Patterns of Creativity in Japan Lessons from Successful Japanese Companies – A Resource

“Do Business with Commoners as well as Lords”

Who are your ‘lords’ (existing customer types)? Who are your commoners (the customers you ignore or think are not worth serving)?

What changes in consumption patterns can you see which would transform the ‘commoners’ into an important customer base?

How would you deal with that?

What would happen if you gave up the ‘lords’ (Why might you have to)?

Example: Hachirobei, the son of the founder of Mitsui extended his family’s dealings past the daimyo and wealthy samurai to the bourgeois class, in the process opening up new opportunities and lines of business.

Hartogh, H. (2007). They broke the mold: the spririt of creativity in Japanese enterprise.