Chapter 10 Chapter 9 Replying to Civil Uses: The Willows and the Flowers Are Going to the Peak

Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. was able to leave an immortal reputation in the history of Japanese business. In addition to a series of electrical appliances in the early stage, it gained a firm foothold in the market, and it also developed rapidly after the Second World War. Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. has truly become a multinational enterprise that plays a decisive role in the world. However, Matsushita Electric Co.'s take-off was not so smooth.Japan, which experienced the Second World War, as a defeated country, naturally suffered great economic trauma, and was subject to supervision from the United States, and large Japanese companies were greatly restricted.Together with 14 companies including Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo, Panasonic was listed as a "chaebol family" by the United States, and its affiliated companies were designated as war "compensation factories."As a result, the assets of these companies are frozen, and all borrowing of funds, sale of movable and immovable properties, and renewal of equipment, etc., must be approved in advance.For enterprises, these measures are undoubtedly fatal.After that, Konosuke Matsushita even started living in debt again.

World War II ended with the total defeat of Japan.On the second day after the defeat, that is, August 16, 1945, when others were still immersed in the grief of the defeat, Konosuke Matsushita appeared in a brand new posture. He went to work earlier than usual, and immediately arrived at the factory. Issue command: "The war is a failure, but Japan needs to rebuild immediately from now on, and the company must also quickly take the first step of post-war development. I hope everyone will put into work quickly and make sure to produce products as soon as possible. This is our responsibility!"

Konosuke Matsushita has always acted vigorously. After assigning tasks to the company's managers, after two or three days of discussion and research, on August 20, he announced the company's reconstruction plan to all employees: "At present, we are facing the most drastic period of change in this century. I, Matsushita Electric, must quickly resume production and take the first step to rebuild Japan bravely. I think that Matsushita Electric cannot be in a state of no direction for a day. This will make the employees uneasy. We cannot predict the future fate, but no matter what changes occur, material shortages will inevitably occur. In order to revive Panasonic, we have no other way. Industry is the foundation of national revival, in From this, I can say that everyone will be the pioneer of Japan's industrial revival. At the same time, the unemployed and those who will be unemployed are welcome to work here. We will unite and cooperate with each other sincerely, carry forward the traditional spirit of Panasonic, and make more contributions to Japan's reconstruction. !"

In post-war Japan, people's spirits generally suffered an unprecedented blow, showing a strong sense of loss, and their production and life were extremely decadent. Under such circumstances, the Japanese industrial world was hit and could not resume production quickly, and living materials were extremely scarce. This is of course a great opportunity for visionary and courageous industrialists to display their talents.Konosuke Matsushita's grasp of this is shrewd and timely.One of the success factors of Konosuke Matsushita is that he can always turn the sails and catch up at the beginning of the changes in the current situation.At the same time, he has a sense of responsibility and mission as an operator, which enables him to adhere to business principles, produce meticulously, buy and sell fairly, and serve diligently.

The situation of Matsushita Electric Corporation at the end of World War II was not optimistic. At that time, it was said that there were 60 factories with 20,000 employees, but most of them were established for the manufacture of military products and were not suitable for the production of civilian products.Fortunately, Panasonic has a good foundation. During the war, it kept its equipment and technology because of its insistence on the production of high-quality civilian products; during the war, it produced high-precision military supplies, and accumulated new technology and production experience; it survived the air raids. A lot of production equipment has come down; talents who have left have returned, and funds can be credited with a large amount of loans.

Thanks to the support of these beneficial factors in the misfortune, it didn't take much time for Matsushita Electric to resume the production of civilian products.In October of the year when the war was defeated, the factory was ready for full-scale operation; in November, it began to produce and sell radios, electric stoves, etc.; at the beginning of the next year, Panasonic Electric had the following products on the market: radios, phonographs, loudspeakers, volume tuners, Resistors, dry batteries, searchlights, small lights, asphalt insulation, electrodes, motors, electric ranges, irons, electric heaters, electric fans, light bulbs, fuses, bicycle parts, etc.

