"Pivot Global" Interview Video

Topics include: encouraging signs, entrepreneurship, is Japan back, stock market, wages, aggregate niche company strategy

When I was in Japan in February, I was interviewed on a very popular webcast called Pivot Global. It covered a wide range of topics, some from my new book, “The Contest For Japan’s Economic Future: Entrepreneurs vs. Corporate Giants,” and some on other current topics. It was put on YouTube 11 days ago and has 65,000 viewers so far. Here’s a table of contents by minute:

0:00 – Key excerpts: Japan is not back, but it could be.

1:30 – Meaning of stock market rally. Does it mean the economy is finally recovering?

4:38 – Are Japanese companies getting the message, a look at Return-on-Assets.

5:50 – Wages, Profits, and the government budget deficit

7:30 – Good and bad companies

8:18 – So-called “Aggregate Niche” strategy; how much do these niches add up to?

9:43 – Old superstar companies lose out in the digital era.

11:22 – Prospects for wages in light of the shunto, BOJ policy, and interest rates

14:43 – China factor in stock market recovery; hot money vs. inward Foreign Direct Investment

17:08 – The main message of the book: Japan could be back if it did the right things and there are many positive trends, especially generational change and the political power of technology.

18:55 – Examples of successful new entrepreneurs embodying the positive social changes

23:22 – The entrepreneurial personality in Japan and the drive for personal fulfillment

24:14 – Main lessons from the rise of new entrepreneurs

26:50 – People forget how innovative Japan can be; Japanese technology and the fight to arrest climate change

27:17 -- Technical brilliance vs. commercial genius; and the role of new companies

28:20 – Software and why old companies need the rise of new companies

29:15 – how e-commerce is changing the balance of power in business

30:38 – Obstacles and reasons for cautious optimism

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