ZeissFan
Veteran
I thought they only did this with Nike workers in Indonesia managed by South Koreans. If I could find the story from around 2000 or so, I would point everyone to it.
Jason Sprenger
Well-known
Not "tall poppy" at all. If the policy does not extend into the executive suite, the place is no better than a sweatshop lorded-over by conceited task-masters.
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
Jack Welch is too timid to work for Japan. Trust me, the Japanese seem to have a desire to work themselves to death. If I ever had to leave the USA, I'd move to China or France long before I'd move to Japan to work for a Japanese company.
Disaster_Area
Gadget Monger
I think the article is taking a very simple view of things, creating a sensational story... so they stand all day... studies have shown that our North American desk habits are going to lead to an entire generation of crippled backs and carpel tunnel... maybe they have the right idea... and as for the walking speed thing, I tried it out... 3.6 seconds is a lot longer than you think and 5 meters isn't that far, maybe these guys are doing time sensitive work where literally every second counts... who knows.. or maybe we just have that North American attitude that says we DESERVE a job 
If you have thousands of people for only dozens of positions, doesn't it make good business sense to take the employees that are willing to go the extra 5 meters, it's not like they're asking them to run a marathon.. just don't dick around in the halls. I dunno, with the economy the way it is I've seen my ass come VERY close to the lay off line, if all it took was standing and walking at a reasonable pace you're damn right I'd do it.
If you have thousands of people for only dozens of positions, doesn't it make good business sense to take the employees that are willing to go the extra 5 meters, it's not like they're asking them to run a marathon.. just don't dick around in the halls. I dunno, with the economy the way it is I've seen my ass come VERY close to the lay off line, if all it took was standing and walking at a reasonable pace you're damn right I'd do it.
In the Japanese article I linked above, it says the factory and offices (including meeting rooms and the president's office) have been chair free since 2000 (not new news at all ). So at least the president practice's what he preaches.
The "or else the factory and the planet will be finished/ruined" part of the sign is pretty ridiculous, though.
By the way, this factory is where office equipment is made, not photographic equipment.
http://www.canon-elec.co.jp/english/index.html
). So at least the president practice's what he preaches.The "or else the factory and the planet will be finished/ruined" part of the sign is pretty ridiculous, though.
By the way, this factory is where office equipment is made, not photographic equipment.
http://www.canon-elec.co.jp/english/index.html
wintoid
Back to film
What about this, though
http://tinyurl.com/bysqz4
Doesn't sound too bad Depends what "early" is though I guess.
http://tinyurl.com/bysqz4
Doesn't sound too bad
Depends what "early" is though I guess.
David Murphy
Veteran
Having spent a fair amount of time in Asia I can tell you all for sure that the concept of workers rights is *way* behind that of Europe and the USA -- at least for the parts of Asia that I've been to.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
Well, while everyone is laughing at the, to our eyes, strange work practices of the Japanese I might also point out the "ordinary" work practices of a few companies who operate in the English-speaking world.
The last company I worked for fired me, such that my last day of work was 5th of May (making the following day, my 30th birthday, in hexadecimal, very special).
The back-story to this was that in June 2008 I was asked, on a Friday, whether I'd be able to go interstate to help with a major problem, starting the following Monday. I did that. I fixed the problem and helped bring in two major projects which had been in serious trouble, staying away from home for more than nine months. Problems solved, projects delivered, I returned to Sydney. At which point I was promptly fired.
The day I was told I was being fired, I snapped this shot (very badly, I'm the first to admit) of a display the company had for customers to view when they visited head office:
What did I notice about the workplace of the future? It has no people in it.
Just by the way, the Japanese think we anglos have some seriously weird work practices. I'm not at all sure they're wrong.
...Mike
(Full disclosure: I've worked in Japan, albeit briefly, and do think the Japanese can be pretty weird. I've also worked with many Japanese, Indian, Chinese and lots of other non-anglo type people, often but not always in their own countries. They pretty much have some, to our eyes, thoroughly weird work practices. They've almost universallly thought that we anglo types are at least as weird as them, if not more so. My conclusion is that they are right. Especially the "more so" part.)
The last company I worked for fired me, such that my last day of work was 5th of May (making the following day, my 30th birthday, in hexadecimal, very special).
The back-story to this was that in June 2008 I was asked, on a Friday, whether I'd be able to go interstate to help with a major problem, starting the following Monday. I did that. I fixed the problem and helped bring in two major projects which had been in serious trouble, staying away from home for more than nine months. Problems solved, projects delivered, I returned to Sydney. At which point I was promptly fired.
The day I was told I was being fired, I snapped this shot (very badly, I'm the first to admit) of a display the company had for customers to view when they visited head office:
What did I notice about the workplace of the future? It has no people in it.
Just by the way, the Japanese think we anglos have some seriously weird work practices. I'm not at all sure they're wrong.
...Mike
(Full disclosure: I've worked in Japan, albeit briefly, and do think the Japanese can be pretty weird. I've also worked with many Japanese, Indian, Chinese and lots of other non-anglo type people, often but not always in their own countries. They pretty much have some, to our eyes, thoroughly weird work practices. They've almost universallly thought that we anglo types are at least as weird as them, if not more so. My conclusion is that they are right. Especially the "more so" part.)
cmedin
Well-known
They're forgiven as long as they keep making L glass for me.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
About three weeks ago I was in Los Angeles (working) and when I had finished with the job for that day I walked into downtown (city hall) and came across a Union Labor rally...they were protesting any cuts to any Labor workers in the city...
I shot about three rolls of 120 film and yesterday made a few prints...I showed them to my daughter and asked "What common theme do you see here?"...she said 'They're all fat!!!"
That's the answer I was looking for...most if not all the people in the photos were/are over-weight...not just an extra 10 pounds mind you but at least 30 or more...
While I don't totally agree with the No Sitting or Running Everywhere you go...It wouldn't hurt in keeping some of the extra pounds off of a lot of us...
As for me...I'd like to lose 10-15 pounds...
I shot about three rolls of 120 film and yesterday made a few prints...I showed them to my daughter and asked "What common theme do you see here?"...she said 'They're all fat!!!"
That's the answer I was looking for...most if not all the people in the photos were/are over-weight...not just an extra 10 pounds mind you but at least 30 or more...
While I don't totally agree with the No Sitting or Running Everywhere you go...It wouldn't hurt in keeping some of the extra pounds off of a lot of us...
As for me...I'd like to lose 10-15 pounds...