The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy - Hardcover

Mikitani, Hiroshi; Mikitani, Ryoichi

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1119000602 ISBN 13: 9781119000600

Publisher: Wiley, 2014

Synopsis

"If you're as interested in Japan as I am, I think you'll find that The Power to Compete is a smart and thought-provoking look at the future of a fascinating country." - Bill Gates, "5 Books to Read This Summer" Father and son entrepreneur and economist search for Japan's economic cure The Power to Compete tackles the issues central to the prosperity of Japan and the world in search of a cure for the "Japan Disease." As founder and CEO of Rakuten, one of the world's largest Internet companies, author Hiroshi Mikitani brings an entrepreneur's perspective to bear on the country's economic stagnation. Through a freewheeling and candid conversation with his economist father, Ryoichi Mikitani, the two examine the issues facing Japan, and explore possible roadmaps to revitalization. How can Japan overhaul its economy, education system, immigration, public infrastructure, and hold its own with China? Their ideas include applying business techniques like Key Performance Indicators to fix the economy, using information technology to cut government bureaucracy, and increasing the number of foreign firms with a head office in Japan. Readers gain rare insight into Japan's future, from both academic and practical perspectives on the inside. Mikitani argues that Japan's tendency to shun international frameworks and hide from global realities is the root of the problem, while Mikitani Sr.'s background as an international economist puts the issue in perspective for a well-rounded look at today's Japan. * Examine the causes of Japan's endless economic stagnation * Discover the current efforts underway to enhance Japan's competitiveness * Learn how free market "Abenomics" affected Japan's economy long-term * See Japan's issues from the perspective of an entrepreneur and an economist Japan's malaise is seated in a number of economic, business, political, and cultural issues, and this book doesn't shy away from hot topics. More than a discussion of economics, this book is a conversation between father and son as they work through opposing perspectives to help their country find The Power to Compete.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

A Penetrating, Sensitive, and Engaging Analysis of the Road to a Brighter Future for Japan

The Japanese economy needs a jump-start. This is not an indictment, but rather an honest assessment of reality. The Power to Compete is a conversation between two of the men most qualified to discuss the situation: a CEO of one of the world's largest Internet companies and his father, a leading international economist and longtime Kobe University professor.

Between Hiroshi and Ryoichi Mikitani, there is a depth of understanding--both of global issues and of the Japanese identity--that makes their conversations stimulating, informative, and even transformational. In each chapter of The Power to Compete, father and son tackle complex issues with intelligence and humor, arriving at a series of recommendations for the future that have the power to inspire a generation of readers to work for a more prosperous Japan. Their ideas are ambitious, wide-ranging, and often controversial, but they aren't shy about presenting them.

Internationally, Japan has a reputation of resisting foreign ideas and isolating itself from progress. To change this image and cure "the Japan Disease," members of all generations need to work together. The Power to Compete is an inspiring book that will show you how to take the history and traditions of Japan onto the global stage.

"Hiroshi Mikitani is not only an important business leader in Japan, but, along with his late father, Ryoichi, someone who has done a tremendous amount of strategic thinking on the Japanese economy, its history and its recovery. Mikitani-san is a shining example for up and coming innovators and entrepreneurs across Japan who will be critical to Japan's economy and, in turn, the U.S.-Japan relationship for years to come."
-- John V. Roos, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan

"Ryoichi Mikitani was one of Japan's most thoughtful and probing economists, and Hiroshi is today probably Japan's most dynamic entrepreneur. And Ryoichi clearly passed on to his son a deep Japanese patriotism in the finest sense. Everyone who wishes Japan well should hope that the ideas they shared will receive the widest attention among the country's government and people."
-- Benjamin M. Friedman, William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University, and author of The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth

About the Author:

HIROSHI MIKITANI is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Rakuten, Inc., one of the world's largest Internet companies. The firm has operations in 28 countries and customers all over the world. RYOICHI MIKITANI was a leading Japanese economist who worked and studied at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and Kobe University and made important contributions in his work with the Japan Society for Monetary Economics. Ryoichi was also a prolific and respected author.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1119000602
• ISBN 13: 9781119000600
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240