Chapter 12 Chapter Eleven Resigned Twice: Ji Liu Bravely Retires on Merit

On January 15, 1961, before Panasonic’s annual business policy announcement meeting, Konosuke Matsushita called the company’s senior cadres urgently, “I’m sorry, I called you all of a sudden. Today I plan to resign as president and serve as Chairman, I will announce this at the business policy announcement meeting to be held soon." Everyone was shocked and looked at each other, but because of the sudden incident, they couldn't say anything for a while. Seeing everyone's reaction, Konosuke Matsushita went on Said, "Then it's decided." At the business policy announcement meeting, Arataro Takahashi read out the annual plan and answered questions raised by managers of various departments.According to the usual practice, Konosuke Matsushita will give an inspiring speech before the end of the meeting. These speeches are not prepared in advance and are all his impromptu performances.Standing on the podium of the press conference, Konosuke Matsushita first expressed his joy and gratitude to the employees for the results that exceeded expectations in the five-year plan: the turnover originally planned to be 80 billion finally reached 150 billion, and the trade volume exceeded 10 billion.This is of great significance to Matsushita Electric and the Japanese industry.Then he reflected on all aspects of the operation, and finally encouraged all employees to unite and continue to work hard.

The following passage is the conclusion of the 2-hour business policy presentation: After the warm applause, Konosuke Matsushita did not intend to leave, as if to announce something, and the host did not announce the end of the meeting. Only a few people in the venue knew that Panasonic was about to start a new chapter. Looking at the incomprehensible expressions of everyone in the audience, Konosuke Matsushita slowly said the following words: Thank you, I would like to announce one thing: From today, I will resign as the general manager of Panasonic Corporation, and I will still retain the position of chairman of the board of directors.

The venue was silent at first, terribly quiet, followed by a commotion. The employees of Panasonic were not used to a company without Konosuke Matsushita, nor could they accept a company without Konosuke Matsushita, let alone the departure of Konosuke Matsushita. There was a lot of discussion in the audience, and they unanimously asked Konosuke Matsushita to stay in office. Thank you for your trust in me. Thanks to your love and support, the company can have today's brilliant performance. 57 years ago, when I was 9 years old, I went to Osaka as an apprentice.From then until today, I have been working hard.I turned 65 last November 27th and have been working for over 50 years.Thinking about it carefully, I have received your assistance all the time, and I am really grateful to you all.As for the future, I think, after all, my age has reached a hurdle.I have been thinking about finding an appropriate time to resign as president.The first time I was 50 years old, I wanted to resign as the president of the company, but it was during the war, and the military issued a task, so I couldn't resign.During the five years after the war, both economic activities and myself were constrained, and the company itself was in danger of disintegration, so I could not resign at that time, but continued to devote myself to the reconstruction of the company.However, 10 years have passed, and seeing today's grand occasion, I feel infinitely gratified.

For a large company like Matsushita Electric, the words and deeds of the general manager are very important. With the development of the business, the scale of the company will expand in the future. Over the years, the company has formed a tendency to rely on me personally, which is prone to the danger of dictatorial management .For example, each business department is required to operate independently according to the charter, but in fact, I often have the final say.I have discovered this shortcoming a long time ago, because the time is not ripe, maintaining the status quo for the time being, but it is not a long-term solution.Now, the company scene is changing with each passing day, and new people emerge in large numbers. I think I should take this opportunity to step down.

After thinking about it, I decided to resign as the general manager and continue to focus on the company's future operations as the chairman.For me personally, the spirit of concentrating on the management of Panasonic Electric will remain unchanged during my lifetime, but I also know clearly that my physical strength no longer allows me to do so. My basic management policy has not changed at all. As an industrial person The sense of mission remains the same.I hope that, taking my resignation as an opportunity, Panasonic will make a further leap forward with a new lineup starting tomorrow.I believe this will come true, and I firmly believe that my resignation will be extremely beneficial to the development of the company, rather than harmful.Finally, I hope that everyone will continue to support the work of the new general manager, and as always, create a great cause together, please!

There was applause from the audience, and many people burst into tears. After retiring, Konosuke Matsushita and his wife Umeyuki Iue lived a peaceful and peaceful life. He only went to Osaka when the company held a board meeting, and spent the rest of the time at his residence studying, enjoying flowers and listening to Zen. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, this retired life did not bring Konosuke Matsushita long-term peace. In 1964, the company's business was turbulent again, and the situation brought Konosuke Matsushita back to Matsushita in his rare years. Konosuke Matsushita, who returned to the company, was full of fighting spirit. After deeply understanding the reasons for the company's sluggish business, he prescribed the right medicine and carried out drastic reforms to bring the company back to life.

