Comparative analysis of American and Japanese management strategies. Comparison of Japanese and American management systems
Introduction
The study national characteristics leading models of management occupies an important place in the activities of managers of different levels, which is due to a number of reasons. First, it helps to avoid communication problems when interacting with foreign partners who function in accordance with their cultural differences. Secondly, the experience of foreign firms contributes to the achievement of a certain success in connection with the possibility of learning from other people's mistakes and achievements. Thirdly, knowledge of the specifics of management is very effective in the case of the possibility of getting a job abroad.
The United States is rightfully a highly developed advanced power in the world, as well as a country where modern management was born and is actively developing. The American type of management is based on the foundations of the classical school, the founder of which is Henri Fayol.
In the United States, information technologies are constantly being improved and new enterprises are being formed, the labor market here is distinguished by particular flexibility and mobility, and decision-making is characterized by its speed and efficiency, developing the abilities of everyone employed at the enterprise.
The Japanese model of management attracts no less attention: in the shortest period of time it has managed to reach incredible heights. Its formation took place from the end of the XIX-XX centuries. not without the participation of Western models, at the same time complementing them with their own, radically different principles - for example, relations with the labor force based on paternalism. The phenomenon of the Japanese management model is considered in the concepts that explain management from the side of cultural and technological determinism.
Relevance research is that in modern world companies are careful in choosing an effective management style. Therefore, a wealth of experience in the skills and techniques of American and Japanese companies can help in practice, taking into account the adaptation of this experience to the new environment.
Target research - defining the distinctive features of the American and japanese models management.
To achieve the goal, tasks: conduct a comparative analysis of American and Japanese management, consider the activities of a Japanese company Nissan- Renault and identify the distinctive features of the American company "Saturn" concern General Motors.
An object research - American and Japanese management models.
Item- features and differences of American and Japanese management.
1. Comparative analysis American and Japanese management models
1.1 Philosophy and priorities
American management is focused on meeting material needs and strives for maximum financial results. The efficiency of the activity depends on such indicators as the increase in profits, acceleration of the investment turnover. Companies adhering to the Japanese management principle seek to expand their market presence and increase the percentage of manufactured products. This contributes to the improvement of competitive advantages and the growth of profits.
The labor force is considered to be the basis of management in Japan. It is by increasing the productivity of the employee that the efficiency of the company can be increased - this is their goal. In the American model, however, they try to get the maximum profit with the least effort. So, during crisis situations, American companies cut their staff, deprive them of incentives, treat any spending harshly, and Japanese companies adhere to procedures such as retraining and training employees.
In no other country is the psychological atmosphere within the group more appreciated than in Japan: “moral and psychological levers of influence on the personality” play an important role here. Managers always strive to recreate a “family” environment in the team: they are interested in the life of their employees and, if there are problems, help in solving them, because they negatively affect the performance of their duties, and therefore the activities of the company as a whole. Subordinates also have deep respect for their leader. Communicating with him, they also have the right to express their vision of the matter. In the United States, communication between a manager and his subordinates on topics not related to work is not permissible. The relationship between them is based on the principles of rationalism and merit to the company, not at the expense of personal relationships.
The Japanese management model is focused on a lifelong recruitment system and needs a loyal employee to the firm that has become his “family”. Employees of American companies are distinguished by significant mobility, a constant tendency to change jobs, loyalty to the organization is measured by material components.
1.2 Organizational structure and activities
US management is characterized by a clear formalization: each employee has his place in the management system and his own specific set of responsibilities. Japanese is characterized by significant flexibility: management structures can be temporary and liquidated as tasks are completed.
The decision-making model in Japanese firms is democratic. It follows the “bottom-up” line, decisions are made through consensus. A striking example is the "rings" system - a document with ideas for solving a problem by an employee at the bottom of the management hierarchy and directing him along the chain to higher levels for approval. A positive outcome here no longer depends on the quality of the ring, but on the relationship of its originator with colleagues.
The decision-making process in the United States is authoritarian: power is concentrated in the hands of top managers, and decisions are made “from top to bottom”, given the rigid hierarchy. All responsibility is assigned to the head, and the opinion of colleagues plays a deliberative role here. Americans tend to make decisions quickly, unlike the Japanese, so the "rings" procedure is unusual for them.
An important feature of Japanese management is a quality management system that makes each employee realize his responsibility for the quality of fulfilled obligations and does not need control over activities as in the United States.
Japan's just-in-time kanban system improves productivity and product quality by adhering to the following system: release and send certain parts to subsequent stages of production only as needed. In the USA, their need is not taken into account, and parts are produced on an in-line conveyor.
Employees of Japanese companies are divided into two groups: core (70%) and permanent (30%). The first includes people who work for life in the company, the second - employees who have stable employment and do not have strong mutual obligations with the company. In US companies, only a few people represent the core group, the rest are permanent. Even senior executives are considered here to be simply outsourced rather than members of the "family"; employees are "consumables." Some of the employees can be considered temporary and be laid off during the crisis.
There are differences in terms of gender. In Japanese companies, the position of women is not constant, their labor is valued much cheaper than men's, they have no right to participate in decision-making - all because a woman is considered a temporary worker, since she will leave work after finding a family. In the US system, every employee has equal rights.
1.3 Personnel policy
In the Japanese model, much attention is paid to the personality, choosing not a person for a position, but on the contrary: by studying him in detail through various methods, the management decides what range of responsibilities to assign to him. Hence, a lower degree of specialization follows. Companies are also interested in the work of graduates, because it is important for them that a person learns from them their technologies, giving himself up to work until retirement. The system of life-long employment prevails here, in which the employee is confident in the security of employment even during a serious crisis. This serves as a great stimulating factor. In Japan, there is also the principle of “out of position” - a horizontal type of growth: the growth of wages is not associated with promotion, everything depends on the experience that is constantly accumulating.
US management is highly specialized and has a strict delineation of responsibilities. Each employee works under a contract that does not last long. Companies need to constantly update their professional knowledge, hiring new employees and losing old ones. In Japan, staff turnover takes place at the company level.
Financial rewards and opportunities for growth in the United States come from the personal contribution of the employee to the development of the company. That is, even if the situation of the company deteriorates, the employee's wages may rise. In Japan, their dependence is directly proportional: employees are fully involved in the activities of the organization, their success depends on its achievements as a whole.
In the United States, plans are drawn up for a period of 1-5 years, in Japan - 5-15. This difference comes from the goals of the firm: the first is to maximize profits, and the second is to increase market share.
Japanese management is focused on technological innovation. A significant proportion of companies' funds go to create something new, to research and improve employees. An employee's career planning system contributes to his all-round development: he becomes a specialist in a wide field, in contrast to American workers with a narrow focus of specialization.
