Caroline Benton, vice president and executive director (Global Affairs) at the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture
lifestyle

Global-mindedness and employee well-being: Two major challenges that will shape Japan's future

7 Comments
By Chris Betros

Work styles and education are changing around the world. But what about in Japan where global-mindedness and well-being among employees are becoming more essential?

“Business and education won’t be the same. Who knows what it will be like in 10 years? People have to learn to be able to adapt,” says Caroline F Benton, vice president and executive director (Global Affairs) at the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. She is also a professor at the university’s MBA Program in International Business.

Born in California to a Japanese mother and American father, Benton has been in Japan since the mid-1980s. In her current position at the University of Tsukuba, she is responsible for building global partnerships in research and education and promoting the internationalization of the internal environment of the university.

She also serves on various committees including the Japanese Association of National Universities’ International Exchange Committee as an expert member, the International Olympic Committee’s Education Commission, the Research Organization for Information and Systems Education and Research Council, and the Japan-U.S. Education Commission (Fulbright).

Global leadership and employee well-being are two of Benton’s areas of expertise; her research projects include a 12-country study on the learning mechanism of global leadership competencies, a comparative study on global-mindedness in youth, and most recently a Japanese government-funded study on well-being and happiness in corporations.

For the study on well-being, Benton and her colleagues conducted a questionnaire survey among Japanese and French managers and staff at Japanese and French domestic companies. “We found different concepts of well-being,” she says. “In Japan, it is about having a job that is meaningful in some way and relationships within the company. In France, office culture, and opportunities for professional development and achievement are important for well-being."

Value of MBA program

Benton says that she has seen attitudes in Japan change through the MBA program which she teaches.

“Our students are not fresh university graduates,” she explains. “They are all working professionals. Some are in their 50s. They take two years to complete a rigorous program of night classes after a full day’s work and are very dedicated to their studies and to learning through interactions with classmates from other industries. Discussions with students from various industries are very enlightening. One student may be from an old-fashioned domestic company and another from a high-tech international company. They offer different perspectives on business and corporate life.”

In today’s cutthroat business world, how important is an MBA?

“An MBA program teaches students the skills needed to analyze the business environment as well as the chance to broaden their perspectives from case studies of different industries,” Benton says. “It is a mind-opening experience. I believe it’s more academically beneficial to study at an MBA program if you already have 7-10 years of experience managing and working with people and understand the associated complexities. That’s hard for a new graduate to do.

“Tsukuba was the first university in Japan to have a nighttime MBA program for working professionals. Reasons for taking the course vary. Some want to enhance their professional, leadership skills, others want to make sense of what they’ve done, others still have the motivation to change careers, perhaps become a business owner or entrepreneur.”

Tsukuba is one of Japan’s most international universities and does a lot of exchange with outside researchers, which is one of Benton’s key areas.

“One of my jobs is to build new partnerships which has been hard to do online due to the pandemic,” she says. “Meeting face-to-face with potential collaborators is a crucial first step. We are getting back on track since the border opened last October, and are now seeing a huge rush of people coming to Tsukuba from overseas.”

Benton says that one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work is seeing young students’ attitudes open up to the world. “Some young graduates have never been abroad, or are wary about going, or do not know about opportunities to do so, or don’t want to delay their graduation and miss the job-hunting season. I remember one student who had never been abroad. We sent him to a European university for 2-3 weeks. Without knowing the language of that country, he participated in the program, came back to Japan, and decided to take a year off and go abroad for a year. I think it changed his life.”

Global-mindedness among youth

Benton’s research projects include a comparative study on global-mindedness in youth. As part of this study, she interviewed four students of the International Christian University (ICU) High School.

“They mentioned to me how different the style of communication was. They followed their expat parents abroad during their junior high school years and attended local schools. But they had a difficult time at first because they could not speak English. They also found that the way of communication and debating differed. For example, they mentioned that Americans give their conclusion first and then give supporting arguments, whereas the Japanese first give a list of things and then make their point later. One girl came back to Japan and found it frustrating that her colleagues in high school were slow to give their opinions.

