Japanese Mangement

This guide was developed in the late 1980s and has not been thoroughly revised. It is made available here for historical purposes.

The 1980's were years in which the "Japanese management style" was highly praised and widely adapted or copied by Western companies. Concepts like JIT (just-in-time) manufacturing, the differing human resource policies (labor relations), awareness of the company's overall strategy, the role of unspoken codes of behavior, and heavy emphasis on innovation and R&D activities were all major components of the Japanese system. The implementation of this "style" led to a surge of interest in Japanese business practices. By the mid- to-late 1990's, however, a slide in the Japanese economy brought these theories under scrutiny.
At the time that Japanese management was in its heyday and was a "hot topic", the Business Library compiled a list of resources focussed on the subject. With a few current additions and modifications, the resource materials are listed below as they appeared at that time.

Some Suggested Search Terms and Subject Headings

Online Public Catalogue

Japan - Commerce
Japan - Economic Conditions
Japan - Commerce - Canada
Industrial Management - Japan
Production Management - Japan
Japanese Language - Dictionaries

Selected Reference Books

Encyclopedia of Japanese business and management,  HF1001.E467 2002

Concise international encyclopedia of business & management ARCC HF1001.I53 1997

The MIT encyclopedia of the Japanese economy ARCC HC462.9.H73 1994

Japan Company Handbook, ARCC HC 461.J342 Provides the latest financial information on Japanese corporations listed on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges.

Japan Business Atlas, ARCC HC 462.5.J35 1987
A look at the Japanese market through graphs, charts and tables.

Japanese Investment in U.S. and Canadian Real Estate Directory, 1990, ARCC HD 251.J37 1990.
See the essay "Japanese Real Estate Investment Trends in Canada", p. 37.

Talking Business in Japanese, HF 1002.A34 1988.

Tatemae and HONNE: Distinguishing Between Good Form and Real Intention in Japanese Business Culture, ARCC HF 1002.5.T38 1988
A glossary of approximately 500 words and idiomatic phrases used in the Japanese corporate world.

Standard Trade Index of Japan, ARCC HF 3823.S83 1986/87
Contains three main sections: 1) Commodities and Services 2) Brand Names 3) Firm Guide.

Japanese Market, HF 3823.C27 1984

Japan Trade Directory, ARCC HF 3823.J36 1989/90

Principal International Business, ARCC HF 54.U5D83 1990
Divided into three sections: Businesses Geographically; Businesses by Product and Businesses Alphabetically.

Pacific World Directory, ARCC HF 4030.7.A48P3 1987
Lists some government addresses, trade associations, exporters' associations and some major corporations.

Japanese Direct Foreign Investments: An Annotated Bibliography, ARCC Z 7164.F5B722 1989
This is a very good biliography and the annotations are thorough. For Canada see p. 66.

Other Reference Sources

Economist Intelligence Units' Country Reports
Moody's International Manual

Selected Articles

For the period prior to 1981 see the helpful: Japanese Management, 1970-1981: A Selected Guide To Periodical Literature, ARCC Z 7164.C81S23 1982.

Search ProQuest for recent articles and use CBCA for the Canadian perspective. Use 'Japan" in location field and 'management styles' in the subject field.

Search paper periodical indexes - The Business Periodicals Index related references will be found under "Japan" and additional headings such as "Canada - Japan" and "Management -Japan". In the Canadian Business Index, "Japanese Management" and "Japan" are headings. See also the company name index in the back of each volume for material on Japanese companies.

See also the book, Advances in International Comparative Management
(BUSSTK HD 30.55.A38, V.4, 1989), which contains the following essays: "Management Styles: Some
Similarities and Differences Between Japanese and Canadian Managers in Canada" and "Japanese Management Theories: A Research Agenda".

Selected Books

Abbegglen, James C. Kaisha: The Japanese Corporation, HD 70.J3.A26 1986.

Abbegglen, James C. The Strategy of Japanese Business,  HF 1456.5.J3A54 1984.

Asian Productivity Organization. Japan Quality Control Circles...,  TS 156.J33.

Clark, Rodney. The Japanese Company,
HD 70.J3C58.

Crocker, Olga. Quality Circles: A Guide to Participation and Productivity,  HD 66.C76 1984.

