In feng shui and in general in China, water is considered the primary element, the basis of all life...
No organization can successfully survive in a competitive environment if it does not have clearly defined guidelines, directions that set what it aspires to, what it wants to achieve through its activities. The old wisdom that there is no favorable wind for a ship whose crew does not know where it is sailing figuratively illustrates this situation. But the goal principle in the activities of the organization arises not only because it needs to have guidelines so as not to perish in a changing environment.
The concept of "mission" came from the English language. "Mission" in translation e means "goal". In domestic management theory and practice, in a certain context, it is the term “mission” that is used, and not the goal. The fact is that in English there are four designations for the concept of "goal":
1. Aim - goal, intention;
2. Goal-goal, task, destination;
3. Target - goal, task, target, plan;
4. Mission - purpose, purpose, vocation, assignment.
All these words have the same common sense- “goal”, however, they have slight semantic differences, and the practice of using these words differs.
With the most generalized and at the same time with the most profound understanding, the role of the mission of the organization is that it, as it were, establishes a bundle, orients in a single direction the interests and expectations of those people who perceive the organization from the inside, and those who perceive the organization from the outside. Moreover, the mission allows orienting or even subordinating the interests of “internal” people in relation to the organization to the interests of “external” people. By defining what the organization was created and exists for, the mission gives meaningfulness and purposefulness to the actions of people, allowing them to better see and realize not only what they should do, but also why they carry out their actions. There is a broad and a narrow understanding of mission.
In a broad sense, the mission is the philosophy and purpose, the meaning of the existence of the organization.
The philosophy of an organization defines the values, beliefs and principles in accordance with which the organization intends to conduct its activities. A mission defines the activities an organization intends to do and what type of organization it intends to be. The philosophy of the organization rarely changes. As for the second part of the mission, it may vary depending on the depth of possible changes in the organization and in the environment of its functioning.
In a narrow sense, a mission is a stated statement about why or for what reason an organization exists, i.e. The mission is understood as a statement that reveals the meaning of the existence of the organization, in which the difference between this organization and similar ones is manifested.
The mission in strategic management is a clearly expressed overall goal of the organization, which answers the following basic questions:
Why does the organization exist (the reason for its existence), what products does it produce and what need does the organization satisfy;
Who are the main consumers and what is the attitude of the organization towards them;
What is the main philosophy of the organization, how does it relate to society, partners and competitors, to its employees, what are the main values shared by employees;
What are the basic principles of the organization.
The mission defines the essence of the organization's activities, its basic goals
and principles of activity, helps to unite efforts in one direction, contains the main guidelines that help distribute responsibility and resources, provides the basis and context for developing a strategy, serves as a basis for building and correcting the goals of the organization.
The main question that the mission answers is the question of what human need the organization satisfies. For example, a car factory satisfies people's need for mobility; the university is in education; the mayor's office - in creating conditions for a decent life for citizens. The correct answer to the question about the needs that the organization satisfies, in itself, can bring a lot of new things to the activities of this organization. Let's say an automobile factory begins to develop a network of consumer service enterprises (repair shops, authorized dealers, sales leasing schemes), a university expands the scope of activities (short-term courses, sports services, library services), and the mayor's office subsidizes Internet services for city schoolchildren.
The mission establishes a connection and orients the interests and expectations of people who view the organization both from the outside and from the inside. In the broad sense of the word, the mission is both the philosophy and the purpose of the organization, and the meaning of its existence.
Mission is a business concept that reflects the purpose of the business, its main goal. In contrast to the vision, the mission characterizes only the present of the organization: the type, scope of activities, differences from competitors, ignoring the prospects for business development. The mission details the status of the enterprise and provides guidance for the development of goals and strategies at various organizational levels.
The main components of the mission:
1. Products or services that an enterprise produces, i.e. range of needs met. What are the products or services produced by the enterprise? Companies often achieve market advantage by integrating product benefits with additional competitiveness opportunities, such as greater market share, distribution networks, or a positive image.
2. Categories of target groups of consumers. Who are the target customers of the company? The activities of the enterprise may be targeted at government agencies, industrial consumers, a small segment of the population with high incomes, or the general population.
