TITLE : KAISHA, THE JAPANESE CORPORATION.

THIS BOOK is about the business corporations of Japan-the kaisha-which now play key roles in the world business arena. We have sought to describe and explain the competitive behavior of Japan's companies to those Western businessmen whose own competitive decisions and actions require a more complete understanding of the kaisha.

This book is not another explanation of Japan's economic success. It does not deal with miracles, nor with conspiracies. It is the authors' hope that a more analytic and less emotional discussion of competing withJapan's companies will be of interest and value to the Western business community.

The analyses and conclusions are the results of our combined management consulting experience of nearly forty years. About half of that consulting experience has been as residents of Japan. We have worked on client assignments not only in Japan but also throughout the countries of Western Europe, in East, Southeast, and South Asia, in Australia and Africa, as well as in North America. Our clients have included American,Japanese, British, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Swiss, and Swedish companies.

Our client work has involved us deeply in a number of industries, including food, personal products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, autos and trucks, electrical and electronics equipment, general machinery, as well as banking, distribution, and services. Most of our consulting work has been with manufacturing companies, those companies most directly involved in international trade competition.

We are deeply indebted to the executives and staff of our client organizations. It is their willingness to entrust us with difficult and complex management problems, to share views and data, and to support our research and analysis that has made possible the preparation of this book. We thank them, and regret that the need to respect client confidentiality prevents more specific acknowledgement of our obligations.

We would like also to thank the past and present staff of The Boston Consulting Group for their support in much of our consulting work. We are especially obliged to Bruce D. Henderson, founder of BCG, as leader and teacher.

-JAMES C. ABEGGLEN -GEORCE STALK, JR. Tokyo