Sheet 51
GUIDE TO THE CASE "WORK OR TRAIN"
1 Mr. Inoue's judgment
Mr. Inoue believes that employees develop their skills through hard work and overtime. Ability is developed through work experience and achievements gained in the process bring confidence. Supervisors are expected to ensure that their employees' everyday work experience fits with an overall staff development plan and, with foresight, nurture these employees in a manner that contributes to the accomplishment of the organizational goal. Development through work experience alone, however, can make a person shortsighted.
A broad range of knowledge and skills are necessary to perform work well. These are outlined as follows.
(1) General knowledge
Basic skills and knowledge such as the ability to read, write and calculate. Intellect, which is the basis of all knowledge and skills.
(2) Specialist knowledge
Knowledge of a specific field in subjects such as law and economics.
(3) Work related knowledge
Knowledge essential for the job to which a person is assigned. For example, legal knowledge is not enough for drafting laws and regulations. The ability to apply legal knowledge to actual cases is required when drafting legal documents.
(4) Know-how for operation of work
Skills or knowledge applicable to and acquired through the everyday operation of work.
There is no rule as to which of the above skills is more important. A good balance of these knowledge and skills is preferable.
From this perspective, Mr. Inoue overemphasizes operational know-how. Know-how, in itself, is unquestionably essential and can be acquired only through on-the-job training. This know-how, however, is applicable only to a specific job and not particularly relevant in other situations.
Off-the-job training by career level as in this case does not specifically aim at developing knowledge or skills directly related to everyday work operations. It does, however, aim to provide specialist knowledge, broaden the employees' vision, deepen their insight, build their character, develop their intellect and facilitate communication between colleagues from different setions. The purpose of this training is to ensure that employees develop skills which are beneficial to the entire organization.
Supervisors must understand that additional skills and knowledge are required for the development of employees. Mr. Inoue should have taken a positive approach to Mr. Kotani's participation. As a concrete example, he could have taken the following steps： review the work schedule to check whether it would be possible to continue without Mr. Kotani for a short while, discuss the possibility of getting temporary aid from other sections or, failing either of these assure that he will have the opportunity to participate next year.
