The cross-national diffusion of work systems: Translation of Japanese operations in the UK

Abstract

This article investigates the process of the cross-national diffusion of work systems to the affiliate firms of three Japanese multinational companies in the UK. It examines the degree to which structural, cultural, and control-related work systems of the source company are adopted by the recipient. The case studies highlight the interplay between institutional forces and organizational action through a process of work-systems translation. The study is based on a systematic comparative analysis of the ways in which Japanese work systems are implemented and sustained in the given firms. It concludes that firms attempt to translate alternative work systems rather than submit to environmental pressures toward isomorphism. The process of diffusing work systems is not driven by pre-existing legacies alone. There is room for social action in that actors, through their interaction, contribute actively to shaping the work organization.