Kōnosuke Matsushita

Kōnosuke Matsushita (1894–1989) was a Japanese industrialist who founded Matsushita Electric, now Panasonic, and developed it into a major electronics company.

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Matsushita Electric Industrial: A Japanese electronics manufacturer founded by Kōnosuke Matsushita in 1918 and renamed Panasonic Corporation in 2008. The company he founded began as a small electrical-products workshop in Osaka.
Matsushita Management Philosophy: A management system emphasizing employee development, social responsibility, and business serving society. Matsushita expressed his view that enterprise should contribute to society through this philosophy.
Toshio Iue: A Japanese entrepreneur who founded Sanyo Electric and was related to Kōnosuke Matsushita by marriage. Iue worked in Matsushita’s company before founding Sanyo with Matsushita’s support.
Japanese economic miracle: Japan’s rapid economic growth from the 1950s through the early 1970s. Matsushita’s expanding company became part of Japan’s postwar industrial growth.
Panasonic: A Japanese multinational electronics company whose corporate history began as Matsushita Electric in 1918. This is the global company that grew from Matsushita’s original business.
Retail distribution: The movement of products from manufacturers through intermediaries to consumers. Matsushita expanded through a nationwide network of independent dealers and retailers.
Masaharu Matsushita: A Japanese business executive who succeeded Kōnosuke Matsushita as president of Matsushita Electric. He led the company after Matsushita stepped down from its presidency.
Japanese corporate culture: The workplace norms and organizational practices associated with businesses in Japan. Matsushita’s ideas about loyalty, training, and social purpose influenced corporate management discussions.
Osaka: A major Japanese port city and commercial center on the island of Honshu. Matsushita established his first independent workshop in Osaka.
Mass production: The manufacture of large quantities of standardized goods using specialized processes and equipment. Standardized electrical products let Matsushita lower costs and reach more households.