In 1973, Konosuke Matsushita held a press conference in the conference hall of Panasonic Corporation. The hall was crowded with reporters from all over the world, and the flashing lights kept flashing. "Mr. reporters, thank you for your care for our company over the years!" Konosuke Matsushita said slowly, and the hall suddenly fell silent, only the sound of the camera rustling. "Today I want to announce something to you. Before I announce it, let me tell you about myself. I am 80 years old (imaginary) this year. I have done everything I should do since I started my business 55 years ago. Now, even I have I scratched my head and said: Well done!"

Yes, Konosuke Matsushita can say that, under his leadership, Matsushita has achieved remarkable results. In 1968, the company's sales were 467.1 billion yen, and bank deposits exceeded 100 billion.In addition, according to the report of Japan's "Economic Shimbun", the six companies with the highest annual growth rate in Japan are: Matsushita Electric, Toyota Motor, Shiseido, Kashima Construction, Sanyo Electric, and Matsushita Electric.According to the data from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Panasonic's "National" brand products account for the following ratios in the Japanese domestic market: televisions, 19.1%; radios, 20.6%; washing machines, 18.1%; vacuum cleaners, 22.9%; dry batteries, 31.3% ; tape recorders, 25.2%; refrigerators, 23.2%.

In 1970, the World Expo was held in Osaka, and the Matsushita Pavilion attracted more than seven million visitors. In 1971, Konosuke Matsushita was awarded an honorary doctorate by Keio University in Japan. Looking back at Konosuke Matsushita's great economic achievements and extensive social influence in recent years, Konosuke Matsushita can well-deservedly say: "Well done!" "I hope to let young people take over my position so that the company will always be full of vitality, so I decided to resign as chairman and Masaharu Matsushita will take over, and I will become the company's top consultant."

A reporter asked: "Mr. Matsushita, in Japan, consultants are idle jobs. The board of directors can listen to or not listen to the opinions of consultants, right?" "This is exactly my original intention. I hope that the new board of directors will treat me as a consultant and not take my opinion as the main point, otherwise I will not retire in vain?" "Mr. Matsushita, do you want to change your position to a consultant to be a behind-the-scenes planner?" Faced with this unkind question, Konosuke Matsushita replied: "Actually, when I was the chairman in 1961, I didn't ask much about the company's affairs. The company has been doing well these years!"

"Mr. Matsushita, what do you plan to do after retirement?" "There are many things to do after retirement, including writing memoirs and continuing to do PHP research." In the face of the reporter's continuous questioning, Konosuke Matsushita answered fluently, making people feel that he is resolutely quitting and letting newcomers run the company. Konosuke Matsushita was at the peak of the company's prosperity, and he retired bravely. He first resigned as the general manager of the company in 1961, and then resigned as the chairman of the company in 1973, completely handing over the power, and retreating behind the scenes to support his life. Although Konosuke Matsushita handed over power, he did not stop thinking and social activities.On the contrary, he pays more attention to the company and social affairs. Regarding the appointment and dismissal of high-level personnel in the company, although Konosuke Matsushita upholds the idea of ​​"family business and family inheritance" and tries to make the business of the Matsushita family transition to the third generation of Matsushita Masahiro, but he Old but not confused, after Masaharu Matsushita's term of office expired, he did not directly let Masayuki Matsushita take over, but chose Toshihiko Yamashita and Akio Tanii, who had different business philosophy from his own, as the general manager successively.It was these two successors who made Panasonic's business steadily bigger and stronger, and also laid a good foundation for the succession of the third generation of the Panasonic family, Masayuki Matsushita. On the other hand, Konosuke Matsushita donated 5 billion yen to the "Social Welfare Fund" when he resigned as the chairman. In 1979, he visited China and proposed to China the idea of ​​establishing a Sino-Japanese joint venture electronics company. In 1980, Konosuke Matsushita established the "Matsushita Political and Economic School", which is dedicated to cultivating new talents for the future. In 1983, Konosuke Matsushita served as the chairman of the International Science and Technology Foundation and the 21st Century Association. In 1988, Konosuke Matsushita donated 10 million shares of Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. to the International Science and Technology Foundation.A large number of donations, charity, and public welfare activities spent almost all of the old man's time and most of his financial resources; thinking about business management, state management, and social development became the theme of his writings during this period. When his career was in full swing, he was willing to step back from the front line and retreat to the second line, and wholeheartedly supported the heirs of Panasonic Electric.