Westminster Education Professor Discusses Changing Work Ethics in Japan

Dr. Amy Camardese, assistant professor of education at Westminster College, was one of 10 teachers from universities, high schools, and elementary schools in the United States and Canada who took part in an examination of the changing work ethics of Japanese youth with their Japanese counterparts and businesspeople in Tokyo.

 The theme of this 12-day exchange program was "Fostering a Work Ethic in Young People: Perspectives of North American Educators," which focused on a growing tendency of young Japanese to switch jobs quickly.  The phenomenon of "freeters," is a word coined to refer to Japanese youths who drift from one part-time job to another.  Many in Japan feel that "freeters" pose a threat to the nation's economic potential at a time when Japan faces a shrinking labor force brought about by shifting demographics.

 Camardese told the forum that many young workers in the United States do not share the work ethics of the baby boomers who will soon reach retirement age.

 "Management experts predict that many companies will have a difficult time retaining young workers as the baby boomers retire," Camardese told the forum.  "The traditional corporate policies and management style in the United States conflict with the lifestyle of the young workers.

 "Workers up to the age of 40 in America don't think twice about changing jobs if they find something better.  It's not unusual for many of these generations to change jobs 10 or 12 times."

 Citing a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher, Camardese said that in the U.S., young workers' values about work commitment differ from their parents'  particularly over what they will put up with in their organizations and businesses, and with their superiors.

 "So we have a very similar problem with Japan," Camardese added.

 Camardese cited research by another human resources consultant that suggests that younger workers want more immediate recognition and rewards than their parents did.

 "They want more autonomy when it comes to job choices.  They want fewer rules that stifle their individuality of expression.  They are also concerned about lifestyle issues: It's no longer necessary for them to work overtime because both the husband and the wife are employed,"  Camardese said.  "These younger workers are not inclined to accept authority, often question why they are being asked to do what they are asked to do."

 Part of the problem both in the U.S. and Japan may be the changing corporate structure. 

 "Many American firms are beginning to eliminate middle-management jobs, and they're hiring more part-time workers to increase profitability.  It is possible to put the changes in the right direction, but we have to figure out what that right direction might be," Camardese concluded.

 Camardese, who has been with Westminster College since 2001, earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio University, her master's from the University of Pittsburgh, and her Ph.D. from Kent State University.

 Contact Camardese at (724) 946-7183 or e-mail camardah@westminster.edu.

Dr. Amy Camardese