The Japanese Family: An Institutional Logic for Japanese Corporate Networks and Japanese Management

Abstract

Although the existence of Japanese corporate networks and Japanese management practices has been substantiated in the management literature, explanations for their origins are lacking. The author illustrates that the Japanese family provides an institutional logic for Japanese corporate networks and Japanese management practices. Furthermore, the historical actions of individuals in Japanese corporations are indicative of a strategy to sustain and nurture their social capital—a strategy that might explain the historical persistence of this family logic.