The 145th Installment
Changes in Overseas Research

by WANG Zhongqi,
Assistant Professor

Before I write this discussion, I would like to talk a little about my personal experience. When I graduated from university in China, Japan had many of the best Marxist economists in the world, although this may not be generally known. That was why I came to Japan to study Marxist economy.

I began my studies at Tokyo Metropolitan University with the hypothesis that only state-owned enterprises could save China's economy, but the more I studied, the more I realized that it would be difficult for state-owned enterprises to save China. Later, I shifted my research direction to multinational corporate management because I wanted to study how corporations, the most basic units of the social economy, are managed globally.

My research method is rather qualitative, than the quantitative data analysis that is dominant in Europe and the United States. In other words, I try to discover the rules and methods of globalized corporate management by visiting the site and analyzing specific case studies.

Therefore, visiting companies around the world to conduct surveys is an indispensable means of collecting research materials. If I could not do overseas research, I would not be able to advance my research. It is not an exaggeration to say that whether I can do overseas research or not affects an essential part of my research project. In this column, I will describe how research abroad has changed in the decade since I began studying multinational corporations.
　
My first impression is that overseas research is becoming more difficult, and communities around the world are becoming more closed. It could be said that a closed world is a characteristic of recent years. As globalization has gradually shifted to a more domestic-oriented tendency, borders have become increasingly closed and the gap between countries has widened, overseas research has become more difficult.

In the past, people were eager to cross borders and explore different civilizations. Overseas research is essential for scholars, travelers, and business people, and has contributed immeasurably to human knowledge and cultural exchange. Today, however, such interactions are limited by a growing number of factors, such as political instability, economic conflicts over interests, epidemics, and other factors. I feel it is difficult to conduct overseas research.
　
There are many reasons why overseas research has become more difficult, but it can be said that it is the result of changing world conditions and power struggles among nations. Competition between nations for resources and markets has led to frequent trade wars. In addition, the monopoly of knowledge and technology in one country restricts the flow of information and prevents even normal cultural exchange.
　
My second impression is that overseas research is shifting from the old individual surveys to team surveys. Today, as the volume of information has exploded, more specialized knowledge and technical skills are required for overseas research. In short, it is necessary to deeply understand and analyze the political, economic, cultural and social information of the country where the company under study is located. Advances in information technology have accelerated the acquisition and processing of information, but also made the work more complex and voluminous. It is difficult for one person to take on such an enormous task. Different people need to complement each other with their expertise and skills to create a synergistic effect.
　
In addition, investigations abroad often involve clashes and understandings of different cultures and values. One person's limited perspective and experience can lead to bias and misunderstanding. On the other hand, in a diverse team, each member has a unique cultural background and perspective and can communicate, learn, and understand each other. Teamwork helps us get to the heart of the matter and improves the quality and accuracy of the research.
　
Finally, in light of the above points, I pray that we will be able to continue our overseas research, especially in China, without any problems in the future.