This study focuses on the effects of participatory human resource management (HRM) practices on productivity and product quality for comparable American and Japanese production units. It also examines the reasons why participatory HRM practices are or are not adopted in the United States and Japan. The emphasis will be on the effects of systems of HRM practices, rather than individual practices, based on the hypothesis that HRM practices are likely to be complementary. The study will use detailed data on comparable steel production lines owned by 23 different firms in the U.S. and Japan, with data collected through personal plant visits. The data set will include measures of specific HRM practices used on specific steel production lines, measures of technology for each specific production line, and measures of production-level performance. The study also will include analysis of activities workers actually perform on the job, as described in their _time diaries?, as a further means of understanding and interpreting the effects of HRM practices on work performance. Longitudinal data will be gathered to track the sustainability of HRM practices over time. Companies participating in this study include NKK America and Nippon Steel USA.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES)
Application #
9422384
Program Officer
Susan R. Sanderson
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1995-04-01
Budget End
1999-03-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
$350,740
Indirect Cost
Name
Carnegie-Mellon University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213