Tateshakai The Vertical Society

1
Tateshakai The Vertical Society

• By Takehiro Kakiyama
• Sophia University, Tokyo

2
Origin 1 - Social Hierarchy
Companies Today
Edo Period
Samurai
?
1stClass
Farmers
?
Artisans
2nd Class
?
Merchants
?
3rd Class
?2009 Takehiro Kakiyama
3
Origin 2 - Family
Reference http//www.mc-soul.com/image/photo/diar
y-photo/04/04-12-19-03.jpg
Entrance
Kitchen
Referencehttp//www.asij.ac.jp/elementary/project
s/japanmro/Nina/image/saze1.jpg
?2009 Takehiro Kakiyama
4
Senpai (Seniors) and Kohai (Juniors)

• Senpai-kohai system

Benevolence
Reverence
Referencehttp//gigazine.jp/img/2008/01/30/beauti
ful_gian/012.jpg
Referencehttp//www.hobbycrazy.com/images/1102908
364/9_vcd_nobita_2.jpg
Senior Senpai
Junior Kohai
?2009 Takehiro Kakiyama
5
Advantages

• Secure jobs and income (life-time employment)
• No jealousy between employees (everybody at the
  same level earns the same amount)
• Employees are socialized in the company by their
  peers
• Employees have a lot of time to learn their jobs
  (on-the-job training)

?2009 Takehiro Kakiyama
6
Disadvantages

• Slow decision-making (group decision making)
• Not everybody has the patience to wait for
  promotion
• Mid-career hiring is still rare in Japan
• No real job market for top managers

?2009 Takehiro Kakiyama
7
About This Project
These slides are part of a student podcast
project related to the book J-Management Fresh
Perspectives on the Japanese Firm in the 21st
Century edited by Dr. Parissa Haghirian of
Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. For further
information about the podcasts and the book,
please visit www.parissahaghirian.com These
slides are to be used for teaching and
educational purposes only.