These products appeared one after another shortly after the war, which shows how quickly Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. moved. However, since Japan was a defeated nation, its industrial production was limited by the Allied Command led by the United States.One of them is to semi-forcibly restrict the development of Japanese industry to prevent its national power from expanding and rekindling the flames of war.Of course, Panasonic is no exception, and soon received such a restriction order. In this regard, Konosuke Matsushita did not remain silent.He immediately asked his subordinate cadres to lodge a strong protest with the parties concerned.After repeated efforts, I finally achieved certain results.Soon, relevant parties approved the production of radios by Matsushita Electric, and subsequently, the production of other products was also approved one after another.However, shortly after Panasonic resumed production one after another, new restrictions came again, and they were more numerous and stricter.

This situation made Konosuke Matsushita very sad, and his plan to develop his own business as soon as possible was greatly affected.No matter from which aspect, Konosuke Matsushita is a man of insight.The situation after the war made him see people's needs for civilian goods, and he felt that as an industrialist, it was necessary to provide help in this regard to the public quickly and in a timely manner.Because of this, Matsushita Electric was able to go through hard struggles, rise rapidly in the post-war industry, and finally become Japan's top giant company. At the same time, Konosuke Matsushita also clearly realized that Japan at this time is no longer what it used to be, and many aspects must be reformed in order to adapt to the new situation.For example, in the early post-war period, since the Allied occupying force was the United States, many of the government's actions must have American flavors, and the Allied Command, which undertakes tasks assigned by the United Nations, must also exert influence on the Japanese government in its own way.The actual situation is exactly the same.After the establishment of the Allied Forces Command in Tokyo, it quickly issued some policies on post-war management and democratization. Many of the contents and measures were in conflict with Japan's reality and traditions.

As a member of the Yamato nation, Konosuke Matsushita may not be willing to see this "shock that shakes the foundation" in Japan, but he is still aware of the general trend and the future trend.Therefore, he was able to respond positively to the new policy and new spirit of the coalition forces, and also took the initiative to take measures to adapt to the post-war situation, especially the process of democratization.In addition to comprehensively adjusting the production mechanism of military-to-civilian conversion, Konosuke Matsushita also made adjustments in terms of ideology, work style, and rules and regulations.

On November 3, 1945, Matsushita published a new management policy, which involves both software and hardware aspects of management, and can be said to be a relatively comprehensive program for Matsushita to adapt to the new situation.There are not many words in this policy, but the content is quite rich. (1) The post-war world will be an era of free competition and survival of the fittest.To make the company a winner in the competition, all employees must display the virtue of hard work.To this end, everyone should live a peaceful life first, so the ideal system of "high salary and high efficiency" is implemented.

(2) In order to achieve this ideal, it is planned to restore "Buyihui" to its pre-war status, as a welfare organization for all employees, and to pursue the operational benefits of all employees. (3) The work of each unit should be divided into details and further specialized, so that everyone who is in charge of business, production, and management will become a professional and authoritative in the world.Such a division of labor and combination can lay the foundation of our large enterprise. (4) The United States adopts the policy of employing people who are suitable for the right place, and attaches great importance to talents, so it has a very high efficiency.We must emulate this approach, focusing on strengths and simplifying seniority. (5) Japan's revival is quite difficult. You must work hard to achieve a prosperous life and provide society with abundant and sufficient material products.I sincerely hope that all employees will work together and fight to the end to achieve the mission. From the above five items, we can see that the management policy of Konosuke Matsushita has many characteristics and is quite scientific and reasonable. The first is the relationship between efficiency and salary.In general business operations or other industries, the order of salary and efficiency is always first efficiency and then salary. Only on the basis of efficient output can salary be increased.Konosuke Matsushita did the opposite, mainly aiming at the objective situation of post-war Japan.At that time, a lot of waste was waiting to be done, people's livelihood was in decline, many people did not