日本文學碩士畢業生就業的背後邏輯──幻想與現實

The Logic Behind Employment of MA Holders in Japan: Illusions and Realities

本文透過訪問日本九家大公司的人資部門主管，闡釋為何在日本勞動力市場上文學碩士畢業生不受到重視，而理科碩士畢業生卻獲得相當程度的賞識之原因。研究結果發現，一、一般公司仍對文學碩士畢業生有刻板的印象，認為他們的專業知識不夠實用。二、假設碩士畢業生的專業學習讓他們太自傲，公司則對其人格特質有負面的評價。三、公司相信聘用無過錯紀錄的應屆大學畢業生並提供公司內部培訓是最短的途徑。然而，這些都是假象，因為公司幾乎很少有機會細查文學碩士畢業生的真實狀況。也因為如此，我們必須找出讓恆久不變的日本就業市場結構能夠轉變的因素。而本文認為，全球經濟是其中一個因素。

The aim of this paper was to elucidate the reasons why MA holders were less valued in the Japanese labor market as compared to MS holders, who received a greater degree of appreciation during interviews with executive Human Resource officers from nine of Japan’s major corporations. The conclusions are as follows: 1. Companies held the stereotype that the specialization and knowledge of MA holders were not useful for their organization; 2. Companies evaluated the personal characteristics of MA degree holders negatively due to the assumption that their specialized learning resulted in pride; and 3. Companies believed that employing fresh college graduates and providing in-house training was more efficient than hiring MA holders. These illusions resulted from companies having had few opportunities to evaluate MA holders’ actual job performance. Future research should evaluate which factors may serve to overcome these immutable stereotypes within the Japanese labor market. It is suggested that the global economy may play a role in transforming existing structures.