Keiretsu: Inside the Hidden Japanese Conglomerates Book

Scrupulously objective, Keiretsu probes behind the scenes to reveal what the keiretsu really are and how they operate. In highly readable style, it analyzes the Big 6-Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Sanwa, Fuyo, and Dai-Ichi Kangyo-and reports on how they do business and what it's like for foreign competitors to take them on. Readers will find pioneering insights into the thousands of small companies in the keiretsu groups that act as suppliers to the largest firms and are the real source of the Japanese economic miracle. They'll also learn how Japanese officials skillfully leverage the keiretsu as a tool in trade relations. Japan can be a land of high profits or disastrous pitfalls for American companies, and Keiretsu is rich with examples. It shows how Coca-Cola makes more money in Japan than at home, and also offers the cautionary tale of IBM 's come-uppance at the hands of the keiretsu. The underlying lessons-especially how to take advantage of the keiretsu subcontracting system or circumvent it-will open the eyes of even the most sophisticated international executives. This bold, timely book also examines whether America should turn the tables on Japan. Could keiretsu help the U.S. bolster its competitiveness? Or is Japan's keiretsu system about to self-destruct-wracked by internal turmoils that are just coming to light? For anyone trying to deal with Japanese firms and understand their "family connections," Keiretsu is essential reading.Read More