History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Quick Changeover for Operators: The SMED System (Shopfloor Series)

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Easy and straight forward for beginners

Quick Changeover for Operators: The SMED System (Shopfloor Series)
Shigeo Shingo
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563271257

Book Description

The Shopfloor Series puts powerful improvement tools in the hands of an entire workforce. And now Productivity's all-time bestseller, A Revolution in Manufacturing: The SMED System, is available in a condensed version prepared especially for front-line workers and general interest readers. Quick changeover techniques, the basis for "just-in-time" manufacturing, result in dramatically lower costs and vastly improved product quality. This peerless introduction includes chapter outlines, margin assists, illustrations, and helpful application questions. The late Shigeo Shingo was the undisputed master of advanced methods that revolutionized manufacturing worldwide. Dr. Shingo, inventor of the Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) system for Toyota, shows how to reduce changeover time by an average of 98 percent! Application of Shingo's techniques can reduce lead time from weeks to days, and lower work-in-process, inventory, and warehousing costsall of which will improve quality, productivity, and profits.

Customer Reviews:

Easy and straight forward for beginners.......2007-03-11

Whether you start with JIT/Lean or Quick Response Manufacturing, you need to learn some simple tools helping you with the process improvement after any process analyze. Many books about operations management will teach you the interaction of workstations and the parameters influencing the performance of a workstation, line or even a factory. Furthermore good operations books will give you the insights how to analyze the performance of a system. What often misses (which is Ok), is to provide the knowledge, e.g. if lot size reduction will bring a huge improvement for cycle-time etc., how to do this? Most of the books of this series exactly deal with this questions and present some methods that work and will simplify your life reading more sophisticated literature about this issue later on.

All the books of the productivity press series were a great help to me. The following books of this series provided a good start about:

- SMED: how to reduce change-over time and to make small lot sizes happen
- TPM: how to improve machine availability and breakdown variability
- ZQC: overcoming the problem of other quality methods, that only measure what was done but w/o pre-active prevention for rework/ scrap (Six-Sigma, SPC etc. are more complicated and not pre-active..)

The key for SMED is explained very well - separation of the change over step by distinguishing internal and external set-up and how to proceed. I read more sophisticated books about this subject, but this simple book is the first one I pick from my shelf, whenever I need some help. When you need more specific information e.g. about quick-fixations and what exists and how they look like, then buying other books can be helpful as well.

Best Regards,
Oliver

The MIT Encyclopedia of the Japanese Economy - 2nd Edition

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Invaluable reference source

The MIT Encyclopedia of the Japanese Economy - 2nd Edition
Robert C. Hsu
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0262082802

Book Description

The MIT Encyclopedia of the Japanese Economy was the first English-language encyclopedia to cover all major aspects of Japan's postwar economy. The second edition has been fully revised and expanded, and includes previously unpublished data as well as coverage of recent developments in the economy. The definitional entries concisely explain major economic concepts and include translations of Japanese economic terms and cross references to the longer topical essays. The 180 topical essays cover banks, financial systems, major industries, corporate groups, management practices, labor unions, international trade and investments, government economic policies, and more. They also include comprehensive statistics, American and Japanese views on economic relations between the two countries, and suggestions for further reading. A new index contains names of major companies.

Customer Reviews:

Invaluable reference source.......1999-01-06

As an international equity portfolio manager specializing in Japanese equities, this book is a very valuable reference source. The book describes many of the key institutions and their interlocking nature. Full of cross references, addresses & phone numbers (for institutions) and mini bibliographies for most major concepts, this book is a great hub for studying the Japanese economy. I look forward to the next edition.

Quality Function Deployment: Integrating Customer Requirements into Product Design

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very good book
Best collection of Japanese QFD case studies available.

Quality Function Deployment: Integrating Customer Requirements into Product Design

Manufacturer: Productivity Press Inc
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0915299410

Book Description

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a method for satisfying customers by translating their demands into design targets and quality assurance points. For a thorough "how-to" on the implementation of QFD, we went directly to the source -- Yoji Akao, the creator of QFD and one of the foremost leaders of the Japanese Total Quality Control movement.

