International Symposium

The Science of Japanese Personnel Management - Rethinking employment systems in the era of globalization

Announcement

In order to maintain or improve competitiveness in the integrating global markets, a growing number of Japanese firms facing saturated domestic markets have been revising their personnel policies that were formed during the era of high growth. Changes in the legal environments in the areas of non-standard employment, extension of the mandatory retirement age, work-life balance, etc. are also pressing the reform. How are such changes affecting the way people work and the way workforces are being managed? Researchers from the Institute of Social Science of the University of Tokyo and the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry have been analyzing personnel data in order to shed light on the relationship between personnel policies and the behaviors of employees and managers.

In this symposium, we share some of our findings as well as discussing many related issues with leading economists including Professor Edward P. Lazear (Stanford University), who has contributed enormously in forming the field of "personnel economics," which studies employment systems quantitatively. Through the panel discussion among economists from both Japan and the United States, we investigate important human resource management policy issues faced by Japanese firms and explore desirable personnel reforms.

Information

  • Time and Date: 13:00-18:00, Friday, July 12, 2013 (Registration desk opens at 12:30)
  • Venue: Ito Hall, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo (7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo)
    http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ext01/iirc/en/access.html
  • Languages: English/Japanese (Simultaneous interpretation service provided)
  • Admission: Free
  • Capacity: 350 (Pre-registration required by July 11, 2013. Please be aware that registration may close early if it reaches capacity.)
  • Hosts: Institute of Social Sciences, The University of Tokyo / Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI)
  • Support: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
  • Sponsors: Works Applications Co., Ltd. / Nomura Foundation / JSPS Grants in Aid for Scientific Research (Project No. 25245041)
  • Contact: RIETI, (Ms.) Tomoko HARADA
    Tel: 03-3501-8398 / Fax: 03-3501-8416

Streaming video footage and handouts pertaining to the symposium will be available for download from the RIETI website after the event. For information on RIETI's privacy policy and use of images and videos obtained from RIETI symposiums, please visit the RIETI website at http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/privacy/portrait_right.html .

Program

13:00 Open

Opening Remarks

ISHIDA Hiroshi (Director, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo)

Welcoming Speech

OGAWA Makoto (Deputy Director-General for Labour and Human Resources, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, METI)

13:15 - 14:00 Keynote Speech

"A Personnel Economics Approach to Productivity Enhancement"

Edward P. LAZEAR (Jack Steele Parker Professor of Human Resources Management and Economics, Stanford University / former Chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers)

14:00 - 14:20 Presentation

"Global Talent Management for Japanese Companies in Developed and Emerging Markets"

Alec R. LEVENSON (Senior Research Scientist, Center of Effective Organization, University of Southern California)

14:20 - 14:40 Break

14:40 - 15:30 Research Report

"Lessons from the Personnel Data Repository Project"

KATO Takao (Professor, Colgate University / Visiting Professor, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University)

OWAN Hideo (Faculty Fellow, RIETI / Professor, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo)

15:30 - 15:50 Presentation

"Toward the Diversity of Regular Employees Under the Polarization of the Japanese Labor Market"

TSURU Kotaro (Program Director and Faculty Fellow, RIETI / Professor, the Graduate School of Business & Commerce, Keio University)

15:50 - 16:10 Presentation

"Expanding Work Opportunities for Women and Support for Work-Life Balance: The roles of managers"

SATO Hiroki (Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies and Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo)

16:10 - 16:30 Break

16:30 - 17:55 Panel Discussion

"Challenges in Personnel Management for Japanese Firms in the Era of Globalization"

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

Edward P. LAZEAR (Jack Steele Parker Professor of Human Resources Management and Economics, Stanford University / former Chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers)

Alec R. LEVENSON (Senior Research Scientist, Center of Effective Organization, University of Southern California)

OWAN Hideo (Faculty Fellow, RIETI / Professor, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo)

SATO Hiroki (Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies and Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo)

TSURU Kotaro (Program Director and Faculty Fellow, RIETI / Professor, the Graduate School of Business & Commerce, Keio University)

Moderator:

KAWAGUCHI Daiji (Faculty Fellow, RIETI / Professor, Faculty of Economics, Hitotsubashi University)

17:55 - 18:00 Closing Remarks

NAKAJIMA Atsushi (Chairman, RIETI)

*Agenda is subject to change