Introduction: Research Topics and Analytical Framework

This chapter clarifies the purpose and significance of this book. It first compares contemporary economic and business conditions in Japan and Germany, which were not only defeated nations of WWII but also major trading countries after the war. Next, research topics are described by considering major issues in postwar Japanese and German capitalism and management, focusing on the postwar boom years, in particular through the early 1970s, and the subsequent period. In addition, the findings of previous research on related topics are examined. Furthermore, two original frameworks developed by the author will be introduced—“total system of business management” and “reframing”—which provide the foundations for a multifactorial analysis of business management. These frameworks underpin this book’s unique explanation of business management and capitalism in Japan and Germany.