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Paper short abstract:

This report is intended to provide the results and insights obtained from the use of the Case-based approach for the training of Japanese business culture and diversity mindset, outside its original purpose of the Japanese language education for business communication in Japan.

Paper long abstract:

The "Case-based approach" has originally been developed as a method of education of business communication in Japanese and was the theme of the "Alsace training" (July 2016). This report is intended to provide the results and insights obtained from the use of the Case-based approach for the training of Japanese business culture and diversity mindset, outside its original purpose of the Japanese language education for business communication in Japan.

The Case-based approach originally developed by Kondoh, Kim, et al. presents important issues in the cross section between the cross-cultural communications and the studies of Japanese business language. Being a specialist of cross-cultural management and diversity, the reporter has thought this approach useful other than its original purpose of Japanese language education.

We have tested the Case-based approach in three different categories of opportunities to validate its usefulness:

1. A private workshop held in Switzerland on Japanese business culture for a Swiss company doing business with Japan. No Japanese speaker or learner. Training language was English.

2. An open workshop held in Tokyo for business people on "Diversity mindset". All the participants were Japanese.

3. A class on Japanese business culture for international students of management studies major in a University in Kyoto. No Japanese language learner. The class language was English.

4. An in-house training held in Portugal on Japanese culture for a hotel. Multi-national staff. No Japanese speaker or learner. Training language was English.

The results were good, regardless of differences between objectives, participants' profiles, course languages and countries involved in the three opportunities above. The trainings and seminars achieved the purpose by the Case-based approach to enhance competence needed for cross cultural co-working and understanding.

Some useful insights were also obtained to improve the Case-based approach to make it applicable for wider purposes going beyond the language education. Such purposes would include diversity training and development of cultural competence in schools and companies.

We wish to share our experience and insights with the symposium participants and seek their inputs to further develop the Case-based approach so that we could contribute to improve the cross-cultural competence of the wide public.