The Key Success Factors of the Ship for the Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program in Diffusing the Japanization Paradigm to ASEAN Countries

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the status, history, and development of the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP); 2) to study the key success factors of the SSEAYP in diffusing the Japanization paradigm to ASEAN countries; 3) to study the patterns of the Japanization paradigm diffusion of the SSEAYP to ASEAN countries; and 4) to find guidelines applied from the research findings for producing youth-camp activity media in the Thai context. The methodology of this research was mixed methods. The research findings were as follows. One, the SSEAYP is an international relations activity in the form of youth-camp activity media to comply with the cooperation between Japan and ASEAN member countries. It also communicates Japanization paradigm to ASEAN countries. The history of the SSEAYP can be divided into five periods. The development of each period was found to vary according to different dimensions: activity, communication, network, and cooperation. Two, the key success factors of the SSEAYP found from the qualitative research were participation, network, incentives, and reputation. However, only three factors were found to be related to the success of the SSEAYP with a statistical significance: participation, incentives, and reputation. Three, two patterns of the Japanization paradigm diffusion to ASEAN countries of the SSEAYP were found: cultural integration and cultural imperialism.  Four, the findings and the body of knowledge from this study can be used as a guideline and as a prototype for creating youth-camp activity media in Thailand. This will eventually lead to agreed policy in establishing a confederation of children and youth networks, functioning as a coordination center of networks to promote and develop collaborative learning for children and youth.