Engineers and engineering in the US and Japan-what have we learned from comparative studies?

Summary form only given. In the 1980s Japanese success in using technology to produce high quality, low cost, and innovative products led to a sudden interest in the education and training of engineers and in the practice of engineering in Japan. Initially, researchers looked at the numbers of engineers trained in Japan compared to that in the US and at the nature of engineering education in Japan. While at first it seemed that Japan´s successes could be attributed, at least in part, to the large number of Japanese graduating with engineering bachelor degrees, later research cast doubt on this conclusion. Nor were researchers impressed with the Japanese university system, though some speculated that it might be superior to the US system in teaching engineers teamwork. Attention was directed to the training and management of engineers in Japanese firms. Distinctive personnel practices were identified, such as career-long systematic job rotation. Meanwhile another stream of research began, looking at specific engineering practices (most often in the automobile industry). The emphasis had shifted from seeking general characteristics of the Japanese engineering system that accounted for engineering superiority, to looking for specific practices used by certain Japanese firms. This paper reviews the literature and suggests some new directions for researchers. It argues that while the search for best practices has clearly been beneficial to US and other firms, other areas also warrant more intensive exploration