ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the institutional features of Japanese large corporations and their management have been important in securing the effective deployment of engineering skills in the past. It traces the historical outlines of the development of Japanese industrial organization to underline the links between Japanese company structures, management cultures and engineers. The chapter examines some propositions about the characteristics of Japanese engineers and the extent to which these characteristics aid Japanese companies in their Research & Development (R&D) effort. It focuses on distinguishing broadly national patterns, on a ‘Japanese’ and a ‘British’ pattern. The chapter also examines some of the ways in which Japanese companies are endeavouring to adapt ‘traditional’ human resource development policies and practices to the management of the rapidly expanding R&D staffs. Some of the beneficial effects of the development of these institutional arrangements can be seen in comparison with engineers from other national systems.
