The proving ground of the global marketplace makes Japan and the United States more alike than most people think. Both struggle with the effects of the worldwide recession, with work forces that are losing their predictable sameness, and with the failure of tried-and-true management practices. (Author)

This study examines whether there are differences in men's and women's use of computers and the Internet in the United States and Japan and how any such gender gaps have changed over time. The authors focus on these two countries because information technology is widely used in both, but there are substantial differences in institutions and social…

This study examined how demographic and psychological factors shape the involvement of Japanese mothers in their children's education. The five demographic variables studied were family income, maternal education, family size, mothers' employment status, and sex of the child. Three forms of parental cognition were also studied: mothers'…

During the last 50 years, private "feeder" schools in Japan came to dominate entry into elite colleges. Intense organizational competition shaped the organizational environment and changed the pathways available to social elites. Compared to Japan, elite private feeders in the US have failed to dominate pathways into elite colleges. In…

This paper first clarifies the role of "jugyou kenkyuu" for creating an effective environment in schools for teachers to learn from each other and for developing more learning-centered education that focuses on the real needs of students. Secondly, it examines various practical strategies used by both professors and teachers through…

A study investigated the motivation and perceptions of 16 Americans teaching English as a Second Language in Japan. Data were gathered by oral interview, and the questions asked focused on: initial motivation for coming to Japan; motivation to extend the length of stay; proficiency in Japanese at the beginning of the stay and currently; reasons…

Japanese children's performance in school is a product of a social consensus favoring attention to children's learning, a set of cultural values focusing on the commitment of effort, and a psychological milieu in the family which encourages achievement in a safe and nurturant atmosphere. This paper treats especially this latter environment, that…

Reports on an investigation of the degree of acculturation and of adaptation stress of the sons of Japanese immigrants living in Brazil. (SS)

Examines environmental information source reliance among American and Japanese citizens. Finds that the Japanese are inclined to rely on non-mass media sources, whereas Americans exhibit greater differentiation among sources. (RS)

Studied the relationship between knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition and how they interact to mediate the effects of social cues on confidence judgments using a sample of 77 Japanese undergraduates. Discusses the ways in which social cues affected confidence judgments as a function of regulatory ability. (SLD)

This article examines the effect of Japan's official development assistance (ODA) over 10 years that proposed to facilitate environmental conservation in developing countries. Special emphasis is given to ODA disbursements in the energy sector to evaluate whether Japan's foreign aid has shifted its policy toward more environmentally sound goals.…

Reports a study that compared universities that do and do not provide agricultural training examining similarities and differences among the nations with respect to such characteristics as size, affluence, and technological emphasis. (JT)

The author visited Japan's secondary schools and here reports on the lessons to be learned from the way the country has organized its comprehensive school system. (RK)

This book, with sequentially arranged chapters, allow practitioners, educators, and students to follow the expansion of school social work practice around the world. Leaders in the field from 12 countries provide eye-opening perspectives and interventions, selected for their range and application. Additionally, the book looks ahead to policy and…