by Philippe Debroux, Soka University, Faculty of Business
Wednesday 22 March from 13:30 until 14:30 in room Doyen 22
Abstract
This presentation develops an HRM perspective on the management of a specific segment or ‘asset’ in the labor market; namely, older workers in the context of a developed economy with a rapidly ageing society. It explores the extent to which social, legal, economic and demographic factors appear to be impacting on the career expectations and experiences of older workers in Japan, focusing more specifically on those who are over 60 years old. So far studies on older workers in Japan shows a large variety in practices and positioning. There are elements that are linked to the willingness to control labor cost. Overall the percentage of older workers in the labor market is higher than in other developed economies but Japanese companies seldom tried so far to optimize their talent and experience. Moreover, they often did not treat them fairly in term of reward and quality of working conditions. However, efforts are observed recently that show the willingness to adapt to the workers’ expectations while maximizing their potential. For instance efforts are made to accommodate the factories and offices equipments and work patterns (timetable, work pace, collaboration with younger workers for physically hard tasks, geographic mobility, etc) in taking into account financial, physiological and psychological needs. Older workers have often the desire to continue working well above 60 years old but in good conditions. They have to be fairly rewarded and their specific job and life requirements must be satisfied. In some companies policies are devised out of necessity but in others they seem to be more deliberate. Although it is too early to draw conclusion, examples seem to indicate the beginning of a gradual evolution toward a fairer and more dynamic utilization of the potential of senior workers in a growing number of companies. It would makes management of older workers more manageable until they retire at 65 and could trigger the launch of a life-cycle approach to labor force activity, in line with the projects of the public authorities to create an ‘ageless society’ where everybody remained included in society at all stages of life and work and career are not necessarily only based on chronological age.
Short bio
Philippe Debroux is a Belgian citizen resident in Japan since the 1970s. He has a PhD in applied economics from Brussels University and holds a MBA degree from INSEAD. After working in several Belgian and Japanese companies he started his academic career in the mid-1980s. He is currently professor of international management and international human resource management at the faculty of business administration of Soka University (Japan). He is also visiting professor on a regular basis at Rennes University (France), Open University (Vietnam), Chuo and Sophia University (Japan). His research focuses on development in human resource management, more specifically the issue of treatment of older workers, and innovation and entrepreneurship in Japan. His main recent publications include Female entrepreneurship in Asia (Chandos), ‘Asia’s Turning Point’ (John Wiley and Sons), co-authored with Ivan Tselichtchev, and ‘Innovation in Japan co-edited with Keith Jackson.