have enough to eat, did not wear warm clothes, and of course the work efficiency was very low.In order to change this situation, Konosuke Matsushita resolutely decided to seek to solve the living problems of employees first, so that they would not have to worry about food and clothing, so as to actively put into production, improve efficiency, and get rid of the vicious circle.Subjectively speaking, Konosuke Matsushita does not think this order is unreasonable, but thinks that the relationship between salary and efficiency should be like this.He also realizes that it may be a risky move to exchange high salary for high efficiency, that is to say, high salary may not necessarily bring high efficiency. Konosuke Matsushita believes that if there is a situation of high salary and low efficiency, it is a problem with management or people's thinking, not a problem with this method.However, Panasonic has advantages that others cannot match in terms of management and personnel quality, so Konosuke Matsushita dared to make such a choice.Later results show that high salary and high efficiency are quite successful. While formulating the high-salary to high-efficiency system, Konosuke Matsushita also introduced a series of regulations on welfare benefits, the most important of which are: (1) Abolish the distinction between employees and employees.Previously, there were two types of Panasonic employees: employees and employees. Employees were supervisors and business personnel, and employees were front-line workers. There was a difference between the two in terms of name and treatment, and the employees were assigned points. Those who want to climb up from trainee workers to third-class workers, second-class workers, and first-class workers.This distinction has a strong feudal connotation and is quite inconsistent with the modern democratization system, so it is abolished. (2) Implement the salary allowance system for all employees.One is that all employees are paid according to their positions and benefits, and the other is that they are given corresponding allowances. (3) 8-hour working system.Previously, just like other companies set their own working hours, Panasonic also set their own working hours to 9 hours a day, which is longer than the working hours abroad, so Panasonic adjusted it in time and changed it to 8 hours a day.If the above system is more realistic, Panasonic's other reforms and innovations are not just to solve the immediate problems.In these respects, Konosuke Matsushita's vision is advanced, focusing on future development. At the presentation of the management policy in November 1945, Konosuke Matsushita emphasized specialization and division of labor; at the presentation of the new business policy in January 1946, Konosuke Matsushita further emphasized this point: "The specialized departments can only produce One product, but knowledge, technology, craftsmanship, and management must reach the world-class level, and the output must reach 1% of the world's total. Panasonic believes that only in this way can the company complete the transformation from small to large, and thus rank among the world's largest Forest of largest corporations. The idea of ​​Konosuke Matsushita stems to some extent from his understanding of American companies. His vision has seen the development of the next 10 or 20 years.Specialized division of labor is essentially to improve technology, process and production scale to form intensive production.In contrast, Konosuke Matsushita launched the "Technology Improvement Movement" throughout the company to produce "products with soul".The pre-war Panasonic products had high technical content and excellent quality. Konosuke Matsushita was determined to recover and even surpass the pre-war level.To this end, he called on all employees to work in this direction.At the same time, a new "Product Inspection Institute" was established, and he served as the director to supervise product quality. After the above-mentioned innovation and restructuring and the rapid response to the rapid organization of production, it can be said that Panasonic has the pre-war management status and production and marketing capabilities, and its potential capabilities are stronger, so it can be free to work hard. Nothing is always smooth sailing in order to be successful.Just when Konosuke Matsushita was confidently and ambitiously promoting business operations and trying to contribute to Japan, various restrictions were imposed on him, preventing him from operating at all and almost ruining Matsushita's career. On March 14, 1946, the Allied Forces designated a group of companies as restricted enterprises through the Japanese government; on June 3 of the same year, designated a group of chaebols and punished them for dispersing their property; from July onwards, some factories were designated in batches to contribute to the war Compensation for the injured country; on August 11, the payment of compensation for military supplies purchased by the military during the war was stopped; on November 21, a group of political and financial figures were designated to no longer hold public office; on December 7, a group of Enterprises do special treatment. It