The Business Reinvention of Japan: How to Make Sense of the New Japan and Why It Matters

by Ulrike Schaede

After two decades of reinvention, Japanese companies are re-emerging as major players in the new digital economy. They have responded to the rise of China and new global competition by moving upstream into critical deep-tech inputs and advanced materials and components. This new "aggregate niche strategy" has made Japan the technology anchor for many global supply chains. Although the end products do not carry a "Japan Inside" label, Japan plays a pivotal role in our everyday lives across many critical industries. This book is an in-depth exploration of current Japanese business strategies that make Japan the world's third-largest economy and an economic leader in Asia. To accomplish their reinvention, Japan's largest companies are building new processes of breakthrough innovation. Central to this book is how they are addressing the necessary changes in organizational design, internal management processes, employment, and corporate governance. Because Japan values social stability and economic equality, this reinvention is happening slowly and methodically, and has gone largely unnoticed by Western observers. Yet, Japan's more balanced model of "caring capitalism" is both competitive and transformative, and more socially responsible than the unbridled growth approach of the United States.

Genres: Japan, Business, Nonfiction, Economics

280 pages, Hardcover

Published June 16, 2020

Reviews

[Sourav · Rating 2 out of 5]

The introduction of the book had me hooked on the idea how world is becoming dependent on Japanese companies. Though the consumer facing companies had a hard hit, quite a number of companies had moved to develop a specialization in one or the other part of the value chain. Along with this, there have been structural changes in how big firms used to run before the Asian Financial Crisis. The author cited few examples to explain this idea. However, there is nothing else in the book besides this idea. This book could have been a blog.

[Kamran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ulrike Schaede is an expert in Japanese business and economics. She argues that contrary to popular perception that Japan is irrelevant in coming decades in which countries with best capabilities in AI and big data will rule, Japanese businesses have caused massive increased in world’s dependence on them due to their superior skills & technical know-hows and large share in manufacture of crucial inputs in semiconductors and other IT equipment.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is much material, in this book, that does not make sense to me; Economic policy, is one of those difficult problems, that I still barely have a grasp of. The capitalist economic model, is in different countries often repurposed, for specific needs. I will probably give it a more careful read. Recommended.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book written by a seasoned expert on Japan on a topic currently overlooked under US-China competition.

[Pok Daynote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provide insight to what happen in japan behind the Japanese’s bamboo curtain.
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[Dom Young]

Got to page 94