{"title":"The effect of enterprise unions on employment adjustment speed in Japanese firms","authors":"Tomohiko Noda, Daisuke Hirano","doi":"10.1111/bjir.12804","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Using 20-year dynamic panel data, we analysed the difference in employment adjustment speed and behaviour between unionized and non-unionized firms, whether continuous or discontinuous, to investigate the effects of enterprise unions on job security in Japan. We confirmed that unionized firms were more reluctant to downsize and continue to offer stronger job security than non-unionized firms. However, the unions’ influence on job security has gradually weakened. The primary contribution of this study is its clarification that unions in Japan played the role of guardians of job security under increasing globalization and technological innovation over the 20-year sample period. Our clarification provides evidence that a different type of union, distinct from those in Western countries aiming for wage increases, is deeply embedded in the Japanese stakeholder system.</p>","PeriodicalId":47846,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Industrial Relations","volume":"62 3","pages":"645-669"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"British Journal of Industrial Relations","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjir.12804","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS & LABOR","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Using 20-year dynamic panel data, we analysed the difference in employment adjustment speed and behaviour between unionized and non-unionized firms, whether continuous or discontinuous, to investigate the effects of enterprise unions on job security in Japan. We confirmed that unionized firms were more reluctant to downsize and continue to offer stronger job security than non-unionized firms. However, the unions’ influence on job security has gradually weakened. The primary contribution of this study is its clarification that unions in Japan played the role of guardians of job security under increasing globalization and technological innovation over the 20-year sample period. Our clarification provides evidence that a different type of union, distinct from those in Western countries aiming for wage increases, is deeply embedded in the Japanese stakeholder system.
期刊介绍:
BJIR (British Journal of Industrial Relations) is an influential and authoritative journal which is essential reading for all academics and practitioners interested in work and employment relations. It is the highest ranked European journal in the Industrial Relations & Labour category of the Social Sciences Citation Index. BJIR aims to present the latest research on developments on employment and work from across the globe that appeal to an international readership. Contributions are drawn from all of the main social science disciplines, deal with a broad range of employment topics and express a range of viewpoints.