What is the reason behind the success of Japanese corporate management? We need to approach this by separating the capital, facilities and technology as the hardware that could be transferred, and those factors such as socio-cultural factors unique to Japan which are difficult to transfer. The bridge that connects the social-cultural factors and the hardware, we will call the social soft ware. Corporate management is building a social software that matches the hardware, namely the facilities and equipment with the society and culture. Japan's corporate management's software is governed by the uchi society's structural principle which is based on long term thinking. A pseudo family-like long term thinking governs the "uchi" society. The pattern of conduct of "uchi" society is not a short term one, but it is a long term give-and-take, where people return what is given to them in the equivalent amount, such as through money or through psychological form. If the "uchi" society principle is formed within the corporation, the workers and the company would be bound by long term, equal, give-and-take relationship, and the relationship will be stable. The two parties will not be governed by a short term relationship. In post war Japan, the "uchi" society is expanding in the corporate society. The "uchi society principle" has been valid in areas such as development of the workers' capacity, development of technology, and keiretsu.
|