JAPANESE MANAGEMENT STYLES

By Suzanne Tatikian

General Characteristics of Agricultural, Industrial, and Information Age Management Styles

Agricultural Age Management Styles:

Rigid social class divisions meant management by dominant social class.
Industrial Age Management Styles:

Hierarchical management models in industrialized Western countries.
Information Age Management Styles:

Network-based, participatory management; consensus/team building; quality circles and total quality management; Japanese management models; and elimination of some middle management positions.

Information/Data on Japanese Management Styles

The Japanese have long been known as hard, dilligent workers to the rest of the world. Work and the corporate community loom large ine lives of many Japanese, bt there is a growing feeling that they have not shared sufficiently in the fruits of their dedication. Part of the complaint is working hours. Campaigns have benn launched to promote five-day working weeks, holidays and 'recharging leave'. Working hours finally dipped under 1975 livels to 2,045 hours in1990, but the magic 1,800 hours is still a long way off. In a telling survey in the greater Tokyo area, 85% of those interviewed thought that Japanese people work too hard... but only 52.5% thought that applied to themselves. Many companies have realized the stress that some Japanese workers feel, and as a result now stress a program of leisure activities for busy workers to balance out their often stressful worklife.

Conclusions on Japan (Whether Primarily Agricultural, Industrial, or Information Age Re: Its Management Styles)

Japan is in the information age as far as management styles. The Japanese style of management is distinct in the fact that they make an effort to make their employees feel that they are a 'part' of the company, and that they make a difference. Some credit has to be given to the employee himself, as he is puts the good of the 'company' first. In the Japanese culture a man's life revolves around the workplace. His sense of honor is very important to him and the rest of the Japanese society.

Additional Online Sources on Japanese Management Styles

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Traditional Bibliographic Sources on Japanesse Management Styles

Prestowitz, Clyde Jr., TRADING PLACES: HOW WE ALLOWED JAPAN TO TAKE THE LEAD, Basic Books Inc. Publishers, New York, 1988.
Oppenheim, Phillip., JAPAN WITHOUT BLINDERS, Kodansha International, New York, 1992.
Source 3 [[Add complete Bibliographic Reference.]]

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