Inside the Kaisha: Demystifying Japanese Business Behavior

Rating:
Summary: solid and realistic intro to confusing behaviors
Review: It is a sad commentary that, now that Japan is no longer viewed as ascendant, critical and better books are coming out than existed (or were known) previously. I think that we did not want to know about the flaws underneath the facades we constructed, though many of us suspected them.

This book takes a good, stark look at the arcana of dealing with Japanese businesses. It is a world where appearences are more important than realities, where superficial politeness hides brutal power relationships, and where the correctness of routine is more important than the reasons - strategic or otherwise - behind them. In practical terms, this reveals that what a lot of us thought about Japan in the 1980s was in fact meaningless ritual and blind procedure (following and copying), couched in nice terms ("tatemae") that so many of us took at face value. The reality underneath, the uglier side of things, is almost invariably truer than the nicer versions. And now that Japan is seen as a beleagered backwater, we have no problem believing the worst.

That makes this book VERY valuable. Unfortunately, it is written like an academic business book, which means its style is rather plain, rather than with the vividness of journalism. But that may be my own bias.

Rating:
Summary: solid and realistic intro to confusing behaviors
Review: It is a sad commentary that, now that Japan is no longer viewed as ascendant, critical and better books are coming out than existed (or were known) previously. I think that we did not want to know about the flaws underneath the facades we constructed, though many of us suspected them.

This book takes a good, stark look at the arcana of dealing with Japanese businesses. It is a world where appearences are more important than realities, where superficial politeness hides brutal power relationships, and where the correctness of routine is more important than the reasons - strategic or otherwise - behind them. In practical terms, this reveals that what a lot of us thought about Japan in the 1980s was in fact meaningless ritual and blind procedure (following and copying), couched in nice terms ("tatemae") that so many of us took at face value. The reality underneath, the uglier side of things, is almost invariably truer than the nicer versions. And now that Japan is seen as a beleagered backwater, we have no problem believing the worst.

That makes this book VERY valuable. Unfortunately, it is written like an academic business book, which means its style is rather plain, rather than with the vividness of journalism. But that may be my own bias.

Rating:
Summary: This is the first and last book you need to read on Japan.
Review: My 10 years of experience with the Japanese (including 4 different Japanese companies) has provided me with endless cases of dumbfounded bewilderment at Japanese behavior. Upon reading Inside the Kaisha, I found succinct, clear explanations of Japanese thinking and behavior which totally agree with my life experiences. Hats off to the meticulous research and easy-to-read writing style!

Rating:
Summary: Best book available regarding Japanese management
Review: Read this and come away with a much better understanding of the background and corporate orientation of your Japanese counterparts. Simply outstanding.