2009年 12月の記事一覧
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格差のない社会を築こうと国内では大変革が進行中である。しかし、人間は本来競争動物である。それゆえ、格差があって当然であるし、勝者になることや強者になることは、何ら恥じることのない尊い行為である。人間は永続的に強者であることを目標とすべきである。内需を拡大して、国民が等しくばら色の人生を送れるようにという政策は、一見正しいように思える。しかし、供給側の競争能力を強化せずに、国力を強化はできない。競争を制限すると、弱者が強者になる可能性はなくなる。そうすると、強者は強者としての体力の維持とか努力をおこたってしまう。自分の地位が脅かされる心配がなければ、誰も努力をしない。それは、日本航空の現状を見れば理解できる。先進国病とは、競争をするのを止めることを意味する。今まで日本にとって、カントリーリスクとは輸出先国を意味した、しかし、今のカントリーリスクは、外国から見た日本を意味している。 (Written by Shigeo Sunahara of CBC, Inc.)
No. 37: Country Risk (December 21, 2009)
A great reform is under way in Japan to build a country where every one has a comfortable life without exception under the slogan “society without disparity.” However, the fact remains that human is by nature a competitive animal. That is, it is quite natural that we can find disparities anywhere in our daily life, and it is a noble and honorable behavior to make efforts to become a winner or the strong. Human has to do his own best to be strong permanently. It apparently looks a good policy to expand domestic demand to allow every one to have a rosy life. However, it is totally impossible to strengthen national power without aggrandizing suppliers’ competitive edge. Should competition be put under control, the weak cannot get an opportunity to become the strong. If this happens, the strong will no longer make efforts to maintain their physical and intellectual strength necessary as the strong. No one will make efforts should he be free from any threat that tries to beat his position. This is well illustrated by the current situation of Japan Airline. The advanced nation’s disease means discontinuing competition. To date, country risk means the risk of countries to which Japan exports it products. Now, country risk means the risk of Japan observed by foreign countries.
No. 37: Country Risk (December 21, 2009)
A great reform is under way in Japan to build a country where every one has a comfortable life without exception under the slogan “society without disparity.” However, the fact remains that human is by nature a competitive animal. That is, it is quite natural that we can find disparities anywhere in our daily life, and it is a noble and honorable behavior to make efforts to become a winner or the strong. Human has to do his own best to be strong permanently. It apparently looks a good policy to expand domestic demand to allow every one to have a rosy life. However, it is totally impossible to strengthen national power without aggrandizing suppliers’ competitive edge. Should competition be put under control, the weak cannot get an opportunity to become the strong. If this happens, the strong will no longer make efforts to maintain their physical and intellectual strength necessary as the strong. No one will make efforts should he be free from any threat that tries to beat his position. This is well illustrated by the current situation of Japan Airline. The advanced nation’s disease means discontinuing competition. To date, country risk means the risk of countries to which Japan exports it products. Now, country risk means the risk of Japan observed by foreign countries.
世紀の合併の騒がれたタイムワーナーとAOLの合併が、正式に解消になったという記事が12月11日付けの日本経済新聞に載っている。合併時は天文学的な数字であった時価総額も50分の１に縮小した。グローバル市場で、主導的な地位をねらう企業は、明らかに大企業である必要がある。しかし、会社規模が大きくなればなるほど、その中味の大部分は外部環境からますます遠ざかる。そして、内部組織が複雑化してくる。そして、複雑さにはおのずから一定限度があり、一定限度を超える複雑さは、どのように設計された構造をもってしても、これを支えることは難しくなる。つまり、規模は複雑さを決定し、複雑さが規模を決定する。問題は、適正規模を知る確実な方法がないことである。適正規模を求めて、終わりのない議論をする。答えがないのだから、これほど時間つぶしに相応しい議題はない。削減しては、訂正の繰り返し。答えのない問題を議論すると、興味は尽きないが、時間がつきる。(Written by Shigeo Sunahara of CBC, Inc.)
No. 36: In search of the optimal size (December 14, 2009)
Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Dec. 11 issue that the merger between Time-Warner and AOL dubbed as the merger of the century was officially dissolved. The astronomical aggregate market price at the time of merger went down to one fiftieth. It is clear that a company has to be big if it wishes to take an active part in the global market. However, as a company grows bigger in size, most part of its nerve center is far from the outside environment, and the internal organization grows more complicated. The complexity has a limit itself. It is very hard for a structure to support the complexity however well organized it is once it exceeds a certain level. That is, company size specifies the complexity, and complexity specifies the company size. The problem is that no absolute approach exists to know the optimal size. People have endless discussions in search of the optimal size. No discussion is suitable for killing time than discussion on the optimal size. Eliminate what seems excessive, and make a correction because what seems excessive is not really excessive. And this process goes on. It is rather interesting to discuss a problem that will never be solved, but time is running out.
