The synthesis of economic organisation and the management of change: intercultural transferability and the Japanese paradigm

Throughout the growth period of Japanese manufactured exports, from the 1960s to the late 1980s, cultural arguments abounded to explain the influence of Japanese management practices and their role in Japan’s competitiveness. The conclusions drawn were that Japanese organisations and management practices would not be transferable to foreign environments, since their cultural advantages could not be maintained. In addressing the question of intercultural transferability, this article presents a theoretical perspective on the issues of management practice as a means of identifying the causes and constraints inherent in the transfer of the Japanese model to the West and in particular to the UK. The theoretical propositions are underpinned with reference to empirical studies and hopefully identify areas for further research.