Transformation of the Nature of Managerial Work in Modernity: Evidence from the Japanese Workplace

Akira Kimata and Masayasu Takahashi

Abstract

The present study discusses modern managerial means and nature through telework, which has been viewed favourably for not only increasing white-collar productivity but also for improving work/life balance. In existing studies, the effect on society has been at the forefront of discussions while investigations about introductory methods or the actual conditions of telework are also active. However, there are few studies on conceptualization and the essential significance. For these reasons, this study will exactingly define the classifications and examine whether telework is a modern labour form in the context of “space-time” and “trust” and clarify the functions of organizational communication and leadership. Finally, we will present a research framework for further studies to comprehend the transformation of managerial nature from traditional work to modern telework through interviews with two Japanese information and communications technology companies.

Keywords: Telework, Space-time, Disembedding, Modernity, Leadership