The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze work value, career expectation and career guidance between Korean and Japanese mothers of elementary school students. The following research questions are formulated: First, what work value do Korean...
The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze work value, career expectation and career guidance between Korean and Japanese mothers of elementary school students. The following research questions are formulated: First, what work value do Korean and Japanese mothers have? Second, what career expectation do Korean and Japanese mothers have?, Third, how do Korean and Japanese mothers guide their children's career? 12 Korean mothers and 12 Japanese mothers of 5th-6th elementary school students were included in the study group. This interview was carried out from March to May, 2013. They had been interviewed individually. The data was analyzed using the consensual qualitative research.
The major findings of study were as follows: First, 5 domain and 18 sub-domain were derived. Such domains are mothers' work value, career expectations about their children, mothers' familiarity with their children's career, career guidance, difficulties when they guide their children's career. Such sub-domains are the meaning of occupation, occupation and gender relation, the reasons of occupational differences according to gender, the criterion of occupational preferences, the most influential factors of career choice, academic expectations(educational expectations, achievement expectations, if the achievement expectations are not same between a mother and a child), occupational expectations(the criterion for choosing occupation, children's future image), the role of mother in children's career, the importance of children's academic preparation, conversation about children's career, helping children's assignment, the means for finding children's aptitude, deadlines for career guidance, burden factors of career guidance and solutions to burden factors of career guidance.
Second, in mothers' work value domain, Korean mothers responded occupation occupied a lot of time in the whole life. And they considered occupation as a rewarding place. In contrast, Japanese mothers thought occupation as the place for learning social skills.
Third, in educational expectation sub-domain, both Korean and Japanese mothers expected their children to enter university, but some of Japanese mothers answered that it depends on their children or it is O.K. not to enter university if their children have other plans other than entering university. In occupational expectations sub-domain, Korean and Japanese mothers preferred jobs that are fit for children's aptitude. Korean mothers replied professional jobs and financial stability are important when their children choose their occupations. A few Korean mothers answered social approval is necessary. Most Japanese mothers responded the job that their children could enjoy is an important factor. From Japanese mothers' view, jobs that their children could find rewarding are essential. And also a few Japanese mothers thought jobs that their children could communicate with other people should be considered carefully.
Fourth, in career guidance domain, in order to encourage children to find their aptitude, Korean mothers tried to make their children be exposed to various experiences and learn both main subjects and artistic and gymnastic subjects. In contrast, all of Japanese mothers have their children learn artistic and gymnastic subjects and they don’t want their children to learn only main subjects. And the area of difficulties in career guidance, Korean mothers were likely to be influenced by external factors such as ‘atmosphere that people around them want to learn English’ and ‘atmosphere that people help their children find their aptitude’. On the other hand, Japanese mothers responded they don't know burden factors of career guidance because their children are too young.
The significance of this research could be described as below: First, through comparison of Koran and Japanese mothers of elementary school about work value, career expectation, career guidance, the difference in occupational view reflecting Korean and Japanese culture were analyzed.
Second, the career expectations of their children tended to depend on individual characteristics of mothers, but this study did not narrow the scope of research down to such individual differences. Rather, by studying the historical and social background, the role of the differences in the career expectations were understood easily.
Third, parents' interest and participation in their children's career guidance had a significant impact on children's developmental stage. Korean mothers of elementary school students had a hard time finding the place to help them when they were worried about the method of finding their children's aptitude. Also, although job market both in Korea and Japan has been changing, Korean mothers were focused on education they had received. Korean mothers wanted their children to get more stable and professional jobs. Unfortunately, the state of employment will be more unstable in children's future. Korean mothers need to guide their children how to cope with such an unstable situation. When mothers who have this kind of occupational perspective ask career counseling, the change of job market, and the method of finding children's characteristics need to be offered.
Key words : work value, career expectation, career guidance, comparison of Korean and Japanese mothers
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