An International Comparative Study on Women's Empowerment and Human Resource Management Strategies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12611
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80030:Gender studies-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo International University
• Principal Investigator: Ishiguro Kuniko 東京国際大学, 国際戦略研究所, 教授 (90573915)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ジェンダー / 人的資源管理 / 雇用制度 / 国際比較 / 北欧諸国 / キャリア形成 / ワーク・ライフ・バランス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research analyzes the ways companies promote women’s advancement and create innovation as derived from the qualitative data based on cases in Scandinavian countries, centered primarily on comparative case studies between Swedish and Japanese companies. This research found that there was a characteristic corporate culture in which different values, including individualism, egalitarianism, and people’s trust in the organization, coexist as well as flexible HR systems that focus more on individuals’ responsibilities and performance than on rigid rules and systems. All these aspects seem to have contributed to the promotion of gender equality in both the social and business realms. At the same time, this research found that there are many issues, problems, and challenges even in Scandinavian countries with advanced welfare systems, although governments, companies, and individuals continue to hold discussions in public forum as they strive for further gender equality.

Free Research Field

企業の人的資源管理とジェンダー平等・女性のキャリア形成

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術上の独自性・創造性と社会的意義は、既に多くの分析がされているスウェーデン・北欧諸国の社会福祉制度や福利厚生制度に関する知見に加えて、企業内の人的資源管理制度の各機能・分野の施策と慣行及び組織文化の分析とジェンダー平等を実現する過程についての実証研究を行った点にある。本研究によってマネジメント研究とジェンダー研究の二つの領域での成果と視角をつなぎ、ジェンダー研究にマネジメントの視点を加えることができた。また、ジェンダー平等を実現するにあたり直面する課題や問題を分析・考察したことにより、日本企業でジェンダー平等を更に推進する施策や実践に有意義な知見を提出することができた。