Marketing Tips: Teamwork Rather than Individual Work


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Alexander the Great, my hero

Japanese people really seem to like to pick up the top three of various categories, such as the world’s three major night views. They are Hong Kong, Monaco, and Nagasaki, by the way. If it’s about architects, the top three are said to be Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier. It seems we really like the number “three.” Today, what I want to raise a question about is the three major heroes in the history. It is believed in Japan that they are Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Napoleone di Buonaparte. Don’t you think this is funny? Why is Alexander the Great not on the roster?

What is the secret of his strength?

His life and adventure are full of excitement. I know he is sometimes criticized as a tyrant. Simply speaking, what he did is taking over the world without a special reason, I guess. Although I know his act is not something praised based on modern values, I can’t help but get innocently excited over the stories of his military expedition to the east.

I think the secret of his strength is often explained in connection with the new and unusual tactics he created. Such as the phalanx of heavy infantry, the operation of light infantry and cavalry as a set, etc. I always suspected, however, no one could have maintained an edge against competitors only with such new tricks. It’s only natural that competitors (like Persian army, in the case of Alexander) imitate them.

Three guys are talking about something around a coffee table. The man in a red shirt is the designer of the coffee table.

The synergy effect is essential to survive in the market

The biggest source of his strength, I personally believe, is the progressive logistics of his army. It’s not too much to say that logistics affect the outcomes of wars. In the case of Alexander, it was more than logistics. Even scholars in various fields accompanied his army, to say nothing of doctors. In other words, it’s not an outstanding talented leader and tough soldiers fighting in the front line but cooperation that counts in order for a team to survive in the harsh competition.

I think the same can be said for us, and it’s natural because modern marketing desciplines are derived from military science. In the beginning was the production of high-quality furniture, but without teamwork with other dedicated departments (including us, overseas sales team, of course) cultivated throughout the history of more than 50 years, the value of our quality products can’t reach the market correctly.


Shungo Ijima

He is travelling around the world. His passion is to explain Japan to the world, from the unique viewpoint accumulated through his career: overseas posting, MBA holder, former official of the Ministry of Finance.


Photo Credit: https://www.history.com/news/alexander-the-great-defeat-persian-empire


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