Understanding ethnographic research in Japan

Recent trends in Market Research tended to be driven by the US and Europe. This generally means that models are initiated, tested and refined in the West and as the research mandate becomes global, these models are delivered to Asia as a 'brief' that needs to be applied to Japan.

One current trend is the increased desire to be closer to the consumer in order to better understand them and their behavior in a real social context. No longer are Market Researchers merely providing data - the challenge is to provide meaning to the data. Ethnography is the branch of anthropology that studies human culture. Ethnographic research is about observation, be that in home, at work or in the social environment. During the course of the study, the process may be documented, videotaped or photographed. The information, tapes and observations will be analyzed to provide insight to design and marketing teams as they formulate strategies for product development and marketing.

Ethnographic research studies the consumer in a natural environment.

The use of this type of research has increased in the US and Europe, and recently there has been an increase in requests to conduct ethnographic studies in Japan. However, the cultural uniqueness of Japan presents unforeseen difficulties to foreign businesses and easy-to-make mistakes that can greatly affect the outcomes of research projects and the success or failure of your campaign. Where many researchers fail is in their inability to properly interpret these cultural signs.

Privacy of the home

Perhaps not a newsflash - Japanese dwellings are small. Having an entourage of observers, translators and moderators in a Japanese home is very difficult, so keeping the number manageable is paramount. This is further compounded by the fact that Japanese are more conservative when it comes to opening their home to strangers. In fact, neighborhood or friendly gatherings tend to be a picnic in a local park rather than a backyard BBQ.

The home is a place that often has areas that guests can see, and areas that are treated as 'non-guest areas', and exposing that private territory is something that Japanese are uncomfortable with. Due to this feeling, a visit to someone's home is often unlikely to offer an accurate view of their actual living environment, as they would have prepared their guest space for visitor viewing in advance.

Separation of work and private life

Crowded commutes and strict work environments make observation techniques difficult.

Another challenge for ethnographic research teams is the fact that work and private life are kept separate. Partaking in research as a respondent is seen as a private decision and so following someone into their workplace, or observing them while they are working, is not possible without the explicit consent of the company. Furthermore, the commute to work, often in crowded trains where people are quite literally 'pushed' on to trains, does not provide an easy observation environment. This also poses issues when 'colleague' interviews are required. It is often inappropriate for one worker to ask another colleague to partake in an interview (a personal choice) along with them. Because of this dynamic, it is easier to conduct non-colleague dyads in Japan.

Honne and Tatemae

Perhaps the biggest challenge affecting researchers in Japan is distinguishing between Honne (true feelings) and Tatemae (expected feelings). These two terms explain a great deal about the culture and has been a popular topic of discourse on Japanese culture.

Sensitivity to others feelings and opinions is of high importance in Japanese conversation. Due to this, respondents will be less truthful in disclosing their real feelings (honne) or opinions to people that they feel are 'outside' of their group. Instead a more 'publicly acceptable' answer (tatemae) will be provided.

A new approach

Social conditions such as these make conducting and understanding research in Japan a daunting task. However, there are ways to modify ethnographic research for Japan so that it can be effectively conducted.

By utilizing friendship networks for recruitment, the feeling that the 'visitors' are strangers can be limited somewhat. Another approach to overcome this obstacle is to conduct the 'in home observation' after an initial Focus Group has been executed, so the respondent feels familiar with the subject matter, the moderator and the team, and their answers will be more accurate representations of their genuine feelings.

Through the capabilities of wireless communications, observation becomes easier and less intrusive. Japanese people (especially the younger generations) are extremely tech savvy and are 'mobile'. They have mobile phones that take photographs, record short movie clips, send and receive emails, and link to the mobile internet. Wireless technology in Japan provides an opportunity to observe from a distance. Using mobile phones with cameras and video taping capabilities, respondents can photograph and tape their friends, themselves, or their daily activities, and create a diary for longer periods. By removing the personal contact in observation, and therefore the need for tatemae, the respondent is more likely to feel comfortable providing honest information.

Instant access anywhere.

Video techniques such as JMI's Consumer Vision Goggles gather unique and valuable insight into consumer behavior that would not be inherent in interviews. They allow more detailed behavioral evidence that cannot be seen through standard observation - literally looking through the eyes of a consumer as they shop.

The value of these methods is in the ability to harvest information in a natural setting, ensuring the honesty of the data gathered, and resulting in an accurate interpretation of consumer behavior. It is only by adapting Western ethnographic methods to the cultural and societal anomalies in Japan will your research provide a deeper and more reliable analysis of your Japanese market.