Author: Ming-Chang Tsai
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811389101
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 217
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Book Description
This edited volume approaches the life experiences and well-being of Japanese people from an empirical perspective. It explores the current trend of happiness among Japanese over time and examines the association of income, lifestyle, and perceived life conditions using modern econometric models with supplementary qualitative observations. Issues relating to ageing, gender, household division of labour, and emigration are also examined to provide a wide scope of results based on both survey and field methods for culturally sensitive researchers. Going beyond the conventional cultural interpretation of the uniqueness of the Japanese case, this book provides timely, empirical evidence for understanding how the various social groups comprising the Japanese population have enjoyed a better quality of life, while some groups are very dissatisfied with social arrangements and have elected to emigrate. The book is a pioneering endeavour to reveal the detailed structure of quality of life and well-being in Japanese society.
Author: Joop Stam
Publisher: Kit Pub
ISBN: 9789068324358
Category : Dutch
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Quality of life is a permanent concern of all people, worldwide. Often quality of life is equated with material wealth, but affluence and abundance do not always engender happiness. This book compares the quality of life and happiness in Japan and The Netherlands, two advanced industrial nations with a different culture and institutional background--both of which rose from the ashes of war and both having created wealth and prosperity for their people. On average, Japan scores systematically lower on happiness than The Netherlands. This observation elicited the question: how can we explain the variance? Is it culture and the societal structure of family and friendship relations? Or is it the organization of work and style of management? Or is it the way power is handled in politics and society? In short, what has been the effect of the dominant economic, political and social model of post-war Japan and The Netherlands on the quality of life and happiness of their citizens? The papers in this book provide a broad spectrum of views and analyses on the quality of life in Japan and The Netherlands and justify the conclusion that happiness is not a trivial matter. Rather, it constitutes a powerful element in the mind of people and serves as a compass in life.
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 92
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Book Description
Author: OECD
Publisher: OECD Publishing
ISBN: 9264225986
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 188
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Book Description
This report reviews the quality of health care in Portugal, seeks to highlight best practices, and provides a series of targeted assessments and recommendations for further improvements to quality of care.
Author: Takashi Inoguchi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 904819072X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 254
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Book Description
This book studies and compares quality of life in 29 countries/societies in Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea(South), Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. We utilize the AsiaBarometer Surveys conducted annually from 2003 through 2008. We focus on the notion of subjective quality of life and conceptualize it as two levels, global and domain. After we explain about the AsiaBarometer Survey Project, we explore current country profile, demographics, lifestyles, value priorities, specific life domain assessment and overall quality of life. We then estimate the independent effects of demographics, lifestyles, value priorities, life domain assessment on the overall quality of life within each society. As well as comparing the results between nations, we look for key generalized characteristics of life quality for the entire and sub-regions of Asia.
Author: Andy Couturier
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
ISBN: 1611725224
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 321
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Book Description
11 portraits from rural Japan to inspire choices in meaningful work, art, and sustainable living
Author: Barbara Holthus
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1351969188
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 299
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Book Description
Much of the existing literature on happiness in Japan has been produced in the field of economics and psychology and is quantitative in nature. Here, for the first time, a group of anthropologists and sociologists jointly analyze the state of happiness and unhappiness in Japan among varying social groups in its physical, interpersonal, existential and structural dimensions, offering new insights into fundamental issues. This book investigates the connections between sociostructural aspects, individual agency and happiness in contemporary Japan from a life course perspective. The contributors examine quantitative and qualitative empirical data on the processes that impact how happiness and well-being are envisioned, crafted, and debated in Japan across the life-cycle. Therefore, the book discusses the shifting notions of happiness during people’s lives from birth to death, analyzing the age group-specific experiences while taking into consideration people’s life trajectories and historical changes. It points out recent developments in regards to demographic change, late marriage, and the changing labor market and focuses on their significant impact on the well-being of Japanese people. In particular it highlights the interdependencies of lives within the family and how families are collaborating for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing the happiness of its members. Broadening our understanding of the multidimensionality of happiness in Japan, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Japanese Studies, Anthropology, and Sociology.
