HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: thies@bl.physik.tu-muenchen.de (Heinz-Georg Thies)
Subject: lean managment?
Organization: Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 12:00:29 GMT



What is "lean managment" and "lean production"?

"Lean xxx" seems to be the new buzzword pretending to explain the 
Japanese and Korean superiority over the European Industry. As far as 
I understand it, the main points are fewer managers per worker and 
better flow of information from the workers to the managment even 
ignoring hierachical barriers.

A friend of mine has to write a paper on this topic. To base his 
claims on some facts he needs information on the managment structure 
of Japanese and Korean Industry.

He would much appreciate information or pointers to literature on:

-How many subordinates per manager?

-How many layers of managment from workshop to general manager?

-Who reports to whom?

especially concerning Japanese and Korean Industry, but information on 
other countries may be useful too.

Thank You very much for Your support.



Heinz-Georg Thies                       Sektion Physik der Universitaet Muenchen
Phone: (+49 89)3209 4071                Am Coulombwall 1
                                        D-8046 Garching, Germany
Internet: thies@charly.bl.physik.tu-muenchen.de
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: Mark Crispin <mrc@Tomobiki-Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU>
Subject: re: Are Apple Mac PowerBooks sold in Japan? 
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
To: Gordon Yuen <gordo@comix.cs.uoregon.edu>
Organization: University of Washington
Mime-Version: 1.0
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 22:03:25 GMT

I saw Mac PowerBooks for sale in Japan at several shops.

They did not appear to be aggressively marketed.  None of the shops had any
accessories or software for them, even at places where half the store was
software.  Nor did any place display a price; I'm guessing the price is about
30-man-en for a PowerBook-100 but I don't know.

I did not go to any of the specifically Mac stores; this was just random
electronics/computer stores in To^kyo^.
From: tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,sci.lang.japan
Subject: Re: Transcript of PBS program about Matsushita
Date: 7 Apr 92 08:00:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: gibdo.1992Apr07.074739.12631
Organization: clearer than blir

In article <jwb.702530824@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au> jwb@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au (Jim Breen) writes:
>The transcript of a PBS TV program about Matsushita's operations in the
>US has turned up in pub/Nihongo on monu6.cc.monash.edu.au. [I don't know
>how legal it is to have such things hanging around one's ftp area, but I
>suspect liability would be hard to pin down.]
>
>Anyway, it makes interesting reading. Disturbing reading, too.
>
>[It must have been mentioned in other groups/lists, because my stats say
>it has been ftped 40+ times in the last few days.]
>
>-- 
>Jim Breen                           JIS:$B%8%`!!%V%j!<%s(J
>Department of Robotics & Digital Technology. Monash University. 
>PO Box 197 Caulfield East VIC 3145 Australia (ph) +61 3 573 2552 
>(fax) +61 3 573 2745  AARNet/Internet:jwb@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au  

Thanks for the information. I saw this show (an edition of Frontline I
believe) on PBS when it aired and I recommend it highly to anyone who
gets a chance to see it. I don't know how it comes across as a
transcript, but should still be very interesting. In case anyone has
aversions to what might be considered a sensitive "Japan-bashing"
topic (Matsushita's and other's import of color tvs into the US market
through the 60's and 70's) you might want to note that the show is
very thoughtful and was written by an ex-Matsushita Japanese manager
who has lived in the US since the 60's. Though usually missing from
anti-Japan tirades, it describes how the US looked the other way by
not collecting anti-dumping penalties owed it by Japanese corporations
in return for Japan's blind allegiance to our foreign policy.

-- Tad Perry   Internet:    tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
               CompuServe:  70402,3020
               NIFTY-Serve: GBG01266
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: richie@lambada.engin.umich.edu (Staney Dharmakusuma)
Subject: SEC
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 92 17:41:44 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Originator: richie@lambada.engin.umich.edu


Does anybody know the Japanese equivalent of SEC
(Securities and Exchange Commision) ?
It is a body that controls the financial reports of all 
companies.

Thanks

Staney
From: diamond@jit081.enet.dec.com (15-Apr-1992 1050)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Immigration procedures
Date: 15 Apr 92 02:07:40 GMT

smittie@beach.csulb.edu (Smittie) wrote:
>communication with the relevant authorities early to find out what is
>required goes along way toward making potentially unpleasant experiences
>more bearable.

This might or might not be true of U.S. immigration.  I haven't seen much
evidence in this thread as to whether anyone had established sufficient
communication with U.S. immigration authorities and still had trouble.

