ABSTRACT
The objectives ofthis chapter are twofold: (1) to describe decision-making processes at the highest level within Japanese organizations with specific reference to the use of ringi, and (2) to analyze how the decision-making power is shared, if at all, among various positions within the organization. To find answers to these questions, we obtained data through intensive interviews of those who had the position of torishimariyaku (member of the board of directors [to be called "director"]) or above and who were directly involved in top-level decisions.
