Perspectives on Japanese Investment, Employment and Management in Australia

In the postwar period Japanese foreign direct investment in Australia has played a key role in strengthening trading links between the two countries and influencing the industrial structure of Australia. This paper surveys the pattern and intensity of Japanese investment in the 1990s as well as the motivations of Japanese investors – both in Australia and the rest of the world. It assesses the organisational and industrial distribution of investment, employment creation, and the conduct of industrial relations by Japanese firms in Australia, in a range of industries. The role of Japanese management and differences in the conduct of industrial relations in Japanese workplaces in Australia are considered in comparative perspective. The paper surveys the characteristics and outward orientation of these firms, particularly in the automotive industry – one of the largest areas of Japanese investment and employment in Australia. Overall, Japanese subsidiaries in Australia are considered to have relatively similar employment and industrial relations practices as other firms.