The prevailing image of the Japanese management system in very large companies is very similar, if not the same as the management system used in small Japanese companies, because business management systems are, after all, a product of their particular national culture.

This article will at first provide a brief overview of the history of Japanese business and management systems over the course of the late 20th century in order to provide a context in which to base its argument. It is, of course, also important to understand what the prevailing image of the Japanese management system is, and how it came to be so dominant or influential with very large Japanese companies.