Author: Robert J. Pekkanen
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317754425
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 317
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Book Description
Although local neighborhood associations are found in many countries, Japan’s are distinguished by their ubiquity, scope of activities, and very high participation rates, making them important for the study of society and politics. Most Japanese belong to one local neighborhood association or another, making them Japan’s most numerous civil society organization, and one that powerfully shapes governance outcomes in the country. And, they also often blur the state-society boundary, making them theoretically intriguing. Neighborhood Associations and Local Governance in Japan draws on a unique and novel body of empirical data derived from the first national survey of neighborhood associations carried out in 2007 and provides a multifaceted empirical portrait of Japan’s neighborhood associations. It examines how local associational structures affect the quality of local governance, and thus the quality of life for Japan’s citizens and residents, and illuminates the way in which these ambiguous associations can help us refine civil society theory and show how they contribute to governance. As well as outlining the key features of neighbourhood associations, the book goes on to examine in detail the way in which neighbourhood associations contribute to governance, in terms of social capital, networks with other community organizations, social service provision, cooperation with local governments and political participation. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars of Japanese politics, Japanese society, anthropology, urban studies as well as those interested in social capital and civil society.
Author: Merry White
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520271157
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 237
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Book Description
“Cafes are where change happens and people feel most themselves. In this surprising book we see how Japan came of age in the café—where women became free, where people jazz and poetry could reign. And, of course, where coffee is at its perfectionist best. Always a congenial companion and teacher, Merry White shows us a whole society in a beautifully made cup.” —Corby Kummer, The Atlantic “Merry White's book is vital reading for anyone interested in culture and coffee, which has a surprising and surprisingly long history in Japan. Tracing the evolving role of the country's cafes, and taking us on armchair visits to some of the best, White makes us want to board a plane immediately to sample a cup brewed with ‘kodawari,’ a passion bordering on obsession. “ —Devra First, The Boston Globe "Coffee Life in Japan features highly engaging history and ethnographic detail on coffee culture in Japan. Many readers will delight in reading this work. White provides an affectionate, deeply felt, well reasoned book on coffee, cafes, and urban spaces in Japan."—Christine Yano, author of Airborne Dreams: "Nisei" Stewardesses and Pan American World Airways "Combining unmistakable relish for the subject with decades of academic expertise, Merry White skillfully demonstrates that the café, not the teahouse, is a core space in urban Japanese life. Her portrait of their endurance, proliferation, and diversity aptly illustrates how coffee drinking establishments accommodate social and personal needs, catering to a range of tastes and functions. It is a lovely and important book not only about the history and meanings of Japan’s liquid mojo, but also about the creation of new urban spaces for privacy and sociality." —Laura Miller, author of Beauty Up: Exploring Contemporary Japanese Body Aesthetics
Author: J. Woronoff
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230371299
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 333
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Book Description
'Japan as - anything but - Number One should be everybody's number two book to read about Japan. After almost any introduction that lays out the claims made for Japan's truly unusual economy and society, the next step forward should be to read an informed critical text, to set a contrast in the mind. No book achieves this more concisely, more acurately and more succinctly than Japan as - anything but - Number One .' - James Y. Bourlet, Professor of Japanese Management, London Guildhall University Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you only consider those sectors where it has been particularly successful. But not if you add many others where its performance was mediocre or worse. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you ask the foreign 'friends' who have made a career (and sometimes a fortune) as apologists of Japanese causes. But, if you ask the Japanese themselves, you will find that they are anything but satisfied. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you are taken in by the tatemae, i.e. the official version or how its admirers like to picture it. But it does not look so great once you perceive the honne, i.e. the realities of life in Japan. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you take what is best in Japan and contrast it to what is less good in foreign countries. But it does not compare so well if you mix the good with the bad in both places. No, the author does not think that Japan is a horrible place or that its leaders have made a complete mess of things. But, if you look closely, it is certainly not the extraordinary success it is frequently claimed to be. It is closer to the mean, with many serious problems that will only get worse if people foolishly assume it is No 1.