However, I can attest, as can several others, that early communication
with Japanese immigration authorities does not help.  Citizens of three
countries have previously visited me on tourist visas, we have toured
parts of Japan, and they have gone home and/or proceeded to other
destinations (and then gone home).  However, a Filipino citizen who is
trying to do the same thing has been denied a visa twice to date.  I have
telephoned the Japanese embassy in Manila many times, gotten through to
the visa section eight (8) times to date and the consul once.  Each time,
in reply to my question about what was missing from her application and
what is needed to get a tourist visa approved, I have gotten a different
answer.  Sometimes instructions to call again at a different time, then
a different day, then an assertion that a receipt number with 4 digits
shouldn't have just 4 digits, then a statement that they can't say what
was missing, then a statement that they don't give instructions over the
phone, then a statement that financial resources must be shown (but how
much?  "That depends."  How much for a 3-month visit?  "That depends").
Early communication did not help a bit.  It seems to be the luck of the
draw, and a string of bad luck in this particular case.

For comparison, early communication with the U.S. income tax department
is known to be equally unhelpful.

Under Digital's corporate regulations concerning e-mail, I must point out
that this message does not accuse any person of wrong-doing, regardless of
facts and/or evidence or any such matters.  To the best of my knowledge,
Japanese law does not require government employees to tell the truth, and
U.S. law does not require U.S. tax department employees to tell the truth.
I am not complaining about their actions, but merely pointing out that
early communication does not necessarily assist in making potentially
unpleasant experiences more bearable.

-- Norman Diamond      diamond@jit081.enet.dec.com
[Disclaimer:  Most of this message is unrelated to Digital's policies.]
From: andreas@etl.go.jp (Andreas Knobel)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: A Stupid Question about Sumo(?) Wrestler
Date: 14 Apr 92 07:28:25 GMT
Organization: Electrotechnical Lab.

In article <1992Apr10.233511.10726@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> hyx1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Harry Y Xu) writes:

>Where's the real .culture?!

Indeed. So let me put the question: where is the Japanese alternative art scene?
I remember seeing a number of very interesting Japanese plays during the Edinburgh
Festivals, one of them called `Suna' (`sand'). Likewise I have seen many Japanese
films in Europe which I would not mind seeing again, but apparently they do not
make it onto the local screens (apart from `Tampopo' on NHK some months ago).
And, during a recent brief visit to London, I saw more Japanese culture than during my
previous year here.

So, where's the action? Where are they hiding?

Andreas





-- 

Andreas Knobel                      e-mail andreas@etlcom.etl.go.jp
ETL, Tsukuba, Japan.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: sl55050@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (SauWai )
Subject: A Short Survey For International Students, Like To Check It Out?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 10:06:06 GMT


Hi,
	I'm doing a research about international students and their life in 
US.  I would appreciate it very much if you can take a few minutes and answer
the following questions as truthfull as you can.  Thank you very much.


1. Did you have any problems with communication?(language barrier) (Y or N)
2. Did you have difficulties meeting friends? (Y or N)
3. Did you encounter any major financial problems? (Y or N)
4. Did you experience any academic problems due to the new learning environment?(Y or N)
5. Have you heard of the counseling service for international students on you
   campus? (Y or N)

   Suppose you have heard about it and decided to go to seek counseling help:

6. Would you have a preference to have a counselor who has the same ethnic 
   background as you do? (Y or N)
7. Would you have a preference over the gender of your counselor? (Y or N)
8. Would you like to have "peer counseling"? (Y or N)
   (Have the same background as you)
9 Do you think it is helpful for you to adapt to the new enviroment :
       a. joining an ethnic organization (Y or N)
       b. having more cultural events taking place on campus(Y or N)
       c. going to workshops such as for stress manangement, studying skill etc.
	  (Y or N)
10. Would you seek help from the counseling center if you ever encounter
    any problems such as those mentioned above?(Y or N)
11. Do you have any inputs that you like to give?

Except for question 11, you can just answer y or n.  Once again I like to thank
	you for your time.

			 			Karen Lau
						s-lau3@uiuc.edu
From: vl11+@andrew.cmu.edu (Victor Lin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Pro Baseball as of 92/04/14
Date: 15 Apr 92 23:27:49 GMT
Organization: Sophomore, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

My comments (and questions):

> Hara is batting .087.

