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Effectiveness of Excuses in Japanese Business Context: Accounts as Conflict-Management Strategies

Yao, Kanako
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1512081144592171

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, East Asian Languages and Literatures.
This study examines the effectiveness of excuses implemented in a Japanese business context and reveals the kind of situations where excuses are perceived negatively. Excuses are one type of remedial strategies called accounts. The goal of this study is to investigate in what kinds of Japanese business situations excuses are effective mitigating strategies, from the perspective of an account-receiver, and what factors contribute to the negative perception of excuses. In doing so, it examines the cultural norms of a Japanese organization regarding account-giving. Interviews and role-plays were conducted in this study. Data were collected from two separate sets of participants, twenty participants in interviews and six participants in role-plays. The present study finds that the effectiveness of excuses differs depending on the characterizations of a failure, that is, when an account-receiver is not able to identify how a failure happened, an account-receiver prefers hearing excuses to concessions. In this context, an account-receiver is likely to perceive excuses positively. However, when an account-receiver judges that a failure was due to the account-giver’s wrongdoing, an account-receiver does not wish to hear excuses. In this context, excuses will likely be perceived negatively. The results demonstrate that excuses can be both mitigating and aggravating accounts, depending on the nature of the failure. Although previous studies have identified concessions to be the most mitigating form of account, this study identifies situation types in which concessions are ineffective. This study also address other effective account-giving strategies. The results of this study suggest that there are language-pedagogical opportunities related to account-giving in the context of Japanese organizations. It provides sample practice using performed culture approach.
Mari Noda (Advisor)
175 p.
Communication; Foreign Language; Pedagogy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Yao, K. (2017). Effectiveness of Excuses in Japanese Business Context: Accounts as Conflict-Management Strategies [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1512081144592171

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yao, Kanako. Effectiveness of Excuses in Japanese Business Context: Accounts as Conflict-Management Strategies. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1512081144592171.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yao, Kanako. "Effectiveness of Excuses in Japanese Business Context: Accounts as Conflict-Management Strategies." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1512081144592171

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.