In this unprecedented book he explains the concepts and methods of this remarkable systems engineering approach. Filled with case studies, detailed charts, and over 100 diagrams, this book is a complete reference tool for QFD implementation.

It includes:

Using the demanded quality deployment chart.
Using and promoting quality charts.
Using quality control process charts: QFD at the pre-production.
Quality deployment and reliability deployment.
Quality development in the construction industry.
QFD for the service industry.
QFD for software development.

Customer Reviews:

very good book.......2007-01-09

very enlightening. clarifies what qfd really is and how it should be. the layout though could be further improved so the reader does not have to flip through pages to refer to tables mentioned in the text. also it would've been nice to see examples 100%. i guess this is difficult because of proprietary info. my only regret is that i did not buy this book first, right away.

Best collection of Japanese QFD case studies available........1998-07-06

Dr. Yoji Akao, co-founder of the QFD methodology edits more than 25 QFD case studies from Japanese companies including Toyota, Komatsu, Matsushita, and NEC in industries far ranging from manufactured and assembled products, construction, chemical process, service, and software.

Comprehensive QFD is introduced to forever dispel the mistaken notion in the West that QFD is a House of Quality. The intense detail to other essential deployments such as quality deployment, function deployment, subsystem deployment, reliability deployment, cost deployment, technology deployment, concept development, part deployment, process deployment, QA and QC process sheets are displayed in exacting charts and tables accompanied by explanatory text by the very engineers that headed up the projects.

Customer Reviews:

old vinegar in a new bottle.......2005-10-01

Books on the Japanese economy should follow a reasonably simple format. Having first explained the conflicting objectives of Japan's policy makers, they should then outline the constraints the policy makers face in meeting those objectives and, finally, they should discuss the monetary and fiscal options available to Japan's policy makers in trying to reach their objectives. That basic framework should serve as the scaffolding around which authors propound their various prognoses for the Japanese economy.

Richard Katz, Senior Editor of The Oriental Economist Report, a monthly newsletter on Japan, takes a different approach in Japanese Phoenix: The Long Road to Economic Revival, his recently published book. Instead of approaching the Japanese economy in this systematic way, he seems to have merely gathered together several dozen of his articles from The Oriental Economist and collated them into a book. The result is a very uneven, disjointed and disappointing work that has little of substance to offer the reader.

His rosary of disjointed articles put too much weight on the reforming zeal of recent prime ministers such as Junichiro Koizumi and the late Keizo Obuchi. He believes that Koizumi, like some hero in a manga comic, can single handedly turn the economy around and restore Japan's former growth rates. The reality is much more prosaic. Because Koizumi, like so many of his predecessors, is a prisoner of the outmoded structure of the Japanese economy, he is no more likely to effect fundamental change than they were.

The Japanese economy is geared to exporting cars, video games, precision instruments and other high valued added products and using the trade surpluses those exports garner to pay both for its imports and to subsidize its very large sheltered sector: the farmers, distributors, construction workers and other inefficient sections of the Japanese workforce. Although Katz believes that these ailing sectors will become internationally competitive, he does not offer any compelling reasons or arguments to support his radical belief. Japan has gone from being a country with excess pools of labor to being a nation where young workers are at a premium. That being so, Japan must concentrate on high value added industries whilst also being cognizant of the considerable financial problems its graying demographics portend. Japan therefore runs the risks of concentrating on too narrow a range of exports and prematurely relaxing its immigration policies to make up its labor shortfall. Although these problems are easy to propound, they are not so easy to solve. New international markets are not easily won and a major influx of immigrants would lead to radical social upheavals, at least in the short term. Japan's political leaders, wisely enough perhaps, given the political constraints they labor under, prefer to postpone the inevitable day of reckoning.

The Japanese problem is, in many ways, analogous to India's. Though we may criticize India's caste system, yet we cannot propound any way of effecting change without incurring very major short term upheavals. Japan's leader know very well what Japan's economic problems are: their dilemma lies in redressing them, not in identifying them and Katz certainly does not provide them with any useful policy insights.

Contrary to what Katz may believe, Japan's problems will not be solved by whatever edicts Koizumi might pass. Rather, they will be solved by Japan's business community working in consort with the government and gradually achieving the necessary structural reforms.

