The Japanese industrial relations system

Article Abstract:

Japanese private sector labor unions, known as enterprise unions, are organized among the regular employees of individual companies, giving the unions a weak collective bargaining position. Unions are effective in dealing with working conditions inside the company, but are not effective in dealing with wages, working hours, and influencing government policies. Unions form federations within the same industry that: influence government economic and industrial relations (IR) policies; and have political power with the opposition parties. The infrastructure of IR is characterized by unions working through: the Shuntohoshiki, which coordinates the bargaining of unions; a joint consultation system; and union-management discussion meetings at both national and industrial levels. Japan is experiencing a decrease in unionization due to: the relative increase of workers in the service industry; the decreasing role of regular employees; and a lack of class consciousness in the younger generation.

Economic policy, Corporations, Labor relations, Labor unions, Corporations, Japanese

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The impact of industrial robots on working life in Japan

Article Abstract:

In Japan, corporations, employees and trade unions have all accepted the use of robots in industrial areas. The effects of this acceptance is discussed in terms of labor relations, employment opportunities and staffing levels, personnel management policies, organization of work and compensation programs. In 1982, more than 60 percent of the world's robot market was represented by Japanese interests. The study indicates that robot introductions to the workplace do not result in as many layoffs as experts had projected, that robotics can contribute heavily to economic and industrial development, that robot introductions create more (and better) personnel training programs and greater employee advancement opportunities, that robotics usage causes a flattening of managerial hierarchies, and that robots often create work environments in which seniority is no longer highly valued.

Usage, Economic aspects, Human resource management, Technology application, Manufacturing processes, Manufacturing, Robots, Robots, Industrial, Industrial robots, Robotics

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Experiences with office automation: some lessons and recommendations

Article Abstract:

Office automation (OA) is a major investment and can bring numerous benefits. However, many firms have not had the kinds of OA experiences they had hoped for, due to implementation problems. Managing implementation is crucial to the success of an OA project. Three case studies of successful OA projects illustrate three different approaches to implementation: a local area network approach, a microcomputer-based implementation, and a centralized mainframe configuration. These examples occur in the research and industrial sectors of the economy, where OA is less beneficial than in the service sectors. A model is developed for successful OA implementation in the United Kingdom, based on general principles drawn from the case studies.

Case studies, Electronic office machines, Office equipment, Office management, Office automation

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