2. Analysis of a Japanese company Nissan- Renault
2.1 Philosophy and priorities
In 1999 the company Nissan was in critical condition: The company's debts and the production of unpopular cars threatened to leave the market. After a long search for a partner with whom one could unite to achieve a common goal - winning a large market share, an alliance is formed Nissan- Renault... To do this, have Nissan had difficulties with financial and marketing activities, Renault- with technical problems.
Soon, the tasks were achieved thanks to joint activities: now in the sale of cars, the alliance is second only to General Motors... The achievement of success is a merit of the ability to work in a team, the serious experience of employees - the Japanese style.
Taking a managerial position Nissan meant that the employee had been with the company for a long time, so the appointment of French CEO Carlos Ghosn was at first bewildering. His management skills and adherence to all the laws of Japanese management quickly gained respect. So, he returned the dismissed employees to his colleague, who suggested an “incorrect”, in his opinion, idea. K. Ghosn believed that it is important to treat the employees of the firm with courtesy and urged all colleagues to follow this principle. Also, he kept in touch with his specialists: he clearly explained to them the reasons for the need for changes, the ways and means of achieving them. The workers gained confidence in stable employment and the possibility of increasing their income.
2.2 Organizational structure and activities
When the companies merged, an agreement was concluded between them: each of them retains its independence, decisions concerning an individual company are also autonomous. From joint projects both sides are equally successful. Each of them was completely open to communication. This principle of forming an alliance contradicts the American one.
The activities were carried out according to the principle of teamwork. Renault created a project association of 30 employees who were specialists in areas of activity that needed to be improved Nissan... And in this company, in turn, when after revealing the inefficiency of each management function (except for technical ones), three new positions of directors were formed: for current operations, for finance, for planning.
Nissan was in a crisis situation for several reasons. Its activities were not aimed at maximizing profits: out of 43 models, profits came from only 4. Also, little attention was paid here to studying the segment of consumer preferences, there was no focus on quick decision-making in response to the actions of a rival.
Invited from Renault the specialists raised the partner through the efforts of his employees. This is how the traditional Japanese decision-making system was preserved: acquiring knowledge to put it into practice, focusing on uniting efforts and achieving collective success - all through experience.
2.3 Personnel policy
The vast majority of the staff were from Japanese management. The staff was partially laid off, although this is not appreciated in Japanese management. This was due to the early retirement of people, the increase in employment in the engineering sector, the sale of subordinate firms. An important difference was the fact that now the amount of the employee's remuneration depended on his personal contribution to development. Nissan: what was appreciated was exactly what results each brought, and not how long he worked in the position.
The exchange of personnel takes place within the divisions of the company or even the alliance.
One of the weaknesses of the company Nissan was her method of planning, so Ghosn decided to follow the example of American companies, which seemed inconceivable.
The raising plan consisted of several stages: in a year - to balance the finances, in three - to cover half of the debts. To achieve these goals, new tasks were set: the layoff of employees and the closure of several factories were considered as a necessary condition for returning to the market. The plan was fulfilled ahead of schedule, as is customary in Japanese management.
To achieve the set goals, cross-functional groups were organized, which were responsible for implementation. This contributed to the fact that the initiative in the organizational process came from the employees, that is, from the bottom up.
3. Analysis of an American company Saturn
3.1 Philosophy and priorities
Saturn- a division of the American concern General Motors (GM), created for the development of a new model of a small car. The goal is to maximize profits by creating advanced machines.
V Saturn an effective model of teamwork was also introduced, which did not take root in GM.
In 1990, the company half realized its goal: it created a quality car, but it failed to overtake its Japanese competitors, the expected profit was not received. The managers of the company single-handedly (management followed the "top-down" line), according to their vision, identified the main reasons for such a failure in the market: little attention was paid to consumer preferences. If Japanese companies faced this problem, they would study the whole situation in detail, and then make amendments. But in the end GM just reduced the cost of Saturn, and sent his important employees to the main divisions.
3.2 Organizational structure and activities
Interaction Saturn- GM was in the nature of the American style of management - a "zero-sum game": when one is defeated, the other is successful. GM it was important to correctly invest your funds in a reliable project. Occupying a dominant position, GM did not allow to develop freely Saturn subordinate. Alliance Nissan- Renault the opposite principle was at work - “non-zero-sum games”, when two parties benefited from mutual assistance.
Structure Saturn turned out to be very simple and effective: only 3 classifications of employees' work operated here, while in other companies - up to 70; 3-4 levels of the hierarchy, which contributed to the high-quality dissemination of inter-level information and more frequent contacts between management and subordinates.
GM relied on in-line production, producing either cheap cars or unjustifiably expensive ones. The Japanese had high quality cars, even in the low and middle price segment.
3.3 Personnel policy
The entire staff Saturn- specialists GM... People were called to work - professionals in their kind of activity who could follow the principles Saturn- be able to work in a team, share the goals of the company.
Much attention was paid to the training and improvement of personnel (the principle of Japanese management), for whom work here is an opportunity for self-realization. In theory, this company could not hold out even for several months, but the instability of employment did not stop the specialists. This consensus has helped create a company with an excellent reputation.
Although there were mostly no disagreements within the company, there were many of them in the interaction between the parent and subsidiary companies. They were isolated from each other, did not share experiences. Saturn I was sure that in all respects it was better GM, but could not implement changes in his production process.
Conclusion
The conducted research and comparative analysis made it clear that the American and Japanese management models are opposed to each other according to a number of criteria.
The basis of the American principle is such principles as a rigid hierarchy of management, speed and individualism in decision-making, the operation of strictly formal relations between management and subordinates, a short-term employment period, as well as material incentives and employee promotion depends on his personal merit.
As for the Japanese management style, it contradicts the above principles. Here, such aspects as a flexible and non-standard management system, group decision-making based on consensus, their deep reflection, personal informal relationships between employees, a focus on long-term work, as well as career advancement through seniority are appreciated.
Http://www.bitobe.ru/2/1223/
Social College
TEST
ON THE TOPIC: "MANAGEMENT: ESSENCE AND CHARACTERISTIC
FEATURES (FOREIGN EXPERIENCE OF MANAGEMENT) "
SPECIALTY: "Management"
Completed: 1st year student of group 11
Ratnikova V.A.
Head: Ph.D. L.V. Sukhomlinova
Moscow, 2009
INTRODUCTION
2) CHAPTER 1. EXPERIENCE OF MANAGEMENT IN JAPAN
CHAPTER 2. US MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
CHAPTER 3. EXPERIENCE OF MANAGEMENT IN GERMANY
Introduction
There are various management models in the world that take into account the national specifics of a particular country. This is primarily due to the peculiarities of the corporate culture. different nations... As you know, the nature of business relationships between people is the main thing in management. At the same time, there are historically established classical management models (American and Japanese), which are significantly different from all others.
Management experience in Japan
The Japanese management system is one of the most efficient in the world. Its main advantage is the ability to work with people. Japanese management focuses on the group form of labor organization. The mechanism of collective responsibility is used, in which the members of the group participate in making managerial decisions and bear equal responsibility for their implementation. Information about the affairs of the company, its plans is communicated to all employees. The active involvement (on a voluntary basis) of employees in solving technological and economic problems is practiced.
Hence the involvement in the results of work, close contact of the management, various services and workers. The manager is always in production, among the employees. Employee suggestions and complaints are dealt with immediately. Scientific and technological progress is of great importance in Japanese firms. There is a performance and quality management system in place, in which the culprit of the marriage is necessarily identified. At the firms, quality circles are created, the task of which is to increase the efficiency and quality of production at the level of workshops, sections and workplaces. The active participation of each employee in the activities of quality circles is stimulated materially and morally. As a result, according to published data, the number of rationalization proposals in Japan is several times greater than in the United States. There is a rule: every accepted rationalization proposal must be implemented.
The process of financial management is noteworthy. Firms are more actively using their own rather than equity capital raised. Dividends are relatively low, as the free balance of profits is used mainly to finance promising scientific research and development. With a decrease in the rate of economic growth, firms abandon the attracted capital and switch to self-financing.
The state plays an active role in the development of the national economy: national programs of economic development are being developed; analyzes the existing and future trends in the structure of the economy; priority sectors of the economy are identified (in the 21st century Japan will increase research in the following areas as a priority: lasers, satellite communications, wrist phones and personal computers, controlled thermonuclear energy).
To pump capital investments into the most important sectors of the economy, tax incentives are applied and accelerated depreciation of fixed assets in leading sectors of the economy is encouraged.
The system of recruitment and promotion is of interest. Careful selection is made among graduates of secondary and higher educational institutions. Then organized gala reception to work with a probationary period. A full training course (1 year) is conducted in one of the divisions of the company under the guidance of an experienced employee assigned to the newcomer. Anyone who has proven the ability to work is hired for a permanent job.
There is open, open competition among employees on the staff for the right to get the best job. On average, in 5-7 years, with high annual labor indicators, an employee can become a lower-level manager. Further career growth is linked not only with the results of work, but also with the length of service and age. Upon reaching 55 - 60 years of age, the employee is obliged to retire.
Particular attention is paid to the systematic training and retraining of personnel, the education of employees loyal to the company. Each employee takes several special courses to develop professional knowledge, and outside of working hours. For advanced training, the practice of regular (once every 3-4 years) transfer of an employee to another position in another division of the company is used (taking into account the employee's opinion). The Japanese believe that a long stay of an employee in one place reduces the level of responsibility and leads to a loss of interest in work.
As an example, consider the management of Sony Corporation. The system of organization and management at this world famous company can be summarized extremely briefly:
· Setting a goal that is clear to everyone, down to the last worker. The firm's managers believe that this brings the staff together into a team of like-minded people;
· The right of the junior to disagree with the manager. Business interests have the highest priority in the firm. For their sake, one should sacrifice not only personal ambitions, but also traditions, for example, respectful attitude towards elders;
· Deliberate rejection of tough plans. The manager must act as appropriate. Mechanical diligence, quite tolerable in routine work, can only lead to failure;
· Anti-bureaucratic style of leadership. In the management structure of the company, for a certain period, autonomous subdivisions can be created that have unlimited independence;
· Assignment of important projects to enthusiasts, innovators. It is believed that such an employee should be placed above the generally accepted methods of material and moral encouragement;
· Paternalism (from Lat. Paternus - paternal, paternal) - instilling in employees the feeling that they are members of the same family. The firm has a life-long employment system, there is an opportunity to communicate with management in an informal setting. In particular, joint recreation, entertainment, etc. are practiced.
The management of the Toyota Motor Corporation is of no less interest:
· Consistency of the decisions made. Not a single issue is resolved without discussion by the persons directly involved in its solution. Most of the proposals come from mid-level employees. Management makes decisions based on these suggestions;
· Corporatism (isolation, narrow group interest). Employees are united in groups in which the leaders are constantly changing, since the matter becomes mechanical if the leader is irremovable.
· Employees attach great importance to the recognition of their merits by the company. The record holders for the number of new proposals are universally respected. Work becomes, in essence, a favorite occupation (hobby); 90% of ideas come true;
· Leadership should not seem to be the most important element in production. Managers, while remaining strong and competent, do not seek to dominate employees.
Japanese managers attach particular importance to social policy in their work. Being proud of your country, caring for your people is a priority in the activities of Japanese companies. This is how the views of the Japanese firm Omron Company are formulated:
the main goal of the company is its development;
the growth of the company leads to an increase in the employment of the population;
the company gains respect in the local community;
the buyer gets a reliable supplier;
the supplier gets a good customer;
income from the buyer is a source of investment in the development of production;
production of goods will become best quality and at lower prices;
part of the profit in the form of tax will go to the benefit of society;
another part of the profits will benefit the employees of the firm in the form of higher wages and dividends;
the remainder of the profits will go to social needs and charity.
Thus, using the example of this firm, one can be convinced of the possibility of a reasonable combination of the interests of private capital and society.
Chapter 2.
Management experience in the USA
This country has a wealth of management experience. American managers have always been distinguished by their high business qualities. The essence of the American management model can be summed up very briefly in one word - individualism.
This is largely due to the history of the United States, which, unlike most large countries, was formed only in 1776. Immigrants and their descendants formed in American society the psychology of a person who, in order to survive in new conditions of existence for himself, had to hope only to myself.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that in business matters, Americans traditionally preferred to put business issues in the foreground, sometimes even to the detriment of normal human relations. It should be emphasized that this style is more typical for the older generation of managers. It is the older generation of managers who prefers the authoritarian (based on unconditional submission to the authority of the leader) management style.
In this case, the manager (for the Americans "boss", "boss") dominates or suppresses the will, desires, needs of his subordinate, fetters his initiative.
This tough leadership style was more characteristic of Americans in the first half of the 20th century. A classic example of this type of manager was G. Ford Sr., the founder of the automotive giant Ford Motor Company.
After World War II, Japan, which quickly recovered its economy, managed to overtake the United States in productivity growth, product quality and reliability. The basis for the success of the Japanese was an effective management system. We must pay tribute to the American managers who did their best to study the best Japanese management experience (Table 1.1).