Because monetary policy will undoubtedly play a part in this just as it has in stimulating demand in America during the 1990s, Katz is therefore wrong to berate those who favor monetary action as a partial palliative for Japan's ills. He is also wrong to castigate the so-called revisionists, those who argue that the Japanese economic model is radically different from Western models. The reality is that every country is different from the standard text book model: the German growth model, for example, is markedly different from the British and Dutch models, which in turn have very little in common with the rent seeking Spanish type. American capitalism is very different again, simply because the United States faced a different matrix of objectives and constraints that did any of those European countries. Japan, which depends so much on exports to fund its huge protected area, marches to yet a different drum. Contrary to what Katz believes, Japan's problems are not "eminently solvable". They are as deep, as entrenched and as resistant to change as are those of India, the United States, Germany or any other country. Although Japan's political and business leaders will, in time, find partial solutions to Japan's economic woes, those solutions will not be found within the pages of this badly edited book.

An excellent explanation of the Japanese economic mess.......2003-07-17

Summary:
The author provides excellent insights why the Japanese economy faltered. The economic miracle of the eighties did not grow much after 1989. He suggests economic reforms that would restore sustainable economic growth. But, he indicates such reforms are unlikely until Japan reforms its political system first. This means splitting the powerful LDP into two parties. This will not happen shortly. But, the building pressure for political reform as a result of the ongoing faltering economy is immense. Thus, Mr. Katz is confident it will happen.

Abstract: Japan has gone from experiencing the "Japanese miracle" in the eighties to being in the economic doghouse since 1989. During the eighties, Japan economy grew at 4% per year with little inflation and unemployment. During the nineties, Japan experienced no economic growth, suffered deflation due to weak consumer demand; and. its share of World GDP and World exports shrunk. Japan sustainable growth rate has decreased from 4% in the eighties to only 1% in 2000, on its way to only 0.5% by 2010. Japan?s GDP grew by only 0.3% per annum since 1997. Why did this economic decline occurr? There are really two Japanese economies. One consists of the super efficient exporting industries, including automobiles and consumer electronics. The other consists of the much larger domestic sector which employs 80% of labor force. The domestic sector is protected from competition by an anticompetitive regulatory environment that allows price collusion and restricts all imports. This sector includes food processing, retailing, wholesaling , finance, farming, and other services. Within these domestic industries, Japan?s productivity is between 50% to 66% lower than in the U.S.

During the eighties the productive exporting sector was carrying the inefficient domestic sector. But, in the nineties, the exporting sector progressively outsourced manufacturing overseas to lower its costs and remain competitive. As a result, the lagging domestic sector employing a rising percentage of the labor force caused a decline in Japanese productivity.

Japan suffers many structural problems. Its companies are overleveraged, and have over invested in nonproductive investments. This has caused Japan chronic nonperforming loans (NPLs) problem. These NPLs represent a staggering 20% of GDP. The banking system generates these NPLs faster than it can charge them off. This crisis has been going on since 1989. Both the government and the banking industry have refused to make the tough decisions to resolve these NPLs. The allocation of credit is fraught with conflict of interests. Risk management is lackluster. The banking industry is the weakest among industrialized nations.

Why are current monetary and fiscal stimuli not working? The Japanese central bank has maintained short term interest rates close to 0% for most of the past decade. The government has run large budget deficits (around 6% of GDP) for several years. But, despite these measures, economic growth has remained flat. The reason is industry suffers from excess capacity. As a result, loan demand is close to zero and so is the resulting economic growth.

Is the U.S. likely to experience the same fate? Some believe that the U.S. economy is experiencing a decade later the same economic ills as Japan. Mr. Katz makes a convincing case that the U.S. and Japan are on different economic paths. As mentioned, Japan economy is plagued by NPLs representing 20% of GDP. Japan?s banking sector is weak. Also, its long term sustainable economic growth rate is only 1%. Meanwhile, the U.S. has no NPLs problem, as NPLs represent only 2.4% of GDP. It has a well capitalized banking system. Also, its long term sustainable growth rate remains robust at 4%. Contrary to Japan, the U.S. has the most competitive domestic markets. All sectors are fully exposed to invigorating price competition from both domestic and international competitors.

