Saidera
Senior Member
I was so shocked by what I read here today: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10...in-toxic-regime-australian-industry/100523030
But on the other hand I wasn't exactly shocked, I sort of expected that something of this sort had been hidden behind the corporate veil: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jun/21/sony-music-australia-allegations-toxic-work-culture
This isn't exactly useful news but it does relate to the music industry and might deter those thinking of working in Australia's music industry. There are also considerations to be made for future changes.
When it comes to the history of Sony in Australia, Denis Handlin is one of the big names. But in terms of the accusations made of the undesirable 'workplace culture', there might be a somewhat modified kind of Japanese work ethic/standards at play here. One that is foreign to the Australian way of work but is also different to the Japanese way. Yet the 'intimidating' use of power and 'ruthless management style' which causes employees to feel 'utterly miserable' is not unlike some hard core bukatsu club activities in Japanese schools. I certainly remember that bukatsu experience and having been brought up as an Australian, I never could fully accept it. Sure, after testing the limits of your physical and mental endurance, other things in life seem too easy in comparison, but query whether it is necessary to go the extreme lengths and risk 'traumatising'. Chanting that every other competitor is incomparably worthless was also a surprise to learn. Respecting competitors and aiming for mutual benefit and peaceful diversity should be the way. After my bukatsu experience, I brought that bukatsu mentality into Australian Saturday sport and my goodness how out of place it was! Saturday sport is just for fun basically, but bukatsu is to endure and win at all costs. One wonders where Mr Handlin picked up the Japanese 'ruthless management style' which clearly gave Sony an edge over any other foreign competitors.
Overall, this news reminded me that behind all the smiles, honours and beautiful stories in Japan or elsewhere, there are countless people who more or less suffered, worked overtime, eroded their health, gave up their lives to the company whose products/services we might have enjoyed. Of course there would be serious occasions when the criticism is justified, and there are definitely great difficulties in finding the right knowledgeable employees to undertake satisfactory work or who are capable of being trained or work independently/aligned to your requirements. But when the leader promotes such an unbelievable 'workplace culture' these justifications just don't hold up anymore.
So with that, I express my acknowledgement and respect for the many and varied sacrifices that countless people made while working in various multinational corporations. Often those sacrifices did not lead to much difference compared to if those sacrifices hadn't been made. Hopefully there will come a time when all forms of unnecessary suffering can be minimised and peace restored.
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