Japan's Work Ethic example essay topic

Yamamoto, TsunetomoBushido: The Way of the Samurai Garden City Park, NY 2002 After reading this book it is my belief that it is important for Westerners to understand the seemingly strange concepts of Bushido, not only as a guide to events of the past, but as a primer for understanding the Japanese business mentality of today. The first thought that comes to mind when Japanese work ethic is hard working, no breaks, complete commitment to ones job. There may be a reason why Japan was able to rebuild their country so quickly after World War II, this reason is Bushido, the principles of the samurai. The origin of this book is from the Hagakure, which this book was based on was dictated by Tsunetomo Yamamoto, a samurai. And later scribed verbatim by Tsuramoto Tashiro over a period of seven years (1710-1716) in which they lived together in a far off mountain retreat in Japan. Tashiro was sworn to secrecy over the texts contents because the author believed the teachings to be far too radical and too militaristic for the then peaceful times during the Shogunate Rule (1603-1867).

During this time of unusual calmness, the teachings of Buddhism and the ethical codes of Confucius permeated Japan, enriching every aspect of its culture from arts to politics. But the old samurai, Yamamoto, believed that the samurai, as a class, had become effeminate and weak. Yamamoto's basic premise was that the samurai could not serve two masters, religion and the clan, and by doing so had become less effective. The service of the lord and the clan should come first, and once this was done, one could then amuse oneself with the studies of the humanities. In writing the Hagakure, Yamamoto hoped that someday the Samurai would return to the purity of its strong and compassionate past. This book gives a unique look back to the late 18th century, when Yamamoto was active as a samurai.

The view is unique, because Japan was unifying and there was less need for each minor lord to have an armed class. The warrior ethic was changing as war became less common. In some way, these notes seem to mourn the passing of the clearest, purest form of that ethic. The warrior ethic only changed, though and still underlies many aspects of modern Japanese thought and policy.

The feudal caste system still gives a fair description of different levels of management. This book is not just about a time and a culture different from that in the modern West. It teaches personal responsibility, a lesson that too many people still need. In part, this means responsibility to one's self, in maintaining professional skills and personal credibility.

It also means responsibility and loyalty towards one's employer. From a workers point of view I do not feel thoughtless in saying that, by accepting the pay that feeds and houses me, I have a duty to return the value given. Self interest, if not personal honor, should encourage me to support my employer well enough to keep supporting me and to support me in the future. I was also interested to see that a strict code of honor can include a strictly preserved set of personal freedoms. Yamamoto stresses the need to tolerate a few flaws in order to use a person's strengths.

He also notes that samurai or, I think, any professionals can be effective only when free to make decisions on their own. This is not defiance though, but quite the opposite. The skilled employee must be able to make decisions based on that skill. Too tight an administrative reign just strangles the professional's effectiveness. Today there exists a general belief that a powerful force, militarism based on the economic imperialism is beginning to revive in Japan. Through additional research I have found out there is no doubt that the Hagakure has come to be read by more and more Japanese as a book of today.

This edition as well as the other editions has emphasized the up-to-datedness of Hagakure as a book showing how individual members of an organization should cooperate with one another for a common cause. According to this edition, the basic pattern of the Japanese society has remained the same. The present "clans" take the form of the Japanese corporation. The executive of the company, or often the company itself, is the "Lord". The businessmen are the present day "samurais", who literally give themselves to their "clans". Japan's work ethic is the major force which drives them towards success.

"The good examples of service are Nippon and Katsushige, the first Lord. During their time (or rule), each subject applied himself to performing his own duty. From the high, they sought for useful subjects; from the low, the samurais were eager to be of service. In this manner, the minds of the Lords and those of the samurais were connected; for this reason, the power of the household was cumulative and grew great".

(Yamamoto: 7) This is a primary example of how Japan has been modeled, through honor, loyalty, and selflessness. Employment in Japan is usually of the lifetime variety, with the employer (just as with the Lord, in Medieval times) taking a deep interest in the employee's personal life, family, children, etc. One may rightly say the vice presidents of today are the loyal samurai retainers of the clan (in this case, the corporation), who will give themselves vigorously for the common, not their own personal, cause. It is because of this two-sided loyalty and strength it imparts that Japan rose from a bombed out, defeated nation to a position of envied prosperity in less that thirty years. Bushido stresses on loyalty to the head of a group, and is still evident in the strong sense of loyalty workers have to their employers, students to their teachers, apprentices to their masters and to their country. The Lord's of the clans respected their samurais just as much as the samurais respected them.

"A war poem about Toshitsune (an old general) says, "Generals should often speak to their officers and men". You must talk to your subjects, not only in natural days (wartime), but also in ordinary days. Say: "You have done something worth while. How old a hand you are! Make more effort".

They will work hard at the risk of their lives. After all, such words are most important". (Yamamoto: 134) This quote reminds me of the scene in the video that we watched during class, which showed Japanese business men shouting some sort of sayings, in part to be educated about work. It seems that without this motivation and mutual respect Bushido would have been something lesser, but none the less still of great importance. This is a book that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and allowed me to dive into the mind of a typical Japanese business man.

Yamamoto is a very insightful man indeed, and it is obvious that his life as a samurai has made him appreciate every aspect in life. I can now understand why their work is their highest priority in their lives and why they work so diligently. It's is amazing to see how a country that has gone through so much has become one of the world leaders in technology, automobiles, and so many other things. Without Bushido, would Japan be in the same position as lets say the Philippines, or Indonesia, or any other country that is now slowly developing?

Even though the Japanese economy has been in decline for the past few years, I have very little doubt in my mind that Japan won't be able to rise up again, with the principles of Bushido laid in as its' foundation. Bushido is the moral code that has provided Japan with a national identity and work ethic that has guided them through bloody civil wars, Mongol invasions, a world war, and nuclear devastation.