Read "Made in Japan"
Maybe it's love, and I want to give a reasonable explanation to everything I touch in life.
Explain how instant noodles are sold from flour to packaging;
Explain why the screen can display a variety of colors;
Explain the working principle of automobile clutching and shifting;
Explain why some people have wisdom teeth and some don't;
Explain that different shafts of mechanical keyboard are suitable for different application scenarios;
Explain why the quadcopter can fly to the sky;
In fact, I can't explain so much, so I often use thinking instead of the above explanation; thanks to the rapid development of the self-media era, you can know all aspects of knowledge from many media accounts;
Hardcore popular science paperclip, economic consciousness enlightened wizard finance, surfing Laplace, unblinking director Lin Chao, Wei Dad who can test everything, thick-sounding thinking laboratory, Ai who can dismantle everything Austrian science and technology, etc., in economics, politics, culture, technology, science, and life, there is another batch of outstanding knowledge related to; in the past year, I am ignorant of the world. Cognition, every time I refresh the cognition of the old concept, it can make me excited;
There is a series of popular science films "Japan Science and Technology", which is really wonderful. There are also video sources on station B. The videos of this series are really super fun. The subject is the production process of the factory's real shots of common objects around us (Japanese version of the "Creation Encyclopedia"), including videos, daily necessities, sports equipment, traditional crafts, etc. The Making program is commonly translated as "Japanese Science and Technology" on common video sites such as bilibili and Youku.
The Japanese factory with rapid industrial development in the last century has a production capacity beyond my cognition. After three years of work from university, I still think this series is too exciting.
No, I recently heard about the book "Made in Japan", which tells the story of Akio Morita's establishment and management of SONY. I think there are some small stories that can be recorded and shared.
Excerpt 1
At that time, some American soldiers stationed in Japan pumped out gasoline from military jeeps and trucks to sell. The bolder even sells them in "gallons" (1 gallon≈3.79 liters) in bulk. The US military authorities were very angry about this, so they added red dye to military gasoline and conducted surprise inspections on the road. The U.S. military police would insert a long glass tube into the fuel tank, block one end with a finger, and the gasoline would be sucked out from the other end. If the gasoline was red, the driver would have to explain it. But this method also failed to curb the black market trade of military gasoline. A clever Japanese came up with a countermeasure-to filter out the pigment in gasoline with charcoal. This process gave birth to a "new industry" at the time-"legalizing" black market gasoline.
Excerpt 2
Our company's first transistor radio was manufactured in 1955, but the targeted "pocket-carry" radio was not successfully manufactured until 1957. It was the smallest radio in the world at that time. The fly in the ointment is that it is still a bit larger than the standard men's shirt pocket, which is said to be "bag-carrying". As for the size of the pocket to store it, our countermeasure is to "keep your mouth shut", but this is an annoying problem after all. We very much hope that the salesman can easily put the radio into his shirt pocket in front of the guests. This kind of demonstration effect is absolutely great. Finally, I thought of a simple solution to customize shirts for all salesmen. The pockets of this shirt are larger than ordinary ones, just enough to accommodate this radio.
Excerpt 3
The company’s performance has steadily improved, but because Japanese consumers admire big brands, we have worked hard to continuously improve the "SONY" brand image. The same is true in overseas markets. As early as the "World War II", foreigners did not know much about the high-end products produced in Japan. Not only that, once the label "Made in Japan" (Made in Japan) was applied, people would be born. The prejudice of “bad quality”. I traveled to the United States and European countries after the war, and found that their impressions of Japanese products were small commodities such as "oil paper umbrellas", "kimonos", "toys" and "groceries". The reason why we use "SONY" as the company name is not to avoid the identity of a Japanese company or to pretend to be a "foreign brand". After all, the country of production must be marked on the product. However, in order not to be mistaken by foreigners as a crude product, we do I don't want to deliberately emphasize the identity of "Japanese goods". I have to admit that at first we deliberately printed the words "Made in Japan" on the exported products very small. Because the fonts are too small, sometimes the US Customs will order us to reprint them.
Excerpt 4
We will not investigate the needs of consumers, and we will not manufacture products that cater to consumers' needs. Instead, we will guide them to consume by manufacturing new products. This is our company's policy. Because consumers don't understand technology, they don't know which products can be realized, and we do. Therefore, we are not keen on market research, but focus on researching new products and their various uses, and then directly communicate with consumers to convey our intentions, so as to continue to develop the market.
