Publications

02 Apr 2013
News

Japan's Answer to Jeff Bezos Sets Sights on Amazon, America

Keywords: News, Library, Internet, and Other Services; Information; General Merchandise Stores; Retail Trade

August 2018 (Revised July 2019)
Background Note

Kaizen, meaning change for the better in Japanese, is a set of activities directed at improving standardized work, equipment, and procedures for carrying out daily production or other business operations. It was popularized by Toyota as an integral part of its Toyota... View Details

Keywords: Best Practices; Continuous Improvement; Kaizen; Process Improvement; 5S; Muda; Toyota Production System; Production; Service Operations; Performance Improvement; North and Central America; Asia; Japan

30 Jun 2009
First Look

First Look: June 30

barriers that TOTO faces in gaining adoption of an innovation. It also explores the role of product categorization in driving consumer behavior—in contrast to the U.S., toilets in Japan are considered a high-tech consumer electronic... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

28 Sep 2010
First Look

First Look: September 28, 2010

and technical assistance in the same period. We interpret this as supportive of the interpretation that technology transfers from the U.S. to Western European countries and Japan were an important factor in driving growth in these... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

October 2008 (Revised February 2009)
Case

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering

Explores the journey of aggressive learning and capability building in the operations of a major Korean Shipbuilder. While DSHM had once used its superior learning capability to topple its Japanese competition, it now faced the potential for a similar attack from new... View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Ship Transportation; Competitive Strategy; Globalization; Manufacturing Industry; Japan; China; South Korea

July 2008 (Revised May 2017)
Teaching Note

Financial Leadership in Novartis Consumer Health Businesses

By: Boris Groysberg and Geoff Marietta

Teaching Note for HBS No. 406-102. View Details

Keywords: Health Industry; Australia; Japan; Venezuela

January 2003
Teaching Note

Australia-Japan Cable: Structuring the Project Company (TN)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Carrie Ferman

Teaching Note for (9-203-029). View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications Industry; Australia; Japan

Research Summary

Overview

The Information Age has introduced well recieved opportunities to track performance. Fitbits and Fuelbands show individuals their own performance; service companies including Uber and leading hospitals help pick from drivers or doctors based on how others rate them;... View Details

Keywords: Management Accounting; Performance Measurement; Incentives; Control; Healthcare Industry; Education; Education Industry; Health Industry; Transportation Industry; Energy Industry; Auto Industry; United States; Japan; India

August 1974 (Revised June 1975)
Background Note

Note on the Watch Industries in Switzerland, Japan, and the U.S. (Abridged)

By: Francis Aguilar

Keywords: Consumer Products Industry; Switzerland; Japan; United States

Find at Harvard

October 1991 (Revised December 1992)
Background Note

Note on Corporate Governance Systems: The United States, Japan, and Germany

By: W. Carl Kester and Robert W. Lightfoot

Describes and compares the corporate governance systems commonly found in the United States, Japan, and Germany. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Governance; United States; Japan; Germany

May 2021
Case

André Hoffmann: Beyond Philanthropy

By: Lauren Cohen, Hao Gao, Jiawei Ye and Spencer C.N. Hagist

André Hoffmann is a leader of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. His exceptional tenure in philanthropy over the past several decades, including being president of the WWF and the vice-president of the MAVA Foundation, has allowed him access to a far... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Restructuring; Social Entrepreneurship; Values and Beliefs; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Cash Flow; Macroeconomics; Ethics; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Switzerland; United States; Japan

27 May 1992
Lecture

Banks in the Board Room: The American Versus Japanese and German Experiences

By: W. Carl Kester

Keywords: Banks and Banking; Banking Industry; United States; Germany; Japan

November 2002
Teaching Note

Corporate Renewal in America (TN)

By: Bruce R. Scott and Thomas S. Mondschean

Teaching Note for (9-702-018). View Details

Keywords: United States; Germany; Japan

August 1992
Case

Otis Pacific Asia Operations (A): National Challenges

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Describes the elevator market and Otis's competitive position in four markets: Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, and Japan. The student is asked to evaluate the strategic and competitive challenges in each market, especially in light of strong Japanese competition across the... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Network Effects; Problems and Challenges; Global Strategy; Goals and Objectives; Service Delivery; Competitive Advantage; Competition; Technology Industry; Manufacturing Industry; India; Japan; Malaysia; Hong Kong

November 1987 (Revised March 1988)
Case

Searching for Trade Remedies: The U.S. Machine Tool Industry--1983

By: David B. Yoffie

In 1983 the National Machine Tools Builder Association was predicting a declining market for the United States and rising imports. Machine tool manufacturers had to decide if they should ask the U.S. government for help, and if they did, which administrative channels... View Details

Keywords: Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Machinery and Machining; Government and Politics; Law; Production; Business and Government Relations; Competition; Manufacturing Industry; Japan; Germany; United States

Find at Harvard

01 Jun 2015
News

3-Minute Briefing: Rehito “Ray” Hatoyama (MBA 2008)

For Hello Kitty, we like to say, “Small gift, big smile.” We have a 10-cent lollipop at some mass retailers. But we also have $500,000 jewelry. Sanrio has more than 3,000 licensing partners in over 130 countries. The happiness of bringing a smile to someone is very... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Hello Kitty; Arts, Entertainment; Special Design Services; Professional Services

07 Sep 2016
Working Paper Summaries

Decision-Making by Precedent and the Founding of American Honda (1948–1974)

Keywords: by Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and John Heilbron; Auto

August 1983 (Revised March 2011)
Supplement

Honda (B)

Describes the history of Honda Motor Company from its beginning through its entry into and subsequent dominance of the U.S. market as seen through the eyes of Honda executives. The history of Honda's successful entry into the U.S. market is viewed as highly adaptive... View Details

Keywords: Management; Business History; Auto Industry; Japan; United States