Transformation of the Nature of Managerial Work in Modernity: Evidence from the Japanese Workplace

Abstract

The present study discusses modern managerial means and nature through telework, which has been viewed favourably for not only increasing white-collar productivity but also for improving work/life balance. In existing studies, the effect on society has been at the forefront of discussions while investigations about introductory methods or the actual conditions of telework are also active. However, there are few studies on conceptualization and the essential significance. For these reasons, this study will exactingly define the classifications and examine whether telework is a modern labour form in the context of "space-time" and "trust" and clarify the functions of organizational communication and leadership. Finally, we will present a research framework for further studies to comprehend the transformation of managerial nature from traditional work to modern telework through interviews with two Japanese information and communications technology companies.

Who Is Eligible for Telework? Exploring the Fast-Growing Acceptance of and Ability to Telework in Sweden, 2005–2006 to 2011–2014

“…Yet the relative absence of telework in many highly developed countries suggests that the extensive spread of affordable and efficient ICT alone does not lead to high telework diffusion (Hjorthol 2006;Scott et al 2012). In Japan, for example, telework has even decreased in recent years (Kimata and Takahasi 2017). According to some authors, ICT should therefore be seen as a facilitator rather than a precondition of telework (Haddon and Brynin 2005).…”