Page 293 - Culture Technology Communication

276 Robert J. Fouser

Conclusion: Toward a Synthesis
In comparing the culture and the computer-literacy theories of per-
ceptions of CMC in Japan and Korea, the computer-literacy theory
provides a better, if not simpler, explanation of the differences in
both nations. The comparative slowness of word processing in
Japanese, the cost of on-line time, and the affordability of compet-
ing communication technologies have inhibited the spread of CMC
in Japanese society. In Korea, by contrast, word processing pro-
grams are easier to use, on-line time is economical compared with
other communications technologies, and the media has paid
greater attention to the role of CMC in society, all of which encour-
age the diffusion of the Internet and CMC in Korean society. Evi-
dence from diffusion of high-speed trains and mobile phones from
Japan shows that Japanese consumers are receptive to technolo-
gies when they are reasonably priced, convenient to use, and reach
a critical mass of users. The perception of cost and difficulty among
many Japanese takes the ease and spontaneity out of CMC, which
makes it less appealing than the mobile phone. From the view of
cost, convenience, and spontaneity, Japan can, at the risk of creat-
ing a new sound bite, be described as a mobile-phone society and
Korea as a CMC society.
The computer-literacy theory fails to explain, however, explain
the negative views of CMC in the Japanese media. As in many na-
tions, the media in Japan reflect the views of the ruling establish-
ment, which failed to realize the potential of the Internet in the
early nineties. Without the tacit “guidance” from the ruling elite in
Tokyo, the media is free to pick up on public misgivings over the
computer as a tool for communication. Korean policy makers have
not promoted the Internet and CMC as aggressively as Singapore,
but Korea’s dependence on exports makes it imperative that it
reach out to overseas markets. Interest in learning English and
other foreign languages is higher in Korea than in Japan. As a per-
centage of the population, more Koreans live and study overseas
than do Japanese. The socio-economic atmosphere in Korea con-
tributed to a positive impression of CMC as a way to cut across time
and geography to reach customers, relatives, and friends around
the world. Media and public enthusiasm for CMC in Korea will en-
sure continued diffusion, despite reports of hacking and abusive
language in chat rooms. The recent economic crisis and change of
government will encourage more rapid diffusion, particularly in