Japanese Business Types Flashcards
Kudoka
offshoring of manufacturing activities of Japanese companies to other countries, especially to other Asian countries with lower labour costs.
Zaibatsu
huge conglomerates of Japanese companies existing until WW2. Controlled by family groups. Eliminated by the Allied forces.
Keiretsu
reconversion of the Zaibatsu emerged from the Cold War. Horizontal Keiretsu are similar to the former zaibatsu – headed by bank and a trading company. Vertical Keiretsu link different value - added chains in different related industries.
Kabaushiki Kaisha
legal form that larger Japanese companies take whose shares are freely transferrable with no limit to the number of investors. Usually used by foreign companies that have expanded into Japan.
Yuugen Kaisha
legal alternative to KK^^, more suitable for smaller companies because minimum capital required is lower. Shares cannot be transferred without the consent of other shareholders.
MITI
Ministry of International Trade and Industry – promoted economic development after WW2. Its role was to determine which industries had to be protected and which ones were to be developed or abandoned. Close collaboration with private sector (large keiretsu).
Shukko
transfer practice, usually temporary and with training purposes, personnel between companies that are linked by strong ties. Used to avoid layoffs in crisis situations.
JIS
Japanese International Standards, quality standards imposed by the Japanese government to foreign products in order to be sold in Japan. Act as non – trade barriers.
Nemawashi
part of the cultural consensus and group spirit in Japan – comes from a range of opinions throughout the organisation and helps to facilitate forming a consensus.
Ringi
related to nemawashi, a person raises an initiative and exposes it to the rest of the company to get approval.