is very unfortunate that almost all these restrictions of the Allied Forces and the government are related to Konosuke Matsushita.The first is to be designated as a chaebol, followed by the designation of compensation factories, dismissal of public office, reorganization of shares, designation of restricted companies, designation of special treatment companies, and finally the centralized exclusion method. The identification of chaebols is mainly based on assets and family history.Matsushita Electric had 67 related companies during the war, more than 30 of which had Konosuke Matsushita's own investment, and there were many factories that produced military supplies.The Allied Forces compared him with Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, etc., and listed him on the same level. In this way, Konosuke Matsushita was identified as a chaebol and listed as a chaebol family to limit its development. Konosuke Matsushita was very dissatisfied with this determination.He believes that the two aspects of the determination are not sufficient.First of all, although there are as many as 30 companies in which he owns shares, their combined scale is not as large as a subsidiary of another chaebol.Secondly, I started my business from scratch and reached the current scale from my own generation, not from the inheritance of the previous generation, and the history is only about 20 years old, which is fundamentally different from the inheritance of several generations of the big chaebol.Matsushita only produces civilian items in peacetime, and only produces military products at the request of the military, and it has suffered huge losses as a result. Based on this, Konosuke Matsushita believes that the designation of his chaebol is completely wrong and must be corrected. In order to overthrow this determination, Konosuke Matsushita has done a lot of work. In order to produce enough information to explain the facts, Konosuke Matsushita has made full preparations. The manual alone is 5,000 pages long, all written in English.In the next four years, he traveled between Osaka and Tokyo, stating reasons and presenting evidence to relevant departments, but more than 100 negotiations did not bring any good news. Because Konosuke Matsushita refused to admit that he was a chaebol, and continued to protest and demand corrections, he did not resign as the general manager of the company due to the appointment of the chaebol, but insisted on working in his post to protest against the wrong appointment. An uncompromising attitude. In November 1946, shortly after the appointment of the plutocrats, the Allied forces issued a "dismissal order", that is, the dismissal of all managers of factories or companies that produced munitions during the war.Konosuke Matsushita was also included in the official list of expulsion from public office, and all those who held regular or director positions in the Panasonic Systems subsidiary were dismissed and were not allowed to appeal and protest. At that time, the expulsion was divided into two levels, A and B. Level A was unconditional expulsion, and level B was expulsion after investigation. Konosuke Matsushita, who was designated as a chaebol, was of course ranked A.The order this time was appropriate for Konosuke Matsushita, who had built aircraft and warships during the war, and there was no reason to protest. Under such circumstances, Konosuke Matsushita was ready to resign. However, things often turn around in an instant.Just at this time, an official from the Allied Forces in charge of the economy came to Panasonic to investigate.In order to restore Japan's economy, the Allied Forces are working according to their plans and steps.Officials came to Panasonic because they wanted to build Japan's electromechanical industry and started investigating Japanese companies. After visiting the factory and listening to the report, the US military official was very interested in the management of Matsushita Electric, and admired Konosuke Matsushita's business ideas and management level: "Mr. I am deeply sympathetic to people like you being expelled." After hearing this, Konosuke Matsushita felt a little absurd, since he has already been expelled, what is the use of sympathy?But he still asked the other party to lift the deportation. "Since your Excellency is so sympathetic, why don't you lift the deportation order?" "I'm afraid it won't work," the man replied. "Why not?" "Your Excellency doesn't know. Our tasks are different, and we each have our own responsibilities." The man patiently explained, "For the reconstruction of your company, I have the obligation to guide. Whether to expel public officials or not depends on other departments." It is not our authority to be responsible. Therefore, I can advise you on what you have done, as well as your talents and thoughts on contributing to peace, but the decision-making power is not with me. I hope you can understand this point." Konosuke Matsushita was surprised by the answer, and Konosuke Matsushita felt quite satisfied that the other party was able to do this, and he could only resign himself to the fate of the outcome.I don’t know whether it was the union’s appeal or the American official’s