Don't let him bat 4th!!  Although he is a perennial 20HR batter, his
contribution to the team is limited.  He produces when the Giants are
winning 8-0 or 9-2 (in other words, pretty meaningless).  BTW, how is
his fielding after being converted?

> The Tigers took 2 out of 3 from the Giants, and split with the Swallows
> and Dragons.

Good start, but maybe not for so long.  I think Okada sucks.  I believe
that there are a lot of young players in Hanshin who can play better than
him.  I guess it's this "MR. TIGERS" thing that's keeping him on the 
field. Ditto for Hara.  What a coincidence that Hara is the President and
Okada the VP of the Player's Assoc.!!   

> Their pitching has been surprisingly well.

Has anybody else noticed that the Tigers rotation constitutes mostly of
No. 1 draft picks?  Noda, Inomata, Kasai (!), Nakagomi (!!), Nakanishi (?)...
Actually, their pitching looks promising (Tamura?!).

> The Whales are getting off to a slow start because of their pitching.

My pick for last place in Central.

> In the Central League, Hata (Swallows) and Furuta (Swallows) have 3 homeruns
> each.

I don't know HOW they do it (especially Furuta's continued success).

> Ohishi (.520, 0, 7), Bryant (.440, 3, 10), Kanemura (.370, 1, 4), and Ishii 
> (.313, 1, 3) lead the Buffaloes attack.
> Boomer (Hawks) and Diaz (Marines) also have 3 homeruns to lead the Pacific
> League's homerun race.

Not too much of a surprise.  I wonder whether Bryant is also the leader in K's.

> Tonight the Lions play against the Buffaloes with Kaku going against Nomo.

Exciting matchup.  I guess that means Young is now in the "farm".  How has he
performed?  Are the Lions still going to swap Kaku and him around?


I don't know where all the fans of Japanese baseball are.  Come on guys, send
in your comments.  It is quite surprising that the number of posts is so low.
Hitoshi Doi and Shinya Fujimoto are the only netters who've been active.

P.S. Hitoshi, can't thank you enough for these updates.

P.P.S. Sorry, Shinya.  Hanshin wa kotoshi MO yushou dekinai.  Maybe another 20
       years.  Just joking...











--------------------------------------------
Victor H. Lin		          "Life's Hell, especially if  
vl11+@andrew.cmu.edu      you make it that way!!" 
(412)681-3139			          -- V. L.
--------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: kim%asylum.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Kwansik Kim)
Subject: A Stupid Question about Sumo(?) Wrestler
Date: 10 Apr 92 10:29:09 MDT
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept

I have a possibly stupid question about the Sumo wrestlers.
A while ago, I had a chance to watch a video about Sumo wrestlers.

In that video,a new pupil who wants to be a sumo wrestler just
entered sumo school. The first thing he started was to just
eat and sleep !! He entered as a skinny guy and after a while
he becomes as almost huge as other sumo wrestlers. It was quite
surprising for me. The video doesn't show detail about the 
period he become huge. But I want to know how they make people
huge. What are they eating ? What are their schedule during
this period ? They just sleep all day ? 


Just curious. This question may sounds weird but I've never seen
anyone become huge in that short period. Thanks for any info.

Kwansik


Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.korean
From: Mark Crispin <mrc@Tomobiki-Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU>
Subject: Re: korean and japanese culture 
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
To: Tonghyun Kim <tkim@sdcc3.ucsd.edu>
Organization: University of Washington
Mime-Version: 1.0
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 04:51:24 GMT

A good counter-argument to the claim that `Korean and Japanese
cultures are watered-down Chinese handouts' is this:

Japan is easily the most prosperous and democratic country in East
Asia.  Japan's pop songs and pop culture are appearing all over Asia,
to the distress of cultural reactionaries who in some countries have
banned Japanese cultural imports.

The Republic of Korea, after long years of authoritarianism and
outright dictatorship, is now catching up to Japan.  Korean pop songs
and pop culture are beginning to appear in Japan; some of the hottest
stars on Japan's pop charts are Koreans.  The Republic of Korea is
busy building prosperity and a democratic system; they have a long way
to go, but have also come a very long way.  I have no doubt that in a
few years Korea will be doing to Japan what Japan did to the US.  And
that would be a good thing for both Korea and Japan.