3. Applied management technologies and functions, i.е. way to meet consumer needs. Does the company focus on the use of the latest or traditional technologies?
4. Competitive advantages. What do they consist of distinctive features and strategic advantages of the enterprise in comparison with competitors? Such advantages may lie in a unique product, technology, reputation among consumers or geographic location.
5. Philosophy of business. What are the core values, aspirations and ethical principles enterprises? The philosophy of an enterprise can be manifested, for example, in whether it puts the interests of its employees or customers in the foreground, etc.
There are many interpretations of the concept corporate mission- the meaning of existence, the main goal of activity; some higher purpose; expression of the social significance of the activity; the role the company intends to play in the market; quality content of the business, an attempt by a businessman to find the meaning of his professional activity; substantiation of non-financial goals of the organization.
We dare to add our own definition of mission to this collection.
- Mission (organization, project, institution etc.) - an expression of one's ability and intentions to satisfy or create socially significant and ethically acceptable needs (requests) of humanity, groups of people (territories, states, peoples, communities, enterprises) and individuals.
And if we get rid of unnecessary complexity, let's say even simpler:
- COMPANY MISSION- this is the social benefit that the company intends to bring (or already brings) to others.
OBJECTIVES OF THE CORPORATE MISSION
The mission shows how the company's products (goods, services, relationships) shape and enhance qualitative changes in Everyday life consumer and in the worldview of society.That is, the mission should be directed outward, to society, outside the company, and not to the company and its stakeholders. This is the main criterion for understanding whether the mission is before your eyes or an attempt to justify the purely material interests of business. A vivid negative example of this is the missions of today's Russian banks and insurance companies, most of which have simply forgotten about the interests of the client.
The goals of the mission of modern Russian business acceptable to society can be:
- formation of a new quality of life, summarizing the consumer properties of the company's products;
- the desire to improve the already formed quality of life and expand its distribution;
- creation of values of a higher level of significance for society than the resources spent;
- qualitative changes in the company itself, as a result of the emergence and mobilization of additional resources and a new attitude to the world;
- growth of the company's adaptation to market requirements and its integration into the global community.
There are many opinions about what should be the content of the mission of the organization.
The so-called four-pronged approach involves taking into account the following aspects in the mission statement:
- market (products, strategies, competition, enterprise goals, markets),
- social (taking into account the interests of business participants, social groups, references to corporate philosophy, culture),
- private (business success from the point of view of the personal interests of the owners),
- qualitative (the desire of business to change the conditions, the quality of life of society, the properties of the social environment).
Another approach advises taking into account the main strategic goals facing any company in any market, and voicing business priorities regarding each of them:
- public (contribution to the local community, solving specific social problems),
- consumer (satisfying customer requests, taking into account the needs of suppliers and partners),
- administrative-territorial (satisfying the needs of a particular system in the structure of which the company operates),
- entrepreneurial (meeting the needs of participants and co-owners).
And, for example, on the website of one domestic state university it is stated that "The content of the organization's mission is:
1) philosophy (basic views, principles and values, system of motives);
2) description of the field of activity, product of the organization;
3) goals of the organization (current and strategic);
4) characteristics of potential and technologies;
5) description of the internal concept, strengths of the organization, its competitive advantages, development prospects;
6) characteristics of the market where the organization operates;
7) description of the external image (image) of the organization".
It’s not clear whether to believe such things or smile.
According to which method your company will formulate a business mission is up to you. Let's add: contrary to some authors, we do not believe that the "Mission of the company" is a document, "the provisions of which must be fulfilled." You need to know the mission of the company, it is desirable to share it, be guided by it, follow it, but fulfill its provisions ..? It is difficult to agree that the mission is "a corporate ideology, the values of which correspond to the company's employees, and the philosophy of which is reflected in their work" (the quote is real). A mission is just a mission.
A well-formulated mission of the organization does not need additional interpretations, additions, does not contain any nested, expanding its interpretations, provisions. It is a full-fledged, independent document, logically included in a set of documents under the general name “Company Ideology”.
