Japanese Management
What We Can Learn from Japanese Management
Wenyun He Barou
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Introduction
This course is the very first management course for me, and I was very excited about learning about all the “American managing techniques” in order to be a great manager. Obviously American firms are the pioneers in many different fields and those top companies in the states have been playing a huge role in the stage of global business. Everyone including me would expect American management should be the best in the world too. However, just after reading the introductory chapter of my management textbook, I discovered a whole new aspect of good management style. And surprisingly, the role model of management is not from this dream land but from the second country of mine, Japan.
The first example which caught my eyes was the one of dynamic change of General Motors’ plant in California introduced in textbook (David & Kim, 2011). Due to being organized under Japanese method of managing after only one year, the workers were improved dramatically in terms of their productivity, morale, and performance quality compared to the same workers but under American management previously. Not only that, friendships were formed and workers were more committed to contribute to improve the company’s profitability. There are plenty of other successful examples of Japanese companies that demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of Japanese management. For instance, Sony has achieved higher productivity compared to other electronics companies in the same areas by valuating personnel relations between employers and employees (Richard & William, 1974). Another example can be Japanese bank in California. It has achieved rapid growth rate compared to other small banks in the states by maintaining lifetime employment of staff and carrying out extensive cross- training for workers (Richard & William, 1974).
Starting to know all of these wonderful achievement
Wenyun He Barou
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Introduction
This course is the very first management course for me, and I was very excited about learning about all the “American managing techniques” in order to be a great manager. Obviously American firms are the pioneers in many different fields and those top companies in the states have been playing a huge role in the stage of global business. Everyone including me would expect American management should be the best in the world too. However, just after reading the introductory chapter of my management textbook, I discovered a whole new aspect of good management style. And surprisingly, the role model of management is not from this dream land but from the second country of mine, Japan.
The first example which caught my eyes was the one of dynamic change of General Motors’ plant in California introduced in textbook (David & Kim, 2011). Due to being organized under Japanese method of managing after only one year, the workers were improved dramatically in terms of their productivity, morale, and performance quality compared to the same workers but under American management previously. Not only that, friendships were formed and workers were more committed to contribute to improve the company’s profitability. There are plenty of other successful examples of Japanese companies that demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of Japanese management. For instance, Sony has achieved higher productivity compared to other electronics companies in the same areas by valuating personnel relations between employers and employees (Richard & William, 1974). Another example can be Japanese bank in California. It has achieved rapid growth rate compared to other small banks in the states by maintaining lifetime employment of staff and carrying out extensive cross- training for workers (Richard & William, 1974).
Starting to know all of these wonderful achievement
References: David A. W. & Kim S. C. (2011). Developing Management Skills, 8/E. Prentice Hall William. O. (1981). Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge. Avon Books. Joseph. N. F. (1964). Management in Perspective Management and Organization Japanese Industry. Academy of Management Journal. Mar1964, Vol. 7, Issue 1: p71-76. Peter F. D. (1971). What We Can Learn from Japanese Management. Harvard Business Preview. Mar/Apr 1971, Vol. 49, Issue 2: p110-122. Robert H. H. (1981). Why Japanese Factories Work. Harvard Business Review. Jul/Aug1981, Vol. 59, Issue 4: p56-66. Richard T. J. & William G. O. (1974). Made in America (under Japanese Management). Harvard Business Review. Sep/Oct 1974, Vol. 52, Issue 5: p61. John. E. R. (1990). What Working for a Japanese Company Taught Me. Harvard Business Review. Nov/Dec 1990, Vol. 68, Issue 6: p167-176. Anita D. B. (2000). The Japanese Family: an Institutional Logic for Japanese Corporate Networks and Japanese Management. The Academy of Management Review. Apr. 2000, Vol. 25, No.2: p409-415. Katherine J. S. (1996). Doing Business in Japan. Harvard Business Review. Sep/Oct 1996, Vol. 74, Issue 5: p13.