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The purpose of this paper is to develop the measures required to assess organizational communication for Japanese organizations, specifically focusing on Japanese care facilities.

The data collected from the two-wave panel research, using the question items generated from a literature survey and several interview and focus group interview research were statistically analyzed. For the first wave of the research, questionnaires were distributed to 850 workers in June 2014. In all, 356 completed questionnaires were returned directly to the researcher, a response rate of 41.9 percent. For the second wave of the research, the questionnaires were distributed to 719 workers in February 2015, and 386 completed questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 53.69 percent.

Some items were excluded as a result of the exploratory factor analysis using the first-wave data and the constructs of the questions of each dimension of communication were confirmed as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis using the second-wave data.

While significant research into communication audits has been conducted across a wide variety of organizations in the USA and Europe, very few studies have focused on the development of an appropriate communication audit instrument for Japan. The development of a Japanese communication audit questionnaire is critical. In addition, instruments specific to industries are also required. This is the first study that focused on developing a Japanese organizational communication audit.

Discusses managers′ functions in supervising subordinates′ work and motivations, and mediation between managers and workers. Looks at the particular differences in US and Japanese attitudes to work and supervisors – particularly with reference to female managers and Japanese workers′ attitudes to them. Suggests that mutual training to enable the required integration is both necessary and desired.

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among information‐seeking behavior, interpersonal communication, perceived procedural justice, and the reduction of job‐related uncertainty.

The sample consisted of 323 Japanese white‐collar workers who completed the questionnaires, with a usable sample of 295.

The results of covariance structure analysis (SEM) revealed that: there were not any direct relationships between information‐seeking behavior and the reduction of work‐related uncertainty; information‐seeking behavior induced a change of voice, explanation, and rational interpersonal communication from decision makers; the provision of voice, explanation, and social sensitivity from decision makers caused outcome recipients’ perception of procedural justice; and their perception of procedural justice caused the reduction of job‐related uncertainty.

There are some limitations of the present study that can be addressed in future research. First, the concept of uncertainty might have been used too broadly to have been applied to the concept of job‐related uncertainty. Second, the respondents in the present research were highly educated white‐collar workers and were selected to attend business school by their companies.

The results of the present study have some practical implications. Under a newly introduced managerial system of performance‐based personnel practices, Japanese companies need to establish a system by which workers can form judgements of fairness.

The paper suggests that one must exercise caution when generalizing the findings of the present study without taking into account the characteristics of the respondents.

Examines the differences in strength of autonomy needs and perceived organizational support for satisfying autonomy needs between workers in Japanese and US‐affiliated companies. A total of 340 Japanese white‐collar workers in the Tokyo area participated in this study. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that white‐collar workers in US‐affiliated companies perceived organizational support for satisfying autonomy needs as higher than their counterparts in Japanese companies. However, there were no significant relationships between company affiliation (Japanese vs US) and perceived importance scores. The company affiliation was not related to the gaps between importance and support scores, either. The results suggest that both Japanese and US‐affiliated companies in Japan are currently not able to meet autonomy needs, which are emerging in society as cultural values shift from collectivism to individualism.

This study explores whether a nation‐culture factor (national culture) or a worker‐type factor (organizational types of workers) has more powerful effects on various job‐related orientations of Japanese, US and Australian employees. Job‐related orientations were categorized into the following three: job‐performance orientation, human‐relation orientation, and safety‐maintenance orientation. A total of 212 Japanese, 187 American and 147 Australian workers participated in this research. The subjects were grouped into five different organizational types of workers. The cultures‐by‐types interaction failed to achieve significance on the combined dependent variables. The cultures (nation‐culture) variable indicated significant relationships with human‐relation orientation and safety‐maintenance orientation, and the types (worker‐type) variable showed an indication of significant relationships with job‐performance orientation.

The objective of this study is to examine the influence of different facets of needs (i.e. self‐achievement, power, and affiliation needs) on the relationship between individual dispositions (i.e. independence and interdependence of self) and attitudes to equity (i.e. entitled and benevolent). Data were collected from a sample of 243 Japanese university students. Structural equation analysis and simple regression analysis were performed. As a result of structural equation analysis, needs were found to mediate the relationship. The results of simple regression analysis also showed: the stronger interdependence‐oriented people have the stronger desire for affiliation needs; individual dispositions indicated no relationships with self‐achievement and power needs; those with the stronger affiliation needs exhibited both entitled and benevolent attitudes; power needs influenced entitled attitudes; and self‐achievement needs influenced both entitled and benevolent attitudes. In terms of motivation theory, the findings also suggest that people follow expectancy theory instead of equity sensitive theory.