CURRENT STATUS OF COWORKING SPACES IN JAPAN (Ⅰ)

Descriptive Statistics

Abstract

  The purpose of this paper is to clarify the actual condition of coworking spaces in Japan, based on a questionnaire survey. A way of working called “coworking” and a place for such work called “coworking space” have been attracting attention in recent years because they may provide a more flexible work style, diverse members to interact with, and open spaces than are experienced when working in a specific company or corporate office. However, there is still hardly any empirical research that discusses the actual conditions of coworking and coworking spaces. Thus, we attempt to shed some light on the current status of coworking spaces in the following steps. Firstly, we review previous studies about coworking, focusing primarily on the annual Global Coworking Survey conducted around the world. Secondly, we will present the results of the descriptive statistics of a questionnaire survey conducted among almost all coworking spaces operating in Japan from six perspectives: facility, management organization, business strategy, activities, space users, and performance. Finally, we consider the significance of our findings, comparing with those in previous studies.