Sociology 110 Professor Aldrich UNC Work Japan Nummi

SOCIOLOGY 31

ASSIGNMENT FOR AUGUST 27TH

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Can the US borrow from Japan or is Japanese society too different from us to allow borrowing?
READINGS:

1. Ezra Vogel, Japan as Number 1, on reserve in Undergraduate Library. (TOO expensive -- $$$ -- to put in the Coursepak!!) Please note: this reading is also in the 1996 Coursepak on reserve, as number 12. So, there are single copies, Coursepak copies, and maybe also by now an electronic reserve copy

2. Hodson & Sullivan, The Social Organization of Work, Chapter 16, section on "Macroplanning in Japan," pp. 428-432.

3. Susan Chira, "Motto for a New Breed: Less Work, More Pay." BE sure to check you have the right Coursepak reading! This reading is number 13 in the 1996 Coursepak

When you are doing these readings, keep in mind the Question for the Day. AND focus on identifying one characteristic of the Japanese system that makes it difficult to transfer to the USA AND one characteristic that makes it easy to transfer.

Some Web Sources on Japan (option reading):

The Japan Society
NUMMI official Web Site. Click on the Purple Logo Screen to access the site
A commercial report on Team-Based organization by A.J. Kearny corporation
Detroit News article from 1996 on GM's use of NUMMI-inspired practices in its Brazilian operations Click here

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