Research on Self-Help Organizations in Japan: Working with a Sense of Duty ("Giri")

Tomofumi Oka
Richard Dean Chenhall

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DOI: 10.2190/SH.5.4.h

Abstract

In any field research, the principle of reciprocity between researchers and research participants is crucial, and in specific cross-cultural contexts, it is managed differently. The purpose of this article is to explore the complexities involved in sustaining reciprocity during research involving self-help organizations in Japan. The Japanese cultural norm, "giri" (obligation), is explored through the analysis of three case studies: one describing a successful entry into the field while avoiding any loss of face by the research participants; a second describing the different levels of information collected through long-term research; and the third describing a failure in maintaining the reciprocity by wrongly extending giri-relationships. The implications of giri for field research on Japanese self-help organizations are also discussed.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.