Abstract
Investing the relationship between the company and the individual has become more important. This paper examines changes in the discourse on “the company man” based on articles published between 1978 and 2007. The results are as follows. First, the period of the discourse on “company man” consists of two parts. Second, in the early part of the period, the major themes were criticism of the employment system and calls for a reduction of working hours. Third, In the latter part of the period, the themes were volunteerism, the engagement in local activity, and the return to the family. These themes show the idea that individual autonomy could only be achieved outside of the company.