Excerpt 5
Taking creativity and team spirit as the guiding principle and industrialization as the tool to develop and manufacture products with new value is the idea of Mr. Jing Shen. Computers are always just machines, unable to carry out creative activities on their own, because creativity cannot be obtained by processing and analyzing existing information. Human thinking, constant insight and great courage are the source of creativity. Our company has had such a corporate atmosphere from the early days of its business, and it has been passed down to this day. In order to put this spirit into action, we have built an independent sales network that can directly communicate with consumers. We are also making full use of traditional distribution channels, but will focus on the sales network that we have developed independently so that we can have direct contact with retailers. This approach can enhance the close contact between our company and salespeople, so that they can fully understand the value of our products and how to use them. A major responsibility of our company's marketing staff is to visit various retail stores and promote exchanges. In addition, we hope that retail stores can also achieve such close contact and communication when promoting our products to customers, so we have adopted a reward mechanism.
Excerpt 6
Although my experience was still shallow and not deep in the world, I also knew that I should be cautious in handling things. After thinking about the various results after accepting the order, I sat at the desk and drew a U-shaped mathematical curve at the desk. The starting point of the curve is 5,000 units. When it is 10,000 units, it is at the lowest point of the price curve. After that, the curve starts to rise instead of falling. When it reaches 50,000 units, the price exceeds the price of 5,000 units. When it reaches 100,000 units, Its price rose to the highest level. I know very well in my heart that such a quotation violates common sense, but it is the result of thinking and calculation. Assuming that our company accepts an order of 100,000 units, it needs to double the production scale. If there is no such large order in the next year, the company may be forced into bankruptcy. Therefore, if a large number of orders are to be accepted, the cost of expansion must be allocated to the corresponding orders to ensure benefits. This may be too conservative and cautious, but it is the most appropriate choice. As a new enterprise, loan financing is inherently difficult, and it should not be easily expanded. Based on the above considerations, I think it is not worth taking such a risk for a large order. Moreover, Japan's national conditions do not allow companies to easily hire or lay off employees based on the increase or decrease of orders. What labor and management have established is a long-term contractual relationship, and both parties have obligations to each other. In addition, I have to beware. The order of 100,000 units may be just a bait for the other party. If the price of 100,000 units is very low, the other party will sign a contract. Then we asked us to try to produce 10,000 units first, and finally terminate the contract for various reasons.
Comparing heart to heart, I fully understand the frustration of businessmen from the United States and other countries when they do business in Japan. Japan's logistics distribution system and Japanese are both cumbersome and complicated. They feel exactly the same as when I was in the United States decades ago. Many foreign companies that have succeeded in Japan have one characteristic-try not to rely on existing systems. When I opened up the market in the United States, I also personally felt the necessity of this approach. My experience at the time was that I needed a sales channel that could directly convey the concept and value of the company's new technology to consumers. In order to establish such a channel, not only is the road a long way to go, but also one must work hard and painstakingly.
Excerpt 7
When I first went on a business trip to the United States, I stayed in a cheap hotel. Not only was my English poor, but I was also shy in my pocket. Therefore, the problem of eating is often solved in Automat (only vending machines, coin-operated fast food restaurants with no service) or self-service restaurants, so that there is no need to speak English with people. When Dr. Kagawa and I traveled together for the first time, I booked a cheap hotel as before and took him to Automat for dinner. As a result, he said that this is not appropriate. Businessmen should maintain their dignity and the face of the company. They should pay more attention to food, clothing, housing and transportation when they are out. He also gave me a series of advice. For example, living in a high-class room in a cheap hotel is not as good as living in a low-class room in a high-end hotel; eating in a high-end restaurant, you can gradually distinguish the quality of the dishes and services. This is the quality that businessmen must possess...
