7 - Japan’s Technology Transfer and Business Management: An Analysis from the Standpoint of Business History

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Definition of the Theme

HOW SHOULD WE locate Japan's technological development in modern world history? What are the major features of technological development in Japan? And how and to what extent have such features molded the characteristics of business management in Japan? My purpose in this essay is to map out what needs to be done to address these questions properly from the standpoint of business history. I will do so by drawing upon relevant works available in the field of business history.

Given the fact that business history is an academic discipline which concerns itself with the history of business management, and in particular the process of decision-making by the management strata, any meaningful treatise of problems pertaining to technological development from the standpoint of business history should focus its attention on the relationship between technological development and business management, and on the process of decision-making on matters related to technological development. Before focusing my attention on these factors, I would like to point to several hypothetical propositions that underlie the subsequent discussion.

One proposition concerns the relationship between technological development and technology transfer. It is my understanding that technological development is possible only when technology transfer, or, more specifically, international technology transfer, takes place continuously. Another proposition is that technology transfer in most cases is closely related to, and is accompanied by, the transfer of management skills, in the sense that the international transfer of management skills takes place only through the transfer of technologies. Put differently, normally it is technology transfer that affects or dictates the transfer of managerial skills, but not the other way around.

Furthermore, I believe that the development of management skills, just like the development of technologies, is possible only when these are transferred internationally on a continuous basis. These perceptions mean that an analysis of the relationship between technological development and business management should involve an inquiry into the transfer or exchange of technologies, as well as into the transfer of management skills.

I am using the term “transfer” to mean not only the importation or introduction of technologies or management skills from abroad, but also their exportation abroad.