making thesis about japanese economy ?

[Homerduff]

I have to make a thesis soon about any kind of economy subject. Now because im very interested in Japan lately, I have done some research on the japanese economy. I found some interesting things like the progressement japan made is huge (has stagnated somewhat more recently), and also that the government is willing to make the national post and such private companies..

So I could make my thesis on the japanese economy, which would be fairly big subject. Or are there any other interesting things about japanese economy that you can suggest to me ? I am thinking about the technology sector, car sector, ...

my thesis should be at about 5 pages long. and please dont think that I want to have someone else make my homework hehe. I would enjoy making it especially if its about Japan..

 

[leonmarino]

I could think of tons of interesting economy/business-related subjects on Japan. Here are three that pop to my mind:

• The influence of Toyota's work ethic and philosophy on the car industry (kaizen-costing etc.)
• The importance of informal networks and "Keiretsu" in the Japanese economy
• The bursting of "the bubble" - Japanese asset price bubble

Good luck!

 

[Sirius2B]

I could think of tons of interesting economy/business-related subjects on Japan. Here are three that pop to my mind:

• The influence of Toyota's work ethic and philosophy on the car industry (kaizen-costing etc.)
• The importance of informal networks and "Keiretsu" in the Japanese economy
• The bursting of "the bubble" - Japanese asset price bubble

Good luck!

To the first, I will add other subjects about "Japanese Manufacturing Ideology", Reverse Engineering, things like "Just in Time", "Statistical Quality Control"... the influence of Deming techniques.

To the second, I will try to learn in dept the structure of Conglomerates (Keiretsu, former Seibatsu), how this approach was copied in South Korea (Chaebol)... things like "Japan Inc.", why and how Japan was a more or less closed economy regarding FDI at least during the first decades afer WWII, the role of the Ministery of International Trade and Industry (MITI), to make yourself question why many Americans believe that "They reconstructed Japan"... to go of course, much before in time... why East Asian real way to do things (and for that matter the Scandinavian Model) are enemies of models of the US Conservatives... and how this economical ideological conservativism evolved in Economics since the times of Ricardo... why Japan decided with so much concience and objetivity, to modernize in the first place... to go to the times of Commodore Perry and the Meiji time...

To the third, I will try to go deaper into the financial structure in Japan, how Keiretsu are/were developed around an inmportant bank, etc., the influence of Real State speculation, how other Asian economies have been "catching up" with Japan during the 80s, 90s...

Believe me... if you delve enough in the theme, it may even change the way you look at modern capitalism, geopolitics and other themes that go much beyond you could imagine.

Regards.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

P.S.

Back in school I made a research with the same theme, it was just to pass a one semester course of Economics... however, really was the lead that make search for more, and changed the way I look to economical news in the Newspapers, regarding Japan or Asia.

Regards.