This research examines labor management relations in Japanese subsidiaries located in the United States (US). In great part, these labor management relations are governed by the Japanese approach to the management of business enterprise, and the response of American workers and their labor unions to the Japanese methods and techniques (Holstein, 1986, pp. 45-46). To understand labor management relations at Japanese subsidiaries in the US, thus, one must also understand the Japanese approach to management.
THE INTRODUCTION OF JAPANESE MANAGEMENT
TECHNIQUES INTO THE UNITED STATES
In the US, an increased awareness of and interest in Japanese management techniques was precipitated by the successes attained by Japanese firms in the domestic markets of the US and in other markets around the world where American and Japanese firms were in direct competition (Robinson, 1982, pp. 4-5). This awareness and interest was heightened by the fact that Japanese successes often occurred at the expense of American industrial firms (Ouchi, 1981, pp. 3-10). As a consequence of these developments, many American firms have, to some extent, adopted Japanese management techniques (Maher, 1985, p. 32). Japanese management techniques have also been introduced into the US through (1) the establishment of production facilities in the US by Japanese manufacturers, and (2) the acquisition of American production facilities by Japanese firms.
To be sure, not all management and organizational theorists and analysts in the US are convinced that American management techniques are inferior to those of the Japanese (Cox, 1982, p. 21). Even where the merit of Japanese management techniques is recognized, there is often opposition to an emulation by American firms of Japanese management techniques (Yang, 1984, p. 172). In some instances, opposition is based on a contention that the specific management techniq...