Racial factors in site location and employment patterns of Japanese auto firms in America

Article Abstract:

The auto industry has traditionally been a major source of jobs and income for blacks. As jobs in U.S. companies decline, the newer Japanese plants, both manufacturers and suppliers, are not hiring blacks to a similar extent. The new American plants typically employ higher percentages of blacks than would be expected from their local laborsheds. This has resulted primarily from UAW contractual obligations to accept displaced workers. By contrast, the Japanese manufacturers and suppliers located in areas with few blacks and hire fewer blacks than would be expected from the racial composition of their local laborsheds. While the data presented in this article have important policy implications, they do not themselves establish intent to discriminate because of the complexity of factors involved in plant site decisions. Nevertheless, there is a range of anecdotal data that do suggest that the Japanese have a 'taste for discrimination.' (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Japan, Employment, Race discrimination, Corporations, Japanese, Automobile industry workers, Automotive industry workers

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Quality, participation, and competitiveness

Article Abstract:

American managers have been slow to embrace employee involvement, because the American tradition of employee involvement has not convincingly linked participation with business results. In contrast, the Japanese have incorporated extensive participation into the modern quality paradigm. Their approach, which focuses participation on the improvement of production processes, can attract managerial support for participation by framing it as an avenue to increased competitiveness. The modern quality paradigm's principle of "market-in" de-emphasizes buffering in favor of exposing organization members to market information and pressures. Market-in builds widespread support for participation by highlighting important connections with organizational performance. Combining participation with quality can thus overcome major weaknesses of the participation tradition by linking participation to business results. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Evaluation, Participatory management

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U.S. quality improvement in the auto industry: close but no cigar

Article Abstract:

There has been a great deal of recent discussion and strong advertising claims concerning the extent of the quality gap between American and Japanese auto manufacturers. This article explores developments over the last decade, providing an assessment of the size and nature of the remaining gap. In particular, the author shows how consideration of new product development practices changes the way we should assess measures of quality performance. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Analysis, Quality control, Product development, Foreign cars, Automobiles, Foreign

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