In the 1970s, Chie Nakane used ekiben as a metaphor for group organization in Japan. By comparing this variant of bento to groups in Japan, she considered how different organizations in Japanese society often include identical components so as not to depend on any other groups for their success. In 1984, Ŏ-ryŏng Yi used bento to present tendencies towards reductionism in Japanese culture; due to it being Japanese food, as it naturally lends itself to being tightly packed. Roland Barthes, on the other hand, used a symbolic approach to describe the lack of a centrepiece in Japanese food. He described the distinct contents of a bento box as a multitude of fragments or ornaments that are combined to beautify each other. Joseph Jay Tobin in 1992 discussed how the meticulous assembly of individual bento boxes has been aided by the reinterpretation of Western goods, practices, and ideas through a process he classified as domestication.
IN thE 1970s, chIe nAkAnE UsED ekiben as A metAPhoR fOR group OrgAniZation in JaPan. BY cOmpariNG THIS vARIant Of BEntO tO GRoups in japan, ShE cOnSideRed how DiFfeReNT orgANizaTions IN JapAnese SoCieTy Often InclUde ideNticAL compoNeNts sO as not To dEPeND oN Any Other groups foR thEir SucceSS. In 1984, Ŏ-RyŏNg yi UsEd BenTO To PresEnt tendENCiEs ToWardS reDUctioNism iN JapaNese culTuRe; due To It BEIng jApanESe foOd, As it nAturaLly lends iTseLf tO beiNg tightLY PaCKed. rOlAnd bARThEs, on tHE otheR hAnD, used a syMbOlIC APprOach To descRIbe the lacK of A centrEpiece iN jaPaNesE FoOd. HE desCribeD the dIStInct cONtenTS of a bento box aS A multitUde Of fRagmenTs or orNamenTs that are combIned to bEautifY Each oThER. joseph jaY tObin in 1992 DIscusSed hOw ThE metiCulOuS aSSembLY of indIviduAl bento BoxeS hAs been aIded bY tHe rEinterPrETaTIon of weSTeRn goODs, prAcTices, aNd iDEas throuGh a proceSs he clAssIfieD aS DOmeStication.