Japanese And American Style Of Job: A Comparative Analysis - Case Study Example

JAPANESE AND AMERICAN STYLE OF JOB: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS The auto industry of the world is witnessing a stiff competition between Japan and America. Though both the countries are coming up with innovative technologies day by day yet statistics show that America is lagging behind in terms of profitability and innovative ideas in present times. The work force and the working of the management in America are the main causes which are adding to the downfall of the US auto market. This downslide can be witnessed if we see the latest sales of the biggest auto companies of Japan and America. General Motors which is a renowned American auto company had a high sales turnover but in 2005, its share dipped by 1.9% whereas Toyota, a Japanese auto company had gained shares by 1.2%. Downfall of US Auto Industry and Rise of Japanese Brands The basic reason behind US auto industry’s downfall is its strategy which the Japanese people have crafted properly. For instance, The General Motors style and technology have become old fashioned wherein Toyota are selling innovative and award-winning products like Prius hybrid to sustain as well as outcast the General Motors from the competition. Even though General Motors has made efforts to restyle its goods in the present time yet the customers, who are the external forces of the company, have turned their loyalty towards the imported goods of General Motors. General Motors rely more on acquiring a national brand to make foray into international market. Their new brands are also re-badged within a short span of time and eventually turn into standardized brands. The uniqueness of the brand is then completely lost and there remains to be no major difference between brands. The customers fail to get any kind of major innovation in any brand and thus are compelled to rely on old and trustworthy brands of General Motors. General Motors, presently has been unable to produce less expensive cars with extraordinary designs like the Japanese people. The target customers of General Motors are global yet the design they make is restricted only to American tastes only. A redesigning of the goods is urgently required to draw global customers. The people of US are rigid, have narrow periphery of work and have hierarchical communication system in the company which thwarts them from ultimate development. The American people follow a flexible job process like the Japanese but they favor more autonomy and variety in their job responsibilities. Work Structure in Japan and USA The Japanese system has devised innovative styles for its workforce. For instance, they use a slim booklet instead of a phonebook sized union contract. The union contract has driven Japan to a new level of modernism and innovation. The main communication takes place between the team members and not to seniors in the Japanese system. The Japanese firm makes the worker more accountable to the management and has better reporting relationships than the US people. The Japanese follow a flat organizational structure while the Americans follow the tall organizational structure. A Japanese worker is valued at every moment and he has every authority to even stop the assembly line whenever required. He is always applauded for handling emergency or crisis situations. “The attempt by American employers to break down each job into its simplest components (“Taylorism”) and to structure the work force in an assembly line under a centralized control (“Fordism”) reduces all skill levels, increases the interchangeability of workers, and thereby reduces the bargaining power of labour.” (Pryor, 51) Employee Relation in Japan and USA The most important of all is the system of co-ordination between the employees as well between the employees and the management. The management is much more liberal in Japan as they try to build strong inter-personal relationships in the work structure. The supervisors spend quality time with the employees which give them a certain portion of encouragement to the employees of the company. This also helps the seniors to understand the problems or desires of the general employees and they can easily handle them without any opposition from the union. The workers are made to feel like the children of the company wherein the superiors act like their father. The American people are lagging behind in this case as they have build a hierarchical system of workforce into its work culture. It becomes difficult for the employees to propagate their problems in a simple and easy manner. They can either complain or protest. There is no amiable manner in which they can settle in. Another big liberty is given to the Japanese employees for the benefit of the company. Every employee has the full right to question about his senior’s step. Through this, the company ensures that no corruption or misunderstanding occurs between every level of employee. Japanese management has the responsibility to create a harmonious environment in which each member of the group effectively contributes to group goals. Japanese feel that the nail that sticks up must be hammered down, while American management believes that the nail that sticks up is most likely to recognized and promoted (Anderson, p2). The Japanese make use of employees as team member at all points of time. For e.g. a single worker for a 10 hour shift might be responsible for 15 to 20 different kinds of jobs. (The Organising Process, 314). They give a single worker high exposure of work and also allow them to work in different fields in the single organization. But the American use specialised skilled work force. A single employee is exposed to a single field of work. He cannot work in any other field if required. “Japanese firms also rotate their management staff every two to three years to expose them to various jobs. While managers learn about different parts of the company, they have insufficient time to develop expertise in each position.” (Anderson, 2). Stakeholders Attitude in Japan and USA The stakeholder of any particular company holds a significant position in the organization and their decision affect the company at large both in terms of efficiency as well as in profitability as they support the management top a great extent. For instance, the stakeholders of General Motors are resistant to change and are lacking motivation to bring about a strategic change in the company that can eventually bring not only relief to the whole organization and its employees but will also foster good relations between the management and its employees finally resulting in a change that will bring profitability to General Motors. They seem to apprehend that any change may hamper their condition to a further extent, so they are not favorable to changes though they can readily motivate the management to bring about effective changes that will bring in more prosperity to all those attached with the company. While the stakeholders in the Japanese companies are more active and motivated in nature, they are more grounded and try to remain friendly with the management as well as with the employees to maintain a more peaceful relation with both sections in the organization. Conclusion Thus, in order to remain at the helm in terms of position and sales, it becomes vital to look after both the internal and external forces of the company. Beginning from union contract, facilities in the factory to restructuring of the organization from time to time is very essential. But the most important of all is the co-ordination and employee relations in an organization. References Case Studies: ‘Manufacturing Jobs, Japanese-Style’ and ‘Can GM Change?’ Anderson. Robert. V. Japanese and American Management: A Contrast of Styles, The Online Journal For Certified Managers 2009, May 7, 2013 from: http://cob.jmu.edu/icpm/management_world/CMartMar09.pdf Pryor Frederic L., Economic Evaluation and Structure, USA: Cambridge University Press, 1996, Print. Read More