With few people accepting voluntary redundancy, more and more middle managers are being hounded into quitting most often, says Kiyotsugu Shitara, general secretary of the Tokyo Managers' Union, under the careful direction of a company's personnel department.

ECONOMIST: Gang sackings

He is also general secretary of the Tokyo Managers' Union.

ECONOMIST: The worm turns | The

National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Mick Brookes said the survey findings contrasted with previous research showing very few middle managers aspired to headship.

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