Can Japan Compete?

by Michael E. Porter, Hirotaka Takeuchi, Mariko Sakakibara

In Can Japan Compete? , world-renowned competition strategist Michael Porter and his colleagues explain why American assumptions about Japan have proved so inaccurate, what Japan must do to regain its strength, and what its journey can tell us about how to succeed in the new global economy. The research behind this book began in the early 1990s, at a time when Japan's economic success was overwhelmingly credited to the Japanese government and its unique management policies. Porter and his colleagues started by asking a crucial but previously overlooked question: If Japanese government policies and practices accounted for the nation's extraordinary competitiveness, then why wasn't Japan competitive in many of the industries where those policies had been prominently implemented? The authors and a team of colleagues surveyed a vast array of Japanese industries. This surprising book is the result of their work. The continuing influence of Japanese government and management strategies worldwide makes Can Japan Compete? a must read for anyone competing in the global economy.

Genres: Japan, Economics, Nonfiction, Business

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2000

About the author

Michael E. Porter is the leading authority on competitive strategy, the competitiveness and economic development of nations, states, and regions, and the application of competitive principles to social problems such as health care, the environment, and corporate responsibility.

Professor Porter is generally recognized as the "Father of Strategy", as has been identified in a variety of rankings and surveys as the world’s most influential thinker on management and competitiveness. He has ranked #1 on "Thinkers 50".

He is the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor, based at Harvard Business School. A University full-professorship is the highest professional recognition that can be awarded to a Harvard faculty member.

In 2001, Harvard Business School and Harvard University jointly created the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, dedicated to furthering Porter’s work.

Professor Porter is the author of 17 books and over 125 articles. He is the founder of elite strategy consulting firm, the Monitor Group.


He received a B.S.E. with high honors in aerospace and mechanical engineering from Princeton University in 1969, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi. He received an M.B.A. with high distinction in 1971 from the Harvard Business School, where he was a George F. Baker Scholar, and a Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University in 1973.

Reviews

[Jeremy Raper · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more readable academic books I've read - probably due to its concise 190 pages! Subject-wise, this is a novel take on Japan's recent economic malaise, and the conclusion - portions of Japanese industry need to compete on strategy and innovation, not on operational efficiency - is probably not that ground-breaking at this point but well argued.

Best thing about the book is useful case studies from both successful and unsuccessful industries - will be of help to budding consultants and those working at more traditional Japanese companies. Book was published in 2010 but surprisingly still quite relevant to today's situation. Critique of monetary policy and endless construction-heavy stimulus spending offers some skepticism to the current Abenomics program.

[Le Cuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fell in love with Japanese idea of Kaizen - incremental improvement and this book was the answer to why Kaizen alone could not bring Jp to the next great transformation. Creative innovation in both products and business strategy will be required.

[Cameron O'Neill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very useful reading if you want to understand the endless contradictions of business in Japan.