What will it take for Japan to redress their situation? Mr. Katz suggests the following economic reform:

1) Resolve the NPLs by making a large capital infusion into the banking system. This capital infusion would come with the implementation of tough banking regulations including: implementing better accounting disclosure and rigorous classification of bad assets. These measures would instill a sound credit culture within the banking industry.

2) Cut individual income taxes to boost consumer demand.

3) Boost unemployment compensation to allow for the necessary rise in unemployment resulting from the elimination of excess capacity.

4) Promote forces of globalization to enhance competition within domestic economy. Deregulate domestic industries. Eliminate price collusion. This would increase the supply side efficiency and also increase real purchasing power of consumers by lowering monopolistic pricing.

How likely are the above reforms to occur? Mr. Katz mentions that some of these reforms have been attempted. But, any progressive regulatory step has been associated with two steps backward. The deregulation of the financial sector in 1999 was too timid. Since 1999, there has been a rise in ?financial socialism? as government bodies mediate 45% of deposits and 35% of loans. Thus, competition within the financial sector has actually weakened since 1999.

Mr. Katz indicates that political reform has to occur before successful economic reform can take place. This entails that the LDP will have to split into two parties. Japan is the only democracy that has been ruled by a single party since 1945. You need political competition before you can stimulate economic competition. Mr. Katz believe the LDP will inevitably split up because the LDP can not survive flat economic growth for another decade.

Important Information on Japan.......2003-03-26

The author seems very knowlegeabl on Japan, how it got to be an economic superpower and the recent decade of stagnation. Gives you a quick overview of both. It seems sad that such creative people are mired in a horrible slump out of which they can not come out unless they change the way the think. A must book for anyone who wants to know why Japan is in such a sad state.

Japan Remodeled: How Government and Industry Are Reforming Japanese Capitalism (Cornell Studies in Political Economy)

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Japan Is Changing, But In Distinctly Japanese Ways

Japan Remodeled: How Government and Industry Are Reforming Japanese Capitalism (Cornell Studies in Political Economy)
Steven K. Voge
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0801444497

Book Description

As the Japanese economy languished in the 1990s Japanese government officials, business executives, and opinion leaders concluded that their economic model had gone terribly wrong. They questioned the very institutions that had been credited with Japan's past success: a powerful bureaucracy guiding the economy, close government-industry ties, "lifetime" employment, the main bank system, and dense interfirm networks. Many of these leaders turned to the U.S. model for lessons, urging the government to liberate the economy and companies to sever long-term ties with workers, banks, suppliers, and other firms.

Despite popular perceptions to the contrary, Japanese government and industry have in fact enacted substantial reforms. Yet Japan never emulated the American model. As government officials and industry leaders scrutinized their options, they selected reforms to modify or reinforce preexisting institutions rather than to abandon them. In Japan Remodeled, Steven Vogel explains the nature and extent of these reforms and why they were enacted.

Vogel demonstrates how government and industry have devised innovative solutions. The cumulative result of many small adjustments is, he argues, an emerging Japan that has a substantially redesigned economic model characterized by more selectivity in business partnerships, more differentiation across sectors and companies, and more openness to foreign players.

Customer Reviews:

Japan Is Changing, But In Distinctly Japanese Ways.......2006-09-15

Twenty years ago, Japanese management wall all the rage. Then came a long, protracted slump and attention turned elsewhere. Japan fell into oblivion. But while nobody took notice, an interesting thing happened. The Japanese model implemented its own transformation. It was remodeled into something new, but still distinctly Japanese. How this transformation occurred and what kind of new model came into being form the story of this book.

The Japanese traditional system differs from the liberal market model in important ways. It emphasizes the benefits of long-term relationships in labor, banking, and supplier relations. You have an active external labor market on the one hand, a lifetime employment system and a dual economy on the other. A market for corporate control dominated by shareholders' rights versus a main bank system and stakeholders governance. Free market entry and exit versus supplier networks. No model is intrinsically better, although the liberal model may be better adapted to a fast-changing economy at the technology frontier or to sectors where radical innovations occur, whereas the Japanese model has an institutional advantage in a catching-up phase or in sectors that rely on incremental improvements in production processes, such as automobiles and consumer electronics.

