Case Study and Quantitative Analysis of the Impacts of the Revision of HR Practices on the Employment Systems of the Japanese Firm

随着泡沫经济的破裂，日本经济陷入长期停滞，日本企业正在逐步重塑其人力资源（HR）系统和实践。重组运动的关键词是“以绩效为导向”，比如以绩效为导向的人力资源实践和工资决定。然而，目前尚不清楚以绩效为导向的结构调整在多大程度上改变了企业的组织结构和雇佣制度。此外，以前的研究并没有调查以绩效为导向的重组如何改变公司内部薪酬结构。为了理解这些变化，我们采用了不同的方法来追求三个基本目标。首先，通过个人访谈和案例研究，我们分析了公司组织和人力资源实践重组背后的战略和流程。其次，通过问卷调查，我们试图确定结构调整的扩散程度和决定因素。第三，利用私营公司的人事档案，我们调查了公司人力资源系统修订后工资确定的连续性和不连续性。我们的研究揭示了以下结果。首先，来自电子公司案例研究的证据表明，这些公司已将其业务领域从制造业转向服务和it密集型产品开发。此外，它们还将其组织部门捆绑在一起，以适应其产品的融合（例如，硬件和软件的融合）。由于这种向组织捆绑的转变，企业内部出现了特定类型员工的大规模盈余和短缺；特别是制造业存在大量冗员，研发设计人员严重短缺。其次，问卷调查证实了案例研究的结果。然而，重组的业绩效果是喜忧参半的：一些公司在重组后恢复了盈利能力，而另一些公司则没有。第三，通过对人事档案的分析，发现年龄对工资的影响减弱，绩效评价对工资的影响增强。从这些结果中，我们得出结论，日本经济长达十年的停滞已经对企业组织和就业制度的剧烈变化产生了强大的压力。然而，大规模的重组尚未带来企业业绩的明显复苏。少

Since the prolonged economic stagnation following the burst of the bubble economy, Japanese firms have steadily reshaped their human resources (HR) systems and practices. The keyword of the restructuring campaigns has been "performance-oriented", as in performance-oriented HR practices and wage determination. However, it is not clear to what extent performance-oriented testructuring has actually transformed firms' organizational structures and employment systems. Furthermore, previous studies have not investigated how performance-oriented restructuring changed firms' internal pay structures.To understand these changes, we have applied different methodologies to pursue three fundamental objectives. First, using personal interviews and case studies, we have analyzed the strategies and processes behind the restructuring of firms' organizations and HR practices. Second, using questionnaire surveys, we have tried to identify the degree of diffusion and the determinants of the restructuring. … More Third, using the personnel files of private companies, we have investigated continuities and discontinuities in wage determination following revisions of firms' HR systems.Our research has revealed the following results. First, evidence from case studies of electronics companies suggests that the firms have shifted their business areas from manufacturing toward services and IT-intensive product development Also, they have bundled their organizational divisions, corresponding to the fusion of their products (for example, the fusion of hardware and software). As a result of this shift toward organizational bundling, large-scale surpluses and shortages of particular types of employees have occurred within firms ; in particular, there have been many redundant manufacturing workers and serious shortages of research & development and design personnel. Second, questionnaire survey has confirmed the findings of the case studies. However, the performance effect of the restructuring is mixed : some companies have restored profitability after restructuring, while others have not. Third, analysis of personnel files revealed the weakening of the age effect on wages and the strengthening of the effect of performance ratings on wages following revisions of HR practices. From these results, we conclude that the decade-long stagnation of the Japanese economy has generated strong pressure for drastic change in firms' organization and employment systems. However, extensive restructuring has not yet yielded a clear recovery of firm performance. Less