Excerpt 8
Not only that, in the eyes of our American guarantee company, Japan's traditional financing method-short-term borrowing is even more problematic. Many Japanese companies have been using this method of financing, and the repayment period is generally 90 days, and the loan contract can be continuously updated. The American lawyer once said to me: "I really convinced you. With so many short-term loans, you can actually do such a big business. If the bank suddenly takes back the loan one day, then you are all over." I explained to this. Said: "Banks won't do this. The advantage of short-term loans is that the interest rate is lower." This approach brings flexibility to companies. According to actual needs, the loan period can be extended or the loan can be repaid immediately. Banks are very concerned about the companies they support and will be cautious when signing a loan contract for the first time. But our American partner believes that we should ask the bank for a written commitment to ensure that the loan can continue to be provided. I explained that there is a trusting relationship between banks and companies. They also said: "Then let the bank write down the trust relationship in black and white." In the end, I worked hard to get them to understand the Japanese way of doing things. For us, this process is also a kind of learning.
Excerpt 9
In 1959, I opened a SONY showroom in Ginza, Tokyo. The main purpose of the store is to allow our customers and potential customers to fiddle with and try our products. The atmosphere in the store is free and casual, and customers don't have to worry about being pestered by salespersons. The popularity of the store is gradually increasing, and its publicity effect is very significant. At that time, our company was still a young emerging company, and it had to be well-known not only in the United States and Europe, but also in Japan.
Excerpt 10
For people with busy work and life, I highly recommend exercising, which is not only good for the body and mind, but also allows the mind to be flexible, and most importantly, to gain confidence. For a person, maintaining self-confidence is the key. My experience of learning to fly an airplane can also prove this point. Back then, the company had just equipped a helicopter. When I took the first ride, I saw that the pilot was older than me, so I thought to myself: If something goes wrong while driving, then I can just sit and wait. Sitting in the back seat in fear but at a loss, I think this is ridiculous. So I applied for a student license, sat in the co-pilot seat, and learned driving skills from the pilots in case of emergency. Not only that, with a student license, as long as a pilot with an instructor license is instructed by the side, I can legally hold the joystick and fly the helicopter. Therefore, all pilots employed by our company have instructor licenses. I do not intend to fly the helicopter alone, but just in case, I still insist on updating the student license. I don't like the weak state of powerlessness. Only by establishing the confidence that I can make an emergency landing on my own can I enjoy flying with peace of mind.
Excerpt 11
Sometimes, salespeople don't know enough about new products. Obviously there is not enough business knowledge, but directly face the customer. When SONY launched the U-matic portable black and white video recorder for the US market, a wholesaler immediately ordered 5,000 units. I told the wholesaler that, judging from the size of the market, the order was too large. In my opinion, there were certainly not many consumers who were interested in buying this product. To promote this brand-new product, a process is required for the public to understand and be familiar with. Only when the "cognitive gap" between manufacturers and consumers on products can be closed, can the market be opened. For the new high-tech products that have just come out, it is especially necessary to make such a preparation. When U-matic was first launched in the United States, there was almost no basic product promotion and introduction to consumers, resulting in flat sales for wholesalers and retailers. And such mistakes eventually led the wholesalers to take the action we least want to see-in order to clean up the inventory and sharply cut prices and sell them at low prices, thus hurting the added value of SONY's brand.
Excerpt 12
If your employees are motivated, capable, and energetic, the next step is to stimulate their creativity. For a long time, people in other countries believed that the Japanese only knew how to imitate but did not understand invention and creation. But if the achievements of the Japanese industry in the past 40 years are uncreative, it is too absurd. Whether it is the performance of the electronics industry, the new materials such as industrial ceramics and man-made fibers, and the achievements of other industries, it can be clearly seen that "Made in Japan" has been upgraded to "Created in Japan." Not only that, but our contribution to production technology and quality management obviously also belongs to the category of originality. Imitation is human nature and a primary learning method. As you continue to learn, you will grow up, and then you will organically combine your own talents with the acquired knowledge to create brand-new results. People are like this, so are businesses and industries. Makoto Kikuchi, director of our company's research institute, often said that for children, imitation is the first step in learning. The etymology of the Japanese word "learning" (manabu) is "imitation" (manebu).
Sometimes, even with good ideas and inventions, they will "catch up on the wrong tide." Therefore, product planning (that is, research on technical input for a certain product) also requires creativity. When excellent products are manufactured, the next step is to display creativity in marketing. In other words, only when creativity is displayed in the three links of technology development, product planning, and marketing, can consumers truly enjoy the happiness brought about by new technologies. Not only that, companies must establish an organizational structure that allows these three aspects to work together in order to be effective and obtain commercial benefits.