suggestion that worked. One day not long after, the Allied forces suddenly issued an order to downgrade Panasonic from Class A to Class B. death reprieve". Four months later, the deportation order was finally lifted, as was the rest of the Panasonic staff.Konosuke Matsushita won the favor of fate again. However, there are four more restrictions imposed on Panasonic. In December 1946, Matsushita Electric was designated as a "restricted company" to restrict its development, and required more than 30 subsidiaries to separate and become independent.In July of the following year, Japan proposed the "Act to Exclude Economic Concentration" in accordance with the policy of the Allied Forces, and Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. was also punished in this way.That is to say, not only the subsidiaries of Matsushita Corporation will be separated and independent, but even Matsushita Electric itself will be disintegrated.According to this situation, Konosuke Matsushita is actively planning the dissolution while arranging the independent management system of each subsidiary, manufacturing plant, and business office, and also making a settlement in terms of financial relations. In February 1948, Matsushita Electric reported the final plan of dissolution to the relevant agencies.At this time, the economic policy of the United States towards Japan changed, from the initial strict restriction and disbandment to the promotion of revival and self-reliance.Many previous decisions also became invalid, and Konosuke Matsushita and his company once again survived the difficulties of survival.As early as the beginning of the business, Konosuke Matsushita took the initiative to organize the labor organization "Buyihui" in his factory.This organization is similar to a trade union, with the slight difference that it is not only an organization that safeguards the interests of workers, but also an organization that promotes the unity of all employees (including bosses) and common prosperity. Not long after World War II, Matsushita Electric was just beginning to rebuild and revitalize. Among the series of measures taken by Konosuke Matsushita, there was the restoration of the "step for a while" item, and the emphasis on the characteristics of this organization for the welfare of workers made it It is closer to trade unions.Shortly thereafter, the Allied Forces Command issued a general order for companies to establish trade unions as part of Japan's postwar democratization process.In response to this call, all enterprises established trade unions one after another. Panasonic workers were unwilling to lag behind and took the lead in founding it. The Panasonic Labor Union was formally established on January 30, 1946, and "Buyihui" was disbanded immediately.This huge enterprise trade union has a total of 15,000 members and 42 branches. The chairman of the board is Mizui Asahi.On the day when the labor union was established, Konosuke Matsushita came to the venue where the union was established. About 15,000 employees attended the meeting, and almost all the employees attended the meeting. The venue seemed a bit crowded. At that time in Japan, the conflict between labor and capital in many enterprises reached a white-hot level, and fire and water were incompatible.Any company boss who dares to attend a trade union rally will most likely turn into a meeting of criticism and struggle against the boss.Konosuke Matsushita attended the meeting, and was not shooed away, and was invited to the stage to deliver a congratulatory speech, which is already a very high courtesy. That night, an acquaintance said to Konosuke Matsushita: "Mr. Matsushita, you are amazing. The company has established a labor union. I have never seen a director who is willing to come to the meeting. Because the director is here at this time, the employees must You will take the opportunity to exert your power wantonly, and those who come will definitely be ruthlessly attacked, but you are here, so admirable!" "There is nothing to admire. The employees of my company organize a labor union and are about to enter a new great In this era, how can a person who is the chief executive stay out of it? That’s why I’m here, so it’s not surprising.” Although Konosuke Matsushita said this, he was deeply moved by the changes in the current situation and the world. He thought of the company's previous situation. When he entered the workshop, the monitor would shout "Stand Attention", and all the employees stood up to pay tribute; now, even if he wants to give a congratulatory speech, he has to go through a vote first, which is really a big change. Times have changed, and the new trade union is no longer the "step for a while" of the past.Asahi Mizui, the chairman of the Panasonic labor union, is an "old union" who was a member of the labor organization "Tongmeng" and is quite familiar with trade union business.Therefore, as soon as the trade union was established, various businesses were quickly launched.Soon, a resolution was passed, putting forward three programs and eight requirements, such as "strive for the right to negotiate with groups", "participate in company management", "double the payment of salaries