経営史学
Online ISSN : 1883-8995
Print ISSN : 0386-9113
ISSN-L : 0386-9113
58 巻, 2 号
選択された号の論文の3件中1~3を表示しています
論文
  • ―兵庫県印南郡稲岡商店による輸出向タオル製造の事例―
    田中 光
    2023 年 58 巻 2 号 p. 3-29
    発行日: 2023年
    公開日: 2024/12/25
    ジャーナル フリー

    This paper analyses business of Inaoka Co. in modern Japan, which was a cotton towel weaving company established in 1891. The founder of Inaoka Co. had an origin of localprivileged cotton merchant in Edo period and became one of local landowners after the Meiji Restoration.

    After the establishment in 1891, Inaoka Co.’s business developed rapidly with growing towel export to China. In the background, Japanese export to Asia was growing in late 19th century along its light industry’s industrial revolution. So the case of Inaoka Co. is a typical case of modern Japanese small light industry company’s success.

    After the opening domestic market, Japanese pre-modern cotton industry was in the state of crisis. So Inaoka Co.’s local area faced critical unemployment problem. Inaoka founder started building small manufacture and gathering hand-weaving workers in local area to save their living in a certain state.

    Their old business partners, Osaka merchants brought them not only imported cotton threads but also other modern imported goods. Towel was one of innovative and expensive items in those days, so Osaka merchants asked local cotton weaving manufacturers to produce it. Osaka merchants generously introduced this towel weaving technique to Inaoka founder, instead of that Inaoka Co.’s towels was traded through Osaka merchants’ network in first decade.

    The key of Inaoka Co.’s leap was the trade with Chinese merchant in Kobe and with Japanese merchant in Shanghai at the beginning of 20th century. These international trading company promised Inaoka Co. a huge demand for towels with Inaoka’s original brand logos.

    Although the political turmoil in China such as the Chinese revolution damaged Inaoka Co.’s towel export temporary, they tried to introduce power looms in late 1900s. Until the end of the boom of WWI, hand weaving towels remained in Inaoka Co.’s main production however. The end of the boom induced the shutdown of hand weaving small factories and it also meant the end of the local employment guardian movement of Inaoka Co..

  • 佐々木 聡
    2023 年 58 巻 2 号 p. 30-57
    発行日: 2023年
    公開日: 2024/12/25
    ジャーナル フリー

    This paper examines the background of Nippon Toki’s introduction of scientific management, the introduction of the literature of scientific management methods, articles published in general business journals written by one of leaders, the results of improvements at production sites. We also examined the position of Nippon Toki in the scientific management and industrial efficiency movements of the time.

    Nippon Toki had early access to literature on scientific management methods, which were advanced management systems at the time, based upon the cooperative relationship between labor and management, organizational climate to motivate employees to improve, and the ability of management and engineers to respond to overseas information and information channels. They introduced summaries of the literature in general business journals and published a long-running series of articles in company newsletters to motivate employees to improve.

    The long-term introduction of literature on scientific management and the increased awareness of the need for efficiency led not only to improvements in material handling and equipment at Nippon Toki’s worksites, but also to work improvements and increase in efficiency associated with the introduction of a differential piece-rate system. This has been highly appreciated by outside experts involved in work improvement and efficiency improvement at Nippon Toki.

    Thus, the introduction of the scientific management at Nippon Toki was an important case in the history of Japanese business management due to its wide scope of application, the extended period of time required for its diffusion and penetration, the nature of its results, and its involvement in activities to promote the scientific management in Japan. It is a case that should be emphasized in the history of Japanese corporate management.

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