Table 1.1
Comparative characteristics American and Japanese management models
| JAPAN | USA |
| Company management structure | |
| Custom, flexible | Formalized |
| The nature of decision making | |
| Collective, unanimous | Individual |
| Form of responsibility | |
| Collective | Individual |
| Organization of control | |
| Collective | Individual |
| Career growth rate | |
| Slowed down | Fast |
| Promotion criterion | |
| Age and experience | Personal result |
| The main quality of a manager | |
| Coordination of actions of subordinates | Professionalism |
| Orientation control | |
| Per group | For an individual |
| Assessment of management results | |
| By collective result | |
| Manager's relationship with subordinates | |
| Personal, informal | Formalized |
| Manager training form | |
| Generic type | Highly specialized type |
| Recruitment system | |
| Long term | Short term |
| Labor remuneration system | |
| Based on the results of the work of the team | By individual result |
Therefore, at present, in the United States, it is quite typical that managers prefer to call their subordinates colleagues, players of the same team. Modern, especially young, managers tend to lean towards a more humane, democratic style of management. The leader in one of the first places among life values puts business, kind, human connections with colleagues.
However, the situation should not be idealized. According to American management experts, this does not mean that bad character, irritability, or toughness have disappeared from management offices. Meanwhile, the demand for skilled managers in the United States is not declining. This specialty remains among those in short supply in the country.
Therefore, the United States is actively looking for new methods of the most complete and effective use of leading personnel. different levels... This approach to the problem of managerial personnel is caused by a number of economic and social reasons, among which the following are of the most importance:
· Complication of the functions of management under the influence of the scientific and technological revolution, which determines the further concentration of production and capital, the development of new forms of competition (novelty of goods, terms of delivery of products, service conditions, etc.);
· An increase in the need for highly qualified managers of different levels, while the complexity and cost of the process of training such specialists is becoming more complex;
· Transformation of managerial work into one of the decisive areas for increasing the overall efficiency of production and sales of products.
To increase the efficiency of the work of management personnel, to systematically update their professional knowledge in the United States, various advanced training courses are widely used, which operate mainly at universities. American companies send their managers to such courses with the following main goals:
broaden the manager's horizons, his ability to anticipate the course of events and, thus, prepare the manager to take on additional responsibility;
provide executives with the latest information on the theory and practice of leading firms;
encourage creativity and innovation in problem-solving and decision-making;
enable the manager to discuss new ideas and problems of the business world with other businessmen;
help the manager to assess his / her ability to further career and their role in the company.
Completing an advanced training course for managers costs from $ 500 to $ 4.5 thousand, depending on the duration of the course (from 2 to 16 weeks) and its level. In the entire range of corporations 'activities for the most rational use of managers' personnel, one of the most important tasks is to assess the capabilities of each employee, to identify the so-called managerial potential that the company has. Assessing the capabilities of an employee is one of the most difficult problems, since the work of an employee can only be assessed in terms of the performance of his current duties. Good performance at one level often does not guarantee the same performance at a higher level. In the 60s. XX century A number of American corporations have begun to try to solve this problem with the help of special "assessment centers" in which employees of the company are tested in terms of leadership abilities using various tests and exercises. Such centers operate in many companies, including such well-known ones as General Electric Company, IBM, Standard Oil Company, etc.
Assessment centers include senior executives from various functional areas of the company. The staff of the “assessment center” undergoes special training to fulfill their functions. During the week, candidates are subjected to interviews and various tests. Then, "business management games" are held to identify the various abilities of the candidate, which are assessed by about 20 personal qualities and characteristics of behavior in various situations. For testing in the centers such qualities of workers are selected that are important for the work of the manager, can be expressed in written answers or in behavior during the exercises, and are more or less constant so that predictions for the future can be made. Usually, it tests the ability to lead a group, transfer rights, control the actions of other participants, motivate and persuade, act in a limited time, put forward new ideas and convince them of their correctness. Far from last place is assigned to checking the loyalty of the employee in relation to the owners of the enterprise, the ability to show flexibility and consistency in protecting their interests, especially in the event of various social conflicts in the company.
Verification is usually completed within 2-3 days. Sometimes the check is combined with refresher courses and this period is extended.
American experts believe that this form is much more effective than the traditional methods of assessing a subordinate by the immediate supervisor, since in the centers all attention is concentrated on the qualities that are important for leadership work. The assessment is carried out on an equal footing for all, since the employees of the center do not know the candidates personally and their opinion is impartial. In addition, participation in testing exercises gives the employee himself an idea of the requirements for higher positions, shows in which direction to work to take these positions.
Like their foreign counterparts, American managers work very hard: a 60-hour work week is the norm for them. Many of them even work 90 hours a week.
At the workplace, they are already at 6 or 7 in the morning. Managers show up at work long before the bulk of employees arrive.
After the end of the working day, the managers go home to have lunch and be with the family. Late in the evening they are again looking for business papers, until they go to 5-6 hours of sleep. Such work sometimes takes them several hours on Saturday and Sunday. As a result, more than half of managers actually spend up to 70% of their time away from home.
An intensive work schedule requires good health and physical fitness. No matter how stressful the working day is, most managers manage to find time for physical education.
American managers, especially young ones, are eager to move up the corporate ladder and do not hide it. Few of today's American managers are convinced that promotions are based solely on personal merit. This is usually the result of an optimal combination of business skills and teamwork.
In general, we can say that modern American managers are happy with their lives. Interesting, hard work, combined with a decent salary, makes their life fulfilling.
However, the American model of management should not be idealized. Fierce competition in the labor market requires maximum dedication and responsibility from each employee. Particular attention is paid to normal working relationships.
If two employees do not get along at work, then it is believed that it is better to fire both than to understand the reasons for the squabble. If it becomes known that someone has spoken badly about a person of a different nationality or skin color, then he will not only be kicked out, but they will do everything in order to find another job for him it was very difficult. The loss of a job for Americans is associated with the loss of freedom, i.e. the main value in life.
Chapter 3.
Similar information.
2 Features of the Japanese management model
Over the past two decades, Japan has taken the lead in the global market. It accounts for 44.5% of the total value of shares in all countries of the world. And this despite the fact that the population of Japan is only 2% of the world's population.
One of the main reasons for Japan's rapid success is its human-centered management model. Over the entire period of historical development in Japan, certain methods of work and behavior have developed that correspond to specific features of a national character.
The Japanese consider their human resources to be the main wealth of the country. The Japanese economic system is based on historical traditions group cohesion and the innate drive of the Japanese to create high quality products.
The essence of Japanese management is the management of people. At the same time, the Japanese do not consider one person (person) as Americans, but a group of people. In addition, Japan has a tradition of obeying an older person, whose position is approved by the group.
It is known that human behavior is determined by his needs. At the same time, the Japanese put social needs above others (belonging to a social group, an employee's place in a group, attention and respect of others). Therefore, they perceive remuneration for work (incentives) through the prism of social needs, although in recent times Japanese management has absorbed some of the motivational concepts of American management focused on the psychology of the individual. This was reflected in the recognition of the need for personal consumption. The Japanese began to purchase goods for personal consumption in large quantities.