“These students who had been abroad realized the differences by themselves and were able to overcome them. I thought they were very resilient. That’s what global-mindedness is. You are aware of and sensitive to differences. For example, one boy couldn’t contribute to class because he lacked confidence in his English ability, but he was athletic and made friends through sports.”

Also, a 12-country study found that Japanese managers who were sent overseas had the most trouble adapting and connecting with their subordinates because they could not understand the cultural context.

Benton believes education, business and politics all have to change. “All the entrenched systems affect each other. It can be done. In the past, Japan changed when there was an immediate need, like after World War II. With education, change has to start early, even at the junior high or younger level, when minds are more open. University level may be too late.”

Universities need more international students

Benton also believes that Japanese universities need to accept more foreign students. However, world university rankings, which potential students use to select universities, do not reflect the reality of Japanese higher education.

“The Japanese system makes it difficult for universities to rank highly,” Benton explains. "For example, a significant part of rankings concern international student numbers. In Japan, national universities cannot increase student numbers by over 5%. If they do, they are penalized by the education ministry. We have to keep numbers lower than that percentage otherwise we won’t be able to apply for different funding programs.

"Japan has a strict teacher-student ratio which isn’t so in the U.S., England or Australia. If Japanese universities admit more foreign students, they have to decrease the number of Japanese students. Also, foreign students pay higher fees in these countries. Not in Japan. There is no tuition fee differential between Japanese and foreign students."

This doesn’t augur well for the future of some universities in Japan, Benton says. “The population is decreasing which means that not all universities will be able to attract the appropriate number of students without increasing their number of foreign students.”

In the business world, Benton sees some change. “Many Japanese companies are realizing that lifetime employment is not the only way to go. They need to hire mid-term recruits because they increasingly need people with different and updated skills. Also, the education ministry is trying to push entrepreneurship training which has become a big topic for Japanese universities.”

“The problem is that there are not a lot of venture capitalists or angel investors in Japan which makes it hard for startups. Japan does not have the ecosystem to support entrepreneurs that you find in places like Cambridge Massachusetts, for example. Tsukuba City is trying to build such an ecosystem. It will take time. But I want to be optimistic for the future.”

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Work styles and education are changing around the world. But what about in Japan where global-mindedness and well-being among employees are becoming more essential?

Nope.

Global-mindedness and well-being among employees?? In Japan?? I'm sorry, but I do not AT ALL share the optimism of this article.

Japan was already retreating from the international community from before the pandemic. I personally would say it started during the Fukushima Disaster, accelerated under Abe, and finally when the pandemic arrived, made a complete return to the Edo Period way of thinking. Nationalism, Xenophobia, and distrust of the outside world is on the rise, so the idea that Japan wants to increase global mindedness is just ridiculous. It's the other way around.

As for the well-being of employees- consider the fact that a third of the work force is full time with any degree of job security. They are subject to insane amounts of overtime- to the point of Karoshi. They have no work-life balance and are expected to work as slaves. The other two thirds are struggling to keep their heads above water. No financial security. No livable wage. No Shakai Hoken. No days off with pay. Not to mention that the Japanese workplace is infamous for being toxic with bullying and harassment being rampant.

Watching programs as to how people work since the pandemic, I would say that in the west, it's been mainly positive with employees being more empowered. I cannot say the same for Japan, unfortunately. Most of the changes in Japan since the pandemic, in my personal opinion, have been for the worst.

-12 ( +9 / -21 )

*Aly RustomToday  08:52 am JST “ *Work styles and education are changing around the world. But what about in Japan where global-mindedness and well-being among employees are becoming more essential?

Nope. 

Global-mindedness and well-being among employees?? In Japan?? I'm sorry, but I do not AT ALL share the optimism of this article. 

Japan was already retreating from the international community from before the pandemic. I personally would say it started during the Fukushima Disaster, accelerated under Abe, and finally when the pandemic arrived, made a complete return to the Edo Period way of thinking. Nationalism, Xenophobia, and distrust of the outside world is on the rise, so the idea that Japan wants to increase global mindedness is just ridiculous. It's the other way around. 

