Japanese Blue Collar: The Changing Tradition

Japanese Blue Collar: The Changing Tradition explores the evolving dynamics of Japan's blue-collar workforce amidst rapid industrialization and social transformation, offering a rare empirical perspective that challenges stereotypes and anecdotal accounts. It examines the tension between tradition and modernity, revealing the complexities of Japanese labor relations and the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. This book contributes to broader debates on industrialization, cultural uniqueness, and convergence theory and is essential reading for anyone interested in labor studies, industrial sociology, or the socio-economic history of Japan.

Format: Hardback
Length: 314 pages
Publication date: 13 May 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Japanese Blue Collar: The Changing Tradition is a comprehensive exploration of the evolving dynamics of Japan's blue-collar workforce amidst rapid industrialization and social transformation. Through detailed case studies of two Japanese firms, the book sheds light on the reshaping of the economic landscape and social structures, as well as the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. Central to the study is the tension between tradition and modernity, with the book challenging simplistic narratives and proposing a nuanced understanding of the corporate group as a semi-closed, loyalty-based social structure. The book's meticulously researched analysis of housing conditions, wage systems, and evolving worker aspirations reveals the complexities of Japanese labor relations and the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. It contributes to a deeper understanding of Japanese blue-collar workers and engages broader debates on industrialization, cultural uniqueness, and convergence theory. This essential read for anyone interested in labor studies, industrial sociology, or the socio-economic history of Japan offers a rich empirical foundation for further exploration.
Japanese Blue Collar: The Changing Tradition is a comprehensive exploration of the evolving dynamics of Japan's blue-collar workforce amidst rapid industrialization and social transformation. Through detailed case studies of two Japanese firms, the book sheds light on the reshaping of the economic landscape and social structures, as well as the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. Central to the study is the tension between tradition and modernity, with the book challenging simplistic narratives and proposing a nuanced understanding of the corporate group as a semi-closed, loyalty-based social structure. The book's meticulously researched analysis of housing conditions, wage systems, and evolving worker aspirations reveals the complexities of Japanese labor relations and the interplay between traditional practices and the demands of modern industrial society. It contributes to a deeper understanding of Japanese blue-collar workers and engages broader debates on industrialization, cultural uniqueness, and convergence theory. This essential read for anyone interested in labor studies, industrial sociology, or the socio-economic history of Japan offers a rich empirical foundation for further exploration.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 203 x 133 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520360761