ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the key aspects of business leadership in Japan through the investigation of historical changes, cultural tradition and the impact of this tradition on business leadership. It discusses the Western influence on business leadership, and the tension between conventional practices and new challenges to change, and the issue of leader development. Traditional normative values in Japan share some of their roots with Chinese traditional thought, such as Confucianism. Since the end of WWII, Japan has experienced many complex political and economic developments with a strong North American influence. Many Western management concepts were introduced into a unique and relatively conservative social and cultural environment in Japan; these include Taylorism and Total Quality Management (TQM) systems. Business leader development in Japan can be divided into two major categories: a formal development process through the international labour market; and an informal development process in family owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
