Dr. Kii's research interest has focused on cross-cultural analysis of sociological topics, with emphasis on the comparison of Japanese society with American society. Industrial researchers have recently become interested in how culture play
s a role in organizational arrangements, human relations, work motivation, commitment to an organization, and communication styles, all of which influence productivity. The United States and Japan, supposedly located in quite different cultural environmen
ts, have been the major players in defining a global economy. Despite the sometimes antagonistic overtones of the relationship between the U.S. and Japan, industrial as well as cultural interactions between the two societies have increased significantly t
hrough competition and cooperation. In both societies there has been a tremendous deployment, both in quality and quantity, of each other's organizational characteristics. Dr. Kii recently took two years leave of absence from GSU and lived in Tokyo to wor
k as a consultant for a large American multi-national corporation on its multi-cultural management structure.
Currently, Dr. Kii is conducting a project on diversity in the workforce of corporate America with two colleagues and four graduate students. Demographic shifts taking place in the last two decades have forced American corporations to recogni
ze the diversity of the workforce and to implement management practices that enhance worker morale and motivation which supposedly lead to higher productivity. Yet, current human resource management lacks knowledge in the dynamics of race/ethnic relations
which are grounded in the empirical world. This research is designed to find the gap between current human resource practices and desired and effective practices using various sociological concepts on race/ethnic/gender relations. In addition, he is pres
ently involved in a comparative analysis of ideal and actual management styles between American and Japanese managers. |
