‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ Reinforces Image of Japan as an Exotic, Erotic Place, Duke Expert Says

Kjeld Duits, Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Posted: 06:07 PM JST

“Memoirs of a Geisha” is likely to give Americans the sense that they have learned something about Japan, but it actually reinforces stereotypes of Japan as an exotic, mysterious place, a Duke University expert on Japanese culture says.

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Abegglen: "Reward the Group, Hire Foreigners"

Kjeld Duits, Saturday, November 26, 2005 Posted: 02:53 PM JST

Last April iKjeld.com did a short story on veteran Japan analyst James C. Abegglen. The story linked to an article in the Daily Yomiuri, in which Abegglen argued that the past ten years were not a "lost decade" for Japan. On the contrary, says Abegglen, it was a decade in which Japanese business was busier than ever.

The Asahi carried an extensive and interesting interview with Abbeglen this week. Abegglen explains why Japanese firms should adopt a management style that suits Japanese society. "He suggests rewarding group performance more than individual performance and hiring competent foreigners in order to be successful in this era of globalization. Lastly, he advocates focusing more on basic research and profit rather than market share."

Keywords: national_news

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