High rates of innovation: The Japanese culture shock to Europe

Christer Karlsson

European Management Journal, 1989, vol. 7, issue 1, 31-39

Abstract: The analysis in this paper deals with the inherent values and cultures that are used in a Japanese productdevelopment group to create a very high rate of innovation. In order to try to explore the cultures and processes, product development organizations are studied as well as development processes of groups in general. The development group is seen as a fakir's bed-of-nails. In contrast to many ideas about Japanese groups it accepts outstanding individuals. The bed-of-nails has sharp tops but they are all of the same height, working in the same direction and all contributing to keep the objective on a high level. Again it is consensus in the group, but about direction rather than on action. It is also multi-contributional, the function of a real team where everybody is withholding himself and contributing his specific knowledge to let the group reach something unusual. It is also learning on all levels from the individual in society to organizational learning processes. We can expect it to be very difficult for our professionals to go through the long harmonization process and achieve the required harmony since they are taught to perform and be evaluated as inventors. It seems that, at the present time, our industrial systems in the Western World are facing a major new cultural shock from Japan.

Date: 1989
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