The Japanese worship labor. Labor comes first in the hierarchy of values of the Japanese people. The Japanese get the satisfaction of a job well done. Therefore, they agree to endure tough discipline, high work rhythm, high labor intensity and overtime work. Departure from established habits makes them unhappy. In Japanese factories, workers work in groups, work together and support each other.
The Japanese management model is focused on the “social person”, the concept of which was put forward by the “school of human relations” that emerged in the United States, which replaced Taylorism, which placed the material needs and incentives of the “economic person” at the forefront. " Social person»Has a specific system of incentives and motives. Incentives include wages, working conditions, leadership style, interpersonal relationships between employees. The motives for work are the employee's labor success, recognition of his merits, career growth, professional excellence, the degree of delegated responsibility, and a creative approach. However, the attitude of the Japanese towards the concept of "social person" is more flexible than that of the Americans.
The Japanese are taking into account the current situation and adapting to it. Unlike workers in other countries, the Japanese do not strive to unconditionally follow rules, instructions and promises. From their point of view, the behavior of the manager and his decision-making depends entirely on the situation. The main thing in the management process is the study of the nuances of the environment that allow the manager to make the right decision. The Japanese build relationships with their partners on the basis of trust.
Before the development of the capitalist mode of production in Japan, it was characterized by an equalizing remuneration for labor that arose in the rural community and left a deep imprint on the Japanese national character. The emergence of machine production required the development of a labor motivation system, taking into account the existing desire of workers to equalize and the personal contribution of each of them. A way out was found in the development of a system of remuneration of employees based on the length of service. When employees are hired, they are assigned the same amount of remuneration, which subsequently increases depending on the length of service at the given enterprise.
The strongest motivator in Japan is the "corporate spirit" of the firm, which refers to the merger with the firm and dedication to its ideals. The “corporate spirit” of the firm is based on group psychology, placing the interests of the group above the personal interests of individual employees.
Japanese management pays special attention to the identity of workers. The dominant principle in the functioning of Japanese companies is the use of "slogan tactics" to encourage discipline. This position is quite understandable: on the one hand, each subordinate is an individual and has the right to make mistakes, on the other hand, the correct personnel policy when hiring will not “admit” an unscrupulous employee to the firm, since the one who hired him is fully responsible for him. work. Human resources management is becoming a strategic factor because of the need to guarantee life-long hiring.
The main features of the Japanese management system are determined by a number of concepts. The most important of these are the life-long employment system and the collective decision-making process.
Japanese society is homogeneous and imbued with a spirit of collectivism. The Japanese always think on behalf of the groups. The personality is aware of itself, first of all, as a member of the group, and its individuality - as the individuality of a part of the whole. The guiding principle of Japanese management is in agreement with the statements of Matsushita, who showed that work is a group activity.
In 1947, an entrepreneur, one of the founders of Panasonic, I. Matsushita, founded the Doikai creative laboratory to research new management decisions. In one of the first works of this laboratory, Mr. Matsushita notes:
“Every company, regardless of its size, must have certain goals, other than making a profit, goals that justify its existence. She must have her own calling in this world. If a leader has an understanding of this mission, he is obliged to bring to the consciousness of employees what the company wants to achieve, to indicate its ideals. And if his subordinates realize that they are working not only for their daily bread, they will receive an incentive to work harder together in the name of achieving a common goal. "
This same idea is expressed in a document published in 1956:
“The actions of a manager in a modern corporation go far beyond making a profit. From both a moral and a practical point of view, it is vital that managers strive to produce the highest quality products at the lowest prices by using productive potential in accordance with the general interests of the economy and in order to improve the welfare of the whole society. There is no doubt that the responsibility of the manager to the society is an important lever that develops the management system in the direction of the set goals. "
The change in management methods in Japan today is characterized by an increase in freedom of choice of concepts for creating optimal systems, however, traditional management methods are not forgotten. The desire for change, based on respect for national spiritual values, is clearly demonstrated in the following statement of one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Japan, S. Honda: “Anyone who is the leader of an organization must, first of all, make his management comprehensively justified. This means that he must perfectly understand the goals of his organization, justify its policy and create plans to achieve the assigned tasks in such a way that his subordinates work with self-esteem and receive satisfaction from their work. In order to develop a mindset that would push subordinates to achieve their goals in any environment, a leader must have a theoretically strong and practically applicable concept. "
Quality management is central to the operational management of Japanese management. The Japanese product quality management system is based on the concept of “total” quality control within the company, which has acquired the status of religion. Quality control covers all stages of production. All employees of the company are involved in the control system, including the secretary and the typist. All employees of the company are responsible for quality, therefore they do not look for specific culprits of marriage and defects. In Japan, product quality control services perform only advisory functions. Each worker can stop the conveyor if a defect has started.
Economy and frugality are the hallmarks of the Japanese character. Savings slogans can be found in every Japanese enterprise. The demands of economy and frugality are directly related to the production of high quality products.
The conclusions that can be drawn when considering the Japanese management system are as follows:
People get satisfaction from dependence, determined by close vertical ties in the structure of the team, which is perceived as a guarantee of security and safety;
The main task of the manager is to support the corporate spirit in the team, unite employees with common interests and understanding the common goals of work;
When the environment for group decision-making is in place, all team members can contribute to the fullest extent possible.
The challenge posed by Japan in the late 70s and early 80s. to the whole Western world, testifies to the existence of a number of advantages of the Japanese management model in comparison with the American one.
