned the emperor to the throne in what came to be called the Meiji Restoration. The young revolutionaries then sent delegations of senior officials to the Western capitals to rewrite the treaties they so …show more content…
“Unlike the manufacturing sector, the productivity per hour among Japanese white collar workers is extremely low,” she says. “Work-life balance is essential for white collar workers to foster their creativity, especially if they are moving to new types of industries.”
According to Komuro, the most important issues for achieving a work-life balance in Japan are the “personnel assessment system” and “overtime payment” at companies. “People see the ‘merit system’ from an achievement-oriented viewpoint. What is actually important is how efficiently people work during normal hours. Even if companies pay overtime, it is not good for employees to become reliant on it because all they end up doing is working even longer hours to achieve target sales.”
Komuro tries to convince companies that it is more cost effective to implement a work-life balance than lay off employees amid the current economic downturn. “As companies fire employees or reduce salaries, the remaining employees, especially talented ones, start losing their motivation to work and consider finding new jobs. If companies hire new staff, they have to invest time and money in the newcomers. Therefore, downsizing does not always lead to effective cost