MISSION DEVELOPMENT
Of course, it is hardly possible to “design” a mission. Recognize, articulate - yes. We agree that each has a purpose (mission, meaning of existence). entity regardless of this awareness. The process of realizing the mission can go gradually, or maybe explosively - by insight.In the conditions of small and medium-sized businesses, the mission of the organization almost always contains energy, the philosophy of the owners, founders. Without their participation, a full-blooded mission rarely appears.
There are many approaches to mission development.
MISSION DESCRIPTION REQUIREMENTS
- The mission of the enterprise really answers many questions (why? who? what? how? why? by what means? in the name of what?), but it does it as concisely, simply and concisely as possible.
- The description of the mission should exclude the possibility of discrepancies, but at the same time leave room for creative and flexible development of the company.
- Mission drafts can be of any size. The final text is 1-2-3 sentences. Such a brief mission of the enterprise is especially well understood, remembered and easily retold. However, if you like the smiles on the faces of your customers, you can paint the corporate mission on the page.
- The simplicity of the mission lies in the logic of presentation. Do not make verbal mess out of the text of the mission of the enterprise, do not include elements of vision, strategic goals, detailed description services, philosophy, descriptions of areas of responsibility - all those provisions, the place of which is separate, independent text documents.
- The "Mission of the company" document should not begin with the words "The philosophy of the company is to ensure that its own goals and the long-term interests of society are aligned." Why mix everything in one heap? The text of the mission is not a place for the concepts of "vision", "goals", "objectives", "values", "politics", "principles", "philosophy", "strategy". For them - other documents.
- From the text of the mission it should be clear without hints - what the business is doing (industry, direction of development, type of service) and why, why is it doing this.
- Do not be afraid of beautiful text if it correctly conveys the concepts of the mission. Use rare, bright words and phrases, but avoid random unpleasant associations.
- Reduce the distance, get closer to the consumer. Just call the company "We".
- Do not mention material gain in the mission (with the exception of financial market players, banks). Earned money is not what your business will become famous for centuries.
- Avoid the dominance of obscure terms, words and phrases worn to the point of meaninglessness, such as "customer focus", "social partnership", "maximum benefits at the lowest price", "mutually beneficial cooperation", "development and improvement of business", "we value our customers". Do not make competitors laugh with such platitudes.
- Make the mission statement active-active, not passive-observant. The best business mission verb is present tense.
- It doesn't matter that many corporate mission statements begin similarly: we do..., we teach..., we improve..., we care..., we help..., we solve..., we develop..., we provide..., we improve..., we we contribute.. we provide.. we feed.. we give.. we serve. The main difference is in the sense of the words that follow.
- The mission statement of the company should not be fabulous, overstated, unrealistic, miserable, clumsy, forced, so as not to give rise to a smile and doubts in the sanity of its authors. Better - none than a ridiculous mission.
- A competent mission text is like blank verse: full of meaning, elegant and laconic. Typos, misprints and missing punctuation marks in the organization's replicated mission are an indicator of its negligent attitude towards its own business and a severe blow to its image. Editing the mission text is a must.
FORMULATE THE MISSION companies, you can independently or with the help of specialists of the bureau PUNCTUATION MARKS.EXAMPLES OF MISSIONS OF RUSSIAN COMPANIES,
formulated, from our point of view, very briefly, weightily and meaningfully.Mission of Gazprom– the most efficient and balanced gas supply to Russian consumers, the fulfillment of long-term gas export contracts with a high degree of reliability.
Mission transport company Aeroflot is the most complete and safe provision of one of the fundamental human freedoms – freedom of movement.
Mission of the group of companies GAS. To produce commercial vehicles that guarantee the customer the benefits of purchasing through uncompromising quality and reliable impeccable service, backed by the highest competence of personnel, partner suppliers, innovations in production and products.
The mission of the brewing company Baltic. We create a quality product that gives people the joy of communication, makes their life brighter and more interesting.
Mission MegaFon. MegaFon will unite Russia by breaking down barriers and developing communications to become the obvious choice for everyone.