Contrary to what some expected, the Japanese model did not converge toward the U.S. one. Nor did it become an hybrid, although elements of flexibility were introduced at various levels. In fact, Vogel shows that liberal market reforms have very few natural advocates in Japan: even groups with the greatest apparent stake in liberalization, such as large manufacturing exporters or consumer associations, are reluctant to embrace reforms that might affect social stability or undermine relations with workers, financial institutions, other business partners, and the government. The Koizumi administration nevertheless succeeded in introducing important reforms, but with a distinctive policy pattern. Japanese authorities proceed with reforms slowly and cautiously; they package delicate compromises, including substantial compensation for those who might be disadvantaged by the reforms; they design reforms to preserve the core institutions of the model as much as possible; and they seek new ways to build on the strengths of existing institutions.

The remodeled Japan differs from the earlier version in at least three important ways. It is more selective: In the face of hard times, companies have become more discriminating in their Partnerships. They have reevaluated their long-term relationships with workers, banks, and other firms, and they have loosened some and tightened others. They have shifted from a reflexive acceptance of these partnerships to a more rational assessment of their costs and benefits. It is more differentiated: Companies have become more variable in their practices. There never was a uniform Japanese model that applied equally to all sectors and all companies, but the model has fragmented further. And it is more open: Japanese corporations have more foreign owners, managers, and business partners than ever before, and these foreign actors bring with them different practices and norms.

Apart from telling a compelling story, this book also distinguishes itself by its extensive use of the comparative case method. It compares patterns of institutional change across countries (Japan versus the United States and Germany), across policy issues (labor market reform versus financial reform, for example), across industrial sectors (automobiles versus retail), across companies (Toyota versus Nissan, etc.) and across time (Seiyu before and after allying with Wal-Mart). This variation across issue areas allows the author to test several hypotheses about the impact of reforms, with sometimes surprising results. The author's scholarship also spans across disciplines, and the result is a fine example of how political science can blend with business studies and institutional economics.

Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge

Average customer rating:

garbage
The opinion of a lazy american worker
Eye-opening insight of Japanese organizational structure.

Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge
William G. Ouchi
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380719444

Customer Reviews:

garbage.......2001-08-31

Amazing to look back at the garbage that was written and eaten up by paranoid US management. Life time employment, company loyalty , and payment based on tenure are the exact things that have undone the Japanese companies. Sorry Bill but you should have picked a letter earlier in the alphabet.

The opinion of a lazy american worker.......2001-06-11

William Ouchi claims that American productivity is stagnant or declining and he's right. But what he fails to mention is that corporations are firing their workforce here , in favor of nations where they can get people to work for slave wages, in order to increase productivity ( this done courtesy of american tax payer). And profits for these Companies are not stagnant or declining, but are reaching record-breaking highs. The fact that this is being done renders any of the points Ouchi makes in this book invalid. Why learn any lessons from Ouchi about how to increase productivity in the US when you can just fire your work force, pack up and go to another country while a lazy tax payer like myself foots the bill?

Eye-opening insight of Japanese organizational structure........1998-02-22

Japanese business has grown and thrived. The organizations are built on a paternal structure with lifetime employment at one company: virtually unheard of anymore in American business. The employees are trained and work in all facets of a company, not just in one department. They are expected to work long hours and not be home too early lest the neighbors think that they rank low in value at work and the honor of the family name be put in jeopardy. They begin training children as early as four years of age to groom them for the most prestigious universities.