3 Comparative analysis of Japanese and American management models
Table 1
|
Japanese model |
American model |
|
|
1.Firm philosophy |
With a change in leadership, philosophy does not change. Personnel remain, as the system of "life-long recruitment" is in place. |
Replacement of the company's management is accompanied by a change of employees and workers. |
|
2. Objectives of the firm |
Ensuring the growth of profits and the well-being of all employees of the company |
Growth of the firm's profits and dividends of individual investors |
|
3. Organizational structure of management |
The firm consists of commercially autonomous branches. The role of functional services at headquarters is high. Use of project management structures. |
The corporation consists of autonomous divisions. The use of matrix management structures. |
|
4. Recruitment and personnel policy |
The labor of university and school graduates is widely used. Retraining and training within the company, without interrupting work. Promotion in the service, taking into account the length of service. Remuneration for labor depending on age and length of service in the company (the so-called equalization wages). |
Hiring workers in the labor market of universities and schools through a network of universities, business schools, etc. Focus on an individual, personal career. When hiring an employee, his compliance with the vacant position is checked using methods such as competition, assessment of knowledge and skills in special “assessment centers”, passing exams for the position. Individual assessment and certification of employees. |
|
Remuneration for labor depending on the individual results and merit of the employee. |
||
|
5. Organization of production and labor |
The main attention is paid to the shop - the lower level of production. The work of groups (circles) of quality and the implementation of strict quality control at all stages of the production process by all employees of the company. Responsibilities between employees are not strictly assigned. Workers perform different kinds works depending on the situation; the motto is "act according to the situation." |
The focus is not on production, but on adaptation to the external environment. Employees perform work on the basis of strict adherence to job descriptions. Salary rates are strictly defined depending on the position, work performed and qualifications. Wages are set in accordance with supply and demand in the labor market. |
|
6. Incentives for workers |
In case of a favorable financial situation, bonuses are paid twice a year (each time two to three monthly salaries). Payments and benefits from social funds: partial or full payment of funds: partial or full payment for housing, health insurance and service costs, contributions to pension funds, delivery to work by company transport, organization of collective recreation, etc. |
Incentives for workers are significantly lower than in Japan, although the income of the president of a large American corporation is, on average, three times that of the president of a Japanese firm. |
|
7. Intercompany planning |
In-house divisions have plans for three years, which include investment policy and measures to introduce new technology, as well as long-term plans for 10-15 years. Plans are developed according to the principle of rolling planning by the departments of the company. The department plan shows the volume of production, the number of products in kind, profit, staffing, list of suppliers. |
The planning process is decentralized. The departments are planning key financial indicators, production, sales and R&D costs, which can be adjusted during the year. For each new type of product, "strategic economic centers (SCC)" are used. |
|
8. Financial policy |
Part of the profits of the branch (up to 40%) is used by him independently. The profit is used to rationalize production, to reduce material costs and introduce new resource-saving technologies, to modernize equipment. Wide attraction of borrowed funds. |
The company's administration redistributes profits between departments. Expansion of production through the purchase (acquisition, merger) of other corporations. Self-financing corporations |
Japanese relatively simple mechanism ...
Comparative analysis Japanese and American management (1)
Abstract >> ManagementComparative analysis Japanese and American management... sites and positions. Comparative characteristic Japanese and American models management № Japanese model management American model management 1. Management decisions ...
The American management system has been analyzed above, let us turn to the analysis of the Japanese management model.
Japan is considered a country with a special culture and traditions all over the world. Finding itself on the brink of complete ruin after World War II, Japan has managed to revive its economy. And this was facilitated primarily by the specifics of Japanese management. Thanks to a special approach to production management and workflow, it became possible for Japan to enter the world market. Now the Land of the Rising Sun is known as the most important manufacturer of innovative technologies. And this despite the fact that it has extremely limited mineral resources.
Most experts identify several characteristic features Japanese management, which have existed for many decades and today are being changed under the influence of European management.
First of all, attention is drawn to the attitude of the employer towards his employees. When getting a job, every Japanese person knows exactly what prospects await him. This confidence is born from an approach such as "life-long employment". In Japan, commitment to the firm is encouraged through a system of rewards and promotions. The longer you work, the higher your rank, and therefore, wage... However, there are some nuances here, which are quite logical and understandable. So, promotion and income level increase directly depends on the quality of the employee's work, which generates healthy competition within the organization. The most capable and active employees can be rewarded in both tangible and intangible ways. The latter include a referral to training or an increase in status in the organizational hierarchy. In general, personnel training in Japan should be discussed separately. Many firms choose to hire employees who have just graduated from high school or colleges for the purpose of further training directly in the production process. Distinctive feature the Japanese worker is his versatility. It can perform a wide variety of functions, since constantly learns in the process. Most Japanese enterprises practice redeployment of workers depending on the circumstances. For example, the management of the electrical engineering firm "Matsushita Denki" annually changes the work profile of 5% of its ordinary employees and 1/3 of managers.
Today, under the influence of economic transformations and the desire of companies to survive in tough conditions of competition, the system of "life-long employment" is beginning to fade into the background, and, as in European countries, priority is given to working conditions and wages. If earlier dismissal in the middle of a career was assessed extremely negatively and in most cases did not entail an improvement in the material and social status of a Japanese, now they are more loyal to this. The influence of the Western way of life can be traced here, where a person can change jobs at any age. However, Japanese firms are trying to retain their employees, for example, with an increased one-time severance pay paid when an employee reaches retirement age.
A special role in the high productivity of Japanese enterprises specializing in the assembly of various equipment, in particular cars, is played by the absence of a central administration responsible for controlling and redistributing the flow of materials. Instead, the Kanban system is used. direct communication of shop managers without intermediaries and delivery "just in time", which was developed in the 1920s by G. Ford and applied at his Ford Motor Company plant. A similar system began to be implemented in Japan quite recently, in the middle of the 20th century, and is still successfully used by Toyota, whose planning department every two weeks or once a month develops a schedule for the release of new products, which, nevertheless, is not actual production schedule for each workshop. The operational schedule, developed on a daily basis, only regulates the operation of the main conveyor. The rest of the shops are communicated through the kanban system.
One of the reasons for the worldwide fame of Japanese technology is the high quality of its products. Indeed, no other country has such a quality control system. Japanese workers all feel personally responsible for their products. For the purpose of quality control, so-called quality circles are created, whose members must constantly improve their own knowledge and skills. Each employee has the right to choose - to join or not to join such a circle. An example of good quality control practice is the same Toyota company, in which it is customary to track the quality of products at every stage of their production. If the workshop receives defective products from a higher workshop, then it should not accept them. Japanese managers adhere to the point of view that it is better to identify defects in the early stages of production than to detect problems by releasing a finished product.
Japanese management takes into account the needs of society and, unlike American management, always tries to determine the needs of consumers. True, the practice of manipulating and persuading a prospective buyer through advertising, widespread in Europe and America, is increasingly being used in Japan, but still it has a slightly different nature than in the West. Thus, Sony gives priority to the production of new products, which will certainly be of interest to the consumer. With this approach, the customer becomes the follower and Sony becomes the leader.
Today, in world practice, a clearly developed action plan is of great importance in the development of companies. And the Japanese occupy a leading place here. They have learned the best way to think over all possible ways of development and successfully apply this skill in practice. In most Japanese organizations, an action plan is drawn up at least one year in advance. This allows you to avoid unforeseen situations in the future and minimize costs when solving emerging problems. For example, OMRON Electronics, by developing a “predictive model for the future of technology,” was able to identify the needs of society in the context of a distant perspective. This allowed her to produce products that were a priori interesting to society.
Talking about Japanese management, it is absolutely impossible to ignore the fact that in every corporation there is publicity of information. Any employee can get acquainted with the organization's plans for the future, with the goals and development prospects. For this, special stands or booklets are created, which reflect the schedules and stages of the corporation's development. This approach determines the harmony of relations in the team and strengthens corporate ties.
Japan, in the minds of most, is still a country of traditions. And this is partly the way it is. In most businesses, you can still find the premises of the founder of this organization, which serves as a venue for business meetings. Corporate culture is no less traditional, an important element of which is morning and sometimes lunch exercises.
