Firms in many advanced economies practice flexible retrenchment strategies to react to a crisis or to adjust to organisational decline in order to lower labour costs. Building on signalling theory and the neo-institutional and resource-based view, this presentation analyses two research questions: (1) What are the effects of “flexible retrenchment strategies” (such as wage-based and functional flexibility) on investor reactions as compared to “rigid strategies” (such as pure downsizing)? (2) How do a firm’s knowledge assets shape the relationship between investor reactions to flexible strategies as compared to rigid strategies? Using a novel data set of 242 retrenchment announcements by Japanese firms, the study finds that flexible strategies are significantly and positively associated with a higher likelihood that the firm value of retrenchers increases. This suggests that investors perceive flexible strategies as a capability signal, rewarding innovative firms depending heavily on the knowledge of their employees. Details and registration here

The signature designs featured on Amami Ōshima tsumugi textiles today are so intricate that they can resemble shimmering pixels on a computer screen. Even though designers have been confined to the geometry of squares, the patterns appearing on these textiles have changed remarkably over time. Why? This talk reflects upon recent fieldwork conducted in Amami Ōshima driven by this simple question. Study of the dynamic process of textile production illuminates the complicated archipelagic location between Kagoshima and Okinawa that has informed Ōshima tsumugi production and trade. Tracing how weavers themselves scrutinized the notion of Amami Ōshima tsumugi enables critical contextualization of the postwar consumption of Amami Ōshima tsumugi by the “mainland” relative to the preservation of archipelagic knowledge and livelihood. Details and registration here

The publication of Hahaoya ni natte kōkai shiteiru (Regretting Motherhood) in March 2022 attracted significant attention in Japanese media. This followed waves of interest across the globe since the book, by Israeli sociologist Orna Donath, was first published in 2017 and subsequently translated into multiple languages. Donath’s provocative study has caused outrage as well as earned praise for its tackling of a subject that remains a taboo in many societies, not least of all in Japan: women who express regret for having become mothers. This talk introduces Donath’s work, focusing in particular on the book’s reception in Japan, and what it reveals about notions and conditions of motherhood in a society in which the low birth rate continues to raise alarm. Details and registration here

In a digitalized world, the trans-border flow of data has become essential for trade and the exchange of services. But some protectionist trends are gaining ground at the international level, such as data localization. Japan is one of the convenors of the WTO e-commerce negotiations, and as a firm believer in the free market and multilateral trade, Japan has tried to export its own ideas internationally. This is why former prime minister Shinzo Abe coined the expression ‘Data Free Flow With Trust’: its objective is to ease the flow of data but with the necessary safeguards for cybersecurity, personal data, or intellectual property. This talk will assess Japan’s push for this concept at the international level, including its successes but also challenges. It will put it in relation with other relevant actors, such as the United States, the EU, and China. Details and registration here