Bank Mission(Rosselkhozbank). Ensuring affordable, high-quality and effective satisfaction of the needs of agricultural producers and rural population Russian Federation in banking products and services, all possible assistance in the formation and functioning of a modern national credit and financial system of the agro-industrial sector of Russia, support for the development of the agro-industrial complex and rural areas of the Russian Federation.
Russian Mission Insurance company– provide comprehensive protection, confidence and harmony in life for those who strive for the best!
The mission of beauty salons and stylish clothes ELITE: We decorate people's lives, make important events in their lives more vivid and memorable, providing beautiful outfits for any holidays, celebrations and ceremonies, high-quality image and style creation services. Mission Creation Feedback
Agency Mission PRINT - to be a link between publishers and readers.
Mission of the restaurant Indian Cuisine Orissa: to combine Indian cuisine - one of the most delicious and ancient - with European culture of service against the backdrop of interiors in the style of oriental palaces and baroque.
The mission of the insurance company MOSCOW - to promote the growth of insurance coverage for every citizen of Russia, to actively support the insurance coverage of domestic businesses, to ensure the growth of the national economy, to promote socio-economic development, to ensure reliability, high quality services, to help strengthen the country's financial system.
Mission of the hotel PUNICATION SIGNS (working version) - to provide high-quality, modern, comfortable accommodation that will help city guests to better appreciate the beauty, cultural and business activity of St. Petersburg.
Mission construction company METALLLINE: We build modern residential and office buildings in Yekaterinburg - we create comfortable living and business conditions, thereby ensuring the economic development of the region, the company and the well-being of its employees.
The mission of the shops Castorama is to help buyers make their homes more perfect and comfortable, to transform the laborious and costly process of repair and improvement into an interesting hobby accessible to everyone.
The mission of the shops TERVOLINA: Quality, comfortable shoes and excellent service - for every customer!
The mission of the travel agency SOLAR SAIL - development of water tourism in the North-West region of Russia.
Mission automotive factory URAL - meeting the needs of society in vehicles with a gross weight of 12 to 44 tons and creating conditions for maintaining the performance of vehicles during operation.
Mission factory container products - to provide industrial enterprises Russia and the CIS countries modern packaging solutions, thereby contributing to their economic growth, as well as the development of the industrial packaging industry as a whole.
Mission educational institutions (kindergarten KROCHA) is the creation of conditions that reveal the individuality of the child and contribute to the formation of competencies that will ensure his success today and in the future.
Interpreter P. Morozov
Editor O. Galkin
Commissioning Editor S. Turco
Technical editor N. Lisitsyna
Corrector E. Chudinova
Computer layout K. Svishchev
Cover artist S. Prokofieva
Copyright © 1984 PHP Institute, Inc.
© Edition in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2014
All rights reserved. The work is intended solely for private use. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and in corporate networks, for public or collective use without the written permission of the copyright owner. For copyright infringement, the legislation provides for the payment of compensation to the copyright holder in the amount of up to 5 million rubles (Article 49 of the LOAP), as well as criminal liability in the form of imprisonment for up to 6 years (Article 146 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
From a publishing partner
Today it is generally accepted that the main goal of any business is to make a profit. All the attention of managers is focused on managing processes, on improving efficiency, on finding new solutions, and so on and so forth. Konosuke Matsushita draws our attention to the fact that business is not only money, but also a process, as a result of which something necessary, useful for a person appears. His book, of course, can be recommended for reading to every leader to remind him of the main goal (mission) of any enterprise. This goal, according to the author, is to benefit people.
In his book, Matsushita explains that the profitability of a business and its benefits to a person do not contradict each other. Its policy is "to take a product that is needed and useful for people, improve it and make it available to a large number buyers" does not exclude, but, on the contrary, welcomes the receipt of profit - after all, the company must ensure its livelihoods.
To understand the full value of the author's advice, you need to have some experience at the level of strategic management. On the other hand, examples from the practice of Matsushita himself are so vital, contain so many details that the book will be interesting to read even for a novice leader.
We hope you will find much use in this book. Happy reading!
Julia Sokolova,
Marketing Manager at Megaplan
Konosuke Matsushita was born in 1894 to a peasant family, the youngest of eight children. Despite a chronic illness and lack of funds, he started his own company in a small rented room. Subsequently, he was able to create one of the largest and most respected electrical companies in the world.