No. 36: In search of the optimal size (December 14, 2009)
Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Dec. 11 issue that the merger between Time-Warner and AOL dubbed as the merger of the century was officially dissolved. The astronomical aggregate market price at the time of merger went down to one fiftieth. It is clear that a company has to be big if it wishes to take an active part in the global market. However, as a company grows bigger in size, most part of its nerve center is far from the outside environment, and the internal organization grows more complicated. The complexity has a limit itself. It is very hard for a structure to support the complexity however well organized it is once it exceeds a certain level. That is, company size specifies the complexity, and complexity specifies the company size. The problem is that no absolute approach exists to know the optimal size. People have endless discussions in search of the optimal size. No discussion is suitable for killing time than discussion on the optimal size. Eliminate what seems excessive, and make a correction because what seems excessive is not really excessive. And this process goes on. It is rather interesting to discuss a problem that will never be solved, but time is running out.
2年前のマンション供給全国トップの穴吹工務店が会社更生法の適用を申請した。新聞報道で、この工務店の本社が高松にあるのを知った人も多いと思われる。この建設会社は、1994年から、大都市より四国や九州などの地方中核都市にターゲットを絞り、比較的低価格のマンションを大量供給して飛躍的に成長した。2001年時点では、拠点は41都府県に77営業所に広がった。これは、実質的には日本全国の総てをカバーしたことを意味する。このような戦略をとる中堅企業は多い。しかし、各拠点が地域で十分なシェアを有していないと危険な戦略であり、景気が悪くなると、人件費と販売管理費を稼ぐのに苦労をする。当初は、地方の中核都市をターゲットにしても、拠点数を増やすだけでなく、各拠点がカバーする面積を増やし、面と面をつなぐ努力をする必要がある。少ない兵力をアジア各国に分散し、各地で部隊を孤立させて敗戦に突進していった日本陸軍の間違いを知るべきある。 (Written by Shigeo Sunahara of CBC, Inc.)
No. 35: What is important is the area covered by bases not the number of bases. (December 7, 200)
Anabuki Construction that was the largest construction company in terms of the number of apartments sold two years ago filed for protection under the bankruptcy law. Many people presumably knew from newspaper reporting for the first time that this company is headquartered not in Tokyo or Osaka but in Takamatsu in Shikoku. The company started to record a remarkable growth in 1994 by selling relatively inexpensive apartments in large quantity mainly in major urban areas in Shikoku and Kyushu. In 2001, it had 77 bases in 41 prefectures. This means that it covered virtually every prefecture of the country. We can find many medium-sized companies that devise the same strategy, namely, they try to cover from the northernmost Hokkaido to the southernmost Okinawa Prefecture. However, it is a risky strategy susceptible to economic setback if each base fails to get a substantial share. It will become rather hard to cover labor cost and selling and administrative expenses when economy gets worse sharply. Even if a company targets local urban areas in the initial stage, it should make efforts to increase the area covered by each base and enlarge the whole territory by connecting bases, instead of merely increasing the number of bases. It is important to understand the mistake that Japanese Imperial Army made in World War II. It deployed small amount of military forces sparsely and extensively in Asia. It went straight to defeat in the war because it isolated each military unit in Asia without any support.
No. 35: What is important is the area covered by bases not the number of bases. (December 7, 200)
Anabuki Construction that was the largest construction company in terms of the number of apartments sold two years ago filed for protection under the bankruptcy law. Many people presumably knew from newspaper reporting for the first time that this company is headquartered not in Tokyo or Osaka but in Takamatsu in Shikoku. The company started to record a remarkable growth in 1994 by selling relatively inexpensive apartments in large quantity mainly in major urban areas in Shikoku and Kyushu. In 2001, it had 77 bases in 41 prefectures. This means that it covered virtually every prefecture of the country. We can find many medium-sized companies that devise the same strategy, namely, they try to cover from the northernmost Hokkaido to the southernmost Okinawa Prefecture. However, it is a risky strategy susceptible to economic setback if each base fails to get a substantial share. It will become rather hard to cover labor cost and selling and administrative expenses when economy gets worse sharply. Even if a company targets local urban areas in the initial stage, it should make efforts to increase the area covered by each base and enlarge the whole territory by connecting bases, instead of merely increasing the number of bases. It is important to understand the mistake that Japanese Imperial Army made in World War II. It deployed small amount of military forces sparsely and extensively in Asia. It went straight to defeat in the war because it isolated each military unit in Asia without any support.
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