Many attempts have been made to explain how modern Japan has, with speed and minimal stress, become competitive with Western nations in terms of military strength and industrial productivity. One factor commonly mentioned is the "groupishness," the collective orientation,that is basic to Japanese society. Some research has suggested that the Japanese tend to stress "frame" (referring to a locality, institution, or particular relationship) over "attribute" (relating to an individual's occupation), and that this modern tendency is a carryover from the traditional extended family. While this view of the Japanese as more group-oriented than other nationalities is debatable, most writers agree that the Japanese hold very strongly to family or tribal values. It is postulated that Japan is composed of networks of vertically linked groups displaying characteristics of group loyalites, and that today the groups center less around the family than they do around the workplace. Workers are educated in the ways of group responsibility and cohesion by their managers, foremen, training programs, and the schools. All of these contribute to the maintenance of the well-regulated, peaceful workforce that supports Japan's hierarchically structured society. Japanese life at school and work is permeated with activities and pressures that insist on harmonious personal relations. (KH)