Japanese Shukko Technique
WISSENSCHAFTSZENTRUM BERLIN FÜR SOZIALFORSCHUNG
discussion papers
SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER BERLIN
FS IV 98 - 5 Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects
Shiho Futagami* Tomoki Waragai** Thomas Westphal***
* Yokohama National University ** Waseda University *** Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
June 1998
ISSN Nr. 0722 - 6748
Forschungsschwerpunkt Marktprozeß und Unternehmensentwicklung Research Area Market Processes and Corporate Development
Zitierweise/Citation: Shiho Futagami, Tomoki Waragai, Thomas Westphal, Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects, Discussion Paper FS IV 98 - 5, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, 1998. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH, Reichpietschufer 50, D-10785 Berlin, Tel. (+49 - 30) 2 54 91 - 0
ABSTRACT Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects by Shiho Futagami, Tomoki Waragai, Thomas Westphal Japanese-style management is characterized by the traditional practice of so-called lifetime employment. Shukko plays an important role in supporting and supplementing Japanese long-term employment. Shukko involves the transfer of parent company employees to an affiliated company or a non-affiliated company. In Japan’s current prolonged recession, Japanese companies are forced to transfer employees to affiliated companies and non-affiliated companies in order to cut personnel expenses. So Shukko has negative implications. However, Shukko also has positive aspects. Japanese companies have strategies to educate and train employees and to enable them to acquire know-how through Shukko in affiliated companies and non-affiliated companies. This allows Japanese companies to adapt their capabilities in a flexible way to a changing environment.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die ökonomischen und managementbezogenen Wirkungen von Shukko in japanischen Unternehmen Eine Besonderheit japanischen Managements ist die Praxis der
discussion papers
SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER BERLIN
FS IV 98 - 5 Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects
Shiho Futagami* Tomoki Waragai** Thomas Westphal***
* Yokohama National University ** Waseda University *** Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
June 1998
ISSN Nr. 0722 - 6748
Forschungsschwerpunkt Marktprozeß und Unternehmensentwicklung Research Area Market Processes and Corporate Development
Zitierweise/Citation: Shiho Futagami, Tomoki Waragai, Thomas Westphal, Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects, Discussion Paper FS IV 98 - 5, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, 1998. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH, Reichpietschufer 50, D-10785 Berlin, Tel. (+49 - 30) 2 54 91 - 0
ABSTRACT Shukko in Japanese Companies and Its Economic and Managerial Effects by Shiho Futagami, Tomoki Waragai, Thomas Westphal Japanese-style management is characterized by the traditional practice of so-called lifetime employment. Shukko plays an important role in supporting and supplementing Japanese long-term employment. Shukko involves the transfer of parent company employees to an affiliated company or a non-affiliated company. In Japan’s current prolonged recession, Japanese companies are forced to transfer employees to affiliated companies and non-affiliated companies in order to cut personnel expenses. So Shukko has negative implications. However, Shukko also has positive aspects. Japanese companies have strategies to educate and train employees and to enable them to acquire know-how through Shukko in affiliated companies and non-affiliated companies. This allows Japanese companies to adapt their capabilities in a flexible way to a changing environment.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die ökonomischen und managementbezogenen Wirkungen von Shukko in japanischen Unternehmen Eine Besonderheit japanischen Managements ist die Praxis der
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