This study examines how middle managers support their employees' strengths use via three sequential analyses. In Study 1, an open-ended questionnaire survey of high-performing middle managers at a global manufacturer in Japan (n = 144) was conducted to collect comments on strengths use support (SUS). The grounded theory approach was used to…

Purpose: Although individual exploration activities have been shown to promote organizational change and innovation, few studies have clarified the factors that quantitatively promote such aspects. This study aims to examine how individual exploration activities are facilitated by goal orientation and individual unlearning.…

This study examined the relationship between career mentoring and work engagement from the mentor perspective, by estimating work meaningfulness as a mediator. The research model used quantitative survey data from 309 employees who mentored their junior colleagues in the on-the-job training programmes of Japanese companies. The results…

Ethical academicians are perfectly virtuous. They always strive for greater virtue and follow strictly the moral stands of their profession. The ethical living and self-efficacy are important to them because of being fair and honest in their academics. Determinants of ethics include knowledge, values, attitude and intention. The domain-specific…

The purpose of this research is to identify the challenges and issues associated with managing expatriate academics at international branch campuses, and to analyze the strategies that have been, or could be, implemented to overcome these challenges and issues. The data used in this study came from an online survey questionnaire that was completed…

This study is a cross-national research in school leadership behaviors. Research subjects in this study include primary and secondary school teachers in Taiwan and northeastern Japan. By referring to "School leadership of the future," this study summarized that school leadership is working toward a team approach to instruction…

Opportunities to improve skills and opportunities to teach or train others may be associated with job satisfaction, work engagement and organizational commitment. The analysis reported in this paper used a subsample of 823 employees within two Japanese and three American worksites. We tested not only the direct relationships of each type of…

Explains lean instructional systems design/development (ISD) as it relates to curriculum architecture design, based on Japan's lean production system. Discusses performance-based systems; ISD models; processes for organizational training and development; curriculum architecture to support job performance; and modular curriculum development. (LRW)

Analysis of vocational adjustment for 109 male and 89 female mentally retarded workers (ages 16-45) indicated that while no single factor predicted vocational success, work-related personality traits and basic work skills should be emphasized. It is concluded that mental retardation and vocational inadequacy should be considered separately.…

Describes the current state of Japanese human resource development, influenced by lifetime employment and seniority practices, and the emerging system, shifting to long-term and performance-based practices. Addresses critical issues: linkages with business strategies, changes in organizational structure, and new evaluation practices. (SK)

Describes the "Z" type training methods used in Japan. This training emphasizes interpersonal relations, long-term development, participative relationships, ability to perform several jobs, and individual patience and tolerance. (CT)

This document reports a study that examined implementation processes for new workplace practices--nonterritorial offices--in five international organizations in four countries. The organizations are IBM and Ernst & Young in the United Kingdom; Digital Equipment's Natural Office in Sweden; SOL Cleaning Company headquarters in Finland; and…

A fundamental challenge within business organizations (whether manufacturing or service, large or small) is posed by the difficulties associated with managing knowledge to integrate the long-term vision and strategic goals with daily working processes and with people. The traditional Western approach of "Management by Objectives" (MbO)…

If competitiors of the United States are making superior products and distributing them more effectively throughout the world, it may be because they are educating workers and managers in ways that create superior skills and discipline. Some U.S. educators agree with businessmen who point to Japan as a model that the United States should strive to…

This document contains three papers on managerial performance issues. "Managerial Skill Requirements: Evidence from the Scottish Visitor Attraction Industry" (Sandra Watson, Martin McCracken) presents the findings from an exploratory study of those skills that managers in the Scottish visitor attraction sector considered most important…