Indianapolis/Tokyo Work Commitment Study

The Indianapolis/Tokyo Work Commitment study had two major objectives. First, the study sought to measure (and compare) the feelings and motivations that workers in different industries in the U.S. and Japan have toward their jobs and workplaces. Second, researchers sought to evaluate the role of management and industrial relations practices in shaping employee work attitudes.

Researchers obtained data from managers and workers at 52 manufacturing plants in Central Indiana, within seven manufacturing industries (transportation equipment, electronics and electronic equipment, chemicals, prefabricated, metals, non-electrical machinery, printing and publishing, and food). The data included personal interviews with managers and questionnaires completed by 4,567 production workers and managers at those firms. The interviews covered organization structure, technology, personnel policies, and programs. Questionnaires covered work history, job satisfaction and commitment, job characteristics, other life attitudes, and background demographics. This data was complemented by comparable data collected from 46 manufacturing plants in Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan.

This study was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (SES-8207854), the Japan Foundation, the Indiana State Department of Commerce, and the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington.