Employer-employee based quality circles in Japan: human resource policy implications for American firms.
This paper traces the development of the quality circle in Japan with reference to such traditions as permanent employment, nenko (seniority-based compensation), enterprise unionism, and management paternalism. Quality circles are examined as tools for motivating employees, reducing labor turnover, effecting employee "career expansion," and allowing employee participation in job redesign.
D007564:Japan; D007750:Labor Unions / Q000458:organization & administration; D010559:Personnel Management / Q000639:trends*; D011786:Quality Control; D014481:United States