As for the well-being of employees- consider the fact that a third of the work force is full time with any degree of job security. They are subject to insane amounts of overtime- to the point of Karoshi. They have no work-life balance and are expected to work as slaves. The other two thirds are struggling to keep their heads above water. No financial security. No livable wage. No Shakai Hoken. No days off with pay. Not to mention that the Japanese workplace is infamous for being toxic with bullying and harassment being rampant. 

Watching programs as to how people work since the pandemic, I would say that in the west, it's been mainly positive with employees being more empowered. I cannot say the same for Japan, unfortunately. Most of the changes in Japan since the pandemic, in my personal opinion, have been for the worst. “

You’re talking about the older generations…; fortunately, younger generations are the future of Japan.

(… as the article points out: )

…one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work is seeing young students’ attitudes open up to the world. “Some young graduates have never been abroad, or are wary about going, or do not know about opportunities to do so, or don’t want to delay their graduation and miss the job-hunting season. I remember one student who had never been abroad. We sent him to a European university for 2-3 weeks. Without knowing the language of that country, he participated in the program, came back to Japan, and decided to take a year off and go abroad for a year. I think it changed his life.”

Global-mindedness among youth

Benton’s research projects include a comparative study on global-mindedness in youth. As part of this study, she interviewed four students of the International Christian University (ICU) High School.

“They mentioned to me how different the style of communication was. They followed their expat parents abroad during their junior high school years and attended local schools. But they had a difficult time at first because they could not speak English. They also found that the way of communication and debating differed. For example, they mentioned that Americans give their conclusion first and then give supporting arguments, whereas the Japanese first give a list of things and then make their point later. One girl came back to Japan and found it frustrating that her colleagues in high school were slow to give their opinions.

“These students who had been abroad realized the differences by themselves and were able to overcome them. I thought they were very resilient. That’s what global-mindedness is. You are aware of and sensitive to differences. For example, one boy couldn’t contribute to class because he lacked confidence in his English ability, but he was athletic and made friends through sports.”

Also, a 12-country study found that Japanese managers who were sent overseas had the most trouble adapting and connecting with their subordinates because they could not understand the cultural context.

Benton believes education, business and politics all have to change. “All the entrenched systems affect each other. It can be done. In the past, Japan changed when there was an immediate need, like after World War II. With education, change has to start early, even at the junior high or younger level, when minds are more open. University level may be too late.”

2 ( +7 / -5 )

You’re talking about the older generations…; fortunately, younger generations are the future of Japan.

(… as the article points out: )

Yes but the problem in Japan is the seniority system where the old lead and the young follow. By the time they are old enough to lead, they have been so jaded by the system they literally become the old generation and the cycle repeats itself

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Aly RustomToday  01:30 pm JST “ Yes but the problem in Japan is the seniority system where the old lead and the young follow. By the time they are old enough to lead, they have been so jaded by the system they literally become the old generation and the cycle repeats itself. “

I usually say that Japan is probably the most “robotic” nation in the world, so I hear what you’re saying…; but we have to believe that we’ll start (and I think we already are) noticing some changes (and we could be here all afternoon talking about these changes, Japanese history and how this country’s isolation, which lasted hundreds of years, still affects Japanese society today, people s mentality and the way they feel about other cultures…); yes, it takes time…, but Japan will move forward.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

rcch- I do admire your optimism, I really do. I just wish you're right.

yes, it takes time…, but Japan will move forward.

I agree. But the rest of the world is as well. So the question is will we ever catch up or will we forever lag behind as Japan tends to change alot more slowly than the rest of the world.?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Awesome article and what an interesting job this lady has. Never knew there was a cap of 5% for international students. Always wondered why there weren't more, especially with the declining birthrates. Having international students mix with the local youth can be a very positive experience, a game changer even if it's done well. Here's hoping institutions like Tsukuba Daigaku can lay the foundations and make the case for some much-needed change. A lot of old skin and baggage will have to be shed, but impossible is nothing!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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