The rise in thc Western concept of HRM parallels the global success of Japanese manufacturing enterprises. HRM in these firms emphasized an internal labour market and stable relationships between all stakeholders. The global environment may now require firms to shift to a more market-oriented...

Because of the depth and scope of its innovation system, Japan is a reference country in terms of developments in the management of innovation. Japan remains an ambitious country, and, according to recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics, maintains its...

Japanese public authorities are concerned that Japanese industry is losing its competitive advantage in high technology industries. Moreover, there is a strong concern about the hollowing out of the local industrial basis during a period where the population is ageing and there is a need for the...

Japanese trade unions have contributed much to the economic stability and success of Japanese enterprises. Globalization has, however, placed substantial pressure on the Japanese industrial relations system and, in turn, upon the enterprise union system. Not all changes can be directly...

The studies presented in this collection have outlined some of the significant and emerging changes in the patterns of innovation in Japan, illustrating with examples from across diverse industries and business sectors, and developing arguments from a number of internal and external...