Invasion of the salarymen : the Japanese business presence in America

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Invasion of the salarymen : the Japanese business presence in America

Jeremiah J. Sullivan

Praeger, 1992

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. [339]-345) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Japanese direct investment in the United States increased $100 billion during the late 1980s. By 1992, 400,000 Americans were employed in 2600 companies. This book, the first full-length study of Japan's U.S. business presence, describes the performance of Japanese companies and their approach to managing Americans. With a few exceptions, Japanese investment is unprofitable. Moreover, part of the blame for failure can be attributed to poor management. Sullivan reviews Japanese management practices and shows that, contrary to popular belief, they are rooted in the exercise of power rather than the development of loyalty. These practices work well in Japan but do not transfer easily to the United States. Using the results of extensive interviews and surveys, Sullivan begins by profiling both an effective and an ineffective Japanese manager in the U.S. He describes their reactions to America's individualism, patriotism, and day to day work practices. Broadening the focus, he describes economic and strategic reasons for the rush of Japanese direct investment and summarizes the data on profitability (low), productivity (less than U.S.-owned firms), and the impact on the American economy (generally beneficial or at least harmless). Japanese management philosophy and practices are analyzed in terms of the idea of work, the nature of a company, and the function of profit. Also discussed are lifetime employment, trust-building, decision making, and communication in the organization. These practices are shown in use both in Japan and in Japanese firms in America. Several chapters describe training of Japanese managers for work in the United States and of Americans in Japanese-owned companies.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Shall It Be War? The Invasion Why Are They Here? How Are They Doing? Japan Bashers Versus the Chrysanthemum Club Japanese and American Ideologies "Those Who Depart Are Forgotten, Day by Day" Competitors, Reluctants, and Knowledge Seekers Japanese Management Philosophies: The Brainless and the Brilliant What is Profit? Lifetime Employment and Managerial Power Japanese and Americans Don't Trust Each Other Matching the Right American with the Right Japanese Talking is Not Down Time Decision Making as An End in Itself The Rule of Personnel Manufacturing Management Autos, Where Something Has to Give Problems in the Office Trouble at the Bank Weakness on Wall Street Marketing and Negotiating Good Citizenship Business Changes, But Do Japanese Managers? Bibliography Index

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