In SONY, in order for an idea to blossom and bear fruit, the original proponent must have a serious and responsible attitude, and repeatedly explain to relevant personnel in technology development, product planning, manufacturing, and marketing, and check whether the actual results are in line with the actual results. Theoretical expectations. Whether it is the company's internal production process or a brand-new product for the market, it must meet the above requirements. In addition, in such a process, it is possible to cultivate the spirit of ownership of the team and its members. They are bound to understand that they are not only part of the "corporate machine", but also the entrepreneurs themselves.
Excerpt 13
In contrast to Japan, people generally believe that "the higher the status, the greater the responsibility." Once a person in a high position dereliction of duty, it is simply a shame. In addition, compared with Europe and the United States, the social circle of the Japanese is relatively closed. Once they lose their credit, it is difficult to recover. In Europe and the United States, if a corporate executive is fired because of a mistake or violation, he can often go to another company to continue his career. In Japan, this is almost impossible.
The difference between American companies and Japanese companies is not only cultural, but also business philosophy. If you ask Japanese corporate executives "what is corporate social responsibility", the answer is often "to enable the company to achieve sustainable development, ensure the provision of jobs, and improve the lives of employees." This is the purpose of enterprises to create and increase profits, not simply "all in line with profits." Conversely, when American corporate executives face the above questions, they almost always answer "The primary responsibility is to earn as high a profit as possible, so as to distribute dividends to shareholders." They are employed by shareholders and therefore bear the responsibility of serving shareholders. If they want to keep their positions, they must please investors.
More than ten years ago, I visited a TV factory in the Midwest of the United States. In the meantime, I suggest that the person in charge of the factory introduce new equipment and improve production efficiency. And his answer left me speechless—"My bonus is linked to overall performance. Increasing investment costs will reduce my income. Paving the way for someone who may take over my seat in a few years. Don't do it." In Japanese companies, employees often sacrifice their immediate interests for the future of the company. Because employees feel safe and know that they can work in the company for a long time. Only when both labor and management achieve "you are in you, and you are in me" can we cultivate the loyalty of employees.
Excerpt 14
After the war, Japan introduced a new labor law during judicial reforms, which made it almost impossible for companies to fire employees. In the eyes of entrepreneurs (especially those older established entrepreneurs), this regulation is obviously an interference and infringement of the decision-making power of enterprises. But as the saying goes, the law must be followed, even if it is reluctant, it has to be followed. However, the "yoke" of this entrepreneur has turned into motivation and advantage. After changing their minds, the entrepreneurs came up with a way-if a family member-like bond can be established between labor and management, it can arouse the national pride of the Japanese, so that Japan can get rid of the plight and move towards rejuvenation. This kind of spirit finally formed the Japanese corporate culture and Japanese national consciousness after the war. The Americans ridiculed this unity as "Japanese corporations."
At SONY, even researchers must have a period of sales internship. If they are enclosed in an ivory tower, it is difficult to understand what an enterprise is. In my opinion, even a highly skilled scientist needs to experience first-hand product sales in order to understand the fierce competition faced by the company he belongs to. At SONY, fresh graduates who have just joined the company must go through a one-month internship phase-those who are engaged in business work must receive training in the factory; those who are engaged in technical work must work as salespersons in SONY specialty stores or shopping malls.
Excerpt 15
Some people criticized Japan's traditional labor concept as "being behind the times." In addition, like other countries, the professional ethics of the younger generation in Japan also tends to be weakened day by day. But in my opinion, this is not an inevitable historical necessity. Professionalism is one of the natural instincts of human beings. Without being persecuted by others, human beings still have the willingness to work and the enthusiasm to complete a certain job. Especially when completing difficult tasks, or when their work results and task performance are recognized and commended in the company, everyone will have a sense of satisfaction from their hearts. Entrepreneurs and executives in Europe and the United States seem to ignore this. Specifically, Americans are accustomed to the system of "exchanging labor for money" and believe that "people who do not work cannot eat, and they are relaxed and happy without food." This concept has its positive meaning. "If you don't work well, you will be fired." This kind of thinking is deeply ingrained in the hearts of Americans. American parents will ask their children to do housework, otherwise they will not give pocket money. From an educational perspective, I think this approach is correct. In contrast, most Japanese parents often provide their children with pocket money for free. In addition, the employment systems in Japan and the United States are also different. Even if Japanese employees are passive, they will not be dismissed casually. Therefore, entrepreneurs or executives must find ways to stimulate the initiative of employees. Having said that, I still believe that money should not be used as the only incentive.
