Samurai Purchasing: The secret of Japanese manufacturers success

Samurai Purchasing is the first book to reveal the secret of the Japanese manufacturers' success, such as Toyota's, Honda's or Sony's, to the world. It provides in-depth analysis of the secret, the Japanese unique Kaizen adoption of strategic sourcing, described as 'samurai purchasing' in the book. Seven procurement professionals in leading Japanese firms describe the Japanese buyers' actual purchasing practices. It is beyond mere cost reduction or negotiation techniques, procurement IT solutions-reverse auction, SRM (supplier relationship management) and ERP, or typical images of Japan research-Keiretsu or social networks. It is a mix of strategic sourcing, long-term relationship, personal bond and self-sacrifice. The authors' deliberation ranges over what samurai really is and how samurai spirit is inherited by the Japanese procurement elites　and therefore corporate staff. Samurai Purchasing is a text book for procurement professionals even who've already known about strategic sourcing or balanced sourcing, and is a study of the Japanese working style and culture.