This book, containing his observations and reflections over many years, tells how Mr. Matsushita's practical experience has allowed him to become one of the best managers not only in Japan, but throughout the world. As he himself says: “It has been eighty years since I left my hometown at the age of nine and began working as an apprentice. I have watched for a long time how fast and how much the world is changing, and this has allowed me to accumulate significant business experience. Life has convinced me that no matter how intimidating or chaotic everything around may seem, everyone can improve their management methods and succeed in business.”
His business philosophy is idealistic and based on an almost religious sense of mission. The author's philosophy centers around people and is based on a down to earth, realistic understanding of human nature. This combination makes the author's comments on various business issues extremely important and relevant.
The Mission of Business book allows serious business people to learn a series of ideas (some of which are based on common sense and an unusual way of looking at things) on how to conduct themselves and lead a company towards prosperity, as well as how to maintain balance and integrity in the process. management.
Thanks
This book would not have been completed without the help of the people who devoted their valuable time and skill to its preparation. The first translation was done by Eisaku Onishi, the former Deputy Director of International Operations of Matsushita Electric, who was my official translator for many years. The translation editor was Erica Young. The verification and control of the final stages of the translation was carried out by Tsutomu Kano, director of the Center for the Humanities. The final editing of this book was done by renowned editorial professional Patricia Murray of the Center for the Humanities. She made an invaluable contribution to the improvement of the translation and turned it into an easy to read and beautiful text. I am deeply indebted to these four people, as well as to CSSC staff members Kiyoko Kizaki, Lynn Riggs, and Manabu Takechi, for their contributions to this book. I would also like to thank Katsuhiko Eguchi, with whom I have worked closely over the years, for the introduction.
Introduction
It has been a full eighty years since I left my hometown at the age of nine and started working as an apprentice. During all these years, business has always been at the center of my life. I have watched for a long time how fast and how much the world is changing, and this has allowed me to accumulate significant business experience. Life has convinced me that no matter how intimidating or chaotic things may seem, everyone can improve their management methods and succeed in business. The current time is often referred to as the "time of upheavals" or "transitional period." Leaders and companies face serious challenges, but I believe there are an unlimited number of ways to solve these problems. In order to determine the right method and know how and when to start solving a particular problem, each of us must clearly understand the basics of business and understand the secrets of successful management. In addition, we must devote our whole heart to the work. If a person is sincere and conscious, he will be able to overcome the crisis or any other problem that confronts him and lay the foundation for new growth.
We take it for granted that running a business is a complex thing. It doesn't matter how many years you've been in your business. You will always find something new in it to learn. However, on the other hand, management is quite simple. If you believe that your business exists because it is necessary for society, because it meets the needs of people, then you will comprehend the basic rule of management: study what people want and respond to it correctly. Of course, you must provide services in good faith and do everything necessary to meet the needs of customers. That is what I made my guiding principle sixty years ago when I founded Matsushita Electric.
A few years ago, the book Thoughts on Man was published, which was a translation into English language one of my previous works, in which I shared my views on human nature. Readers have responded favorably to the book, many wanting to learn more about the business and management ideas I've been thinking about over the years. The book you hold in your hands was born in response to this reader interest and tells about my approaches to business and management.
One of the main tasks of management is to set goals for the achievement of which an organization is formed, functions and develops as complete system. The objective function begins with the formation of a strategic vision and the establishment of the mission of the enterprise, expressing the philosophy and meaning of its existence. It details the status of the enterprise, declares the principles of its work, statements and the actual intentions of the management, defines the most important characteristics of the organization. Next comes the process of setting long-term goals. This part of strategic management ends with the process of setting short-term goals. Defining the mission and goals of the company leads to the fact that it becomes clear why the company operates and what it strives for. Knowing this, you can more accurately choose a strategy of behavior.
