Made in Japan (biography)
Encyclopedia
Made in Japan : Akio Morita and Sony is an autobiography of Akio Morita
, the co-founder and former chairman of Sony Corporation
. It was written with the assistance of Edwin M. Reingold and Mitsuko Shimomura. The book not only narrates the story of Morita, but also of the Sony Corporation's formation in the aftermath of Japan's brutal defeat in World War II, and its subsequent rapid rise to fame and fortune. The book also provides insights into Japanese culture and the Japanese way of thinking, particularly their business management philosophies and styles. The Japanese behavior is explained by putting it into a context based on Japan's history, recent and ancient.
Morita introduces the origins of his family, and how Sony was founded. Chapters picture the war, early tape recorders, and various conclusions on international markets. The transistor
was invented in North America
in the 1950s, and Sony took advantage of it. The biography gives authentic details about patent issues, business conferences in various countries, and the invention of the Walkman
.
The book is narrated by Morita in an intensely personal, down to earth, conversational style.
The autobiography was originally published in English (ISBN 0525244654) in 1986 and has been translated to 12 languages.
Akio Morita
Akio Morita KBE was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony Corporation along with Masaru Ibuka.-Early life:...
, the co-founder and former chairman of Sony Corporation
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
. It was written with the assistance of Edwin M. Reingold and Mitsuko Shimomura. The book not only narrates the story of Morita, but also of the Sony Corporation's formation in the aftermath of Japan's brutal defeat in World War II, and its subsequent rapid rise to fame and fortune. The book also provides insights into Japanese culture and the Japanese way of thinking, particularly their business management philosophies and styles. The Japanese behavior is explained by putting it into a context based on Japan's history, recent and ancient.
Morita introduces the origins of his family, and how Sony was founded. Chapters picture the war, early tape recorders, and various conclusions on international markets. The transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
was invented in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in the 1950s, and Sony took advantage of it. The biography gives authentic details about patent issues, business conferences in various countries, and the invention of the Walkman
Walkman
Walkman is a Sony brand tradename originally used for portable audio cassette, and now used to market Sony's portable audio and video players as well as a line of Sony Ericsson mobile phones...
.
The book is narrated by Morita in an intensely personal, down to earth, conversational style.
The autobiography was originally published in English (ISBN 0525244654) in 1986 and has been translated to 12 languages.
Sections of the book
The book is divided into the following nine sections:- War
- Peace
- Selling To The World (My learning curve)
- On Management (It's all in the family)
- American and Japanese Styles (The difference)
- Competition (The fuel of Japanese Enterprise)
- Technology (Survival Exercise)
- Japan and The World (Alienation and Alliance)
- World Trade (Averting Crisis)
See also
- SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
- Akio MoritaAkio MoritaAkio Morita KBE was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony Corporation along with Masaru Ibuka.-Early life:...
- The Japan That Can Say NoThe Japan That Can Say Nois a 1989 essay originally co-authored by Shintaro Ishihara, the then Minister of Transport and leading LDP figure and current governor of Tokyo; and Sony co-founder and chairman Akio Morita, in the climate of Japan's economic rise...
- JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- History of Sony