2014 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Transferring innovations from abroad to Japan
| Project/Area Number |
25780232
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| Research Institution | Hitotsubashi University |
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Principal Investigator |
EDMAN Jesper 一橋大学, 国際企業戦略研究科, 講師 (20615976)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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| Keywords | Diffusion of innovation / Globalization / HR Practices |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The research shows that Japanese companies increasing employ foreign organizational practices, including employee stock options, internal venturing programs, work-sharing, flex-time, and performance recognition system. The number of firms using at least one of these practices has steadily increasing. According to the data I analyzed, in 2006, 23% of companies were using some of the practices; by 2014, this has increased to 48%.
It is also apparent, however, that there is a big difference in adoption rates. Organizational practices that are closely related to existing Japanese ways of working - e.g. performance recognition and flex-time system - have been adopted by as much as 80% of companies. Interviews I conducted suggests the main reason for this is that it is easier for companies to explain and communicate these practices to employees. Similarly, practices that are mandated by law - e.g. maternity leave - have also been adopted by many firms.
Conversely, innovations that challenge traditional Japanese work practices had been adopted by less than 20% of firms. For example, satellite offices and working from home often alienate employees from sharing and receiving information at the office. Similarly, internal corporate venturing and stock options risk undermining the sense of joint project work, according to employees. For these reasons, firms seemed to have refrained from adopting these foreign innovations; even when they do, employees often do not make use of them, fearing that it will cause "meiwaku" for fellow employees, or undermine their position in the company.
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