Leaders and Leadership in Japan


Book Description

Shows Japan's group-orientated society may have had fewer so-called 'leaders', but has excelled as a society of king-makers. On the other hand, the way leadership is expressed derives from different values and perceptions of hierarchy.




Looking for Leadership


Book Description

Democratic leaders around the world are finding it increasingly difficult to exercise strong leadership and maintain public support. However, there is nowhere that this has proven to be as challenging of a task as Japan, which has seen its top leaders change more often over the past 25 years than any other major country in the world. The current prime minister has strived to put an end to this pattern, but can he buck this historical trend? More fundamentally, why do Japan's prime ministers find it so difficult to project strong leadership, or even stay in office? And what are the ramifications for Japan's partners and for the world? This volume, authored by contributors who straddle the scholarly and policymaking worlds in Japan, explores the obstacles facing Japan as it looks for greater leadership and explains why this matters for the rest of the world.







Business Leaders and Leadership in Asia


Book Description

The quality of its business leadership is a key issue for the future development of Asia’s economies. Although Asia’s economies have grown spectacularly in recent decades, they are currently facing increasing challenges. This book explores the current state of business leaders and leadership in Asia. It demonstrates that there is no single model of Asian business leadership, and that Western models often do not fit easily alongside Asian cultural values. It discusses how relatively developed Asian economies – Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, and former socialist economies – China and Vietnam – all have different types of business leadership challenges at present. The book concludes by assessing how business leadership in Asia is likely to develop in future.




China, Japan and Regional Leadership in East Asia


Book Description

China, Japan and Regional Leadership in East Asia is a compilation which provides a necessary and welcome update to the Asian regionalism debates of the last decade, bringing together notable experts in Asian area studies and comparative foreign policy to provide many new insights. . . essential reading both for practitioners of Asian studies and those concerned with the role of comparative regionalism in modern international relations. Marc Lanteigne, East Asia An International Quarterly . . . this book is strongly recommended reading for everyone interested in Japan China relations, leadership, and East Asia. It proves that looking at complex issues from a variety of angles does bring a much deeper understanding. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Marie Söderberg, Journal of Japanese Studies This book addresses one of the most intriguing but also under-researched issues of the future of the Asian strategic landscape: who will lead the region and replace US leadership, Japan and China, and what kind of leadership do we have to expect? The authors come to the conclusion that it is a matrix or combination of leadership options rather than a single leadership type, depending on issue domains, governance structure and geospatial scales. . . The conclusions by Christopher Dent admirably draw the theoretical and empirical issues together. Reinhard Drifte, Pacific Affairs This book considers themes, evidence and ideas relating to the prospects for regional leadership in East Asia, with particular reference to China and Japan assuming regional leader actor roles. Key issues discussed by the list of distinguished contributors include: the extent to which there is an East Asian region to lead China Japan relations different aspects of Japan and China s positions in the East Asia region how the seemingly inexorable rise of China is being addressed within the region how China and Japan have explored paths of regional leadership through certain regional and multilateral organisations and frameworks the position of certain intermediary powers (i.e. the United States and Korea) with regards to regional leadership diplomacy in East Asia. Invaluably, the concluding chapter brings together the main findings of the book and presents new analytical approaches for studying the nature of, and prospects for leadership in East Asia. China, Japan and Regional Leadership in East Asia will be essential reading for upper level undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers of international relations, regional studies, international political economy and economics as well as Asian and development studies.




Koizumi and Japanese Politics


Book Description

This book offers an empirical and theoretical study of the Koizumi administration, covering such issues as the characteristics of its political style, its domestic and foreign policies, and its larger historical significance. The key questions that guide its approach are: what enabled Koizumi to exercise unusually strong leadership, and what structural transformations of Japanese politics did he achieve? Uchiyama looks at policy-making processes, newly created institutional arenas such as the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, Koizumi’s populist strategy, foreign policy, and neo-liberal convictions to assess the historical significance of his administration and seek out the basis for its wide public support. Finally, the book undertakes a normative evaluation of the merits and demerits of the Koizumi administration’s political style, and compares it with the Abe and Fukuda administrations that came after. This book will be of interest to scholars and students with an interest in comparative politics, administrative reform, and contemporary Japan.




