| NOTA |
(*)(Translated by Frank Baldwin)(★)(From a Chief Executive´s Desk)(「ぼくでも社長が務まった」)(In the late 1970s, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. --the Japanese multinational that gave the world the prestigious Panasonic line of products-- was ailing, though this was masked by a sound and healthy exterior. As in any expanding company, growth is accompanied by its own set of problems, and management systems and policies effective at one point are quite useless at the next. To confront a difficult period in the company´s development, founder Konosuke Matsushita chose a junior board member as president. In Japan, where seniority is all-important, elevating a junior director to such an exalted post was both unprecedented and controversial. Dubbed ´the Yamashita leap´ by the media (after the medal-winning jump by a Japanese Olympic athlete), the promotion filled Yamashita himself with doubts about his ability to handle the job. But once he accepted the challenge, Yamashita´s past record of daring and innovative problem-solving stood him in good stead. His nine years at the Matsushita helm were marked by a complete reorganization and revitalization of the company and its successful expansion into new fields both in Japan and overseas. ／This is the story of Toshihiko Yamashita´s presidency, told in his own words. As we learn about the many tough choices he had to face, Yamashita emerges as a leader who is not afraid to make decisions, and perhaps more importantly, who is quick to acknowledge and correct his mistakes. Related in an engaging, no-nonsense style, this account reveals the president not only as businessman and corporate leader but also as an individual with strong views on the world around him. It is a lively chronicle that is as unorthodox as the author himself, and it paints a frank and rounded picture of the top executive of one of Japan´s --and the world´s-- leading conglomerates. ◆The translator Frank Baldwin received his Ph.D. in East Asian history and languages from Columbia University. He has written about Japan and Korea for numerous major U.S. publications, and among his many translations are ´The Pacific War´ by Saburo Ienaga and ´Culture and Management in Japan´ by Shuji Hayashi. He resides in Tokyo, where he also teaches a course on translating from Japanese at Sophia University. ▼CONTENTS／ ●1.EARLY DAYS／ Learning from Philips／A Hard Time at West Electric／My Cold War : The Air Conditioner Division／ ●2.THE BIGNESS SYNDROME／ The Electric Iron Division／Recharging the Dry Battery Division／VCRs : The Big Decision／Deciding Quickly／A Present from Mr. Matsushita／ ●3.THE CHANGING FACE OF BUSINESS／ Constant Reform／R&D : The Lifeblood of a Company／Learning from 3M／Integrated Circuits Take Off／People and Technology／Stepping Down／ ●4.ADVERSITY BUILDS CHARACTER／ The Miracle Drug of Productivity : Personnel Shifts／Failure Is the Best Teacher／Feedback : The Staff of Management／Shift Competence, Not Misfits／Women at Matsushita／Building Corporate Solidarity／Contributing to Society／Working Toward Goals／ ●5.OPERATING IN THE WORLD ECONOMY／ The Japanese Touch／Exporting the Matsushita Spirit／Iran : The Panasonic Way Meets the Islamic Revolution／Technical Training in Tanzania／Transferring Japanese-style Management／Cooperating with the Germans／Private Sector Economic Cooperation Works／Hands-on Management／Fascinating People／Feminine Ambassadors／Hospitality in Rabbit Hutches／Appreciating the Differences／The Burden of Affluence／ ●6.A SECOND LIFE／ Planning for Retirement／Retirement Abroad／Youth Is a State of Mind／´Because They Are There´／Mt. Damavand／Other Climbs／Mountains and Stress／Keeping in Touch／Staying Healthy／Hobbies／Kikuko／A Division of Labor／) |
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