Japan is going through a transformation, yet it is difficult to judge which model should be chosen as a direction to go in with corporate reforms. Badly needed initiatives seeking to replace outdated managerial habits by new best practices in Japanese firms are being jeopardized by...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to trace the origins of “Japanese management” and explain how it was institutionalized. This historical overview aims to help readers to better understand and evaluate recent events and reforms. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the...