The purpose of this paper is to offer suggestions on the methods and future challenges of labor research studies through an analysis of Koikeʼs representative works.
Koike (1977) and Koike (1987), his representative works, are both international comparative studies on the skill formation of production workers. Although the basic research objectives of the two books are the same, the implications of their conclusions are very different due to the difference of research methods.
Koike (1977) explained the breadth of Japanese workers’ careers in terms of the major theories of economic history and the latecomer effect. While the explanation was highly universal, it did not have many practical implications, such as what organizational conditions were connected to the wide career and how the management could change the way of skill formation.
On the other hand, Koike (1987) clarified the differences in the skills of workers in three countries, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan, by using the concept of “intellectual skills”. In addition, the introduction of the separation-integration approach has made it possible to relate differences in skills to a variety of factors such as firm size, years of operation, academic background, training, and management policies, opening up the possibility of discussing the influence of labormanagement and policy actors. The analytical concept of “intellectual skills,” derived inductively from field observations, has contributed greatly to the finding of facts and the obtaining of practical implications.
There have been many responses and criticisms for Koikeʼs studies. One of these contentious issues is the extent to which Japanese workers have the power against the management in matters of their tasks. Even though this is a fundamental theme in industrial relations studies, a sufficient consensus has yet to be developed. However, several previous research suggest the importance of focusing on the influence of workplace groups. There is a need to theorize the factual findings of these previous studies and to advance the research through more structured investigations.
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