Management's vision of what the organization should strive for and what its long-term course should be forms its strategic vision for the future. A strategic vision is essentially a big picture of “who we are today, what we are doing and where we are going”. A strategic vision is a vision of the future direction of an organization and its business course; an important concept that defines what an organization seeks to do and become. It leaves no doubt about the long-term direction of the business and the position that management believes the company should be striving for. A well-thought-out strategic vision prepares the company for the future, helps set long-term directions, and indicates the company's intention to position itself in the business. Companies that do not have a strategic vision do not know what market position they should strive to win for themselves.
Although both terms are used interchangeably, a distinction must be made between strategic vision and business mission, or mission statement. The concept of mission has more to do with the present. The mission statement details the activities of the organization and its composition. The mission statement defines the nature of the company's business and creates a clear vision of what the company intends to do for its customers. The mission and strategic vision of the organization create a “sense of purpose” among employees and convincingly justify the direction of its development in the future. A well-defined mission generates enthusiasm for the future course outlined by management. The motivational goal of disseminating the content of the mission is to involve all employees of the organization in its implementation.
The strategic vision and mission statement are always highly personalized. General statements applicable to any company or sector of the economy have no managerial value. A strategic vision or mission statement distinguishes a company from others in a given sector of the economy, becomes its hallmarks, character and individual development path. Management science has not developed any universal rules that apply when formulating a mission. Therefore, there are many different approaches to the definition of the mission and its content, reflecting the assessment of the role and importance of the organization, primarily on the part of decision-makers. The central point of the mission is the answer to the question: what is the main goal of the organization? In the first place should be the interests, expectations and values of consumers, not only now, but also in the future.
Sometimes companies mistakenly formulate their mission in terms of profit. However, it would be more correct to define profit as the goal or result of what the company does. The desire to make a profit does not say anything about the field in which this profit should be found. A profit-driven mission fails to separate one type of profit-seeking company from another type of profit-seeking company.
There are three main aspects to consider when developing a strategic vision and expressing it in the form of a mission statement:
a clear understanding of what area of business the company operates in,
expressing your vision and mission in a clear, inspiring and stimulating way,
A company's business is determined by what requests it seeks to satisfy, which consumer groups it is aimed at, with the help of what technologies and the performance of what functions it serves its target market.
The mission should be developed taking into account the following five factors:
the history of the company, during which the philosophy of the company was developed, its profile and style of activity, its place in the market, etc. were formed;
the existing style of behavior and the way of action of the owners and management personnel;
the state of the organization's environment;
the resources it can bring to bear to achieve its goals;
distinctive features of the organization.
The transcript accompanying the mission should reflect the following characteristics of the organization:
targets of the organization;
scope of the organization;
organization philosophy;
opportunities and ways of carrying out the activities of the organization.
The mission should not carry specific instructions on what, how and in what time frame the organization should do. It sets the main directions of movement of the organization, the location of the organization to the processes and phenomena occurring inside and outside it.
It is very important that the mission is formulated as clearly as possible so that it is easily understood by all actors interacting with the organization's strategy, in particular by all members of the organization. At the same time, the mission should be formulated in such a way that it excludes the possibility different interpretations, but at the same time left room for creative and flexible development of the organization.
The mission forms the foundation for setting the goals of the organization as a whole, its divisions and functional subsystems (marketing, innovation, production, personnel, finance, management), each of which sets and implements its own goals, logically arising from the overall goal of the enterprise.
Business mission
Preface to the Russian edition
Why are Japanese companies resolutely
beat competitors?
How do the Japanese manage to release
super quality product?
Why Japanese companies after each
Crisis become even stronger?
Who is the greatest entrepreneur
throughout the history of modern business?
Like a country that has nothing: no oil,
no gas, no metal, no forest, created
second economy in the world after the US?
All these questions are answered by this beautiful, cult, wise, useful book.
For me personally, Matsushita is, without exaggeration, not just an entrepreneur, but also the greatest philosopher of our time.
His wisdom changed my life. His guidance and experience allowed me to create more than one multi-million dollar company, and I can safely equate his life example with a feat.
If you think that you have no start-up capital, no connections, no education to start your own business, then you need to read this book twice. The life path of Konosuke Matsushita will not only be a powerful motivation for you, but also an endless source of optimism, energy and faith.
