Abstract
This article describes three characteristics of the Japanese Leadership Style (JLS): self-realization, appreciation of diverse abilities, and trust in others, which have both positive and negative ethical implications. In addition to illustrating how JLS allows Japanese corporations to avoid some of the ethical problems plaguing U.S. corporations, the authors will explain how these characteristics engender the loyalty and initiative of Japanese employees which promote incremental innovation and competitive advantages. Implicit in this discussion is the premise that both the American and Japanese business communities, by analyzing their own ethical issues and leadership styles, can learn from each other.
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Iwao Taka is a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Legal Studies at The Wharton School. He is an Assistant Professor in the International School of Economics and Business Administration, Reitaku University in Japan. His publications include “Business Ethics: A Japanese View,” “Intuitive Decision-Making and Creative Destruction”, and “Japanese Entrepreneurship after World War II”.
Wanda D. Foglia, Esquire, is a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Legal Studies at The Wharton School where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminology. A former Assistant District Attorney, her research focuses on approaches for promoting the individual's commitment to ethical and law-abiding behavior. She has recently coordinated a Project to Integrate Ethics Into the Wharton Undergraduate Curriculum.
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Taka, I., Foglia, W.D. Ethical aspects of “Japanese leadership style”. J Bus Ethics 13, 135–148 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881582
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881582