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The Merits And Benefits Of Keiretsu In Japan

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Introduction
Zaibatsu, the prevailing form of business declined after the Second World War, followed by an economic reform, a new business management form has emerged, which is the Keiretsu system. It continued to be the dominant form of business in the second half of 20th century, yet, the economic recession of Japan in1990s has made people realize the incapability of the old Keiretsu system, reforms of it is needed for revitalizing Japan’s once flourish economy. This paper will examine the role of Keiretsu system in Japan’s economy in detail and discuss the future development of the system.

Merits and Demerits of Keiretsu System
Due to the dissolution of Zaibatsu, many of the machine and military firms, such as Sony, Honda and Matsushita, …show more content…

The stable and intimate economic ties between these member companies, which are independently managed, helps to immune companies from fluctuations in stock market or attempts of takeover. Meanwhile, it facilitated the growth of Japan’s economy in the postwar period. Some even viewed the keiretsu system as one of the explanations of Japan’s booming economy after 1945 (Ozkan, 2008), due to its impact in stabilizing the …show more content…

The intimate relationships between Japanese firms and the main banks has made internal cash position less of a constraint to the firms, as they could continue their investments and growth even when they are facing a shortage of cash (Wu et al, 2000). Also, the keiretsu system protected the firms from market failure and reduced the potential financial risks (McGuire & Dow, 2005). The keiretsu system contributes significantly in evening financial burdens in the face of crisis and in merging the goals of profit maximization within the corporate community (Kawai, 2007). The equalizing function immunes firms from the risks of uneven and unbalanced economic improvements of the member firms within the keiretsu system, as both firms acquire the same financial access under the system. Meanwhile, the system also reduced the costs for the firms, as the system allowed firms to form alliance with inter-firm agreements which would lower transaction costs such as coordinating costs, risks of broken contracts and searching costs (Ozkan,

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