Japan's Netork Economy Structure, Persistence, and Change [Paperback]

This book traces the evolution of Japanese business networks from the prewar period to the end of the century.This book considers the Japanese economy as a network of banks, corporations, and ministries. It uses quantitative and historical methods to trace the evolution of that network from the prewar period to the end of the century. A key question addressed is whether the controversial keiretsu enterprise groupings have outlived their usefulness and are withering away in the face of deregulation, globalization, and market liberalization. Our conclusion is that relationships are still central to the Japanese way of business, but they are much more subordinated to the strategies of individual enterprises than was true of the Japanese network economy of the past.This book considers the Japanese economy as a network of banks, corporations, and ministries. It uses quantitative and historical methods to trace the evolution of that network from the prewar period to the end of the century. A key question addressed is whether the controversial keiretsu enterprise groupings have outlived their usefulness and are withering away in the face of deregulation, globalization, and market liberalization. Our conclusion is that relationships are still central to the Japanese way of business, but they are much more subordinated to the strategies of individual enterprises than was true of the Japanese network economy of the past.This book uses quantitative and historical methods to trace the evolution of the Japanese economy's business network from the prewar period to the end of the century. It addresses whether the controversial keiretsu enterprise groupings have outlived their usefulness and are withering away in the face of deregulation, globalization, and market liberalization. While concluding that these relationships are still central to Japanese business, the book also notes that they are much more subordinated to the strategies of individual enterprises than was true l£0