and allowances", "repeal the qualification restriction system", etc., and the momentum is extremely fierce . At this time, the Allied Forces' "Decree of Expulsion from Public Office" was issued, and Konosuke Matsushita was also among the dismissed.When the trade union learned of this, most of the members headed by the chairman Mizumi Asahi did not want Konosuke Matsushita to be fired. They ignored the opposition of a few people and quickly set off a movement to protect Konosuke Matsushita's position. They ran around and spared no effort.Most of the 15,000 employees have signed the relevant petition, and some family members have also signed.The trade union cadres took this document and went to Tokyo to present the relevant government leaders in person and made a generous statement. At the same time, the shopkeepers of Panasonic's dealerships across the country also joined the ranks, launched the same campaign, and petitioned the authorities. As long as we can reflect on the past with serenity, update the lineup with gratitude and humility, and move forward at a steady pace, we can surely turn a bad year into a fruitful one.What World War II brought to Konosuke Matsushita was indeed a disaster.However, Konosuke Matsushita does not believe in bad luck or bad luck.During the second half of the 1940s, he struggled. Due to the lifting of the deportation order from public office, he was able to continue to serve as the general manager of Matsushita Electric, leading the recovery and development of Matsushita Electric. Judging from the situation in the industry at that time, Konosuke Matsushita was the most active and effective one in resuming production.However, the policy and situation did not provide him with a good opportunity.He wanted to produce, but various restrictions came down, and many things came to a standstill immediately; he obtained funds and produced products, which he planned to sell at a reasonable price for profit, accumulation, and development, but the government issued a price-limiting decree He wanted to follow the way of a businessman and produce and operate legally, but the bad situation in the industry hindered his actions. However, no matter what kind of difficulties you encounter, Konosuke Matsushita has two points that remain unchanged: one is never to lie down and never get up again, never to shrink back, and never to stop;At that time, due to the lack of goods, many manufacturers disregarded their promises, produced shoddy products, deceived customers, and the black market was also very serious.In this regard, Konosuke Matsushita was extremely disgusted and resolutely resisted. In order to make the enterprise get out of the trough as soon as possible and reproduce the glory of Matsushita Electric, Konosuke Matsushita carried out a series of enterprise reforms.Including production, organization, personnel and sales and other aspects. Among the many reforms and reforms, the most prominent one is still in sales. From February to October 1949, Konosuke Matsushita personally traveled from Hokkaido to Kyushu, visited agents and distribution stores all over the country, restored the pre-war alliance store system, and established the "International Co-Prosperity Association".After this business and emotional contact, the alliance stores and agency stores have all regained their vitality. At the same time, Konosuke Matsushita also actively established a sales system and network belonging to Matsushita Electric Corporation itself.He has set up business offices all over the country, under the jurisdiction of the county as the unit of office.In addition, the "sales company system" that occupied a considerable position in the sales system of Matsushita Electric was introduced. In August 1949, Konosuke Matsushita first established a joint venture with an agency in Kochi County "Kochi International Product Sales Co., Ltd.", which is responsible for the wholesale business of all Panasonic International brand products in the county. This kind of sales company sells international brand products. sales and profits.Later, such sales companies were successively established in other regions, covering all counties and cities by 1959. As a result, the two pillars of Panasonic's sales business: alliance stores (substantial meaning of chain stores) and sales companies (specialty stores) have been successfully established. A series of positive measures have gradually revitalized the sales of Panasonic Electric, and also led to production. In April 1949, the previously implemented half-day work break was restored to full-time work, and various good signs emerged.Konosuke Matsushita felt: the darkness before dawn is about to pass, and the dawn is about to come. To deal with negative downturns, one should have a positive attitude.The downturn just provides people with the opportunity to turn around, so that you can get out of the situation where you usually have no time to get out, and face it with new clothes and a new look. For operators, the downturn is probably not what all businessmen are willing to do. have witnessed.However, the downturn still comes unexpectedly, and it does not slow down its pace or retreat its figure because of artificial indifference.In response to the downturn, some operators retreated automatically, while others were overwhelmed, while others held on.Still others have advanced subtly. Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd., owned by Konosuke Matsushita, belonged to the latter in the downturn, "outstanding" and performed impressively. Why is Panasonic doing this?There are conceptual reasons for this, and there is a knack for turning around. First of all, Konosuke Matsushita does not think the downturn is bad at all.Maybe this is a helpless idea, but at this moment, you must have such a concept. In the end, Konosuke Matsushita even said that the recession is "not bad" and "very interesting", and that the recession is "a play of acting skills." ",etc.These words made Matsushita Konosuke's contempt for the downturn and the scene of eagerness to try in the downturn come alive. Recession may be "fun," but it's not "not bad."Konosuke Matsushita said that the downturn is not bad, but he meant "renewal" and "bad things can be turned into good things".Konosuke Matsushita pointed out: "Generally speaking, in times of recession, everyone will learn from each other and think about it, and review and reflect in many ways." Therefore, after the downturn, there are more places to improve than before. From this point of view, recession can be said to be a process of continuous renewal and development.How to make bad things good? Konosuke Matsushita has the following propositions and practices: When the economy is in recession, it is just time to think, reflect, review and research.This is sitting and thinking, and it is also beneficial.You can think about the origin of the downturn, the plan to overcome the downturn, and so on.Konosuke Matsushita said that this thinking may lead to good plans and good ideas. During the downturn, it happened to take advantage of the suspension of business to make a big rectification.The way many people deal with the recession is to stop production and reduce staff.Konosuke Matsushita believes that the suspension of production is a helpless thing, and the reduction of staff is unnecessary.If you're worried about wasting manpower, find something to do: The technical training that is usually neglected is carried out, and the customers who are usually neglected are taken extra care, and the machines that need to be overhauled are thoroughly overhauled... The real reason for Konosuke Matsushita to get out of the predicament was neither the petition of his compatriots nor the advice of American economic experts, but the policy towards Japan of American politicians in consideration of global strategic interests. Just when the company was at a loss, a major event that shocked the world happened: In September 1950, the US military landed in Incheon, and the Korean War broke out. Konosuke Matsushita took off again, on the one hand, thanks to the outbreak of the Korean War, which contributed to the prosperity of the Japanese economy; , and Konosuke Matsushita's unique modest and pragmatic business attitude, led the Matsushita company, which was at a low ebb, to rise again. In 1950, the post-war Japanese economy gradually began to get on its own track. The real reconstruction of the Japanese economy began in 1950, and Matsushita Electric was the same. In the previous five years, the activities that enterprises should have were restricted by the "chaebol designation" of the occupying army.After the gradual lifting of various restrictions, on July 17, 1950, Matsushita Electric Corporation held an "emergency management policy presentation meeting", which can be said to be a "management reconstruction statement".The cadres of the company gathered together and expressed their determination to rebuild the company. Here is an excerpt of Konosuke Matsushita’s speech at that time: The United Nations Army composed of 15 countries headed by the US military poured into the Korean peninsula in large numbers.Japan is separated from North Korea by water, so it has naturally become the rear base and military supply warehouse of the US military.In a short period of time, the United States ordered a large number of military supplies and daily necessities from Japan, which was like a shot in the arm, revitalizing the dying Japanese economy and quickly showing prosperity.According to estimates from Japanese economic circles, the total value of overstocked products in the country at that time reached 100 billion to 150 billion yen. After the outbreak of the Korean War, a large number of unsalable items were quickly sold out.In such a big environment, Panasonic quickly sold out its inventory, and the company's operations have improved significantly.Before the war broke out, Panasonic’s monthly sales were only tens of millions, but now it has received orders worth hundreds of billions from the U.S. Army, ordering everything from dry batteries, light bulbs to communication equipment, regardless of the fact that many of them were restricted four years ago. Military" products. Although Konosuke Matsushita knows nothing about politics, he has the sensitive nerves of an excellent businessman.For such a rapidly changing situation, Konosuke Matsushita has a clear understanding of