Managerial Careers in Thailand and Japan

The 1997 financial bust in Thailand and the fraud, mismanagement, and high-profile bankruptcies of some blue-chip companies raised questions about the quality and competency of the country's senior managers. This book seeks to answer these questions by taking a unique look at the dynamics and characteristics of corporate management in large companies in Thailand. Using Japan as a benchmark, it investigates the career profiles of senior managers, and compares the effect of variables such as the age and size of the firm, the ownership pattern, the type of industry, the presence of skilled managers, and the managers' career track.

Different aspects of the career formation system in Thailand are analyzed, such as recruitment, promotion, performance review, compensation, job rotation, training, and development. The comparison of career profiles of managers between Thailand and Japan, including age, educational background, experience, and career path, help to uncover important aspects of the managerial career in Thai companies.

The research includes a case study of management practices and styles for four large companies in Thailand: the state-owned enterprise, Petroleum Authority of Thailand; the emerging telecommunications firm, Advanced Info Service; the largest conglomerate owned by the royal family's Crown Property Bureau, Siam Cement; and the Japanese automobile manufacturer, Toyota Motor (Thailand) Company.

The result is a surprisingly readable and extremely informative investigation of managerial careers and practices in Thai companies.   Natenapha Wailderdsak (Yabushita) received a Ph.D. in economics from the Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo in 2002. She is Research Associate at the Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo.