Ulrike Schaede Quoted in The Los Angeles Times
Japanese restraint is steeped in a culture of tested resilience
03/21/2011
Shari Roan,
The Los Angeles Times
First a massive earthquake and a devastating tsunami. Now a battle with an out-of-control nuclear reactor facility. How much can one people take?
Though there's obviously a limit to what anyone can bear, cultural features of a society can clearly influence psychological resilience, experts say. As the tragedy drags into a second week, they warn that prolonged stress will lead to heightened trauma for many Japanese people and that levels of sadness and depression will grow.
But right now, as they witness workers risking their lives to bring a crippled nuclear power plant under control or the calm and orderly refugee centers, those who know the culture well says Japan appears to be living up to its reputation for strength and stoicism — a quality they refer to as gaman.
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Professor Schaede is an authority on Japanese business organization, strategy, and management. In addition to analyzing the recent shift away from diversification to focused, lean organizations among Japan's leading companies, Schaede's research also includes the newly emerging takeover market in Japan, venture capital and startups, as well as changing employment practices. Previous research has addressed regulation and government-business relationships in Japan; financial markets; corporate governance; welfare policies and small-sized companies in a changing Japan; and the role of trade associations and antitrust policy.
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