the situation, and believes that the opportunity cannot be missed. He must seize this golden opportunity to make a big effort and show his grand plans.At a company cadre meeting, Konosuke Matsushita explained in detail his future business policy and asked everyone's opinions.At the end of the symposium, he said with emotion: "Thank you gentlemen for your concern about the future of the company. Since the armistice of the Second World War until now, everyone has worried and endured a heavy burden. I am deeply grateful. Now the time has come, and we will no longer be subject to any restrictions. We can move freely and do business. What you want to do. What is in the past, let it be the past! From now on, we will work actively and concentrate on the expansion of the company's business!" After World War II, the accumulated deficit of Panasonic Corporation was quickly flattened, and the surplus showed a trend of rapid growth.The ship of Matsushita, which was once stranded, sailed forward again with full sail. The Korean War not only brought Matsushita Electric back to life and paid off the huge debts owed after World War II, but also made a fortune due to the war.The Korean War also contributed to the economic prosperity of Japan as a whole. Under this situation, the banking industry also contributed to the flames, actively lending and financing, and accelerated the development of the Japanese economy. One day in early 1953, after discussing the loan with Konosuke Matsushita, the managing director of the Industrial Bank, Ono, mentioned the difficulties of Victory Records and asked if Matsushita could help solve them. Panasonic doesn't know much about Victory Records. In 1927, Victory Records, a subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Corporation (RCA), invested and set up a factory in Japan.Afterwards, Japanese investors joined in one after another and became the Japan Victory Records, a joint venture between the United States and Japan.Before World War II, it was tied with another famous Japanese Columbia record company and became the most famous manufacturer of Japanese gramophone and record production industry.Its products are not only unmatched in Japan, but also product marketing covers China, India and the entire Southeast Asia.At that time, 67 out of 10 wealthy or educated families in these countries and regions owned phonographs made by these two companies, especially Victory Records.These 10 years can be said to be the golden age of Japan Victory Records, and also the "honeymoon" of capital cooperation between the United States and Japan, and the profits are naturally quite generous. However, with the approach of World War II, the good times did not last long, and there were signs of tension in the relationship between the United States and Japan. ABC withdrew all its capital, and its shares were all taken by Japan's Toshiba Corporation, and its operation was changed from a joint venture to a Japanese sole proprietorship.During World War II, the Japanese Victory Records Company, like all other companies, was forced to switch to the production of military supplies.Then came debts, air raids and the sanctions of the occupying forces, leaving the once thriving record company indebted, insolvent and on the verge of bankruptcy. The war destroyed Japan Victory Records, but after the war, people not only needed refrigerators and electric fans, but also gramophones to listen to records. Japan Victory Records will surely regain its glory.Konosuke Matsushita thinks so. Fortunately, Matsushita helped overcome public opinion and was determined to buy all the shares of Japan Victory Records. 在如何清偿胜利唱片公司的5亿日元债务和购买该公司的专项贷款上，松下幸之助派出了最得力的干将——野村吉三郎和百濑结。 野村吉三郎虽然不懂电声业务，可他善于用人，知人而善任。胜利唱片公司不乏技术专家，现时缺少的是使其协调、发挥合力的管理者，野村吉三郎当之无愧。况且他又有外交才干，公司也需要有一个善于对外拓展业务，在国内外又有声望的头目。 相比之下百濑结不善言辞，特别是在众人面前甚至表现木讷，但他头脑清楚，善于从纷乱之中理出头绪，而且有一股不达目的死不休的实干精神。百濑结是松下幸之助从住友银行挖出来的，他毕业于东京尚可大学，松下幸之助是在与住友银行谈判融通资金时认识他的，二人相见恨晚，经与住友银行多次磋商，百濑结方到松下公司担任了部门副经理一职。 野村吉三郎主外兼调兵遣将，百濑结主内兼管公司财务，分别出任经理和副经理，松下幸之助兼任董事长。 百濑结走马上任后的第一件事就是做员工工作，企业要走出困境，员工的精神面貌要改观。百濑结巡查各个部门，对任何职位、任何阶层的员工进行谈话，使每个员工树立信心，恢复昔日的荣誉感。不长时间里，公司上下树立了与百濑结一致的信念：日本的唱片制作，舍我其谁？在与员工进行深入交流之后，百濑结又想出“贡献文化，服务社会，胜利标志，天下共仰！”的标语。他解释说：“松下旗下几十家公司奉献给大众的都是精良的物质产品，唯有胜利公司是以出产精神制品——唱片服务于社会，以传播文化艺术为社会做出自己的奉献。” 他又陆续制定出简洁易记、激动人心的口号，如胜利在于技术，声音之胜利等，并阐释达到终极目标与脚踏实地之间的关系：只有从日常技术上严把产品质量关，才能实现“胜利”之理想等等。这些标语、口号书写于办公室各处，张贴在厂房上下，员工处在这样的氛围中，日久天长，渐渐成为每个人的行为准则和思维走势。 其次，他依据市场调查，调整了产品结构。除保留小部分设备继续生产胶木唱片外，大部分人员、设备转入研究、开发、生产电子琴这种新产品。同时在资金上也给予倾斜，以购置生产新产品的新设备，并加强了推销部门的力量，使其产品尽快地流入全日本市场。 第三，开源还需节流。百濑结在购置研究设备或机具上，一挥笔就批下几百万，可谓毫不犹豫，但并不是不假思索，他认为这是生产性开支，花一个钱，可以收回十个钱。而对公司的服务性设施，办公楼装修则能俭则俭。他的想法是“以有限的资金尽量用于能够赚钱的设备上，办公桌旧一点有什么要紧？”对于采购员，他经常嘱咐，有时亲自参与研究：“拿来商店商品目录价格表及性能说明书，大家认真研究一番，看看相同的性能、质量中，有没有更便宜的货色可以买到。” 在经过一段时间的摸索和整顿后，日本胜利唱片公司的运营进入正轨。松下幸之助时隔四五个月再进入公司，但见员工紧张有序地操作，耳听机器有节奏地鸣响，透出一股蓬勃向上的朝气。 在如此运作一段时间之后，银行界起家的百濑结已经成竹在胸，终于拿出日本胜利唱片公司的还债方案。方案主要内容是以营业收入归还实际债务，期限定为10年。方案公布之后，以兴业银行为首的债权人几乎全部判定百濑结的方案不现实，过于冒失。如此巨大的债务，5亿日元的旧债和重振胜利唱片公司所贷的新债，怎么可能在短时间内还清呢？百濑君大概是离开银行时间长了，业务荒疏了吧！还是拭目以待吧。 没想到日本胜利唱片公司在野村吉三郎和百濑结的经营下，全公司上下一心，一年以后即出现转机。1954年底，不仅扭亏为盈，百濑结还咬紧牙关抽出部分盈利为股东分了红利。消息传出，人心稳定，胜利唱片公司在社会上的声望和信誉日高，产品销售和资金融通全无障碍。借此有利形势，加强经营，终于在1957年6月，提前5年9个月，以惊人的速度奇迹般地偿清了全部新、旧债务。日本胜利唱片公司正如松下幸之助所预料的那样，甩掉了粘在身上的烂泥，重新闪露出金子般炫目的光辉。