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

Networked, Small Venture Projects

Create tightly-coupled, networked project teams with clear strategic goals and tolerance for trial and error – “strict control among executive team members while at the same time granting flexibility and autonomy to each project”.

Example: NTT’s Multimedia Business Department was made up of 20 project groups which established strategic business community groups with outside partners. These were consciously networked and horizontal connectivity was emphasised.

Source: Kodama, M. (2003). Strategic innovation in traditional big business: case studies of two Japanese companies. Organization Studies., 24(2), pp-235-268.