Meanwhile, let's look at China.  Red China is a hell-hole.  The
Communists have done little to preserve and develop Chinese culture.
In fact, during the long night of the Great Proletarian Cultural
Revolution, they were actively involved in destroying it.  China's
cities are drab, shabby, and dirty.  As in every other country
unfortunate enough to suffer under a Communist regime, the Communists
were unable to maintain an infrastructure.  But Communists can -- and
did -- build smoke-belching factories to poison the nation.  In Red
China today, they now lead tourists through Disneyland recreations of
the ruins of China's past that remain.  It is a miracle that there is
even that much.

Taiwan has done better in preserving the past.  Although Taiwan does
not have the bulk of ancient China's treasures, it has much of the
best.  However, Taiwan is also a bit shabby.  If Red China is a raped
former slave-prostitute putting on her best lipstick to recover lost
youth and innocence, Taiwan is a jaded old dowager dreaming about the
past.  Taiwan has done little that is new, and has fallen far behind
Korea in the past decade both in prosperity and in democracy.  The
young people in Taiwan look north, not west.  Throughout Taiwan,
satellite dishes tune in NHK, Taiwan's kids dance to the latest
Japanese pop tunes, and young Taiwanese girls swoon to fan magazine
pictures of the latest Japanese movie idols.

Was China's past one of greatness?  Certainly.  Did China contribute
much to Korea and Japan?  Absolutely.  But China today is faded and
decayed.  The Republic of Korea and Japan are both vibrant and alive
countries, and we have not yet seen the fullness of Korea's new life.
What is more, both countries have preserved a great deal of their
native ancient culture which never came from China.

Japan and Korea have nothing to be ashamed about compared to China.
From: nakajima@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Reiko Nakajima)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Asian Cultures inability to report overtime
Summary: Gotta work hard
Date: 7 Apr 92 19:45:59 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU

>blamb@sparc1.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:

>In article <1992Apr3.232743.21840@caedm.byu.edu>, luke@koala.ee.byu.edu
>(David Luke) writes:

=> So how does this motivate the underreporting of overtime worked?  I can
=> see it motivating OVERreporting of hours, but it should discourage
=> underreporting, not encourage it.  That is what I can't understand.
=> Or more specifically, the thing I can't understand is the _motivation_
=> for underreporting.  Ask the average Japanese person why they do it,
=> and they'll say, "because we don't want to look lazy.  If we say it took
=> 10 hours to do 10 hours of work, our bosses would think we were inefficient,
=> so we only report 9 hours of work."  But the bosses all know what is going
=> on!  Last year the kacho was working in the ka with everybody else, 
=> underreporting his own hours.  He knows everyone is doing it, and they
=> all know that he knows it.  So why do they do it, and why do they say
=> they do it so as not to look inefficient?

>Perhaps many reasons. One is the perception of "giving" something back
>to the company for the priviledge of working OT, which IS efficient.
>Another reason is, when someone asks, "Are you working a lot of
>overtime?", they can answer, "Not really." with a straight face.
>"Not really" = not officially.

>Bill

My uncle, an ex-gov't worker for the City of Tokyo who now works at a 
private firm (I believe) (I think it's called "Amakudari") was kindly
told:  "Could you make sure you leave work early, say, by 2 or 3 o'clock?
Otherwise the workers here cannot leave their work comfortably by 4 or 5."

Apparently if the highly-ranked figure-head (ojisan gomen nasai.  no offence)
works till 5, then the lowly scrubs must work at least a couple of hours 
more--they won't look like they're working hard enough if they left before or
around the same time as their boss (especially if your boss is a mere
figure-head).  If they don't work hard, they won't gain any respect, much
less any hopes for promotion to a respectable postion (as opposed to the
"madogiwa-zoku"--vaguely translated as "a group of figure-heads who worked
for the company over thirty years but whose desks are located 'by the window'
[madogiwa] because he(she) was never important enough to be located in the 
center of the room").

Reiko Nakajima
nakajima@phoenix.Princeton.EDU
From: blamb@sparc1.hri.com (Bill Lambert)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: "New fingerprint Procedure"
Date: 7 Apr 92 14:19:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: bigbird.6221
Reply-To: blamb@sparc1.hri.com (Bill Lambert)
Organization: Horizon Research

In article <1992Apr6.233803.2590@psych.psy.uq.oz.au>,
jonathan@psych.psy.uq.oz.au (Jonathan Dwyer) writes:
=> 
=> blamb@sparc1.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:
=> |> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
=> |> 
=> |> < much Alton Harkcom baiting deleted>
=> |> 
=> |> <much Mike Fester baiting deleted>
=> |> __________________________________
=> |> 
=> |> 
=> |> Ok.... so one guy doesn't mind getting finger printed, and
=> |> the other one does. Can't you leave it at that?
=> |> 
=> |> It takes both kinds, doesn't it?
=> |> 
=> |> Admit it!
=> |> 
=> |> Bill
=> 
=> 
=> OK.... so one person doesn't enjoy watching public flame-fests.
=> I do, and maybe others too :-)  Can't you leave it at that?
=> 
=> It takes all kinds, doesn't it?
=> 
=> Admit it!
=> 
=> Jon
=> 
=> (BIIIG smilie for humor-impaired readers.....)

