Japanese-style management, product design and corporate strategy

After a brief economic and cultural overview, Japan's design strategy is viewed through the example of several major companies visited by the author on a recent trip to Japan. It examines the role of company structure and investment in design to help understand the close links between design, production engineering, research and marketing. Trends in design philosophy are viewed with reference to the emerging “Humanware” approach and the effects of CAD-FMS. The paper contrasts the British approach to design with that of major Japanese companies.