Dissertation Research: Quality Control Circles in Japanese Manufacturing: A Cultural Analysis of Worker's Motivation and Participation

本研究的目的是通过考察参与这些圈子的工人的目标、动机和态度，来了解日本质量控制圈子的社会性质。这样的圈子是指在工厂环境中负责制造各种产品的工人。其目的是为管理层提供改善生产质量和效率的建议。以前的研究主要集中在管理层如何组织这样的圈子以及他们建立的目标。然而,本研究从工人的角度来看待这样的圈子，因此试图确定工人的目标是否与管理层相冲突，以及管理层和工人如何在追求共同目标的过程中谈判互利关系。​这项研究将为日本发展民族志研究技能提供宝贵的培训。

The goal of this research is to gain an understanding of the social nature of Japanese quality control circles by examining the objectives, motivations, and attitudes of workers who participate in these circles. Such circles group workers who are responsible for the manufacture of a variety of items in a factory setting. Their purpose is to provide management with suggestions to improve the quality and efficiency of production. Previous studies have focused on how management organized such circles and the goals they established. However, this study looks at such circles from the point of view of the workers and therefore seeks to determine whether worker goal's are in conflict with management and how management and workers negotiate mutually beneficial relationships in the pursuit of commons goals. The research will provide valuable training in developing ethnographic research skills in Japan.