Sony is your typical Japanese company which continues to operate on the old seniority-based business structure. In Japan your position in the company has nothing to do with your education, skill, or talent, but it has everything to do with how long you have worked for the company. As long as you show up, work for 10 or 12 hours (but only do 5 or 6 hours of actual work), you will eventually move up in the company.
In Japan people are still taught that "the nail which sticks out is hammered down", so no one does anything which will be noticed, such as work harder than necessary, or complain about the status quo.
Japanese companies prefer to hire only fresh university graduates without advance degrees, as such people are easily "molded" to fit into the company. Older people, and those with more advanced degrees will find getting a job somewhat more difficult.
Japanese companies still refuse to put women in decision making or managerial positions, so half the population is written off to not being part of the economy.
Another problem is that the old farts who run Japanese companies live forever, and even after they retire, they still control the their "former" company with as much authority as when they were still working. Therefore the old ways of doing things persists, and these stubborn old farts are as resistant to change as old farts everywhere are.
It's a recipe for disaster in Japan, Sony being a prime example.
