ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents information, knowledge, perspectives, insights, and interpretations, to academics and business practitioners alike, in order to understand how Japanese firms have managed uncertainties, contingencies, and disruptions amid their historical and contemporary developments. It explains how the Japanese management system has changed and evolved since the beginning of the postwar, high-growth period. The book begins with changes in governance, ownership, and organizational design. It presents breaks and evolution in the manufacturing and service sectors. The book also sheds light on the creative industries as emerging sectors in the new paradigms, from the point of view of cultural and social capital in transition. It discusses managerial innovations, new directions, and emerging practices in the Japanese context, from the viewpoint of ecosystems, institutional logics, and the management of organizations.