Although people need money, they also want to get a sense of joy and pride from their work. For example, assigning heavy responsibility work to young employees, even if he does not currently have a corresponding title, but because the company has given him a vision for the future, he is bound to go all out. In the United States, title, job content, and money are often linked to each other's incentive mechanism. Even if young people are to take on heavy responsibilities, they must first be given high wages. In Japan, wages tend to increase with the increase in length of service and experience, and annual salary increases are the norm. If you make an exception and give an employee a particularly high salary, you cannot always give him an annual salary increase. Once wages stop rising, employees are bound to be disappointed. Therefore, Japanese companies favor this “long-flowing, increasing year by year” salary increase method.
Excerpt 16
I often compare the personnel structure of American companies to brick walls, and the personnel structure of Japanese companies to stone walls. In American companies, the organization is determined first, the job is determined later, and finally the talents that are suitable for the job content are recruited. Screening applicants is like picking bricks. When you encounter people who are not in line with the scheduled job, that is, bricks that are too large or too small, they will all be discarded. Just like a brick wall, each brick must fit the rules of the wall, otherwise it cannot be built.
In Japanese companies, the company first recruits new people, and then thinks about how to make everyone play a corresponding role. Fresh graduates who have just joined the job are highly educated and have great potential, but they are ignorant of the world and lack experience. They are like rocks of different shapes and sizes. Business managers need to observe them carefully for a long time, and then find the best combination, so as to become a stone wall. In other words, managers are like skilled wall masons, facing round, square, strip and other stones of different shapes and sizes, they must coordinate management, permutation and combination, so as to ensure that each individual can play a role. In addition, people will grow and progress, so managers must not forget that "stones" can sometimes be deformed. And, as the business content changes, sometimes the "stone in the wall" needs to be replaced. I don't want to get too entangled in the metaphor of "brick wall and stone wall". I just want to emphasize the fact that the flexibility and adaptability of labor and management is a major feature of Japanese companies. In Japan, if a company's existing business is in danger of becoming a sunset industry, the company's senior management will consider changing its business or engaging in diversified operations, and then retrain its employees. At this time, employees tend to respond positively. In addition, sometimes employees need to relocate due to job changes, and Japanese family members generally actively cooperate.
Excerpt 17
As a Japanese entrepreneur, coupled with what I have seen and heard in the United States, I think the transformation methods of these Japanese companies are much more reasonable than that of American companies. Americans often advertise their "scientific and reasonable" business judgment ability, but in my opinion, although the business management taught by American business schools seems reasonable, it lacks humanistic care. The Japanese pay attention to "time, place, and harmony" in business. If you only focus on theory or logic, you will not be successful. If you want high efficiency and high productivity, you must first improve employee morale. For this, we must attach importance to communicating with their hearts. Sometimes trust is above everything else, and sometimes you have to make seemingly unreasonable decisions. If the object is a machine, it may be right to only pursue logic, but since working with people, mutual understanding is more important than theory.
Excerpt 18
In order to maintain such competitiveness, we must always have the spirit of "thirst for knowledge". To be honest, I admire Mr. Konosuke Matsushita very much in this regard. In my opinion, Matsushita Electric Company is a model of thirst for knowledge. Although Mr. Jing Shen and I established SONY in the rubble after the war and made it rise, neither of us had the experience of being conscripted into child labor by the state when we were young. Perhaps it is precisely because I have never experienced this kind of suffering that I cannot have the pure merchant character like Mr. Matsushita-everything is for business. Mr. Matsushita and I once talked, when he laughed and said: "Our company has a research institute in Tokyo, called SONY, hahaha." He also said: "Once you find that your company's new products are selling well, we just need to follow them. Just do it." Such a thorough businessman spirit really makes me admire.
Excerpt 19
I always educate my employees to keep up with the ever-changing market situation and put myself in a competitive position. Regardless of people's likes and dislikes, things are always changing. People can neither go against the trend nor suppress the trend, let alone hinder progress. And this continuous change has a huge impact on business operations. In order to follow the trend, entrepreneurs must constantly train employees in the manufacturing department; in order to sell new or iterative products, employees in the sales department must learn new business knowledge; these will cause tremendous pressure.
Follow-up
I haven't read it yet, I will add it later;