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失敗の本質
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 5, 2026
“The Essence of Failure” is one way of translating this fairly readable, carefully researched study of military strategy of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy during World War II. This book covers six distinct campaigns, each taken up by a different author, so there are considerable differences in the quality of the writing. The campaigns covered include a frontier war against the Soviet Union in Manchuria before Pearl Harbor, Midway Island, Guadalcanal, Burma, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. The authors generalize the organizational lessons for use in large organizations today. This book has sold over 800,000 copies since it was first published in Japan in 1984. I cannot remember all the details, since I read this 25 years ago, but the campaigns in Burma and Guadalcanal, in particular, stick in my mind.
In Burma, the Japanese tried the same strategy and tactics repeatedly, because the first time had worked so well, even though subsequent iterations did not. This is covered in a section on over confidence caused by prior success, and the overthrow of learning. In addition, there was no clearly defined goal in Burma. Just push through to India, and then what? In Guadalcanal, the brass relied on the “spirit” of the men to be able to overcome the US armed forces, and after each defeat, they determined the cause of failure to have been insufficient manpower and so continued to send more men but each time utilizing the same nighttime frontal attack tactics as before.
In each case, there was no critical analysis by the Army leadership as to why things did not go well. There was no questioning of orders or tactics, the people in charge were not interested in listening to actual situational reports, and loyalty to the plan was valued above all. Goals and objectives were not clear, heavy reliance was placed on specific people rather than effective systems, and evaluations focused on effort and process rather than on outcome. Thus, the organization of the army fell into a trap of their own making, using the same tactics, based on the same strategy, over and over, and over again. This dysfunctional decision-making structure is what the title is referring to by the “essence of failure.”
This is what happens when you value loyalty above competence, stifle opposing viewpoints and punish opposition. You will eventually fail. The more power you have at your disposal, the longer you can sustain the appearance of being on the correct course, but eventually your plans, if not adjusted to circumstances, will fail. This is probably where the saying: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall” comes from.
In Burma, the Japanese tried the same strategy and tactics repeatedly, because the first time had worked so well, even though subsequent iterations did not. This is covered in a section on over confidence caused by prior success, and the overthrow of learning. In addition, there was no clearly defined goal in Burma. Just push through to India, and then what? In Guadalcanal, the brass relied on the “spirit” of the men to be able to overcome the US armed forces, and after each defeat, they determined the cause of failure to have been insufficient manpower and so continued to send more men but each time utilizing the same nighttime frontal attack tactics as before.
In each case, there was no critical analysis by the Army leadership as to why things did not go well. There was no questioning of orders or tactics, the people in charge were not interested in listening to actual situational reports, and loyalty to the plan was valued above all. Goals and objectives were not clear, heavy reliance was placed on specific people rather than effective systems, and evaluations focused on effort and process rather than on outcome. Thus, the organization of the army fell into a trap of their own making, using the same tactics, based on the same strategy, over and over, and over again. This dysfunctional decision-making structure is what the title is referring to by the “essence of failure.”
This is what happens when you value loyalty above competence, stifle opposing viewpoints and punish opposition. You will eventually fail. The more power you have at your disposal, the longer you can sustain the appearance of being on the correct course, but eventually your plans, if not adjusted to circumstances, will fail. This is probably where the saying: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall” comes from.
June 18, 2018
Even though the book was published in 1984, the contents may be still valid to today's management. A management style will be inherited to the members forever, unless the style itself has refreshing intention in it. So, old style management lasts long even after the book was written.
November 19, 2016
More insightful about management in general than more of the so-called management books
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews