What can we learn from the corporate promotion systems in the United States and Japan?

1. United States: Flexibility in promotion standards.

Specialization and institutionalization, coupled with a management system that focuses on market regulation, give American companies a lot of room for maneuver when recruiting and promoting employees, and employees can enter the company through multiple channels. For example, a person can start as a machinist and work his way up to manager or general manager, or he can directly apply for a manager position, or directly compete for the position of general manager, instead of having to spend time and effort to train and promote himself step by step like Japanese companies do. This also reflects the Characteristics of American Culture. American companies value ability, and new employees can be promoted quickly as long as they perform well. They do not have to "stay through the years" and "rank based on seniority" like Japanese companies. This system is commonly known as the "fast lane for talent promotion."

2. Japan: Promotion standards that emphasize seniority.

Due to the management characteristics of Japanese family business culture, when Japanese companies have new work needs, they will try their best to retrain existing employees and make internal adjustments to meet the needs. There are two main reasons for this: First, Japan's labor market is underdeveloped, and it is difficult to find people who flaunt themselves with professional knowledge such as electricians, engineers, salesmen, etc. People generally identify themselves with the company, for example, telling others that they are employees of Mitsubishi; secondly, even if they can find such professionals, they will not have the hard skills (technical) required for the new job, but they will not have the skills to work in a new job. The soft knowledge and soft skills required for corporate work (i.e., identification with the company, communication and cooperation with the company's personnel). It is often faster and more cost-effective to retrain employees of the company who already have soft knowledge and skills to master a new hard skill than to let an outsider relearn and master soft knowledge and skills.

3. Enlightenment from the US-Japan promotion system:

In terms of promotion standards, we should think more deeply about the essence of this issue. Seniority is important, it represents loyalty and contribution to the enterprise. Older employees with more seniority in the enterprise should be given both material and honorary rewards, but this does not mean that those with more seniority must be promoted. The phenomenon of seniority in some large enterprises is very serious. In contrast, in some high-tech enterprises Enterprises, this phenomenon does not exist. Between qualifications and abilities, Japanese companies focus on relationships among team members, which requires time and practice to acquire. So it seems that Japanese companies focus on talent qualifications. American companies pay more attention to individual contributions to the company, so business capabilities come first. This ability is not closely related to age, experience and experience. So it seems that American companies don’t care about seniority. In our opinion, whichever of qualifications and abilities can better promote the development of an enterprise should be promoted. At the same time, we must truly understand that companies of different types, sizes, and stages of development will have different needs for talents with different qualifications and abilities. Only in this way can the correct promotion criteria be found to promote the development of the enterprise.