Leadership in Japanese House Churches


Book Description

This study provides a survey of Japanese house church leaders, coupled with sociological analysis of leadership patterns in Japan focused primarily on the leadership of voluntary organisations and a historical review of house church movements, to determine the form and function of leaders and leadership within these movements. The key findings were that leadership is a function and not a role, is often coterminous with disciple-making, and can be characterized primary in terms of the maintainance of group cohesion.




Transformational CEOs


Book Description

'It is hard to imagine a more enticing topic: why some Japanese firms succeeded in the 1990s despite an economy that failed. The answers are both common sense - operational effectiveness and CEO leadership - and Japan specific - break with traditions. The lessons about leadership, in particular, have wider relevance for leaders, managers, consultants and academics.' - Andrew Campbell, Ashridge Strategic Management Centre, UK Transformational CEOs questions why some Japanese firms succeeded in the 1990s despite an economy that failed - regardless of the burst of the 'bubble' economy, a number of Japanese companies have maintained or extended their international leadership in particular sectors. The authors argue that whilst some of the reasons for successes are plain common sense - operational effectiveness and superior CEO leadership - some are Japan-specific and point to a break with traditional leadership rationale.




Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn


Book Description

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICING: Enjoy first-week pricing of $18.95 on paperback books! Regular retail pricing of $23.95 becomes effective on July 22nd. It all began with the initial chance meeting of this book's author, Katie Anderson, and the book's subject, Isao Yoshino. She was an American leadership coach and consultant in her mid-career, with a newfound love of Japanese culture. He was an accomplished Japanese people-centered leader at the end of his corporate career, with a lifelong love for American culture and 40 years of inside experience with the Toyota Way. During the next five years, Anderson and Yoshino spent countless hours learning from each other, reflecting on the past, and envisioning the future. The resulting book - written by Anderson and focused on the profound lessons offered by her mentor Yoshino -- is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind tapestry. Much like the weaving of fabric -- where the beginning work is but a glimpse of the final pattern -- this book was created from many layers of intertwined conversations and reflections. If you've ever been mentored -- in business or in life -- by someone whose words, experiences, and perspectives changed you for the better, you know that an entire book of such selfless generosity and deep wisdom could change the world. For today's business professionals -- dedicated to continuous learning and people-centered leadership -- this is that book. Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a leadership book that defies generational or cultural divides, offering a refreshing, proven perspective for all those who dare to lead. The Best Leaders Never Lose the Humility for Learning Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is much more than a collection of Isao Yoshino's personal stories and insights. It's a memorable, entertaining, and poignant way to highlight important leadership lessons, to record pivotal moments in Toyota's history, and to create something to help veteran and aspiring leaders reflect and learn about themselves. Yoshino's experiences help us understand how Toyota intentionally developed the culture of excellence for which it is renowned today, and how one person "learned to lead" so that he could lead with an intention to learn ... every day and in every way. "The only secret to Toyota is its attitude toward learning." -- Isao Yoshino Let the Past Inform the Future: The Role of Reflection in Leadership By looking back at the past, we can learn and therefore shape our future. Through each story in this unique and inspiring book, Anderson shares Yoshino's experiences with leadership and learning, and his efforts at self-improvement while empowering others. Through those stories, you'll hear his reflections on what he learned then ... and what he is re-learning now with a different perspective as he looks back at the totality of his career. A must-read for those who: -- Want to become more people-centered leaders -- Currently practice lean or continuous improvement methods -- Serve in leadership, coaching, or operational management roles -- Want to learn more about Toyota's history and culture -- Are inspired by heartwarming stories of personal discovery and leadership With a foreword by John Shook, Chairman of the Lean Global Network.




Reinventing Japan


Book Description

Highly readable yet deeply researched, this book serves as an essential guide to the many ways in which Japan has risen to become one of the world's most creative and innovative societies. During its so-called Lost Decades, Japan has quietly reinvented itself from a nation with an economy playing catch-up into a global leader in innovation and creativity, one whose "soft power" extends from postmodern architecture to pluripotent stem cells. Written by a dozen experts in their fields, including architect Kengo Kuma, designer of Tokyo's 2020 Olympic stadium, this book describes Japan's contributions to the world in fields ranging from fashion and pop culture to development aid and historical reconciliation. In addition, it demonstrates how Japan has led efforts to contend with several social and economic challenges facing the entire developed world, including demographic aging, rising healthcare costs, and wasteful consumption. Using these accomplishments as evidence, it argues that, in an era of questions surrounding the capability of American leadership, the time has come for Japan to step into a new role as a purveyor of models and values better suited to today's multipolar and diverse world.