I wrote an essay about Japan type of management the other day. It is based on an article on the New York Times (click here). It would be very appreciated if you could help proofreading it. Please do it at your convenience. Thank you ~
Here you go.
The Rise and Fall of Japan Type of Management
For the Japanese aged 50 and above, the 1980s is a glorious time that they probably would never forget. It was a time when the economy in Japan was unprecedentedly flourishing; their enterprises were steamrollering through global markets; Japan was topping the world in the amounts of foreign exchange reserve they possessed; the Japanese yen was being constantly revalued to a record high. Astonished by Japan’s seemingly invincible economic power, many then masters of management started peddling the view that it was Japan’s unique work culture that made their companies outdo the Western ones. Publishers also churned out books like “Japan as Number One” touting Japan’s success and digging up reasons behind the triumph. Running firms like the Japanese quickly became all the rage around the world. Among the most prominent features of the Japan type of management was the life-time employment model. That is, a person only work for one employer in their life.
The Japanese miracle, however, came to an abrupt end when its economic bubble finally burst in the end of the ‘80s. Since then, Japan has been caught in the quicksand of economic regression. The global economic meltdown in 2008 dealt a further body blow to their economy, and to their deep-rooted one-job-for-life work culture as well. Struggling for survival amid the crisis, Japanese companies started to slash expenses: downsizing, replacing official employees with contractors or avoiding paid overtime. No longer feeling the sense of job security and yearning for additional discretionary income, Japanese workers began seeking side jobs. The two forces add up to the final nail in the coffin of the lifelong one-on-one labor-capital relationship.
With hindsight, management theories seem not much different from women’s fashion. The hit changed as the years went by and, sadly, none of them proved to be superior to their predecessors. The take home message is: Next time when you hear of a new management principle raised by a so-called expert in management, think twice before embracing it.
Great use of "peddle" and "tout"! What I usually do with my writing, and this is a suggestion for you if you're not doing it already, is to sleep on the first draft and come back to it later (and several times if time were not an issue). I end up with better turns of phrase or sentence patterns with each draft. Another rule of thumb: avoid repetitiveness. Vary the wording when expressing the same ideas.
It can be a social chat too if that's easier for everyone. It can give me an opportunity to say hi and catch up.