Running Head: INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND THE FUTURE OF U.S. LABOR POLICY
International Industrial Relations and the Future of U.S. Labor
International Industrial Relations and the Future of U.S. Labor Policy
The Japanese or the West Germany relations system is far different from the U.S industrial relations system. The Japanese labor market is composed of distinct characteristics. Certain aspects of the labor market vary form the ones in U.S. In Japan for instance the levels of employment are high, employer-staff connection is rigid and wages-tenure profiles very sloped in comparison to the United States. The two economies also vary in the manner of employment, time of work and inventories adjust in the business set up (Hashimoto, Vol. 12 1991). Layoffs are not put in place commonly in Japan as it is in the U.S. with changes in period worked, earnings and inventories acquiring more significance. Workforce limitations are acquired with less reliance on direct dismissal in Japan when compared to the US. The variation in method of workforce deduction definitely leads to limited employment rates in Japan than it does in the US. Consequently, the unions in Japan are enterprise unions. Each organization is composed of its own unions with primary matters like earnings being based on the local level while on the other hand it is a national union. The US industrial union is a local system which varies from the Japanese one which composes of a blue and a white collar system.
Japan as well as West Germany varies greatly in terms of their industrial relations systems when compare to the United States. The Japanese system is composed of ‘special’ institutions like the joint consultation and consensus-based decision making which leads to a proper and working employer-employee system. Another major aspect is the feature of the Japanese employers and staff allocating most of their time together after working (Bean, May 19, 1994). This is viewed as an investment that creates a strong relationship and lead to investment in an enterprise-specific human capital that is bigger in Japan when compared to US. This investment variation leads to a more rigid employer-employee connection in Japan in relation than in US. This is vivid in the low turnover rates and lesser numbers of days gone in labor differences in Japan.
Bibliography
Bean, R. (May 19, 1994). Comparative industrial relations: an introduction to cross-national perspectives. Cornwall, UK: Cengage Learning EMEA.
Hashimoto, M. (Vol. 12 1991). The Industrial Relations System in Japan: an Interpretation and policy implications. Managerial and Decision Economics, 147-157.
