Or when in Japan, do as the Japanese do. That, in essence, was the spirit of History Department Chair Jim Weland s presentation at the inaugural Faculty Colloquium in the Adamian Graduate Center Commons on April 17. Initiated by Dean of the Undergraduate College Charlie Hadlock, the program was created to provide a regular forum for faculty to exchange ideas. But it most certainly does, he continued. In the increasingly global economy in which we do business, history plays a major role.
Culture impacts business practice.
The same is true of Japan. To illustrate this point, Jim spoke of the historical origins of contemporary Japanese culture and business practice. They want to know if they re workaholics. The students begin to see why the Japanese work the long hours that they do after viewing an action-oriented type of theater called Kabuki, in which the underlying theme is the struggle between one s duty to a group and one s desire. In the Kabuki battle, duty always triumphs.