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Jon Metzler's avatar

This sequence has been riveting. Looking forward to part 3.

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Daniel Maggs's avatar

"Yet, most companies are unwilling to offer the pay required to lure more of Japan’s smart students into the field. That’s largely because, in most companies, seniority counts more than occupation in determining pay. Attempts to alter this practice have run into resistance from unions as well as non-union workers who, based on experience, see such changes as attempts to lower the pay of workers without such special skills."

So basically the two major issues blocking this are (i) the 年功序列 system; and (ii) a culture of wanting to get promoted into higher-paying management positions which are less technical (i.e. the "real work" is done by harder working, lower paid juniors, just like ものづくり職人 are respected for their art but ultimately not well paid)

I cannot see how this will change given the mass consent required to change, and resistance to giving special treatment to certain groups of people

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