A Study in Small-group Activities in the Transition of the Japanese Production System

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The small-group activities, which are also known as quality circles, had their highest rate of adoption by Japanese firms in the 1980s. In the following decades, however, their rate of adoption decreased because of the long recession, the transfer of the manufacturing sites overseas, and the replacement with new management approaches. Nevertheless, some of the Japanese firms still continue small-group activities steadily. They estimate that involving their employees with continuous improvements contributes toward management. The associations that diffuse the small-group activities and the firms that implement them sensitively comprehend the changing industrial structure, and are experimenting with the diversified approaches to the activities, while discovering new needs in various industries and workplaces.