FACULTY OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY | Seminar
Migration seminar: Who Qualifies as an “Ideal Worker”? Immigrant Status and Prom

Thursday 19 March, 13:15 - 15:00
Niagara, 9th floor, Nordenskiöldsgatan 1, or zoom 19
Mar

Welcome to the Migration Seminar!

Who Qualifies as an “Ideal Worker”? Immigrant Status and Promotion Evaluations in Japan

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Hironobu Bito, JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University

Abstract

Who can become an “ideal worker”? Prior research has shown that although the concept of the ideal worker appears neutral, in practice it is gendered and racialized. These studies suggest that women and immigrant workers may face disadvantages under ideal worker norms. This study examines this possibility in the context of promotion decisions in Japanese firms.

Using a survey experiment with HR staff and managers, we address two questions: whether being an immigrant worker affects promotion evaluations, and if so, through what mechanisms. Specifically, we employ a causal mediation experiment to test whether immigrant workers receive lower promotion ratings compared to Japanese workers, and whether this effect is mediated by factors such as motivation for promotion, skills, and working hours.

Although the proportion of immigrants in Japan is currently low (about 3%) compared to Western countries, it is projected to exceed 10% by 2050. Despite the growing immigrant population, economic inequality between immigrant workers and Japanese workers remains substantial, and anti-discrimination policies are not fully implemented. Therefore, Japan provides an especially likely case to examine potential discrimination in promotion decisions. In this seminar, I plan to report findings from this experiment, which contribute to ongoing discussions about how cultural expectations around work shape economic inequality in the workplace.

Attendance

This is a hybrid seminar, you are welcome to connect via Zoom or join us at MIM seminar room, floor 9, Niagara, Nordenskiöldsgatan 1. To attend on campus, please gather by the reception area at 13.05.