Publications

December 2010 (Revised February 2012)
Case

Vodafone in Japan (A)

By: Juan Alcacer, Mary Furey and Mayuka Yamazaki

Despite a rough start in the Japanese telecom market, by late 2003, Vodafone seemed to have weathered the storm, largely based on the strength of their mobile phone unit. But was it simply the calm before the storm? View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Global Strategy; Knowledge Acquisition; Adaptation; Diversification; Expansion; Telecommunications Industry; Japan

March 2008 (Revised November 2008)
Case

Sony Digital Entertainment, Japan

By: Anita Elberse

It is late 2007. So-called cell phone ("keitai") novels have turned into an extremely popular form of entertainment-on-the- go in Japan, in particular among young, female readers. In fact, consisting mostly of love stories written by amateurs in short sentences and... View Details

Keywords: Books; Marketing Strategy; Open Source Distribution; Competition; Mobile Technology; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Publishing Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Japan

July 2005 (Revised February 2011)
Case

Tanpin Kanri: Retail Practice at Seven-Eleven Japan

By: Rajiv Lal and Arar Han

Toshifumi Suzuki, chairman and CEO of Seven and I Holding Co., was widely credited as the mastermind behind Seven-Eleven Japan's spectacular rise. Although Seven-Eleven Japan began as a small licensee of U.S. convenience store chain 7-Eleven, Inc. (then Southland... View Details

Keywords: Framework; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Practices and Processes; Demand and Consumers; Distribution; Logistics; Technology; Retail Industry; Japan

15 May 2008
News

Getting Japan to capitalize on its innovation

January 2008 (Revised April 2009)
Case

Kinyuseisaku: Monetary Policy in Japan (A)

By: Laura Alfaro and Akiko Kanno

Toshihiko Fukui, Governor of the Bank of Japan, faced a complex situation in the fall of 2007. An economic recovery had allowed the central bank to abandon its zero interest rate policy, which had been in place for years, and raise rates to 0.5%. The Bank of Japan was... View Details

Keywords: Inflation and Deflation; Money; Central Banking; Interest Rates; Policy; Japan

November 1979 (Revised November 1980)
Case

Japan (B), Supplement I

By: Bruce R. Scott and Audrey T. Sproat

Keywords: Japan

September 1974 (Revised November 1980)
Case

Japan (B), Supplement III

By: Bruce R. Scott and Audrey T. Sproat

Keywords: Japan

October 1987 (Revised February 1992)
Case

Motorola and Japan (A)

By: David B. Yoffie and John J. Coleman

In 1981, Motorola was reevaluating its strategy towards Japan. The firm had been successful in penetrating the Japanese market, and it was confronting increased Japanese competition at home. How it should respond and with what kind of organization were the central... View Details

Keywords: Market Entry and Exit; Standards; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Japan

03 Jun 2021

HBS Perspectives from Japan

Please join us to meet Harvard Business School students and alumni from Japan and learn more about our MBA Program from their perspective. View Details

September 2012
Teaching Note

Vodafone Japan (A), (B) and (C) (TN)

By: Juan Alcacer

The series of three cases is used in Harvard Business School's (HBS) elective course "Competing Globally" as the second case in the first module (Why?: Strategies to create value globally) (See "Competing Globally: Course Note for Instructors", HBS 713-422). The module... View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications; Technological Innovation; Technology Strategy; Operations Strategy; Information Technology; Operations; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Japan

April 1994
Case

FAX International Japan (A)

01 Dec 2003
News

Studying Japan from the Inside

Masako Egawa (MBA ’86), executive director of Harvard Business School’s Japan Research Office in Tokyo, answers questions about business changes in Japan and the School’s research there. Q: Tell us about an... View Details

Keywords: Cynthia Churchwell; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

January 1978
Case

Caustic Soda in Japan (B)

By: Louis T. Wells Jr.

Keywords: Chemical Industry; Japan

April 2013 (Revised April 2014)
Case

The Miracle of Japan Airlines

By: Hirotaka Takeuchi and Victor Stone

Keywords: Air Transportation; Air Transportation Industry; Japan

01 Dec 2006
News

Badaracco Addresses Japan Club

The HBS Club of Japan hosted Professor Joseph Badaracco at the Tokyo American Club in July for a talk on “The Demanding Challenges of Responsible Leadership.” Badaracco’s research focuses on business ethics, particularly on leadership and... View Details

Keywords: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

January 2011
Supplement

Vodafone in Japan (C)

By: Juan Alcacer, Mary Furey and Mayuka Yamazaki

An update to Vodafone cases A and B, describing Softbank's acquisition of Vodafone and its performance in Japan. View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Knowledge Acquisition; Performance; Motivation and Incentives; Adaptation; Diversification; Expansion; Telecommunications Industry; Japan

March 1997 (Revised April 1997)
Background Note

Automobile Distribution in Japan

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Yutaka Kashiwagi

Keywords: Distribution; Auto Industry; Japan

August 1986
Case

Japan as Number One?

By: Bruce R. Scott

Keywords: Japan