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THE JAPANESE MEANING OF WORK AND SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES IN JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS
Author(s) -
Misumi Jyuji
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
international journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1464-066X
pISSN - 0020-7594
DOI - 10.1080/00207599008247930
Subject(s) - seniority , imitation , meaning (existential) , shipyard , work (physics) , wage , management , working group , psychology , sociology , public relations , political science , social psychology , engineering , economics , law , mechanical engineering , shipbuilding , archaeology , psychotherapist , history
Japan has modernized itself by using Western countries as its model of development. Japanese management is, however, not necessarily an imitation of European or American management. It is unique and deeply rooted in the tradition of Japanese society, which has nourished such practices as periodic recruitment of employees, life‐time employment, seniority wage system and company unions. In this paper, the meaning of Japanese working life, work motivation and values will be discussed first. This is followed by a review of Japanese manager—employee relations from the standpoint of the author's PM leadership theory. Finally, organizational development experience in the Nishitetsu Railroad Company and the Mitsubishi Shipyard will be presented to illustrate intervention schemes in solving accident and safety problems with special reference to leadership development and small group activities.