10.2190/SH.5.4.h 4035042773877724 8 Research on Self-Help Organizations in Japan: Working with a Sense of Duty ("Giri") 371 392 20110922 20110922 20110922 20110922 4035042773877724.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=4035042773877724 4 Tomofumi Oka Richard Dean Chenhall Sophia University, Japan The University of Melbourne, Australia In any field research, the principle of reciprocity between researchers and research participants is crucial, and in specific cross-cultural contexts, it is managed differently. The purpose of this article is to explore the complexities involved in sustaining reciprocity during research involving self-help organizations in Japan. The Japanese cultural norm, "giri" (obligation), is explored through the analysis of three case studies: one describing a successful entry into the field while avoiding any loss of face by the research participants; a second describing the different levels of information collected through long-term research; and the third describing a failure in maintaining the reciprocity by wrongly extending giri-relationships. The implications of giri for field research on Japanese self-help organizations are also discussed. methodology Japanese social research alcoholism mental illness

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