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Monthly Archives: May 2012

Help With Starting A Business – Learn from Past Mistakes

Help With Starting A Business

Since entering the modern era, Japan seems to have faced a major turning point in its history once every 40 years. In 1868, with the start of the Meiji Restoration, Japan emerged from feudalism and began building a modern nation, racing toward a vision of prosperity and military might. In 1905, Japan won a war against Russia, becoming a global power and dramatically increasing its international status. The victory accelerated Japan's push to build its military strength and launched the nation on the path of militarism and conquest.

 

In 1945, Japan lost World War II. From the ashes of defeat, Japan changed direction yet again and began to focus on the pursuit of wealth, which resulted in phenomenal economic growth for the country. In 1985, Japan signed the Plaza Accord to devalue the American dollar in relation to the yen and alleviate the trade deficit, marking the peak of Japan's economic power The Plaza Accord was followed by the collapse of the bubble economy and a long-term recession.

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Tools For Time Management – Have We Forgotten Essential Virtues

Tools For Time Management

Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), a Chinese revolutionary who often is referred to as the father of modern China, gave a famous speech in Kobe in 1924 comparing European and Asian culture. The culture of ruling by military force – the rule of might, as the ancients called it – he maintained, originated in the West. In contrast, Asian civilization was based on the rule of right or the kingly way, in which leaders guided their people with virtue. Yat-sen urged Japan, which was heading down the path of the rule of might, to choose the kingly way.

 

Unfortunately, Japan failed to change its course and rushed headlong into World War II. Since its defeat, the country has continued on a path ruled by might, but this time its pursuit is economic supremacy. Now, however, it is time for Japan and the Japanese people to choose the kingly way and adopt the virtues of consideration and service to others as their standard for living. If we don't, I fear that Japan will continue to make grave mistakes.

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Steps On Starting A Business – Business Profit Is a Trust

Steps On Starting A Business

Kyocera's management rationale is "to provide opportunities for the material and intellectual growth of all our employees and, through our joint efforts, contribute to the advancement of society and humankind." The goal of business management is first and foremost to provide a livelihood and ensure the well-being of the company's employees. However, if a company aspires to benefit only its employees, its pursuit of profit is destined to become selfish. A business is a public institution, and as such it has a responsibility to serve others and society. It was my sense of obligation to humankind that inspired me to add the second phrase to Kyocera's mission statement: It extends our management rationale from egocentric to altruistic.

 

I worked hard to create managerial altruism when I established Kyocera. Several years after the company's formation, as I handed my employees their year-end bonuses, I suggested that they contribute some of the money to society. I proposed that Kyocera would match the total amount of their donations and use the sum to buy food for people who could not afford to celebrate the new year. Our employees greeted my suggestion enthusiastically, marking the start of Kyocera's many subsequent charitable projects. Thus, from the very beginning, Kyocera has practiced and continues to maintain a spirit of service to others, contributing the fruits of our labor to the benefit of society.

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Management Training On Line – Selflessness as a Motive

Management Training On Line

The virtue of selflessness is a powerful driving force that can destroy obstacles and attract success to us. I experienced the power of virtue firsthand when I entered the telecommunications business in the early 1980s. Although competition among several companies is now the norm in the telecommunications field in Japan, in the 1980s the government-owned Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) monopolized the Japanese telecommunications market. As a result, user fees were much higher than those in other countries, and the Japanese government decided to deregulate the market to encourage competition.

 

Once NTT was privatized, other companies were free to enter the telecommunications market. No one, however, was willing to compete against NTT, and it continued to dominate the market. It was obvious that without healthy competition, user fees would not decrease and NTT would be privatized in name only.

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Free Online Courses In Management – Starting Point of Business

Free Online Courses In Management

In today's business world, where survival of the fittest rules, people often suspect that I have ulterior motives when I discuss the importance of altruism, love, and caring for others. But I am not interested in manipulating words to gain some objective. I am only trying to convey what I believe and put it into practice.

 

History shows that capitalism arose from Christian civilizations, particularly from Puritan ethics. According to the German political scientist and sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920), the first capitalists were pious Protestants who followed a strict moral code that was based on neighborly love. Because they honored hard work and believed in putting the profits from industrial activity toward the betterment of society, the Puritans strove to pursue their profits only through fair means. The ultimate purpose of their business activities was to contribute to society. The Puritan spirit of service to others and the world and their commitment to putting others before themselves thus formed the ethical foundation of early capitalism. In keeping with the Puritan business ethic, early capitalists exercised strict self-discipline and viewed helping others as their duty. As a result, the capitalist economy developed rapidly.

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