But, as with any management system, Japanese management has its drawbacks. Perhaps the most visible drawback is that skilled workers are less diligent and less loyal to the practice of redeployment. And if a young employee, without objection, will perform both the functions of a collector and a cleaner of premises, then a senior employee will accept such changes in work without enthusiasm. Which, in principle, is typical for employees of Western companies.
Nevertheless, Japanese managers strive to design the workflow in a way that is enjoyable for the staff. In this regard, there is a reduction in the hours of work per day, but this is reflected in the duration of the vacation, which lasts 7 - 9 days less than, for example, in Russia. The introduction of flexible scheduling, similar to many European companies, allows the Japanese to increase productivity. For example, Amano allows its employees to come and go from work at any time, provided that they are there during the required working hours. Attendance at work is tracked using forms, information from which is sent to the electronic registrar. Moreover, such a management system is based only on trust in employees and fully justifies itself.
In Japan, it is customary to manage not only the work activities of employees, but also their leisure time. Thus, the psychotherapeutic systems "Nykan" and "Morita" are widely used, which allow employees to recover their strength while outside the workplace.
Modern management in Japan differs from the management system that was adopted throughout the 20th century. This is primarily due to the influence of the Western management model.
Japanese managers realized that without change it is impossible to make progress in development. In this regard, the company management system is changing. So, when developing the company's goal, managers give preference to the formulation of the main task, for which certain areas of action are specially selected. Having chosen an area, the company directs all its resources to this area. The attitude towards the consumer is also changing. Information related to consumer preferences is gaining more and more value, on the basis of which the company narrows its target market.
The stable hierarchical system of relations within the Japanese organization is also more and more subject to change today. In particular, it has become a fairly frequent phenomenon to attract freelance employees to perform this or that work, and communication is increasingly being built not through the "kanban" system, but through information networks, as is customary in the West.
The Western desire for self-sufficiency and independence began to manifest itself more and more in Japan. So, if earlier the financing of the company came from the central "head" bank, today many companies independently manage their own financial assets, which has a direct impact on the development of the organization.
Both the portrait and the functions of top managers are changing. If earlier the principle of succession was practiced and the leader himself appointed his successor, today anyone can become a leader. To do this, however, you need to have charisma and a high level of knowledge and skills, but the post of a manager is worth fighting for.
It is interesting to note that the closer Japan and the Western world are, the wider the circle of applicants for leadership positions. And if at the beginning of the XX century. the presence of a woman or a foreigner in a leading position was extremely rare, but today it does not surprise anyone. The most prominent example of a foreign leader is Carlos Ghosn (born 1954). He was named director of Nissan in 2001 after Renault acquired more than a third of its shares. Ghosn came at a difficult time for Nissan, when the company had more than $ 20 billion in debt and produced mostly unpopular cars.
Thanks to his active position, the new head of the company managed to save it from bankruptcy. To this end, he began to introduce new methods into management. So, instead of the system of reducing the working day adopted in Japan, K. Ghosn reduced the staff of the company, and also closed a number of branches that did not generate income. This measure was not popular, but was soon recognized as necessary.
The process of making cars has also changed. When assembling cars of the same type, they began to use the same parts, which made it possible to reduce financial costs. In this regard, K. Ghosn received the nickname "cost tamer", which, however, even helped Nissan. Today, the popularity of the alliance between Nissan and Renault has reached a high level - this allowed these companies to become one of the five best car manufacturers in the world.
Under the leadership of K. Ghosn, many unpopular Nissan models were discontinued, which significantly increased sales. But a successful leader doesn't stop there. He is looking for new ways to develop the organization. And here he attaches great importance to cooperation with foreign companies, in particular with the American company Chrysler. As a result of negotiations, it was decided that in 2010 the Japanese Chrysler will be produced, which is notable for its small size, and the Americans will assemble pickups for Japan. However, this is not about the merger of the two companies. K. Ghosn adheres to the point of view that the merger cannot bring anything good, but only destroy traditions and accepted values.
The secret of Nissan's successful recovery from the crisis lies in the fact that K. Ghosn has his own development strategy. When calculating production volumes for future periods, he focuses on a simple indicator: how many cars are there for 1000 people with a driver's license in a particular country. So, the most promising countries for selling Nissan products, K. Ghosn sees China, India, Brazil and Russia, where the number of cars per 1000 people ranges from 50 to 250. Moreover, for each market its own car model is created, which allows you to quickly respond to emerging demand. For example, the Logan was planned to be delivered only to fast-growing markets such as India, but it soon became clear that there is demand for this car in a number of other countries. of Eastern Europe... Or another model - Nissan Versa, which initially was not interesting to Americans because of its compact size, but over time, consumer demand in the United States changed its direction, and now the Nissan Versa is one of the best-selling models on the American continent.
K. Ghosn's managerial talent is also due to his ability to anticipate the future needs of customers. So, he already plans to release an electric car in 2012, which, however, most likely, will not appear in Russia soon, because in our country, priority is given to petroleum products, not electricity.
As a result of his many years of activity, K. Ghosn became known not only in Japan and France, but throughout the world. In the Land of the Rising Sun, he is revered as a hero and even received an order from the hands of the emperor.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that modern Japanese management combines traditional and innovative features, which allowed the Japanese economy to join the process of world economic cooperation and development.
The Japanese management system is very popular now, this is due not only to a big breakthrough in the economy of this country, but also to a special approach to the problem of managing a company and human resources. Comparison of the American and Japanese models reveals the following differences:
Table 1 Comparison of Japanese and American management models
The differences between the Japanese and American management models are as follows:
The Japanese management model is characterized by a lower degree of specialization than the American one. The American model is more characterized by high specialization and strict delineation of responsibilities; the Japanese model is characterized by a focus on developing the ability of each group of workers to independently solve their local problems. Japanese firms are characterized by the lack of services for controlling and distributing the flow of materials between workshops, while in American companies a lot of attention is paid to this.
Japanese workers are guided by a long-term relationship with the company, while American workers are more mobile and change jobs frequently. The management apparatus in Japanese companies is half that of the American one, which, in particular, explains the greater productivity of American firms.
The decision-making process in Japanese firms is usually carried out at the level of groups of workers, while American companies are guided in this case by managers.
Having compared several management models, we can conclude that each of them is focused on national character employees. However, practice shows that having borrowed some of the provisions of American management, Japan was able to remake them to suit its needs, a similar process is now taking place in America.
The schools of management in the USA and Japan are currently leading in the world and are considered in other countries as a kind of benchmark for management development. Despite the polar differences, however, there is a certain similarity between them: both schools focus on the activation of the human factor (using, however, different forms and methods), constant innovation, diversification of manufactured goods and services, downsizing of large enterprises and moderate decentralization of production; are guided by the development and implementation of long-term strategic plans for the development of the enterprise (although, if American managers develop their plans for 5-8 years, then Japanese ones - for a period of up to 10 years or more). At the same time, despite the outward similarity, these two administrative schools have features due to the specifics of the socio-economic development of their countries.
