Chapter 6: Japanese Models of Managerial Progress: Sponsored, Tournament, and Two-Stage Mobility

This chapter reports on the Japanese management progress study. This research on Japanese career progression was conducted by Wakabayashi and Graen over 35 years (1972-2005). Theoretically, the authors examine the progress of Japanese college graduates using Graen’s role making theory (1976) and its interpersonal processes of mutual role change and leader and member leadership development. Across diverse methods and time frames (ranging from 7 to 25 years), the results show that Japanese style role making with its two processes is critical in determining early and late career progression. The chapter ends by discussing the importance of dyadic role making in the Japanese corporation and proposes a new theory N (Nippon) to describe the Japanese management system.