Dr Philip Sugai talks us through the most amazing cases of corporate resilience in Japan, and assesses what gaishikei CEOs in Japan can adapt to the current pandemic.
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Many CEOs are wondering how and if they will survive Covid 19 in 2020. Their concerns are understandable.
However, we happen to be living in a country which has tens of thousands of companies who have lived through hundreds, in some cases over a 1000, years of natural disasters, nuclear devastation, total war, Fascist dictatorship, military coups, crazed militarists, a modern economic collapse at least twice as damaging as America’s Great Depression, Mongol invasions, mad emperors…etc.
Have these companies genuinely exhibited resilience, talent, nimbleness, innovation and hardiness to a higher level than elsewhere in the world? Or is such longevity actually a sign of weakness, with not enough of the ‘creative destruction’ advocated by Joseph Schumpeter? Or perhaps it’s a reflection of specifically Japanese characteristics, such as loyalty to ancestral traditions, lower levels of entrepreneurship, and aiming for sustainability over short term financial returns? Indeed, it’s ironic that as entrepreneurs lay claim to elite social status in many countries, in Japan it’s far more likely to be members of Japan’s very oldest firms!
To help us understand the pros and cons of the Japanese approach, and whether they reveal any useful ‘hacks’ to get through the current crisis, we will hear from the brilliant young MBA Professor, author and commentator Philip Sugai of Doshisha University.
Executives leading western companies in Japan should attend this session to gain a deeper understanding of how some of the toughest companies in the world plan to bounce back from Covid 19 – along with all the other disasters they have outfaced.
Cost: 2,000 yen for DN members; 5,000 yen for non-members.
A Zoom link will be sent around shortly before the meeting starts. Guests do not need a Zoom account. Just click on the link.
