Scientific Management and Japanese Management, 1910 – 1945

The success of the post-war Japanese industry in international competition has attracted the attention of business executives, economists and management scholars throughout the world. In trying to explain the phenomenal growth of productivity and the achievement of high quality standards at the same time, frequent mention is made of the Japanese management style (Thompson, 1989, p.221). As Japanese firms establish production facilities overseas, the Japanese management style is becoming increasingly familiar to non-Japanese employees of Japanese firms, and through publicity to a large number of other people as well. It has been proposed that in order for other firms to compete effectively with Japanese firms, they will have to adopt the Japanese management style.