cover image Beating Japan: 2how Hundreds of American Companies Are Beating Japan Now

Beating Japan: 2how Hundreds of American Companies Are Beating Japan Now

Francis McInerney. Dutton Books, $25 (352pp) ISBN 978-0-525-93577-3

Deserving wider readership than among those whose business is in direct competition with Japan, this guide to restructuring American manufacturing concerns highlights customer relations. ``You can focus, and share your customer's goals. Or you can work to your own internal agenda, and watch your business vanish,'' state the authors, New York City businessmen and analysts in the information technology industry. Concrete suggestions include closing corporate headquarters and moving all operations to regional sales offices and, every quarter, eliminating 5% of products in least demand. The authors suggest that the Japanese can be bested by competitors who reduce diversification, decentralize authority and maintain close contact with customers. While some of the information-technology terms are bewildering, the authors' thesis, comprehensive research (much of it done in Japan) and crisp prose bolster their valuable advice to business managers, whether their competition is a Japanese giant, K mart at the local mall or the Busy Bee Cafe on the corner. (Mar.)