Architects of Affluence
The Tsutsumi Family and the Seibu Enterprises in Twentieth-Century Japan
1994
First Published
340
Number of Pages
Part of Series
The interrelated Seibu and Saison enterprise groups have shaped Japanese consumer culture and made the Tsutsumi family fabulously rich. Beginning with the colorful founder, Yasujiro Tsutsumi, Thomas Havens traces the family's fortunes through the rise of its various companies. He examines the strategic thinking, management styles, and marketing techniques of Yasujiro and his sons; explains how the companies have prospered outside Japan's zaibatsu and keiretsu business establishments; and demonstrates how the Seibu enterprises have shifted Japanese culture from a frugal, hardworking society to a New Breed that takes affluence for granted.