The basis of the American system of government is the principle of individualism, which arose in American society in the 18th and 19th centuries, when hundreds of thousands of immigrants arrived in the country. In the process of developing vast territories, such national character traits as initiative and individualism were developed. For Japan, in which until the end of the XIX century. feudalism remained, the traditional orientation of social consciousness to collectivism (belonging to a social group) is characteristic, and the formation of the modern Japanese system of government took place with this feature in mind. Currently, Japanese management is gaining ground in countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand subject to common cultural property and traditions.
There are other differences between Japanese and American control systems. In the United States, the management process relies on a bright personality capable of improving the organization's performance - in Japan, managers are guided by the group and the organization as a whole. American firms have rigid management structures with specific functions — Japan uses more flexible management structures that are created and dismantled as specific tasks are accomplished. The main incentive for American workers is the economic factor (money) - for Japanese workers, it is not money that plays a more significant role, but socio-psychological factors (sense of belonging to the team, pride in the company). Western European and American enterprises are characterized by the presence of moral and psychological prohibitions that restrain the initiative and creativity of workers - Japanese workers are guided by the concepts of internal duty and the subordination of their interests to the interests of the collective. In crisis situations, American managers try to lay off part of the staff in order to reduce the costs of their organization and make it more competitive - in Japanese enterprises there is an unwritten law of the so-called life-long hiring of workers, in which the working personnel is considered the highest value of the organization, and therefore, the administration will do everything possible in order to keep our employees in the most crisis situations. According to the employment contract, American workers are focused only on the performance of their functional duties - Japanese workers strive not only to fulfill their job duties, but also to do the most useful for their organization, for example, an American foreman or engineer will never perform work on cleaning the workshop area, even if he has free time, and a Japanese specialist, having free time from his main activity, will definitely do something useful for his company, since he is focused not on performing strictly outlined functional duties, but on working for the good of his company. American workers usually change their place of work every few years, moving to firms that offer them higher wages or better working conditions. This is also caused by the fact that in the United States traditionally only vertical careers are considered successful (when an employee is promoted to a position in the structure of his organization). It is common practice to retire workers who have worked for the company for 20-25 years, even if they have not reached retirement age. In this way, the management of the companies strives to create conditions for the career development of young specialists and keep them in their organization.
Table 2.1 - Comparison of Japanese and American management models
|
Criteria |
Japanese model |
American model |
|
1. The nature of management decisions |
Making decisions by consensus |
Individual nature of decision making |
|
2. Responsibility |
Collective |
Individual |
|
3. Management structure |
Custom, flexible |
Severely formalized |
|
4. The nature of control |
Collective |
Individual control of the head |
|
5. Organization of control |
Soft informal control |
Clearly formalized rigid control procedure |
|
6. Evaluation of the results of the activities of the head |
Delayed employee performance appraisal and career advancement |
Rapid assessment of the result and accelerated promotion |
|
7. Assessment of the qualities of the leader |
Ability to coordinate and control |
Professionalism and initiative |
|
Orientation of management to the group, increased attention to the person |
Orientation of management to an individual, attention to a person as a performer |
|
|
9. Evaluation of personnel performance results |
Achieving a collective result |
Achieving an individual result |
|
10. Relations with subordinates |
Personal informal relationships |
Formal relationship |
|
11. Career |
Promotion based on age, seniority and loyalty to the company |
A business career is predetermined by personal achievement |
|
12. Leadership training |
Training of universal leaders |
Training of highly specialized managers |
|
13. Remuneration |
Remuneration for the performance of the group, work experience |
Remuneration for individual achievements |
|
14. Length of employment in the company |
Long-term employment of a manager in a company, life-long employment |
Employment on a contractual basis, contractual basis, short-term employment |
|
15. General management principle |
"Bottom-Top" |
"Top-Down" |
|
16. Staffing table |
Lack of clearly defined positions and tasks within the organization |
Functional reporting lines and clear lines of authority |
|
17. Professional development |
On-the-job (in the workplace) |
Separated, for special training programs |
In Japan, workers usually work their entire lives in one enterprise, and any transfer to another organization is considered unethical. The career of a Japanese specialist is more often horizontal (for example, a middle-level manager moves to other departments every 4 - 5 years, occupying positions equal to the previous status). This allows the company to improve the system of horizontal connections between departments and services, train professionals of a wide profile, solve the problem of interchangeability, and improve the moral climate in the team. People who have reached retirement age rarely retire, trying to work for the good of the company as long as they have the strength, and in any areas and positions.
Table 2.1 shows a comparison of the Japanese and American management models, allowing you to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
Another major difference lies in the very organization of management. At American enterprises, official and production duties are strictly delineated, and control over their use is exercised by a superior person, therefore a limited range of issues falls into the field of vision of workers and employees, the implementation of which is entrusted to them. In Japanese enterprises, responsibility for many important questions production activities carried by personnel who are constantly improving their qualifications. Thus, governance in the United States is "hierarchical", while in Japan it is "universal."
In the short term, the Japanese control system loses to the American one due to the great complexity of decision-making and a large number time and money spent on training personnel at all levels. But in the long run, it increases production efficiency, since it stimulates the participation of workers in management and increases their responsibility and interest in the affairs of the company.
The defect rate and breakdown rate of Japanese cars, televisions, integrated circuits and other products is more than ten times lower than those of Western products. Comparison of these two concepts testifies to the "myopia" of American attitudes. For example, the reconstruction of a production system or production unit in order to improve quality leads to an increase in production costs in the short term, but, on the contrary, reduces them in the long term.
Recently, Americans have been making a lot of efforts to find out the essence of Japanese management methods and to transfer the positive experience of Japan to their enterprises. In the 50-60s. the situation was the opposite, Japanese firms adopted American principles of organizing production, production technology, approaches to the formation of organizational structures, etc. As noted above, "quality circles" and the "just in time" supply system originated in America, but did not become widespread there. However, they have produced good results in Japanese firms. At the same time, another American innovation - American methods of managing "human resources" has not found application in Japan.
Recently, American corporations have begun to innovate, which has led Japanese firms to significant success. For example, the American company General Motors has implemented the just-in-time system, and another company, General Electric, has implemented the “quality circles”. However, not all of the methods of government used in Japan have taken root on American soil. This refers to the system of long-term or "life-long employment" of workers, education at the expense of deductions from the profits of the firm of funds to meet the needs of workers, etc.
Comparison of the Japanese and American management models shows that one cannot transfer one management model to the economy of another country without taking into account its specific conditions and, above all, psychological and socio-cultural factors.
However, comparing the models is of considerable interest, since the formation of a domestic management model requires studying the experience of other countries.
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