Matsushita didn't even graduate from elementary school. When he was 9 years old, his family went bankrupt and was forced to send him to work in another city. Matsushita began to take his first steps in life without any support. The sickly nine-year-old boy worked from morning till night, looked after the master's children and polished metal products with his childish hands so that they were covered with bloody calluses.
As an adult, Matsushita tried to run an evening school, but this attempt failed because there were not enough textbooks in Japan at that time, and students had to write down all the material in class. Matsushita wrote slowly and poorly, did not manage to make the notes necessary for further study and was forced to primary school without receiving any formal education.
In order to start his first business, Matsushita laid down not only his wife's jewelry, but also clothes. He went through the hardest, hardest life path. But despite all the trials that fell to his lot, he became one of the richest people not only Japan, but the whole planet. Even during his lifetime, the workers put up three monuments to Konosuke Matsushita with their own money.
When this great sage, thinker, philosopher and strategist left our world, all the presidents of the leading countries of the world expressed their condolences to his wife, and George W. Bush Sr. called the widow personally.
Why reinvent the wheel?
Why step on the same rake?
Why get into the same troubles
if there is a smart book that I wrote
wisest of the wisest, the man who created
one of the greatest companies on earth?
It is a great honor for me to write this foreword. It's a pity that I can't find the words that the whole world would hear.
If my preface helps you make the right decision to purchase this priceless book, this treasure trove of wisdom, then I am sure that you, like me, will become one of the passionate admirers of the priceless, ns outdated experience of a real multi-billionaire.
Health and happiness to you and your loved ones!
Vladimir Dovgan,
Konosuke Matsushita was born in 1894 to a peasant family, the youngest of eight children. Despite a chronic illness and lack of funds, he started his own company in a small rented room. Subsequently, he was able to create one of the largest and most respected electrical companies in the world.
This book, containing his observations and reflections over many years, tells how Mr. Matsushita's practical experience has allowed him to become one of the best managers not only in Japan, but throughout the world. As he himself says: “It has been eighty years since I left my hometown at the age of nine and began working as an apprentice. I have watched for a long time how fast and how much the world is changing, and this has allowed me to accumulate significant business experience. Life has convinced me that no matter how intimidating or chaotic everything around may seem, everyone can improve their management methods and succeed in business.”
His business philosophy is idealistic and based on an almost religious sense of mission. The author's philosophy centers around people and is based on a down to earth, realistic understanding of human nature.
The Mission of Business book allows serious business people to learn a series of ideas (some of which are based on common sense and an unusual way of looking at things) on how to conduct themselves and direct a company towards prosperity, as well as how to maintain balance and integrity in the process. management.
Thanks
This book would not have been completed without the help of the people who devoted their valuable time and skill to its preparation. The first translation was done by Eisaku Onishi, the former Deputy Director of International Operations of Matsushita Electric, who was my official translator for many years. The translation editor was Erica Young. Verification and control of the final stages of the translation were carried out! Tsutomu Kano, director of the Center for the Humanities. The final editing of this book was done by renowned editorial professional Patricia Murray of the Center for the Humanities. She made an invaluable contribution to the improvement of the translation and turned it into an easy to read and beautiful text. I am deeply grateful to these four people, as well as to CSSC staff members Kiyoko Kizaki, Lynn Riggs, and Ma-nabu Takechi, for their contributions to this book. I would also like to thank Katsuhiko Eguchi, with whom I have worked closely over the years, for the introduction.
Introduction
It has been a full eighty years since I left my hometown at the age of nine and started working as an apprentice. During all these years, business has always been at the center of my life. I have watched for a long time how fast and how much the world is changing, and this has allowed me to accumulate significant business experience. Life has convinced me that no matter how intimidating or chaotic things may seem, everyone can improve their management methods and succeed in business. The current time is often referred to as the "time of upheavals" or "transitional period." Leaders and companies face serious challenges, but I believe there are an unlimited number of ways to solve these problems. In order to determine the right method and know how and when to start solving a particular problem, each of us must clearly understand the basics of business and understand the secrets of successful management. In addition, we must devote our whole heart to the work. If a person is sincere and conscious, he will be able to overcome the crisis or any other problem that confronts him and lay the foundation for new growth.
