The rise of women leaders in the Japanese workplace : a Bushido perspective

Abstract

The primary purpose of the thesis is to understand the main challenges faced by women in leadership positions in Japan with the Bushido as a theoretical perspective. The other objectives of the project involve investigating the main challenges women come across to become leaders in the marketplace in Japan. For the project to achieve the objectives of the research, the methodology that will be adopted for the present study will be text studies, using a comprehensive literature review of leadership in Japan in the field of Social Sciences, descriptive data about the political, private sectors and societal challenges. The collected data from the text studies will then be analyzed in view of the aims of the project. I will apply the Bushido principles as analytical tool to analyze and deepen the understanding of Japanese women's roles as leaders in Japanese society. The Bushido consists in the codes that were followed by the samurais in Japan. These codes are deeply rooted in the society and influences the way women are seen and treated. The Japanese society is a collectivist culture that affects the way Japanese Women are understood and the challenges they find in the path to become leaders. Thus, the results from this reflection will be discussed in view of the relevant facts and figures presented. The author will provide an independent understanding of the Japanese Culture and the Bushido including their leadership style and the roles of women play in the society. Overall, the conclusion of the project will be presented based on the study findings and in the context of analyzed results.