From: Ted_Eugene_Viens@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: sci.physics.fusion
Subject: Re: Do major Japanese companies make mistakes?
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 01:25:56 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <1992Dec16.214636.21583@midway.uchicago.edu> <71919@cup.portal.com>
  <1992Dec18.185813.10963@netcom.com>

>In article <71919@cup.portal.com> Ted_Eugene_Viens@cup.portal.com writes:
>
>>Gee, Greg.  Thanks for going through this effort to illustrate our large and
>>very dangerous misunderstanding of Japanese business.
>
>Perhaps you think that it's healthy to believe that Japanese businesses are
>infallible?
>
>>   Sony _earned_ 'hundred of millions of dollars' with Betamax.  They only
>>failed to earn a few hundred more when VHS swept the US market.  Then they
>>quickly licensed VHS and sell a wide range of VCRs and blank tape here.
>
>It is doubtful if Sony recovered the development costs (if they paid for
>them in the first place.)
>
>>   One or two brokers may have even have committed Hari Kari over the
>>securities flap.  But few Japanese businessmen thought this a real mistake...
>
>This is, indeed, true.
>
>>   Much of the Fifth Generation Computer Project was spent importing
>>breaking technology from around the world until current state of the art
>>eclipsed the original design statement.  Not too many corporate heads lament
>>the lack of a showroom product....
>
>As far as I know, virtually _none_ of the goals set for the 'fifth generation
>computer' _as_originally_envisioned_ were met. This isn't a criticism
>of Japanese ability, but of the original goals.
>
>I find it distressing that so many people have gotten the idea that
>Japan has some sort of 'magic' when it comes to product development.
>The only real advantage that I've perceived is that Japanese management
>tends to be a great deal more flexible in accepting ideas NIH. They
>also treat their employees with much more respect. This is the major
>reason that American companies have so much labor trouble while Japanese
>companies only rarely so.
>
>Do not confuse this with the belief that Japanese companies have any greater
>reliance on their employees -- they do NOT. The American worker is far
>more productive when treated in a proper manner.
>
>I have always said that if the average American manager was _half_ as
>competent at his job as the average American worker, there would be no
>business troubles in the U.S.
>
Truth is I agree with Tom K. almost completely.  Management style as reflected
in our respective corporate, social, and cultural values IS the Magic that 
differentiates our two countries...  I was meaning to imply no major advantage
to the Japanese in wisdom, intelligence or infallability.  Much of their manage
-
ment principles were learned from US sources in the fifties and sixties.  Again
,
they were willing to intensely pursue what they percieved as productive practic
es.
And again, as a nation, the Japanese willingness to define and follow their col
l-
ective interest in the 30's drove their armies across Asia and the Pacific.  An
d
now, in the 90's, this drives their industries across the western economy.
   There is no magic here.  Just a willingness to see and yield to their collec
-
tive interest.  This they can and will do in times of war and in times of peace
and prosperity.  This is something the US appears to do only in times of war.
Perhaps there is a value statement here???  
   I still 'believe' that sony found the betamax a very profitable product. May
be
a 'disinherited' former Sony financial officer on the net would bravely spill t
he
beans.  And, I still believe that the Japanese got their moneys worth out of
the Fifth Generation Computer Project in research, development, and acquired
technology.  They realized that more advanced US development had created new
technologies to pursue and chose not to ride a lame horse.  Again it is our
cultural differences that leads us to call this a failure...
Who knows???   Ted..
Newsgroups: sci.physics.fusion