University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0315
Survey Title Survey on Changes in the Japanese-style Human Resources System, 2002
Depositor Japan Productivity Center
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Educational Purpose Only available for research.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
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Summary This survey is built upon the "Survey on the lifetime employment system" (1992), "Survey on the introduction of an annual salary system" (1993) and "Survey on the introduction of a discretionary labor system" (1994) conducted by the Japan Productivity Center in the past.
This is the sixth survey that has been conducted annually since 1997 as the "Survey on Changes in the Japanese-Style Human Resources System."

Since the latter half of the 90s, Japanese companies have been undergoing a major transformation from those with a strong seniority-based promotion system to a merit- or performance-based system. The introduction of the annual salary system taken up during the years this survey was conducted can be said to be one of several symbolic manifestations of this shift. Other examples include the introduction of a personnel system based on work standards and the expansion of performance standards, such as role-based grading systems and role-based salary systems, the introduction of systems for evaluating results fairly, and the implementation of systems for guaranteeing the right to select one’s role. Based on this, the purpose of this survey was to gain a dynamic understanding of the rapid changes reshaping the personnel system.

The main survey items address the following:
(1) Achievements represented by the annual salary system/trends in the introduction and utilization of performance-based personnel systems
(2) Trends in hiring (year-round hiring, job-specific hiring, internship system, temporary staffing, etc.)
(3) Trends related to career development support (in-house recruitment system, in-house FA system, career counseling, early hiring/training, etc.)
(4) Trends related to the evaluation system (competency, process evaluation, multi-faceted observation (evaluation) system, grievance processing system, etc.)
(5) Trends in responding to flexible work styles (discretionary labor system, telework/telecommuting, etc.)
(6) Trends in retirement and corporate pension plans (defined contribution pension plans, retirement benefits prepayment plans, point retirement benefits plans, cafeteria plans, etc.)
Data Type quantitative research: micro data
Universe Human resources and labor relations personnel of 2,547 listed companies (as of October 2002)
Unit of Observation Organization
Sample Size 303 responding companies (response rate: 11.9%)
Date of Collection Mid-October to early December 2002
Time Period
Spatial Unit
Sampling Procedure
Mode of Data Collection Surveys were collected by mail or fax
Investigator Japan Productivity Center
DOI
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation Questionnaire
Major Survey Items Questionnaire items:
(1) Personnel management systems
Evaluation criteria at time of recruitment, HR department’s position in the management strategy, emphasis on the ease of work, HR policy and direction of corporate strategy, support for career development, presentation of skills necessary for a long-term career, ease of submission of complaints about evaluation results, communication between superiors and subordinates, opinions about top management, support for employees wishing to take childcare/nursing care leave, active recruitment of people changing jobs, reflection on the treatment of non-regular employees, mental health consultation support
(2) Trends in recruitment
Internships (status of implementation, purpose of implementation, receiving departments, period of acceptance, number of accepting departments, future plans)
Planned introduction of dispatched workers (haken shain) (status of utilization, presence/absence/number of cases hired as regular employees)
Appointment of part-time workers as regular employees
(3) Annual salary system
Introduction status, target group
(4) Trends in career development support
In-house recruitment system (introduction status, introduction timing, reason for introduction, operation status, number of applicants in previous year and number of applicants for transfer)
Career counseling (introduction status, purpose of introduction)
Early selection/training policy and issues for next-generation executive candidates
(5) Trends in evaluation
Operational status and problems of the evaluation system
Multi-faceted observation (evaluation) system (introduction status, month and year of introduction, purpose, operation status, issues)
Competency (utilization status for personnel management, utilization target, issues with introduction/utilization)
Evaluator training (implementation status of evaluator training for managers, goal setting/target interview training for managers, feedback provided to individual based on the evaluation results)
Process evaluation (areas of focus, problems)
(6) Introduction status of various personnel treatment systems
Year-round employment, job-specific employment, reduced working hours system, telework (working from home, etc.), self-reporting system, in-house FA system, complaint handling system, discretionary labor system (specialized work type), discretionary labor system (planning work type), double-line personnel system (specialized staff system), work location limitation system, occupation-specific wage system, invention incentive system, stock option, cafeteria plan, defined contribution pension, retirement benefits prepayment (additional salary) system, point-type retirement benefits system, mandatory retirement age system, job change support system, continuous employment after retirement age (all applicants), extension of mandatory retirement age, business headquarters system, in-house branch/company system, holding company system

Face items:
Type of business, number of regular employees
Date of Release 2004/02/06
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Version
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese.