A mixed-method examination of the impact of gender and cultural diversity on Japanese organizational practices and strategies

2017 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03598
• Research Institution: Hitotsubashi University
• Principal Investigator: EDMAN Jesper 一橋大学, 大学院商学研究科, 准教授(契約職員) (20615976)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: Diversity / Companies / Work-life balance / Female managers / Womenomics

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

Japanese companies use different logics to integrate women. Some companies seek to promote women with a family logic, changing their work-style to make it more family-friendly. Other companies seek to retain women by emphasizing a market logic, i.e. making the point that women are just as good as men and needed, hence they should be supported and be allowed to work the same types of jobs and hours. Women seem to select companies based on these traits, i.e. women with different preferences go to companies with different logics.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

Overall the progress has been smooth. I have gather multiple data sets on Japanese companies and have also done interviews at 6 different companies, including both Japanese and foreign. In total I have done 60 interviews among women and foreigners working in companies. My aim is to conduct another 20 to 30, at different companies.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

The coming year will be spent on analysis and further developing working papers. I will be presenting the results of the work at the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics annual meeting in Kyoto in June, 2018.

Causes of Carryover

Travel and article costs were somewhat higher than expected this year. For next year the funds will be used to purchase office equipment and material.