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Shoshaman ------ 商社マン

Shoshaman ------ 商社マン. Economics from a Novel Winter 2003. The Cast: Part I. The opening scene: announcing promotions to the company Ebisawa Shiro, President, Nissei Corp. Yamabe Seiji, head of personnel Ojima, the beserker Nakasato Michio, the protagonist / Ojima's "classmate".

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Shoshaman ------ 商社マン

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  1. Shoshaman------商社マン Economics from a Novel Winter 2003

  2. The Cast: Part I • The opening scene: announcing promotions to the company • Ebisawa Shiro, President, Nissei Corp. • Yamabe Seiji, head of personnel • Ojima, the beserker • Nakasato Michio, the protagonist / Ojima's "classmate"

  3. interpretation • What is role of company? "god?" • Presumption that Ojima "gone" • Training camp: what is of ultimate value? • Success in company. • How do Nakasato & Ojima differ? • One's a winner, one's a (big) loser • Family an appendage to career • Training camp: varied on entry, socialized into a similar pattern • Literary problem: • will Nakasato become like a successful Ojima? • Can work and life coexist?

  4. The Cast: Part II • New York: an inspection visit • American Gourmet Company proposal • Yoshida Shizuo, Nissei America • Tobita Tokihiko, Pres., Nissei America • Kano Taichiro, classmate of Nakasato at NA • Nakasato Rieko, the "missus"

  5. NY • What is a "trading company" (shosha)? • Old role: intermediary, here in int'l trade • Buy low, sell high, using superior information • Also special skills in finance and paperwork / logistics • How handle a bet gone wrong? • Hide • Face • Shift to others • Shosha "winter" • J companies better informed, bigger, more skills, handle directly: Honda isn't just a rural motorcycle maker • Information cheaper in general • Core goods are stagnant markets

  6. More themes • Context • will Nakasato be sidetracked to NY? • Generational issues • Younger more "open" • Older do quite OK if Nissei merely "gets by" • Contrast of son & father during tennis game

  7. Others • Key figures in Century Stores interlude • Hozumi Masako, her alter ego and a reluctant entrepreneur. • Hatakeyama Shinsaku, Pres., Century Stores

  8. Hozumi • Company mentality: • Nakasato vs Hozumi • She can break away from mold • Can't succeed within, so penalty from exit is low • Relationship • Initial: seeking information, wanting to set up own business • Supermarket story • Masako as foil: imaginative as to location • Nakasato: handled operational detail / store layout • Pulled store layout from visits to factories • Implicit that early to mid-1970s

  9. And more • Normal people • Inuzuka Keigoro, former boss of Nakasato during Century Stores joint venture. Japanese dance as his passion. • Nukaya Kiichiro, head of Kijima Co. food wholesaler that went bust. A manager without subordinates. • Natsukawa Tetsuji, a normal "jerk" (Food Dept) • Hoshino • Hozui Michio, a fatherless child • Robert Hancock, a passionate restauranteer

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