I am pleased to take up the invitation to prepare a brief essay that speaks to ‘the importance of studying research methodology’. First, I set out what I mean by methodology, arguing that its sense is contingent upon the tradition in which it is framed. Second, I consider how methodology is framed within the tradition of critical social science. And finally I consider how such a framing is applied by taking up the example of Honneth’s (2004) inquiry into the phenomenon of inner emptiness and depression in modern society.

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Previous studies suggest that humans have significantly upset the balance between nature and society and that people should realize the impact of their activities on nature given the repercussions of global warming for the world at large. Simultaneously, business organizations are under increasing pressure to proactively contribute to a sustainable model that minimizes harm to the world. This study examines innovative green technologies that have emerged in response to this social demand. It applies the causal texture model and examines green technology emergence using discourses from Japanese firms. It further focuses on the Japanese cultural values of mittomonai and mottainai (both relating to the avoidance of undesirable actions) and their role in the learning process of collective causal beliefs. Finally, we present an amended causal texture model to more positively account for the natural environment and to clarify the interdependence between organizations and the environment.

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The purpose of this paper is to undertake an in-depth examination of the building and collapse, as well as the subsequent rebuilding of a place brand using the case of Okinawa Prefecture and its health food industry. 　We review place brand studies, clarify their characteristics, and explain their special nature. Furthermore, we described the activities for justifiably acquiring a place brand and the loss of that justification, and rebuilding the brand by implementing various policies as alternatives. We use the discourse analysis (Grand et al., 2004) to analyse the brand evolution using industry annual reports, various data from the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) and interviews with representatives of the OPG. This paper shows that we must examine the place brand, where place dependence is high and possibility for relocation is low, from a new perspective. Simultaneously, we have shown that maintaining and repairing a place brand, in the face of collapse, can have practical implications as well.

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