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Microsoft Lays Off 34 Japanese Xbox Employees
Thanks to GameSpot for their article discussing the layoff of 34 Microsoft employees from its Japanese Xbox division. This accounts for just 17 percent of their Xbox workforce in Japan, but apparently the March 20th layoffs, documented in Nikkei BizTech, "..caused a commotion among the workers because of differences in business practices between Japan and the United States." The harsh 'escorted from premises' style of layoffs is not so common in Japan, according to the article, and so "..according to one of the employees who was cut, it felt as though they were treated like criminals." Needless to say, the layoffs, according to division head Par Singh, were because "sales of the Xbox in Japan had been extremely disappointing."
The reason employers do this "kick them out quick" approach is not out of spite but, rather, to protect themselves from employees who might try to exact some revenge on their way out. A just-fired employee might try to sabotage the computer system (particulary if file permissions are not set correctly). There's a whole bunch of things that a disgruntled employee can do to hurt his former employer. Giving them access to any work equipment or materials just after they got laid off or fired is very unwise.
GMD
watch this
The Japanese way is not to lay off anyone. The company is your family and takes care of you througout life. As thanks for this you are loyal to your company and work good for it.
Laying off people the American Way makes people lose face, not very popular in Japan (or East Asia).
Never let anyone lose face, number one rule of social interaction in Japan.
And layoffs should not be a drop dead event.
A WISE CFO knows that layoffs are coming.
A WISE CEO has detailed layoff/senority policies in place.
A WISE employee knows where he is in the pecking order of things.
When we have had to scale back our shop, the poor guy at the bottom knew it was coming. We all did. But it wasn't a "walk in on friday, here is your check dont come back on monday" deal. It was a "we are going to have to let you go, we can keep you here for 2 weeks let us know what days you need off to do interviews..."
Current companies, under the guise of protection, whether protecting company assets, or executive asses, hide the bad news, no one really knows how things are going, or work in the organization.
All it does is create a hostile group that will not want to come back to work if things pick up, wont buy your product, will tell their friends not to buy your product.
To this day I will not buy Arrow shirts. Why? My wife's cousin walked in one day after 15 some years, thank you, don't bother coming back, we are shipping your job overseas. Zero warning. No transition process, nada.
Its an ethics issue. But then, we arent allowed to discuss right and wrong anymore, just what is legal or illegal. Wait, no, we can't do that any more.
----- LoboSoft specializes in Digital Language Lab
...can be seen at IGN's monthly article "Gaming Life In Japan". Every month they release hardware and software sales for what are considered the major gaming consoles in Japan. Take a look at what was presented in June's article. The numbers are quite disturbing for Microsoft, though I'm sure that disappoints all the Open Source fans out there. ;)
Hardware Sales in Japan:
PS2: 44,300 (1,397,700)
Game Boy Advance SP: 31,800 (1,116,900 this year)
Game Boy Advance: 6,900 (890,800)
GameCube: 1,900 (284,800)
PSOne: 910 (42,800)
Xbox: 770 (58,00)
Swan Crystal: 320 (23,200)
I don't know which is funnier:
The fact that the PSOne outsold the Xbox during May, or the fact that this isn't the first time it has happened.
Here's a link to the actual article, but to give a fair warning, you have to be an IGN Insider to read it.
The word is "madogiwazoku". (ç"ésæ--)
Ah, found it. It's 'Madogiwa Zoku.'
They do serve a purpose, however.
From "The Japanese Have A Word For It by Boye Lafayette De Mente." Amazing book.
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.