The Emptiness of Japanese Affluence (Japan in the Modern World)

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The Emptiness of Japanese Affluence (Japan in the Modern World)
Gavan McCormack
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0765607689

Japan, the System That Soured : The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle

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Would be relatively worthless even if it was timely
Political economy of two Japans
Well-Written and Thoroughly-Researched Gem
A raging bore
Excellent analysis of Japanese economy

Japan, the System That Soured : The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle
Richard Katz
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0765603101

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Would be relatively worthless even if it was timely.......2003-05-13

It is suprisingly how people could review such a weak book
on Japan positively, considering its author is a run of the mill journalist attempting to morph into an economist and write about Japan-- and doesnt live in Japan or speak Japanese, beside the fact that he has no experience in finance. Though writing on the topic may not demand in-country experience, experience working in finance or language ability- it certainly would help. It is a regurgitation of old comments and arguments published years after the fact- literally no original thought. Old wine in new bottle. The follow up is then a book about how Japan will return. Surprise. Japan: The Coming Collapse by Brian Reading was timely and though journalistic more substantive. Works by Chalmers Johnson (though dated) and Tag Murphy (former investment banker in Tokyo) are a lot more useful. See Japan's Policy Trap: Dollars, Deflation, and the Crisis of Japanese Finance by Akio Mikuni, R. Taggert Murphy, R. Taggart Murphy, Michael H. Armacost (the Katz book is just hopping to a certain extent on this more reputable bandwagon). Another important book is Arthritic Japan: The Slow Pace of Economic Reform by Edward J. Lincoln. Ed Lincoln is a real economist that speaks Japanese and has been dedicated to following Japan for a while. His previous work, Japan's Unequal Trade, was an important work.

Unfortunately, due to the decreased interest in Japan over the past decade, the number of quality books (especially on finance) has declined and, unfortunately, there are a good number of books written in Japanese that would be useful but are not translated into English.

Political economy of two Japans.......2002-09-15

Over more than a decade, Japan has baffled not only its citizens but also foreigners with its inability to sort the mess out. They call it the Heisei depression. What¡¯s the problem of Japan? It¡¯s been a daunting question. There have been numerous explanations. Those could be grouped into three camps in my view:
1. the problem is the financial macroeconomics not the fundamental disease of Japanese economy. Once the bad loans are cleared up, Japanese economy would be on the right track as before. (Posen at IIE: Cargill and his colleagues)
2. Japan is on the bad point at its long-term cycle. Each economy has its own long-term cycle of investment, determined by the level of sunk capital. In this view, ascendance of Japan and Germany over the States in ¡®70s and 80s could be attributed to this dynamic of cycle. In other words, the US was in a bad point at the time. Now Japan is on its own bad point. (Robert Brenner)
3. Depression or liquidity trap must be serious problems. But those are not the cause but the symptom of deep-seated malady. So-called Japanese miracle was propelled socioeconomic regime of ¡¯55 system, in Pempel¡¯s words. It was the key to Japan¡¯s epic story. But now it¡¯s the curse to Japanese economy. The vested interests of the regime¡¯s alliance, or iron triangle, has hamstrung the overall competitiveness of economy. (Pempel, Tilton, Porter, Bai Gao, Brookings Institute, OECD, and The Economist)
Richard Katz is on the side of the third camp. His argument is like this: Infamous industrial policy fostered various industries with policy pair of promotion/protection. But not all sectors succeeded in world market. Those sectors should be liquidated to free resources up to competitive sectors in the view of rational policy makers. But such massive exit or restructuring is not of political rationale. The first oil shock exacerbated things around exit options. Such an attempt would be political suicide. So Japanese government prop them up. But uncompetitive sectors have taxed out competitive sectors and consumers with artificially high prices far above international market prices. It has resulted in weakening competitiveness and aggregate demand in economy-wide. To make up for weak domestic demand, export-drive set in motion. Up to mid-1980s, competitive Japan like electronics, automobile industry could feed up uncompetitive Japan like petrochemicals, steel, service sector at the expense of overseas competitors¡¯ market share. But overdependence on overseas market invited super-strong yen in 1985. So export-drive hurts its very condition. There was 2 consequences: Competitive sectors responded with FDI, so-called the problem of ¡®hollowing out¡¯;s Now overseas market couldn¡¯t make up for the feeble domestic demand. So there should be alternative demand in domestic side. Government boosted the demand with pouring down money. Buddle swelled. At last bubble busted. The problem of Japan is not financial mess but the political economy of two Japans. It has weakened the competitiveness and aggregate domestic demand. Deregulation is the answer. But it¡¯s near impossible for political reasons. So the problem lies not in economic side but in political side.
Katz follows the mainstream line of Japanese studies. So His account of Japanese political economy is not that unheard-of. but he articulates the points with simple and clear economic modeling. The picture he draws up is amazingly lucid and plain. His work could be counted as the constellation of a decade¡¯s debates.

