High Performance Work Practices and Employee Voice: A Comparison of Japanese and Korean Workers

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. www.econstor.eu Using a unique new cross-national survey of Japanese and Korean workers, we report the first systematic evidence on the effects on employee voice of High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) from the two economies which are noted for the wide use of HPWPs. We find for both nations that: (i) workers in firms with HPWPs aimed at creating opportunities for employees to get involved (such as shopfloor committees and small group activities) are indeed more likely to have stronger senses of influence and voice on shopfloor decision making than other workers; (ii) workers whose pay is tied to firm performance are more likely to have a stake in firm performance and hence demand such influence and voice; and (iii) consequently workers in firms with HPWPs are more likely to make frequent suggestions for productivity increase and quality improvement. As such, this paper contributes to a small yet growing new empirical literature which tries to understand the actual process and mechanism through which HPWPs lead to better enterprise performance. Terms of use: Documents in D I S C U S S I O N P A P E R S E R I E SJEL Classification: J53, M54, M52

Crowding‐out or crowding‐in? Direct voice, performance‐related pay, and organizational innovation in European firms

“…In support of this theoretical approach, in their literature review Cerasoli et al () found that intrinsic motivation is less important to performance when incentives are directly tied to performance (like in piece‐rate plans and commissions), and more important when incentives are indirectly tied to performance (like in profit‐sharing plans). Similarly, Bae, Chuma, Kato, Kim, and Ohashi () found that workers with group incentives created by profit‐sharing plans and grassroots innovation opportunities that originated through voice channels made productivity‐enhancing and quality‐improving suggestions more frequently than other workers.…”

Do not say a word! Conceptualizing employee silence in a long-term crisis context

“…Informal management practices are often utilized by SMEs in order to control their employees because formal communication and control structures do not exist (Wilkinson, 1999) or are seen as bureaucratic processes (Katz, Aldrich, Welbourne & Williams, 2000). Furthermore, small firms are mostly non-unionized as a result of the paternalistic nature of their employment relationship (Bae, Chuma, Kato, Kim & Ohashi, 2011) but may incorporate more direct and informal voice channels between employer and employees (Marlow & Gray, 2005), with the level of formalization depending on a variety of internal and external factors (Hay, Beattie, Livingstone & Munro, 2001;Kotey & Slade, 2005;Sameer & Ozbilgin, 2014). Beyond the studies above, there is less understanding of how employee voice is formulated in SMEs while any reference to smaller enterprises operating in the periphery is limited.…”

Does Japan Still Matter? Past Tendencies and Future Opportunities in the Study of Japanese Firms

“…For example, certain articles examined HPWS and its performance implications (Bae et al . ; Takeuchi and Takeuchi ), while others concentrated on the changing features of HRM practices (Hassard et al . ; Keizer ; Lee et al .…”

“…Bae et al . () built on existing knowledge by comparing the data from Japanese and Korean electric appliance makers. Their notion of HPWS emphasized the factors that could enhance employee commitment.…”

“…For example, certain articles examined HPWS and its performance implications (Bae et al 2011;Takeuchi and Takeuchi 2013), while others concentrated on the changing features of HRM practices (Hassard et al 2012;Keizer 2011;Lee et al 2011;MacVaugh and Evans 2012;Sekiguchi 2013;Tomiura et al 2013). Bae et al (2011) built on existing knowledge by comparing the data from Japanese and Korean electric appliance makers. Their notion of HPWS emphasized the factors that could enhance employee commitment.…”