A historical perspective of Japanese innovation

Abstract

Japan’s economic success has been based primarily on social innovation. Western technology was accepted and used in institutions which retained their pure Japanese culture. Covers historical influences on and factors underpinning Japanese innovation. Concludes that traditional Japanese culture still affects the country’s economy (the producer is more important than the individual in industrial policy; established stakeholders are preferred to newcomers, etc.). Thus, Japan’s economy is a command economy, rather than a free‐market economy, which has various repercussions on trade.

Citation

Herbig, P. and Jacobs, L. (1997), "A historical perspective of Japanese innovation", Management Decision, Vol. 35 No. 10, pp. 760-778. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749710192084