Parissa`s J-Management Blog: Can we still learn from Japanese management?
The Enigma of Japanese Management and The Revival of J-Management- Can we still learn from the Japanese?
Today, we are in the middle of a financial crisis, which leaves us with a lot of doubts about whether Western (capitalist) management styles are as future oriented as we thought they are. Again the West is looking for new ideas. With all the economic issues and turnover in Western companies, many people are clamoring for different ideas on how successful enterprises are run. Fresh perspectives are requested and the question whether Japanese companies and management styles can again provide inspirations and alternative ideas is becoming relevant again.
Being a Western researcher of Japanese management who has worked in Japanese organizations for more than a decade I observe an increasing interest from Western researcher and journalist in Japanese management practices. The economic crisis and the discussion on how management styles have led to it, are leading to a search for new approaches in management. Western management model do not provide answers on how to provide security and wealth anymore. Now, that Western management processes seemed to have failed, Japanese approaches may provide answers on how to create long-lasting business success. Japanese companies had experienced in the “lost decade”, they have learned hard lessons and have developed management processes and ideas, which can also inspire managers in other cultures.
The question how Japanese companies survived their crisis and managed to restructure leads to a revived attention to Japanese management practices.
My J-Management blog will discuss these question and present areas in which Western managers can learn from Japanese management practices.
Read the full article here
j-management_can-we-still-learn-from-japanese-management
Originally published in Japan Spotlight July/August 2009
