Japanese Blue Collar

The Changing Tradition

Robert E. Cole

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN:
  9780520310650
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9780520314177
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Cultural & Social Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

Japanese Blue Collar: The Changing Tradition is an insightful exploration of the evolving dynamics of Japan's blue-collar workforce amidst rapid industrialization and social transformation. This book delves deep into the lives and experiences of Japanese factory workers, offering a rare, empirical perspective that moves beyond common stereotypes and anecdotal accounts. Drawing on detailed case studies from two Japanese firms—a diecast company and an auto parts manufacturer—this work sheds light on how industrialization has reshaped not only the economic landscape but also the social structures and cultural norms governing worker-employer relationships. Central to this study is the tension between tradition and modernity. While Japan's industrial success is often attributed to its unique blend of cultural heritage and economic ingenuity, this book critically examines the persistence of pre-industrial values within the contemporary industrial workplace. It challenges simplistic narratives, such as viewing the Japanese firm as an idyllic family unit, and instead proposes a nuanced understanding of the corporate group as a semi-closed, loyalty-based social structure. Through an analysis of housing conditions, wage systems, and evolving worker aspirations, the book reveals the complexities of Japanese labor relations and the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. This meticulously researched work not only contributes to a deeper understanding of Japanese blue-collar workers but also engages broader debates on industrialization, cultural uniqueness, and convergence theory. It is an essential read for anyone interested in labor studies, industrial sociology, or the socio-economic history of Japan, offering a rich empirical foundation for evaluating the role of tradition in shaping industrial societies worldwide. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1971.

Many titles in the Voices Revived program are also newly available as ebooks, offered at a discounted price to support wider access to scholarly work.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• SIGNS OF THE TIMES
• INDUSTRIALIZATION AND TRADITION
• CULTURAL UNIQUENESS
• THE FIRM AS CORPORATE GROUP
• CHAPTER I THE FRAMEWORK OF NATIONAL POWER, LEGISLATION, AND THE ECONOMY
• POLITICAL POWER AND THE WORKERS
• SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM
• LABOR STANDARDS LAW
• THE DUAL ECONOMIC STRUCTURE
• CHAPTER II THE SETTING
• WORKING IN THE FACTORY
• PARTICIPATION OBSERVATION AS A RESEARCH METHOD
• TAKEI DIECAST
• TAKEI DIECAST IN PERSPECTIVE
• GUJO AUTO PARTS
• THE TWO WORKER TYPES
• BACKGROUND FACTORS IN THE TWO TYPES
• CHAPTER III REWARDS: WAGES AND THE WORKER
• MODERNIZATION AND THE WAGE STRUCTURE
• JAPANESE WAGE-RATE STRUCTURES
• RELATION OF FACTORY PERFORMANCE TO WAGES
• TENSIONS FOR CHANGE
• WORKERS AND NENKŌ
• MANAGEMENT AND NENKŌ
• A GROUP INCENTIVE WAGE SYSTEM
• CHAPTER IV WORKER SEARCH FOR ADVANCEMENT AND SECURITY
• NENKŌ PROMOTION
• PRESSURES FOR CHANGE
• WORKER PERSPECTIVES ON PROMOTION
• THE STATUS RANKING SYSTEM
• THE INS AND OUTS OF PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT
• TAKEI DIECAST AND PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT
• THE BACK DOOR TO PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT
• PRESSURES FOR CHANGE
• WORKER RIGHTS AND REALITIES OF THE LABOR MARKET
• WORKER ASPIRATIONS OUTSIDE THE COMPANY
• CHAPTER V UNITY AND CLEAVAGE AMONG WORKERS
• IN-GROUP UNITY
• WORKER CATEGORIES
• SOME BASES OF WORKER COALITIONS
• PRESTIGE RANKING OF JOBS
• AGE: A FOCAL POINT OF COALITION AND CLEAVAGE
• WORKERS AND THE WORK CYCLE
• WORKER COMPETITION
• CHAPTER VI THE WORKER AND THE COMPANY: THE SHAPE OF PATERNALISM
• THE WORKER AND THE FOREMAN
• RECRUITMENT AND THE WEB
• CHANGING PATTERNS OF RECRUITMENT
• OYABUN-KOBUN RELATIONS
• GIRI RELATIONS IN THE FACTORY
• THE INSTRUMENTAL USE OF GIRI
• GIRI: CITY AND COUNTRY COMPARED
• MANAGEMENT SUCCESSION
• CHAPTER VII THE WORKER AND THE UNION: AUTONOMY AND IDEOLOGY
• UNION ACTIVITY IN THE SHOP
• INTERNAL UNION DEMOCRACY
• THE REVOLUTION THAT FIZZLED
• UNION AUTONOMY AND THE COMPANY
• SOME EXAMPLES OF VOTING BEHAVIOR
• THE APPEAL OF LEFT-WING IDEOLOGY
• CHAPTER VIII CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS
• SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEX