抄録
In Japan, it is often said that riding on or managing “nagare” is very important. Japanese practitioners often use the word “nagare”, which roughly translates into the English word “flow”, to represent the changing phenomena as a whole. Despite the importance of this concept, there is almost no research that directly focuses on the concept of flow in management studies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to conduct qualitative research in order to understand and describe how people cope with the flow of phenomena in management practice. Two models were developed based on data gathered through questionnaires, interviews, my work experience, and various kinds of literature. Model 1 captures the cyclic nature of flow-conscious behavior that consists of (1) making sense of flow, (2) manipulating flow and (3) riding on or taking advantage of flow. Model 2 classifies the strategies for coping with flow into (1) becoming the center of flow by producing and enlarging it, (2) taking advantage of the flow that is produced by others, and (3) reacting passively to the flow that is produced by others. The relationship to other theoretical issues and implications for practice are discussed.