Well-Written and Thoroughly-Researched Gem.......2002-02-25

...This is a thoroughly researched book backed by an extensive list of references, compiled over extensive period of time. "Useless" is not a fair adjective to qualify this book. Even disregarding all the author's argument about the state of Japan economy as related to its need to adjust its "investment-led economy", the body of research and the related references and bibliographies about Japan post-war economy is amazing and could be used as a starting point for anyone doing a research thesis for its PhD program. While I am not a Japan specialist, I have learned a great deal not only about trade policies in Japan, but also about those policies elsewhere. So in a nutshell, this book is not just about "how the Japan economic system soured", but also about trade policies and productivities (author emphasizes the Total Factor Productivity) in any economy. This should be a must-read for any aspiring economist that want to learn about trade policies: what to do and what not do do.

This book can also be used as a self-contained textbook for any graduate course on Japan and NIC economies. The reference section summaries some of the arguments presented in the main body of the book (Appendix A: Why Industrial Policy Only Works in the Catch-Up Era), some of technical skills need to get the most out of the book (Appendix B: Reading the Econometric Tables), economic growth model (Appendix D: From Superstar to Laggard: The Growth Model), actual trade data (Appendix F: Japan¡¦s Peculiar Trade).

Any negative? Too much information packed into this 463-page well-researched book, so this is not your typical bed-time story book. Yet if you want a book from an "ivory-tower economist" looks elsewhere, but how about one from a down to earth journalist publishing daily article on Japanese economic affairs?

A raging bore.......2001-10-18

Japan: A System That Soured is a pretty useless book. Katz, a very so-so journalist cum economist, spends ages getting to two very simple conclusions. One, economies which grow quickly in the early stages of development slow down when they reach maturity. Two, Japan cannot grow any faster over the longer term unless its economy is liberalised and its markets thrown open to competition. My goodness. Really? Whatever made you think that...

Excellent analysis of Japanese economy.......2001-05-25

Richard Katz, a senior editor at The Oriental Economist shows his grasp of the Japanese economy in an excellent text. He shows why the system that helped Japan to become the great maufacturing power, became a liability. Taking into account the writings of both traditional economists and the views of political scientists, this book is a must-read for intelligent Japan watchers.

Power Steering: Global Automakers and the Transformation of Rural Communities (Rural America (Lawrence, Kan.).)

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Power Steering: Global Automakers and the Transformation of Rural Communities (Rural America (Lawrence, Kan.).)
Michele M. Hoyman
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

In Marysville, Ohio; Georgetown, Kentucky; and Smyrna and Spring Hill, Tennessee, life will never again be the same. Once small rural communities, they're now boom towns--thanks to Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Saturn.

It's happening all over America: communities desperate for economic development lure large companies looking for a docile labor force, cheap real estate, and an alternative to the regulations of cities. But what happens to a small town when it successfully attracts corporate America (or corporate Japan)? As Michele Hoyman shows, from the announcement of plant siting until long after it opens, the town's rural lifestyle is dramatically transformed through radical changes in its politics, public administration, schools, traffic patterns, real estate values, water and sewage systems, police and fire protection, and cultural views.

In Power Steering, Hoyman chronicles such transformations in Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, shows how they emerged, and explains why they matter. She skillfully interweaves agenda-setting theory with impact analysis to demonstrate that economic development is an ongoing process with identifiable stages, not merely a final set of outcomes. Drawing upon extensive interviews with community leaders, public opinion polls, and in-depth analyses of town budgets, she creates a richly detailed study that clearly delineates the economic, social, and political impacts associated with corporate forays into the hinterlands.

Providing a wealth of detail for scholars and administrators, Hoyman's study also offers a thoughtful guide for any community attempting to attract similar industries. For example, she cautions communities to avoid giving away too much in tax incentives and environmental control waivers, lest those long-term costs undermine the short-term benefits provided by the corporation. Balanced and insightful, her work provides concrete examples of how America's rural towns are using the new global economy to help shape more promising futures for themselves.

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