“By exploring unfamiliar territory and leaving few stones unturned, Japanese companies uncover many new ideas and technologies with practical applications. Moreover, by probing assiduously and asking difficult questions, they often arrive at creative solutions to complex problems.”
Example: Sharp’s ‘global search’ for new solar energy technologies led it to a little-known and disregarded developer in Michigan. The adoption of this technology (which other companies had ignored) led to Sharp becoming one of the leaders in the calculator business.
Source: Tatsuno, S. (1990). Created in Japan: from imitators to world-class innovators.