Work Organization and Workforce Commitment: A Study of Plants and Employees in the U.S. and Japan

Abstract

We address the hypothesis that organizational commitment is higher among Japanese than U. S. workers and that this commitment gap may be an outcome of the greater prevalence of welfare structures in Japanese firms. With data from a survey of over 8,000 employees in nearly 100 plants in Japan and the United States, we estimate a multilevel model of the processes shaping individuals' organizational commitment and work satisfaction. Consistent with a theory of corporatist control, we find that participatory work structures and employee services (paternalism) are more typical of Japanese plants yet function in both countries to raise commitment and morale. Other evidence for and against predictions from corporatist theory is discussed.