You brainless twit.... first, you blatantly plaigerize my writing,
and then you spelled "BIG" incorrectingly. No wonder such an idiot
likes public flame-feasts, and even goes to extraordinary lengths
to create them. There are those that might say, "Get a wife!"

     ////
    ('o')
     \o/
      
Love, Bill 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.korean
From: jice@echo.asd.sgi.com (John Eisenman)
Subject: Re: korean and japanese culture 
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 22:47:59 GMT

Regarding pop culture:

	I have seen a number of articles and tv shows
	which imply that there are many Japanese fans
	of actors and musicians from Hong Kong.

	True or False?

Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: fester@island.COM (Mike Fester)
Subject: Re: Immigration procedures
Organization: /usr/local/rn/organization
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 17:04:39 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.220054.18412@hamblin.math.byu.edu> luke@koala.ee.byu.edu (David Luke) writes:
>In article <1992Apr6.190517.4448@island.COM> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>>In article <6182@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com> blamb@sparc1.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:
>
>>Also, in the
>>standard tourist visa application, there is a space that reads roughly "Why
>>are you going to the US?" Had she answered "To get married" chances are she
>>would have been directed to the proper visa department, saving her, and
>>yourself, considerable discomfort.
>
>This may have been true in the past, but it isn't any more.  A "tourist
>visa" is obtained just by going to the country.  There is no tourist
>visa application to visit either the US from Japan or vice versa.

A very slight correction here: if you have a round-trip ticket in hand, you
do not need a visa to go from one country to the other. However, it is still
available, and due to some bizarre circumstances on my part, it was necessary
for me to get one to re-enter Japan at one point. But, as you point out, you
don't always need one.

>The point about the fiance visa is good, though.  It's always easier to
>do things beforehand if possible, especially when dealing with the INS. :)

Amen.

Mike
-- 
Disclaimer - These opiini^H^H damn! ^H^H ^Q ^[ .... :w  :q  :wq  :wq! ^d  X ^?
exit X Q  ^C ^? :quitbye  CtrlAltDel   ~~q  :~q  logout  save/quit :!QUIT
^[zz ^[ZZZZZZ ^H  man vi ^@  ^L  ^[c  ^# ^E ^X ^I ^T ? help  helpquit ^D  ^d 
man help ^C ^c help exit ?Quit ?q CtrlShftDel "Hey, what does this button d..."
From: thomas@aic.co.jp (Thomas Johannsen)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: No more fingerprinting?
Date: 13 Apr 92 00:15:36 GMT
Distribution: soc.culture.japan
Organization: Advanced Intelligent Communication Systems Lab.,Sendai,Japan

Hi you all,

For the folks who discussed the fingerprinting procedure recently:

I found the following in yesterday's Japan Times

"Public hearing on Fingerprinting

Public hearing on controversial alien registration bill on April 15, Lower House
Members Office Bld. [...]
Reps of concerned ministries and political parties presented.
Vital that foreign residents attend.
[...]
questions/contact: Tel. (03) 3203-0372 Emergency Appeal for the Abolition of
Fingerprinting [...]"

Personally, I didn't care so much about fingerprinting after my arrival. Although I 
must admit that that was the first time in my life I had to do such a procedure!

Thomas

Disclaimer: This opinion ... you all know, don't you :-)
From: majmudar@das.harvard.edu (Kaushal Majmudar)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Do you know this song?
Keywords: SONG JAPANESE
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:22:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: das.1992Apr16.172214.9796
Organization: Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University


When I was in Japan for two weeks in December 1991, I heard a
song several times that went something like:

	"Wont Be Long, Wont Be Long..
	"Wont Be Long, Wont Be Long.."

It had a nice and catchy tune and mixed some english with mostly
Japanese lyrics.

I was wondering what the actual title was called and who sang it.
I remember something about "Bubble Gum Brothers", but cant be sure.
Was it popular? and is it still popular?

Any info would be appreciated.
			
						Kaushal