DeMente, Boye. Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business,
HF 5387.D384 1987

DeMente, Boye. The Japanese Way of Doing Business,
DBWSTK HD 70.J3D4 1981

Dickerman, Allen B. Training Japanese Managers,
HD 70.J3D5.

Dreyfack, Raymond. Making It in Management the Japanese Way,  HD 70.J3D73.

Fhurstenberg, F. Why the Japanese Have Been So Successful in Business,  HD 70.J3F7713 1974.

Gibney, Frank. Miracle By Design: The Real Reason Behind Japan's Economic Success, DBWSTK HD 70.J3G52 1982.

Grayson, C.J. American Business: A Two Minute Warning...,
HD 70.U5G69 1988.

Hasegawa, K. Japanese-Style Management: An Insider's Analysis,  HD 70.J3H263 1986.

Imai, M. Kaizen:Ky'zen: The Key To Japanese Competitive Success, HD 70.J3I547 1986.

Imai, M. Never Take Yes For An Answer: An Inside Look At Japanese Business,  HF 5349.J3I4.

Kagona, Tadao Strategic vs. Evolutionary Management: A U.S. - Japan Comparison of Strategy & Organization, BUSSTK HD 70.U5N513 1984.

Kono, Toyohiro. Strategy and Structure of Japanese Enterprises,  HD 70.J3K63 1984

Leibenstein, Harvey. Inside the Firm: The Inefficiencies of Hierarchy, DBWSTK HD 2326.L45 1987.

Long, William A. Management in Japan and India, With Reference To The United States,  HD 70.J3L66.

Lu, David John. Inside Corporate Japan: The Art of Fumble-Free Management,  HD 70.J3L8 1987.

Marshall, F. Roy. Unheard Voices: Labor & Economic Policy in a Competitive World, DBWSTK HD 5660.U5M26 1987.

McMillan, Charles J. The Japanese Industrial System,
DBWSTK HD 70.J3M4 1984.

Mehtabdin, Khalid R. Comparative Management: Business Styles in Japan & U.S.,  HD 70.U5M416 1986.

Monden, Yasuhiro. Innovations in Management: The Japanese Corporation, HD 70.J3I548.

Odaka, Kunio. Japanese Management: A Forward-Looking Analysis,  HD 70.J3.O3313 1986.

Ohmae, Kenichi. The Mind Of The Strategist: The Art Of Japanese Business, HD 38.O315.

Ohno, Taiiche. Toyota Production System: Beyond Large Scale Production,  TS 157.O5713 1988.

Ouchi, William G. Theory Z; How American Business Can Meet The Japanese Challenge, DBWSTK HD 70.J3O88 1982.

Pegels, C. Carl. Japan VS. The West: Implications For Management, HD 70.J3P43 1984.

Sasaki, Naoto. Management and Industrial Structure in Japan,  HD 70.J3S257 1981.

Saso, M (Mary). Japanese Industry: How To Compete and How To Cooperate,  HC 462.9.S2576 1981.

Schonberger, Richard. Japanese Manufacturing Techniques: Nine Hidden Lessons in Simplicity,  HD 70.J3S36 1982.

Sethi, S. Prakash. The False Promise of The Japanese Miracle: Illusion And Realities of The Japanese Management System,  HD 70.J3S4635 1984.

Shaeffer, Ruth G. Developing New Leadership In A Multinational Environment, HD 62.4.S5 1985.

Shimizu, Ryeuei. The Growth of Firms in Japan, HF 5349.J3S52.

Shingeo, Shigeo. Non-Stock Production: The Shingo System For Continuous Inprovement,  TS 155.S45613 1988.

Shingeo, Shigeo. The Sayings of Shigeo Shingo: Key Strategies For Plant Inprovement, TS 155.S46213 1987.

Shingeo, Shigeo. A Revolution in Manufacturing: The SMED System, TS 155.S46313 1985.

Shingeo, Shigeo. Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and The Poka-Yoke System, TS 156.S472513 1986.

Tanaka, Hiroshi. The Human Side of Japanese Enterprise, DBWSTK HD 9992.J34A837 1988.

Trevor, Malcolm. Japan's Reluctant Multinationals: Japanese Management of Home and Abroad,  HD 2845.T73 1983.

Tsurumi, Yoshi. Japanese Business: A Research Guide With Annotated Bibliography,  HD 70.J3T8 1978.