Historically, Japanese firms have not been prominent players in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. In industries where this is the normal route for expansion, this reticence has been holding its firms back. Determined not to be upstaged by countries like India, China and Korea in breathing new life into its companies, Japan is instigating global mergers in sectors as diverse as brewing, sheet glass, and banking. Dr George Olcott, FME Teaching Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, has been studying the issues and cultural differences behind these recent mergers and acquisitions.
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