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The Research on the Reduction of Working Hours and Employees' Morale

Research Project

Project/Area Number 09610168
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
Research InstitutionWaseda University (1998-2000)
Chiba University (1997)

Principal Investigator

KAWANISHI Hirosuke  Waseda University, School of Human Sciences, Professor, 人間科学部, 教授 (20015837)

Project Period (FY) 1997 – 2000
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2000)
Budget Amount *help
¥3,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
KeywordsThe reduction of working hours / Employees' morale / a private railway company / Management restructure / a trade union / Hiroshima Dentesu / 交通産業 / 分社化 / 労務管理 / 労働組合
Research Abstract

A model research is based on the case of Hiroshima Dentetu, a private transportation company in Hiroshima Prefecture. While most of other unions have been losing their power against management in the long recession which Japanese economy has faced, the union of Hiroden is said to retain its power. But as Japanese business environment has been growing worse, the company has advanced further structural reforms one after another. The reduction of working hours, which has been one of the long time social issues, was carried out by adopting five -day week. But against the employees' expectation, it was linked with a new system of shift work, which turned out to impose longer and harder work on the employees. Some departments were restructured. Their wage system, which was predominantly seniority -oriented, was taken place of by the efficiency - oriented system. Since these changes have been made by the dominant power of the management too drastically in a short time, the employees'complaints have grown stronger and their morale has been gradually lowered. Their antipathy and complaints are turned not only toward the management but also their union which seemed to have accepted management's policy easily. It seems that the relationship between union members and the union have been growing tense and confused. This is not only the case in Hiroshima Dentetu. The situations like this are to be seen in every workplace in Japan now. I'd like to continue to make a practical research on how the management-union relation in Japanese industry will grow hereafter

Report

(5 results)
  • 2000 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1999 Annual Research Report
  • 1998 Annual Research Report
  • 1997 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (5 results)

All Other

All Publications (5 results)

  • [Publications] 河西宏祐: "日本の労働社会学(第6章 労働者・労働組合・労働運動の研究動向)"早稲田大学出版部. 228 (2001)

    • Related Report
      2000 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河西宏祐: "The State of the Union Movement in Japan"早稲田大学人間科学部「人間科学」. 第12巻第1号. 13-34 (1999)

    • Related Report
      1999 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河西宏祐編: "不況・リストラ・管理職ユニオン"早稲田大学人間科学部産業社会学研究室. 228 (1999)

    • Related Report
      1999 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Hirosuke KAWANISHI et Ross MOUER: "Le mouvement syndical au Japon.Quel avenir?/The State of the Union Movement in Japan:Is There a Future?" Sociologie et societes,Presses de I'Universite de Montreal,. vol.XXX,N^u2,. 95-112 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河西 宏祐: "新型労働組合の動向" 日本労働社会学会年報. 第9号. 73-90 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1997-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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